Many companion dog owners here in the UK, will not have their own grooming facilities at home, but a domestic bath with a shower attached is a big must.

Prepare everything well in advance, from the day you are going to bath, to mixing the shampoo and having ready a suitable place to dry the Puli.

Just a quick mention here, domestic hair dryers are no use whatsoever, but there are available hand held grooming saloon models (some come with stands as well) which are certainly worth considering. Saloon "blasters" are expensive and do take up quite a lot of space, are noisy but very good for corded coats.

Natural drying obviously depends on circumstances. On a remarkable warm day here a few years ago, one Puli with a fully corded coat dried off sitting outside on the patio, far more quickly than under a drier! Turning up the central heating though does not seem to help all that much, resulting more in a panting uncomfortable dog than anything else.

If you do not have drying facilities, prepare a cage or Vari kennel with layers of newspaper, placed under veterinary bedding. Have several piles available, together with dry blankets. In theory this will act like bloating paper - but it does take a long time to completely dry a coat. This in turn can lead to a "smelly Puli" problem.

An alternative, is to approach a local canine grooming saloon and ask if they would be prepared to just wash and dry the coat. From experience, many groomers here in the UK are a little wary of Pulis, probably because most feel the necessity to reach for a brush and comb, and then having to re-do the cords!

There has been much discussion on different shampoos, having decided the best one for you, I think the main recommendation is to follow the instructions carefully as regards to dilution , prepare and have ready two quantities in large plastic jugs.

Before you even start to bath, it is a good idea to go over the coat, remove any debris and check there are not any matted cords. Bathing a Puli is not just to wash the cords, but to insure the skin is kept clean and healthy.

Clear the bathroom of any breakable item, cover floor next to bath with large towel, have numerous other dry towels to hand. Put on a good size plastic apron.

Call Puli to bathroom. Being a very intelligent breed he/she will have realised what is happening and escaped to the yard, or curled up in the corner of a favourite armchair, in the hope you will not notice, and change your mind!

I do not put any water in the tub, just use the shower head. I start to soak the coat at the end which is away from the drain hole, this way the dirty water doesn’t get into any cleaned part. The coat is weather proof, so a fully corded coat takes some time to get wet as you are working against nature.

Gently pour most of the prepared shampoo solution over the dog, hold some back for extra washing around the rear, legs and beard. Squeeze the shampoo into the coat, in a similar way to washing a woollen sweater. If you do not feel comfortable trying to do the whole coat at once, do it in stages, rear then front, or one side at a time. But I find it easier to treat it as a whole, taking extra time on the rear, legs, paws and beard Be careful not to get any shampoo in the eyes or ears. Part the cords to make certain you are washing down to the skin. Once this task has been completed, rinse, rinse and rinse - before starting the procedure all over again. In fact you will probably find that more dirt comes out the second time, because both the water and shampoo have really penetrated the cords.

Rinse, rinse and rinse. All shampoo should be removed, it is so often the residue that causes itching, scratching and eventual cord loss. Unfortunately if a Puli begins to scratch, it can become a habit and one which is extremely difficult to break.

Before lifting the Puli from the bath, try to squeeze as much water as possible from the coat, then gently towel dry. Your Puli will then probably want to have a good shake, then settle him/her down to dry.

Some owners like to check the cords whilst the coat is still damp. This can make it easier to separate any mats, but is a personal preference and much also depends on the type of coat. Trimming though must not be done until the coat is fully dry.

Having bathed and separated the cords, the ears, eyes, teeth, beard, paws, claws and rear need to be examined, each will be looked at individually.

The Ears - ears are very sensitive so please take great care. The hair needs to be gentle pulled from the inside, to stop it from forming into a large mat. Many people do this by using an ear powder between thumb and finger, and gently easing the hair out. Also the coat on the ear leather is subject to felting. Careful separation is essential, as it is exceptionally easy to tear the skin.

The Eyes - keep the eyes clean by removing any matter which has collected in the corner. If the coat has gown long and is hanging over the eyes, the Puli is still quite capable of seeing, and his/her long lashes keep the cords back. But some people like to tie this coat up into a top knot by using a hair band.

Teeth - should be cleaned. There are numerous canine toothpaste’s available, the use of human toothpaste is not recommended as they contain substances which should not be swallowed. Use either a brush or your finger to clean the teeth.

The Beard - food can easily get into the beard, which will make it both uncomfortable for the dog, smelly and nasty. This is one part of the Puli on which a comb and/or brush can be used if you so desire. Go through the beard regularly to clean, it is also a very good idea to wash the beard between baths. If you do not wish your Puli to have a long beard, you can always keep it trimmed right down.

Paws - trim the coat around the paws, and between the pads where it is liable to form into a ball, which is extremely uncomfortable for the Puli.

Claws - claws are actually extensions of the dogs skin, modified to become long and hard. Dogs who walk on hard or rough surfaces may not require their claws trimmed as often as those who exercise mainly on grass. The front claws grow longer than those on the rear, because more of the dogs weight is carried on the hind limbs. When cutting claws it is a good idea to have an assistant to hold the dog! Trim a little at a time, be gentle but firm!

The Rear and under The Tail - occasionally the rear of your Puli may get dirty, and will require bathing - in which case just do his/her rear end. It is a good idea to trimmed the cords down around the rear, to lessen this problem. Depending on the sex of your Puli, additional trimming will be required. If this causes you a problem, do not attempt to do it yourself - but ask you veterinary surgeon or a groomer.

The Tail - another sensitive area and one where the cords tend to felt very easily. Careful separation as for the ears is required here. If a Puli carries his tail tightly curled over his back there is also the possibility that the cords could attach themselves to body cords and become one big felt. Be careful when stretching out the tail, as this could cause your Puli discomfort.

Finally …… keeping your Puli well groomed, clean and looking Beautiful will not only be a credit to you, but to the breed as well.

Looking After Your Puli

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