# ??? about grooming long coat chi's



## Mom of 4 Chi's (Apr 3, 2009)

I have a few questions about trimming hair on the long coat chihuahua.

1. I know to trim the hair between the pads, but what about the hair on the tip of their feet, by their nails? If I don't trim it, it gets long and makes his foot long and fuzzy?

2. My boy has long hair underneath his tummy, so when he goes pee I'm afraid he will pee on himself then decide to take a nap on my pillow. He pees standing on all four legs (he doesn't lift his leg). Do I trim that hair for male chi's? Does anyone?

3. Are you supposed to trim the hair (sorry for this) around his butt, you know underneath his tail ? I haven't had poop stick yet, but just wondering if others do it.

I am just curious if anyone knows the correct way to groom a long coat chi. I do know that they are supposed to have a natural looking coat with minimal trimming.

I don't trim him under his tail (his butt),but I do trim the hair between his paw pads, the hair on the tip of his paws, to make his paws look neat and petite, and a tiny bit under his tummy by his wee-wee. Is that the right way to do it? 

I need to try and get some pics on here of my chi babies!!


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

Not a lot of grooming required for a long coat. I dont trim feet hair or between the pads at all? If need be I would perform a sanitary coat but I havent run across the need to do so though. I probably wouldnt do mine correctly but I am sure other's can give you tips. I would just shorten it around his anus where it wouldnt get tangled and same goes for the wee areas, I would just trim i out of the way;-)

There was a topic on this not to long ago, maybe you could run a search to find it?

and yes you definately need to post pics of those babies;-)


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## Mom of 4 Chi's (Apr 3, 2009)

Yoshismom: 
I'll do a search now. Thanks! I trim between the pads so that he has traction on our wood floors. If I didn't he would slide all over. His hair grows over his pads if I don't keep up with it.  I'll have my sister help with the pics. She's pretty good at computer stuff


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## TashaZ (Mar 20, 2009)

I don't know the correct way but just out of tidiness i trim the hair between the pads, top of paws, around the bum, a little under the tummy and a little around the ears.
But then again, Pebbles isn't really a long coat she's more like a fuzzy little bear HAHA
Would love to see pics of yours too!!!


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## Rosiesmum (Oct 14, 2007)

Hello,
My Rosie is a long coat.
I trim the hair on her feet, but nowhere else.

My late Honey was prone to colitis bless her and I used to trim the hair around her bottom, to keep her clean and comfortable.

I just give Rosie a brush with a baby brush and twice a week a good comb through.
If "tats" happen, I don't struggle with them, just snip them out with round scissors.

It sounds as though you are doing a brilliant job with your boy 

Barbara x


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

Is there a particular reason for trimming feet? Will it cause problems if I dont? Chibi's are pretty long and I have Pergo flooring but he doesnt slide, in fact he has great traction and is always zooming everywhere. I just was wondering if not trimming could cause any problems? He is my first LC so I am still learning


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## Rosiesmum (Oct 14, 2007)

Yoshismom said:


> Is there a particular reason for trimming feet? Will it cause problems if I dont? Chibi's are pretty long and I have Pergo flooring but he doesnt slide, in fact he has great traction and is always zooming everywhere. I just was wondering if not trimming could cause any problems? He is my first LC so I am still learning


I'll be honest and say I simply trim Rosie's paws for aesthetic reasons. After she'd washed all the hair it would curl upwards like Aladdin's slippers 
It was getting really long.
That said with her paws neatly trimmed it's a little easier to cut her nails


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## Gisele (Jan 16, 2009)

I also trim feet, I did read somewhere(can't remember where) that you should trim between the pads if the hair is long because it does something to their toes if there's too much hair there. But honestly I can't remember what the article said the problem would be so I just trim to be on the safe side.


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

Trimming feet helps if there is snow or ice ,as it can compact in the paws and also if it's muddy,it helps.I only do their bottom if they have the runs,or it gets too thick otherwise i leave it.When i had my old Chi who couldn't lift his leg i did trim the stomach area as he left pee on his tummy and it would smell otherwise.


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## Mom of 4 Chi's (Apr 3, 2009)

Yoshismom: I'm not sure about it causing "problems" but it gives them better traction,easier to cut their nails, and like rosiesmum said it for aesthetic reasons. Maxx is my first long coat too!

Michele make a good point about the snow compacting between their toes. The ice would stick to their hair.

Rosismum: That is a great way to describe his feet when the hair is to long, Aladdin slippers! LOL!

Thanks All!


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## Kaila (Nov 10, 2009)

*Mom of 4 Chi's* said:


> I have a few questions about trimming hair on the long coat chihuahua.
> 
> 1. I know to trim the hair between the pads, but what about the hair on the tip of their feet, by their nails? If I don't trim it, it gets long and makes his foot long and fuzzy?
> 
> ...


Here's a picture of Teddy (11 months old):
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad118/KCTZPics/photo-1.jpg

1. I do trim the fur that grows between the pads on Teddy's feet. I also use scissors to trim the fur on top of his paws. His white toes start to turn gray when the fur gets long.

2. I like to trim the hair on Teddy's belly, and around the tip of his penis, to prevent urine from staining his fur. I use a belly band on Teddy inbetween going outside for potty breaks, so it helps me to keep that area really clean.

3. Teddy does get long hair around his anus, and poop will stick to it if I don't trim it regularly. I trim the hair around his butt and all the way down the back of his legs (we call them his "pants") just so it doesn't look funny. I also go up the base of his tail for about a half inch, above his butt, and clip off any stray hairs from the fan of his tail.


I think pet-quality longhair Chihuahuas really only need what's called a "sanitary trim." This is when you trim around the penis and anus (for male dogs) and around the vagina and anus (for females). This is strictly for convenience; it helps the dog stay fresh and clean longer. I only bathe Teddy maybe once every month or two. If I notice he looks a little greasy, I wipe him down with an unscented baby wipe and brush him with a boar bristle brush and he looks good as new. I reserve baths with a soap-free dog shampoo (Tropiclean) and oatmeal conditioner (Earth Bath) for when he gets really muddy or dirty.

Whenever Teddy comes back in from walks, I use a baby wipe on all four paws. This is because he's picked up intestinal worms from the soil around our apartment complex several times, AND because he likes to pee on his front feet when he lifts his leg (LOL!).  That's just an added grooming technique that I use, but it's probably not necessary for every dog.


PS: I'm sorry for responding to all these old forum posts! I keep either seeing the dates wrong, or I'm just not looking.  Sorry!


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## TripleAChihuahuas (Apr 8, 2010)

Ricky is the same not a big leg lifter at all and doesn't mark inside. 
I trim his foot pads, around the nails because I don't like the grench look 
then trim his hairs of his private area and tummy also since he doesn't lift his leg
he gets it on the back of the front legs so sometimes I trim that up a bit as it helps it is too short to hit. Haven't had problems with anal hair so I havent done that yet.
I do this once a month


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## LDMomma (Mar 28, 2009)

I trim between Daisy's feet and around her butt.


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## Terri (Aug 21, 2009)

I have this to look forward to, lol
I will be a little nervous i have to say of trimming near his wee man. hehe!


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## TripleAChihuahuas (Apr 8, 2010)

Terri said:


> I have this to look forward to, lol
> I will be a little nervous i have to say of trimming near his wee man. hehe!


just a snip off the top in begaining then as he gets older more hair so i lay ricky on his back and he usually falls asleep


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