This is Izzy a six month old Shih Zhu . She's a typical example of a long haired breed.
She's about to have a makeover in the hands of a real expert.
Jitka Krizova is one of Europe's top dog groomers.
Sasha is enjoying herself.
Originally from Slovakia, she now lives and works in Britain.
She's been showing and grooming dogs for 20 years and has won an impressive array of awards.
British Groomer of the Year Award 2006, Eurogroom winner three times in a row and in 2011 she
clipped and snipped her way to the World Championships as a member of Groom Team England.
Jitka's sharing her champion tips and techniques to help you keep your dog in pristine condition.
A long lavish coat like this won't stay that way unless you're prepared to groom your dog
properly.
Other breeds with coats like Izzy's include the Bearded Collie, Lhasa Apso, Maltese and
Yorkshire Terrier.
So the grooming techniques are very similar.
If we brush this coat regularly, we can keep it beautiful and long.
After bathing and towel drying your dog it's a good idea to use leave in conditioner to
make removing any tangles easier
If you want to keep your dog in tip top condition Jitka recommends visiting a professional groomer
every four to six weeks.
In between times you should bath your dog once a week and brush and comb her every day
if you can .
If this coat is not brushed on a regular basis it can get tangled very easily.
A matted coat is uncomfortable for a dog.
It can cause skin irritation and skin inflammation.
Regular grooming is vital for dogs with long coats.
If the fur gets matted it may have to be shaved off and it can take up to a year for it to
grow back.
To finish off the drying process Jitka is using a professional dryer for dogs but any
home hair dryer will do.
Just remember to keep it on a low heat and don't hold it too close to the dog's body.
I'm using a soft slicker brush.
The technique I'm using is called line brushing.
With this technique you make sure the coat gets brushed right down to the skin.
Line brushing is a precise process that involves pulling the dog's hair apart and brushing
the undercoat.
Jitka divides Izzy's coat into sections and brushes small areas at a time, working in
the direction of the hair.
When you brush the face you have to be extra careful of her eyes and nose.
Protect the eye with your finger and brush around.
Then comb.
When Jitka has finished brushing and drying she combs the coat through to ensure there
are no more tangles.
Izzy's owner has chosen to keep her dog's coat in a traditional long haired style.
Other owners may find it more manageable to have the coat trimmed short.
Long-haired breeds have hairy feet.
We can see the hair between the pads.
Long hair can collect dirt and debris.
This is why we remove with small scissors.
This is something you can do at home.
Grooming should be enjoyable for both you and your dog.
Start early when your dog is a puppy.
Buy a soft brush and comb and get her used to short grooming sessions.
Izzy's now finished.
This whole procedure took about an hour and should be done at least once a week.
If you get a long-haired breed, you have to be prepared to put a lot of effort into bathing
and brushing your dog.
As well as regular brushing it's important to trim your dog's nails every four to six
weeks - and to check her ears for infection weekly.