The Lhasa Apso, like any other dog, becomes dirty and has to be groomed on a regular basis. It has a thick, gorgeous coat that gathers dirt, and the fur sweeps the ground as it travels. Yet all those beauties come at a cost, which is why you should learn how to groom your Lhasa Apso at home.

Grooming a Lhasa Apso is a big job, but you can do it at home in a few simple steps. Thus, in this article, we’ve covered everything you need to know about grooming a Lhasa Apso at home.

About the Lhasa Apso Dog Breed

The Lhasa Apso is a dog breed that originated in Tibetan monasteries. The dog has a natural fear of strangers, which makes him an excellent watchdog. It is also the most faithful dog breed, making it an excellent family member.

The Lhasa Apso has a long flowing coat that covers the dog from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail and from the topline to the floor. This dog breed demands constant attention and grooming to keep mats and tangles from ruining the coat’s beauty.

Grooming Tools Required for Grooming Lhasa Apso dog

Grooming should be instilled in the Lhasa Apso from an early age. Treats and praise must be used to train the dog to lie down on a flat surface for brushing. You can begin by grooming your Lhasa Apso dog in short sessions. To preserve his coat, you will need the following grooming tools:

Pin Brush
Slicker Brush
Metal Comb with Wide and Fine Teeth
Spray Bottle
Nail Clippers
Toothbrush And Toothpaste for Dogs
Scissors
Small elastic bands or barrettes

Steps to Groom Lhasa Apso at Home

The Lhasa Apso is a large dog with a long, gorgeous coat that must be groomed daily. Here’s how to groom a Lhasa Apso at home, step by step.

Brushing the Lhasa Apso

Brush your Lhasa Apso’s fur every day to remove mats and tangles if it has long fur that is frequently matted. Brushing a short-haired Lhasa Apso once a week is sufficient.

Choose the right dog brush

If the dog’s hair is short and smooth, you can use a rubber brush to remove dead skin and grime. However, while attempting to remove dead hair, a bristle brush is recommended. If the dog has long hair with a lot of tangles, you can remove them with a slicker brush. Look for hair that is standing out or away from the dog’s coat at an odd angle to identify dead hair on a Lhasa Apso.

Use a detangler to remove mats

A detangler is a type of conditioning spray that can be used to eliminate mats from a dog’s coat. There are, however, precise instructions for using a detangler that must be followed. Just spray the detangler on the mat and wait a few minutes before untangling it with a slicker brush. To eliminate the mat in the dog’s coat, switch back and forth with a slicker brush.

Gently brush your Lhasa Apso

If you brush too hard or rip through too many snarls, your pet may not like the grooming process. Also, your pet may struggle or be afraid of future brushing sessions. To avoid these outcomes, always brush gently, especially if there are knots or mats in the dog’s fur.

Always use caution when working with ear hair, especially if it is long. The ideal method is to scoop a bit between your fingers while pressing your rear hand on the dog’s ear. Also, if the dog’s hairs are short, avoid brushing them.

Also, belly fur necessitates gentle brushing, so brush these regions slowly and gently.

Bathing your Lhasa Apso

It’s time to bathe the Lhasa Apso after brushing the dog. Brushing the dog’s coat before bathing is vital since it eliminates any dead or matted hair.

Use the right dog shampoo

The thick coat of the Lhasa Apso necessitates the use of a shampoo that is fragrance-free, pH-neutral, and specially made for the dog. The finest shampoo for your pet would be one designed specifically for Lhasa Apsos.

Wet your Lhasa Apso

Fill the tub with three to four inches of lukewarm water and place your pet in it. Using a plastic cup, softly pour water on the dog. Avoid getting water in the dog’s ears, eyes, or nose, and always put a towel or a slip-proof mat at the bottom of the tub to keep the dog from slipping.

Massage the shampoo on the dog

Apply shampoo to your hand and gently massage it over your dog’s fur from neck to tail. Keep shampoo out of the dog’s eyes, ears, and nose.

Rinse the dog with water

Pour some bath water over your dog’s body once it has lathered up with shampoo all over it. To clean the lather, use lukewarm water until all of the foam has been rinsed away.

Dry your dog

To prevent your dog from developing a cold, properly dry it after bathing with lukewarm water. To dry your dog’s fur, massage it with a large soft towel. You can also use an air-only hair dryer to dry your dog. Note that your dog’s skin is sensitive and can burn if you use a hot hair dryer on it.

Brushing the Dog’s Teeth

Massage your dog’s lips for 45 seconds once or twice daily for two weeks, using slow and circular motions, before brushing his teeth. Start rubbing the dog’s gums in the same way and for the same amount of time after the first week.

Put toothpaste on the dog’s gums

After your Lhasa Apso has been accustomed to having its lips and gums rubbed, apply a small amount of dog toothpaste to its lips after its regular massage. Typically, your pet will suck the toothpaste immediately off, causing your dog to become accustomed to the taste of dog toothpaste. Nevertheless, other than special dog toothpaste, do not use any other toothpaste.

Choose a dog toothbrush

After you’ve introduced your dog-to-dog toothpaste, it’s time to choose a toothbrush for it. You can use a standard dog toothbrush, which resembles a regular toothbrush but has shorter bristles and a shorter handle. You can also use a finger toothbrush that fits over your fingertip. Therefore, there is no benefit or drawback to using a proper toothbrush; however, if your Lhasa Apso dislikes the second toothbrush, you may want to try the first one.

Brush the dog’s teeth

Apply a small amount of dog toothpaste on the bristles of the dog toothbrush, then delicately part your dog’s lips and place the bristles of the toothbrush against its teeth. Scrub the dog’s teeth slowly in small circular motions with the bristles. Brush all of the teeth on one side of the dog’s mouth before moving on to the other. Brush teeth 2 times a week.

Check signs of oral disease

While brushing your Lhasa Apso teeth, check the gums to see whether they are pink and free of swelling. Contact a veterinarian if your gums are white, red, or swollen.

Deal with the Nails, Ears, and Eyes of your Lhasa Apso

This is the final phase in the Lhasa Apso grooming process, which involves trimming nails and caring for the dog’s ears and eyes.

Clean the dog’s ear with an ear-cleaning solution

Hold the bottle of ear-cleaning solution in your hands for a few moments before beginning the cleaning process to warm it up. Lift the dog’s ear gently and inject some of the solutions into its ear canal. Gently massage the base of the ear after applying the ear-cleaning solution, and then wipe it out with a sterile gauze pad or a dry cotton ball.

If your Lhasa Apso dog spends most of its time inside, simply clean its ear after bathing. And, if it spends most of its time outside, its ears should be cleaned every time it goes outside.

Trim the hair over the dog’s eyes

The Lhasa Apso dog’s brow usually has a dense shock of hair, which is known as eye fall. To keep the eyefall up and away from the dog’s eyes, clip it or apply a hair tie. If the eyefall interferes with the dog’s vision, it should be clipped.

Comb the hair over the dog’s eyes straight up and draw it out towards the dog’s snout to trim the eyefall. Hold the shock of fur between your fingers and trim the fur nearest to your palm with a pair of straight-edged scissors. The amount of fur that must be cut is determined by the length of the eyefall.

Clip the dog’s nails

To avoid cutting the quick, carefully trim the dog’s nails. A circle appearing at the tip of the nail as you trim indicate that you are coming close to the quick. If you accidentally cut the quick, dip your dog’s nails in styptic powder or use an applicator to coat the tip.

Conclusion

The Lhasa Apso is not a low-maintenance dog and requires frequent grooming due to its long hairy coat, which becomes dirty more frequently. You may, however, groom a Lhasa Apso dog at home by following the methods outlined above.

FAQs

Are Lhasa Apsos Simple to Train?

According to a recent study, Lhasa Apsos are notoriously difficult to teach. It is possible, though, with a lot of positive reinforcement because they respond well to praise and treats.

Is the Lhasa Apso a Good Pet?

Lhasa Apsos have been bred as both guard and companion dogs. They can be hasty with strangers, and their keen alarm bark can become a nuisance if they are not properly guided as to when such a sound is acceptable.