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Out of Africa, and barkless, the Basenji is one of the oldest breeds, used for hunting, pointing and retrieving. Approximately the size of a Fox Terrier, one should have the first impression of a proud little dog. A Hound with beauty, grace and intelligence, he is also fastidiously clean, making an ideal house dog as well as a good working dog.
His coat is often described as one of his most beautiful features, exhibiting brilliant lustre. It ought to be short and fine. Colours must be predominant to any white areas and stated as either Chestnut Red, Pure Black, Tri Colour, or Brindle. White should be on tip of tail, white feet and chest with optional white on legs, blaze or collar.
The main characteristic of the coat is of that brilliant shine. So, your quest is always one of protection and enhancement of these. Remember coats are not made overnight, so your job begins long before any show season or special show. Just because it is a short coat, it doesn’t mean you don’t have to do much to it.
Long term plan is to always protect from the sun. He may be out of Africa, but you are showing a dog in the show ring – not out on the veld. Plan ahead with coat care, presentation and training and you will always be doing the utmost for your chances in the ring.
To prevent sun damage and fading of the coat, spend the time during the preceding weeks to pack the hair with slathers of Plush Puppy Reviva Coat. This is a remarkable “Leave-in” moisturising foam crafted to maintain and improve coat condition on all coat types. Reviva Coat will not leave the coat feeling greasy or oily.
For dire situations such as damaged or brittle coats use Plush Puppy Coat Rescue. Coat Rescue’s naturally blended essential oils and pure plant extracts help restore strength and elasticity to dehydrated and tired coat hair. When hair is damaged or dehydrated, the outer layer of each hair opens up or has gaps in it. Coat Rescue is like applying a filler to the individual hairs.
Mix equal parts of Plush Puppy Coat Rescue with water to a runny slurry, then slather this through the coat and leave on for as long as you can. Doesn’t matter if the dog runs around the yard all day with it on. The longer the better. Then rinse off.
You can then follow up with Reviva Coat each or every second day. Neither are greasy and both readily applied and absorbed into the hair.
Now for the shampoos. For faces always use Plush Puppy Let’s Face It. This is a hypoallergenic sulfate free low foaming shampoo designed just for faces. It’s no tear formula features the highest quality Blue Cypress Extracts, Panthenol with Pro Vitamin B and SugaNate. These special ingredients clean, soothe, add moisture, aid healing and have anti-inflammatory benefits. A small golf ball sized amounts directly to the face and eye area allows you to thoroughly clean without causing irritation. It can also be used in and around the ears with the same benefits. Its low foaming design allows ease of rinsing, yet complete cleaning.
If you find the reds or blacks tend to fade out with a rusty overtone as the coat ages, then bath with Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo. Dilute 1:3 (1 part shampoo to 3 parts water). You can use it up to 1:10 depending on your specific coat requirements. It works brilliantly to whiten whites and intensify darker colours. It DOES NOT lighten or bleach but instead tones with optical brighteners. It reduces yellowing or warm tones in white coats or white areas of the coat and will negate unwanted tones from sun fading or reddening in the coat.
Another clever stain reducing product is Plush Puppy Wonder Blok. It helps to maintain a white stain free coat. It is not a bleach and contains no harmful chemicals but high amounts of naturally sourced vegetable surfactants and glycerin. This product is designed to remove gently unwanted warm or red tones to the coat. Best used on a damp or wet coat. Gently rub into the areas required allowing 5-10 minutes and rinse. For maximum effects repeat or allow a longer time for this amazing product to work. As with all products take care around eyes.
For bathing when the coat is in normal, good condition, use either the Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo or Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo diluted 1:5 (1 part shampoo to 5 parts water). We call All Purpose shampoo the ‘Shine’ shampoo as it features natural Henna extracts that impart a beautiful gloss and shine to your dog’s coat. It is wonderful to use on normal to slightly dehydrated coats. Use the Herbal Whitening Shampoo on the white areas for gleaming whites. Just use the All-Purpose Shampoo on the areas where shine is important such as topline and main body coat.
Don’t use conditioners on this coat as they overly soften the hair. Use Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil to add shine, hydrate and condition the coat, without affecting the texture. It is a truly beneficial blend of using extracts of Calendula oil, Wheat germ oil, and Evening Primrose. Add 1 teaspoon to 2 Litres of water, then either sponge on or sluice well through the coat and LEAVE IN. DO NOT RINSE. This is quite a unique product in that it is not greasy and totally water-soluble. It gives an outstanding healthy vigour to the skin and coat and helps in protection. Use the oil at this dilution rate after shampooing for a show. Again leave in and do not rinse. You will get a nice healthy sheen on the coat with this routine.
When drying use the innovative Plush Puppy FAST Blow Dry Spray that dramatically reduces drying time. It adds moisture and conditions while protecting the coat. It contains Australian Native Flame Tree extracts known for their hydrating properties that help make a dry or older coat feel and look perfect. It also protects the coat from damage from sun and heat. It contains a slight hold ingredient for better coat management and a special active ingredient that eliminates static electricity and stops the fly-away’s. A brilliant blow drying spray that halves the drying time. FAST is amazing on short coats for a brilliant shine.
Blow drying is brilliant on short coats to dislodge any dead hair. Grooming mitts and brushes will never get the amount of dead hair out that a good forced dryer will remove. The quicker the dead hair is dislodged, the faster it will regrow. I find that bathing, oiling and blow drying each and every week, gives a better all over finish to the hair and you don’t suffer those horrid times of coat shedding where the coat appears as if moth eaten. The oil allows you to bath and dry each week without damage or dehydration thus getting the best of both worlds.
Follow this routine and your Basenji coat will gleam and not cause worries for show day. Do the bath, oil and dry the night before the show and most of your work is done allowing you to relax for the important day.
Show day just needs a quick tidy up and mini clean. Use Plush Puppy Wonder Wash a no rinse, fast cleaner on legs, feet and under belly area. Spray and foam with your hands and wipe off with a clean towel.
Then add Plush Puppy Cover Up Cream (a whiter than white paste) onto a barely damp, almost dry piece of sponge, and dab a small amount onto the feet and any white areas that need white cover. Don’t pile on a large blob, just a light one and add a good dusting of chalk or your preferred powder. This will dry and set the Cover Up Cream and leave till firmly dry. Finally give a light brush a few minutes prior to show time to remove excess.
On show day apply Plush Puppy Cover Up Cream which is a great cover for stains or discolouration. Excellent on “red” area on worn elbows and to the white on the muzzle. When you really need to cover stains your whites or intensify white areas, Cover Up Cream will do the trick. Apply with a barely damp sponge using a small amount. Build up coverage as required layer by layer.
Then use powder or chalk as required while the cream is drying. Brush off any excess when dry. Best of all is Plush Puppy Fairy Frost. This ultra-fine and bright white powder that is more effective and innovative than the usual methods of white chalking and adding powder to coats. Fairy Frost will create the brightest white tone that clings all day. Plus, it covers all coats without creating harshness. Fine and easy to use, our formulation means a little goes a long way. Fairy Frost Regular is naturally sourced and contains no chalk or talc. Use this product instead of chalk or mix with your usual white powder. This product is best for glamorous, perfect whites as it never gets clumpy, even when wet. This stays on the coat well and will last the day till washed off. Apply with the Plush Puppy Ultimate Powder Application Brush. Work well into the area where required for enhancing whites and cover. The absolute best for glamorous perfect whites.
Add a tiny bit of Plush Puppy Chalkestral with your fingertips to assist holding the white powder you apply. You need something to help grip and to protect the coat from abrasion.
When brushing use the Plush Puppy Ultimate Pure Black Boar Bristle Brush. Exclusive to Plush Puppy and uses the very finest quality bristles to polish this beautiful coat.
Use a good spray of Plush Puppy Odour Muncherto eliminate any dog trailer odours acquired overnight or in transit.
For a final boost of shine and lustre, spray a light mist of Plush Puppy Shine and Comb 30cm above the coat and let the mist fall onto the coat. By keeping shine to the coat, you instantly give the appearance of deeper and richer colour as the light reflects off a smoother surface better than a rough surface. Finish with a smoothing of your hand along the topline. All done.
Your Basenji is an elegant, graceful breed. An intelligent sight and scent hound, he moves with effortless and swift gait covering the ring with ease and agility. His wonderfully deeply furrowed forehead, pricked ears and intelligent, far seeing eyes, house a dog with great affection and alertness. Let him hit that effortless trot with long striding smooth gait and watch the rest of the competitors take notice. A great dog of ancient lineage and always a tough one to beat.
Plush Puppy Australia.
