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Lhasa Apso

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Lhasa Apso

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This beautiful Lhasa Apso breed lives up to his nickname, The Bark Lion or Sentinel Dog. His standoffishness for strangers serves him well for his real position in life, as the guard for your inner sanctum. The Lhasa Apso always stops the traffic with his stunning good looks and magnificent outline that takes more than its fair share of care for the perpetual show ring circuit. Once people understand that good coats need a good routine then it becomes easy – just do the hard yard and it will make show day a breeze.

An easy enough standard and a good brief one, it does nonetheless require your Lhasa coat to specifically be heavy, straight and hard and not woolly or silky. Must have good length and be very dense.

The head and expression created by their distinctive coat is an important part of the breed. Use  Plush Puppy Let’s Face It Shampoo. This is a hypoallergenic sulfate free low foaming shampoo designed for faces. It’s a nil fragrance, no tear formula with the highest quality extracts that clean, sooth, add moisture, aid in 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. Can be used in and around ears also with the same benefits. Its low foaming design allows easy rinsing yet complete cleaning. Best used first and left on whilst using all other shampoos and rinsing off with the final shampoo rinse.

As this is a big coat you are dealing with, ensure you dilute all shampoos to the ratios specified below. You don’t need to waste shampoo.

Use Plush Puppy Natural Conditioning Shampoo with Evening Primrose at 1:5 (1 part shampoo to 5 parts water) and up to 1:10 for maintenance baths. This is a nourishing shampoo, helping to increase hydration while slightly softening your dog’s coat. Derived from organic sources with a strong emphasis on Evening Primrose extracts to boost skin and hair regeneration.

To maintain current coat texture use Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo with Henna diluted 1:5. We call this the ‘Shine’ shampoo as it features natural Henna stalk extracts that impart a beautiful gloss and shine to your dog’s coat. All Purpose Shampoo is primarily derived from organic sources and also features Alpine and Lichen herbs. It is wonderful to use on normal to slightly dehydrated coats.

If out of coat then use Plush Puppy Natural Body Building Shampoo at the same dilution ratio of 1:5. This Shampoo gives brilliant lift and a bodifying effect to the coat without an artificial feel plus it is wonderful for the coat as it is primarily naturally derived and infused with beneficial plant extracts.

If needing a whitening or toning effect to offset unwanted warm tones in a light-coloured coat, use  Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo with Ginseng  again at 1:5. 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. Similarly for darker colours, it will reduce any warm tones to intensify the depth of colour by revitalising any lost cool tones.

For light coloured dogs use another clever stain reducing product in 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.

Use  Plush Puppy Black Opal Shampoo for black coated dogs only. First do a deep clean with Plush Puppy Deep Cleansing Shampoo and then for second shampoo use the Black Opal.

Dilute the Black Opal Shampoo 1:1 (1 part shampoo to 1 part water) and apply liberally for 10 – 15 minutes and then rinse off. This stuff works! Black Opal shampoo will tone black coats, giving depth to faded coats and enhancing natural colour. It is not a dye but a strong stain that contains organic sources with herbal extracts and intense black tone. It will not dehydrate or alter the coat or colour. It simply deeply tones the coat colour by staining rather than chemically altering.

Plush Puppy Deep Cleansing Shampoo is specifically designed to remove product build-up and to reduce unwanted stains in dogs coats. Its rich formulation using organic sources with added Green Tea and Seaweed extracts to provide the deepest coat clean available. Not only will it spruce up dull whites, this product can be used on any colour coat for a thorough cleansing and clarifying when required.

For those with a coat that is too soft try Plush Puppy Texture + Shampoo. This thoroughly yet gently cleanses and deodorises the coat of harsh or coarse coated breeds without softening or compromising texture. It’s ideal for boosting coarseness in coats of all colours and coat types. Use at 1:10 or apply undiluted directly to areas requiring cleansing. Rinse thoroughly.

Use a conditioner that is not super slippery nor one that makes the coat look small. Plush Puppy Silk Protein Conditioner is specifically formulated for dogs and will give you the assistance you want in disentangling without overly altering the texture if used in a really diluted form.

So, we recommend after the show bath the following mix. Dilute 3 tablespoons of Silk Protein Conditioner, 1 teaspoon of Plush Puppy Swishy Coat (for anti-stat and smooth, straight finish), plus 3 teaspoons Plush Puppy Blow Dry Cream into 500mls of warm water. Mix this very well, preferably with a stick blender! This mix will flatten the coat so it doesn’t billow out too wide. Now this diluted mix should be liberally applied to saturation throughout the coat ensuring evenness of application and to get right through the coat. No point applying to the outer layers only! You can leave this mix in, no need to rinse.

Between shows is the important part of the routine. Oil the coat with Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil, a true Godsend.

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. It will maintain the texture and moisture in the coat and help protect from elements. 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.

For ear edges and hem of the coat you can apply direct/undiluted from the spray bottle if this area is of particular concern.

For damaged coats, a good occasional treatment with Plush Puppy Coat Rescue works wonders. Add 2 tablespoons to 250ml of water, enough to be able to work easily through the coat with the fingers once the mix has been applied liberally. Will add some substance back into depleted hair that is ready to snap. Leave on for 10 – 15 mins and rinse. Coat Rescue adds plant protein to the hair and helps restore structure lost in wear and tear.

A daily dosage of Plush Puppy Reviva Coat, a leave-in moisturising foam applied directly to the hands and then wiped through the coat. If you do wrap or braid at all, then use the Reviva Coat for this too. This is a wonderful moisturiser and won’t make the coats greasy to live with!

So Show day and you have followed all the weekly duties of attention to coat protection and you have done the show bath routine finishing with the Silk Protein Conditioner/Swishy/Blow Dry Cream mix. Make sure you use the Plush Puppy Ultimate Pin Brush for drying until ¾ dry and then switch to the Plush Puppy Ultimate Anti-Static Porcupine Brush for final smoothing and finishing. I advocate using the Pin Brush till ¾ dry so as not to stretch the coat when wet. Overly stretching when wet causes the coat to tear along the shaft and makes tangling worse.

Finish with aPlush Puppy Professional Grooming Comb with a comfortable lightweight oval shaped spine housing fine and coarse pins made of hardened stainless steel with anodic oxide finish that reduces drag and static to the coat. Perfect for use for this breed of dog.

An amazing product that not only speeds up drying time but protects the coat is Plush Puppy FAST Blow Dry Spray. FAST dramatically reduces drying time, adds moisture and conditions while protecting the coat. It contains Australian Native Flame Tree extracts reknowned for their hydrating properties. It also protects the coat from damage from sun and heat. A light spray to a wet or damp coat, then brush through before drying.

For show day brushing and in between show brushing use Plush Puppy OMG Grooming Spray. This is amazing! Available in a ready to use spray or Concentrate which is recommended to be diluted 1:20 for average use. You can tweak the dilution to suit your dog, but this is a good overall dilution ratio. The matts are so much quicker to get through and it is great for disentangling. A real must for any tack box.

Using OMG can be a one-off at shows or during the drying process after bathing. This is also an amazing product for regular brushing as it hydrates the coat reducing stress and coat loss. Its active ingredients smooth the cuticle and protect the coat. It never builds up and never goes stringy.

Finish with Plush Puppy Protein Coat Balm on the ends or hem of the coat just a few minutes prior to entering the show ring. This will weigh down the edges of the coat to prevent them flying around unnecessarily, especially on windy, wild days, A little on your hands through the mid lengths is good too as this is not a heavy, greasy product and can be used repeatedly throughout the day.

Keep handy the Plush Puppy Powder Puff Regular for any quick cleaning for dirty feet and rear end or nether regions. This handy fling on and brush or blow dry off powder will instantly clean and deodorise which is essential for those emergency situations ringside.

Alternatively you can use the  Plush Puppy Wonder Wash, a no rinse wet instant shampoo for “those show day” last-minute emergencies as this will clean up anything, pronto. Just spray foam with the fingers and towel off. Wonder Wash is a brilliant quick self-rinsing bathing alternative solution for quick and easy cleaning without the need for a complete bath.

A couple of quick things to remember – for a more cottony coat use more Blow Dry Cream, for a skimpy coat use less Blow Dry Cream.

For a really out of coat situation use a little Plush Puppy Volumising Cream diluted 1 tablespoon to 250ml water and applied through root area to mid lengths before drying. This will add a slight coating to the hair to beef it up a bit. Also available in Ready to Use formula Plush Puppy Volumising Spray, a light spray, brush in and then dry. This is a hair thickener to add volume, not a hair stiffener and not easily detectable. It leaves the coat with a natural fuller look and feel.

At times due to various reasons including the weather static electricity can create flyaways. If this occurs use Plush Puppy Anti-Static Coat Control. This is a lightweight spray infused with organic extracts of Witch Hazel Leaf, Linden Flower, Birch Bark and Nettle. It includes a UV filter to stop sun damage and protect against heat. This amazing product is ideal for this breed and a must for your tack box.

Lastly a quick spray with Plush Puppy Odour Muncher. It literally munches the odour and leaves a light fragrance – certainly not too much and definitely not too little.

His gay and assertive nature and his free and jaunty gait give him a cheerful and cheeky appearance as he peers through the heavy furnishings of the hair falling over his eyes. Appearing in many colours we never get tired of this beautiful, flashy campaigner in the ring.

Plush Puppy Australia