How to Groom Your Lhasa Apso

Whether you plan to get a Lhasa Apso, or you are already a proud owner of this adorable and incredibly intelligent breed, knowing some grooming tips might turn out to be very helpful. Lhasa Apso is a small dog breed very famous for its breathtakingly beautiful coat. To make sure your Lhasa Apso is always as beautiful as it is supposed to be, you will need to accept the fact that grooming has to be a part of your daily routine. If you are struggling with grooming or you just want to know more about it, continue reading, I will be giving you all the information you need!

Lhasa Apso Grooming Tips

Brush your Lhasa Apso’s coat every single day,
Give your Lhasa Apso a bath every two to four weeks,
Properly dry your Lhasa Apso coat,
Trim your Lhasa Apso’s nails every two weeks,
Pick whether you want long or short coat on your Lhasa Apso,
Take care of your Lhasa Apso’s tear stains and ears,
Brush your Lhasa Apso’s teeth two to three times a week,
Pick the best products for grooming,
Be calm and friendly, never yell,
Reward your Lhasa Apso

Lhasa Apso is an adorable and very smart dog breed, it requires a lot of effort and patience to train them, but a good owner will know how to get their full attention. Not for everyone, Lhasa Apso is known to be a rather bossy dog breed ready to take over the leadership at any moment. As bossy as they are, Lhasa Apso might need some time to get used to the daily grooming routine, try to start the training at the earliest age possible. The younger your Lhasa Apso is, the easier it will be to train them the way it suits you. (Check out my recommended grooming products)

Brush Your Lhasa Apso’s Coat Every Single Day

Lhasa Apso breed is known to be a rather stubborn one, it is important everyone is comfortable and motivated enough to start the brushing routine. If you own a bench or anything like that, put your Lhasa Apso on it and begin brushing. Do a quick once-over with a Tangle Tweezer and smooth the outer coat of your Lhasa Apso, doing this might help you figure out whether there are any mats. The next thing you should be doing is brushing your Lhasa Apso around his/her rear, back, hind legs and then slowly move to the front legs, chest and the final one, his/her head. This should be done using the rotating tooth comb. Brushing should take around 10-15 minutes and the coat of your Lhasa Apso will be relatively mat-free. The reason you should be using a bench is rather simple, grooming the areas between your dog’s chest and front legs might turn to be a lot trickier without a proper grooming area. To finalize the brushing routine, you will need to run the Tangle Tweezer all over his/her fur once again, just to remove some of the loosened undercoat. Lhasa Apso is a breed that will always have a few tiny mats and no matter how much you brush your Lhasa Apso, in less than a day you will already notice a couple of mats. Your entire goal when brushing your Lhasa Apso is to make sure the existing tiny mats do not develop into a bigger problem. The more you brush your Lhasa Apso, the easier it will be to handle the grooming. Another reason regular brushing is great is that you will learn a lot about the shape of your dog, you will often be able to notice any changes such as weight gain or loss, parasites, bumps, lumps and health problems that might otherwise be completely unnoticed.

For those who are struggling with small mats on their Lhasa Apso

There is a high possibility you will hit a snag and your comb will not easily brush through, this is fine and all you should do is try and turn the comb, gently pull it through the area doing vertical moves. If that still does not help with the knot, try using the mat splitter and make sure to run it vertically through the mat. Once you break it apart, use the Tangle Tweezer to brush the fur apart very gently

For those who are struggling with densely matted fur on their Lhasa Apso

Finding a densely matted area is okay too, use the combination of rake tools, grooming spray, and the mat splitter. You will need to hold the fur as close to the skin as possible because you might pull your dog’s skin while trying to remove the bigger mats. Bigger snags will require you to do the same thing, just using the tools mentioned above. Once you manage to loosen up the matted area, use the lovely Tangle Tweezer and brush the fur apart by gently brushing in various directions.

Give Your Lhasa Apso a Bath Every Two to Four Weeks

Lhasa Apso needs a bath every two to four weeks and this is all due to their thick and dense coat. The coat of Lhasa Apso is very dense which makes it very prone to tangles and mats. Many Lhasa Apso owners claim that bathing their dog made the tangling a lot less of a problem.

Most Lhasa Apso enjoy the baths and once their coat is wet, all you need to do is apply shampoo and squeeze it through the coat of your dog, this is done in a downward motion and your Lhasa Apso will probably enjoy it!

If you own a rubber curry, it might help you penetrate down to the skin of your Lhasa Apso and thoroughly clean that stunningly beautiful coat. This same technique should be done when conditioning the coat of your Lhasa Apso. (Check out my recommended products for bathing your Lhasa Apso)

To avoid any strange skin reactions, you need to make sure you rinse the coat of your Lhasa Apso as detailed as possible. Once the bath is successfully completed, wrap your Lhasa Apso in a soft, dry towel and squeeze the excess water out from his/her legs, ears, and the tail. To avoid further tangling, make sure you use downward motions when removing the excess water, circular motions might make the tangling a lot worse.

A quick Lhasa Apso bathing tip:

You might love hot steamy showers, but your Lhasa Apso will not enjoy these at all, try to keep the water temperature similar to the temperature of your hand, this temperature will be a lot easier to get used to and your Lhasa Apso might actually turn to enjoy it right away!

Properly Dry Your Lhasa Apso’s Coat

The first couple of times this might be very tricky, there is a possibility your Lhasa Apso will be scared of the blow dryer and the sounds it makes. Make sure you are calm and not making a big deal out of it, do what you have to do. Set the blow dryer on a comfortable temperature and medium speed, lay your Lhasa Apso on the side and gently brush him/her meanwhile drying his/her coat in layers. It is extremely important to note, you need to completely dry your Lhasa Apso, especially inside of the legs and behind his/her ears. These areas usually take the longest to dry, you do not want your Lhasa Apso to pick up a cold. (Check out my recommended drying towel so your Lhasa is happy after every bath)

Trim Your Lhasa Apso’s Nails Every Two Weeks

Trimming your Lhasa Apso’s nails is one of the most important things you need to do. The trimming should be done at least once every two weeks and before you decide to do it on your own, you should probably look for someone who actually knows how to do it. (Check out the products I recommend for trimming and maintaining your Lhasa’s nails)

There is a possibility your Lhasa Apso will hate this process, but as time goes on, he/she will learn to accept it and know it is for his/her own good. Overgrown nails can curl around the paw and cause insane amounts of pain and even infection on dogs, they can also badly influence his/her walking. To avoid these issues, your Lhasa Apso will need your help or the help of a professional.

Cutting your Lhasa Apso’s nails can be done anywhere, but it is easier if you have a bench or a grooming table to do this. It is advised you have another person helping you out and hold the dog. The other person is usually the person who will calm down the dog and make sure the pedicure process goes well enough.

Once everyone is calm and ready, begin the trimming. Just ‘’tip’’ each nail of your Lhasa Apso, this will remove the curved portion and you will have an easier time avoiding cutting the quick. Trim off any additional length but still be careful not to cut the quick. Move to the front paws of your Lhasa Apso and stand by their front end, lift each of the paws and tip each nail, same as previously explained. Smooth down these sharp newly-cut nails to prevent your Lhasa Apso from accidentally scratching your hands and legs.

Make sure you give a treat to your Lhasa Apso for his/her patience and do your best to praise them the best you can, doing so will make next trimming a lot easier!

Do you know what a Lhasa Apso ‘’Quick’’ is?

The quick is the vein found in each nail of the dog, if you nick the quick, the nail will start to bleed. If your dog has dark nails, you will not be able to see this vein, but if your dog has white nails, you will be able to see a pink vein inside of them.

If the nail is dark and you cannot see the vein, it is usually a dark circle in the center of the nail, try not to get close to this. Accidental nicks happen sometimes, it is advised you have styptic powder on hand in case it happens.

Nail trimming is already a very serious thing to do and your dog will probably know that right away, make sure you do not make it a bad experience. Causing pain to your Lhasa Apso in such a situation might make the future nail trimming a huge problem and you will be forced to visit a professional in order to have it done.

Trimming Lhasa Apso nails not going well?

Do not worry, Lhasa Apso owners are known for complaining about this problem. If trimming nails seem to be a huge problem, try using a nail grinder instead, there are many cheap ones on the market, and they seem to be working for many current Lhasa Apso owners.

It will take your dog a while to get used to this, but it might be a lot easier to do than actually trimming all on your own with a nail clipper. Nail grinder is also one of the less dangerous ways of cutting your Lhasa Apso nails, but it is still important to watch for the veins.

Pick Whether You Want Long or Short Coat on Your Lhasa Apso

What do you want your Lhasa Apso to look like? How much time are you willing to put into grooming and daily brushing? All these questions matter and will help you choose whether you should have a long or short coat on your Lhasa Apso. Many Lhasa Apso owners pick to cut their Lhasa Apso’s coat short, these cuts can range from a medium short cut to all over puppy cut.

This is mainly done to lower down the grooming chores and maintain them over a longer period of time. While cutting your Lhasa Apso’s coat short might save up some of your time, it is certainly beautiful to see a long coat Lhasa Apso. Owning a long coat Lhasa Apso will take a lot of your time and patience, but it is up to you whether you are willing to do all that or not. The long flowing coat of Lhasa Apso needs to be brushed every day and it must be kept tangle-free.

If you plan to take care of this glorious coat as supposed to, it is also good to note there are ways to keep the coat of your dog away from his/her eyes. You must know how to make a topknot on your Lhasa Apso’s head, this is done using a single barrette to secure the knot in the place. While topknot looks adorable, some owners choose to part the hair and secure it behind the eyes with an elastic band holding back on both sides. No matter what you prefer, both of the styles will surely be breathtakingly adorable!

Take Care of Your Lhasa Apso’s Tear Stains and Ears

You might already know how Lhasa Apso can develop various ear infections if the hair in their ears is not removed for a long time. While this process might be quite unpleasing for your dog at first, it will soon become a routine he/she will need to get used to. To properly treat your Lhasa Apso’s ears, make sure you sprinkle the insides of the ears with ear-grooming powder of your choice, this is done to dry the hair. Remove the hairs by plucking them out with a hemostat or your fingers. Moist the cotton balls with a dor ear cleaning product of your choice and clean his/her ears as gently as possible. Do not forget you need to check up on your Lhasa Apso’s ears every week and remove the stray hairs whenever possible. Clean the ears at least once a week to prevent any infections from further development. (Here is my recommended product to take care of your Lhasa’s tears)

When it comes to eyes, Lhasa Apso is known for having troubles with tear stains. To treat your Lhasa Apso’s eyes, wipe the area around his/her eyes with a damp washcloth and cut away any hairs in the area that might be going into his/her eyes. The tear stains are usually cleaned with pre-moistened eye wipes or special eye washing products found in any pet grooming section of a store. Tear stains usually appear from excessive tearing, irritation, ear infections, and allergies. Lhasa Apso is not the only breed out there with these issues though, Shih Tzu and Maltese have the same, they are all very prone to getting tear stains.

Brush Your Lhasa Apso’s Teeth Two to Three Times A Week

Just like us humans, the dog’s dental health is one of the most important things to take care of. Lhasa Apso is prone to dental problems and it is important you brush their teeth two up to three times a week. At first, brushing teeth might turn out to be a failure, but do not give up, it is often the first time ends up unsuccessfully. Your dog might find teeth brushing to be rather odd, but with a little bit of positive training and a lovely treat, later on, your Lhasa Apso will soon have no issues with it at all! To make things easier, make sure you pick the right toothbrush and a special toothpaste only for dogs. The kinds of toothpaste for dogs are made with ingredients safe for dogs, human toothpaste is toxic for your dog, however, you should never use it. Brushing your Lhasa Apso’s teeth will easily remove the tartar and plaque that usually builds up on their teeth, it will keep your dog’s dental health in great shape. To make things even better for your Lhasa Apso, try buying one of those dental chews everyone talks about, these chews are designed to clean your dog’s teeth nearly as effective as brushing their teeth. The famous dental chews are great, they will prevent further buildup of the bacteria’s and will make your dog’s breath a lot fresher than usual. (Read my review and recommended toothbrush and toothpaste for your Lhasa)

Pick the Best Products for Grooming

To make grooming chores less of a pain, you should consider checking some of these following products, all of these products were previously tested on a Lhasa Apso and all of them will be a great plus in a grooming treatment of your best friend! (Read my recommended products to ensure your Lhasa has a great bath time every time)

Shampoos, Conditioners, and Sprays

Lhasa Apso owners often talk of Colin Taylor Grooming products, these products seem to be a great choice and there are various products designed to help you out with the grooming chores. If Colin Taylor does not seem to be what you need, try out For all dogkind products, these are award-winning natural grooming products and they do their job as perfectly as possible.

Combs and Brushes

Many women cannot imagine their life without a Tangle Tweezer, but actually, Tangle Tweezer is one of the best Lhasa Apso’s friends too. Tangle Tweezer is a great choice for removing the mats gently, it makes a great daily brush.

As a Lhasa Apso owner, you will appreciate having a rotating tooth comb around, this type of a comb will not snag in the hair and it will be a lot easier to brush through the coat. To remove dead undercoats and give the outercoat an amazingly beautiful finish, use a slicker brush.

Dematting

There are many dematting tools on the market, but Lhasa Apso owners claim a mat breaker and a rake seem to be the most effective tools for dematting. A rake and a mat breaker seem to be great for the areas we find very difficult to reach. As long as you keep on brushing in the right direction of the hair growth, you will not be cutting the outer coat using these tools.

Clippers and Scissors

It might happen you need to cut that annoying small knot off your Lhasa Apso, it is recommended you have at least one pair of blunt-ended scissors, these are great for trimming areas such as face and between the paw pads. For a little bit advanced grooming at home, you should try out thinning scissors and a pair of long scissors.

Be Calm and Friendly, Never Yell

If you are completely new and know very little about Lhasa Apso, you should probably not even try to do all the grooming chores by yourself. Lhasa Apso is a very independent breed, they are not easily pushed into anything unless they like it, therefore it is advised you have some experience with grooming before you give it a try.

While it is often said how fearless Lhasa Apso really is, to be true, your yelling, panic and strange behavior might be a reason your Lhasa Apso refuses to take baths, does not enjoy brushing and hates having his/her teeth brushed. When starting with grooming chores, make sure you have someone next to you, someone who will hold the treats and your Lhasa Apso from wriggling too much.

It is important you are always calm and friendly towards your Lhasa Apso, yelling or making the drama about little things will get him/her upset, maybe even to the point of snapping. Grooming is not a game and it should be taken seriously, you do not want to make it a bad experience for the first time, otherwise, it will be very hard to do again.

Lhasa Apso dog breed loves treats, they do enjoy praise and a lovely word, but he/she will appreciate their favorite treat more than anything. If grooming goes well and your best friend turns out to be the patient little fella, make sure you reward him/her. This type of reward will make next grooming chores a lot easier, just be sure you do not overfeed your Lhasa Apso, that way they might not even feel the need for a treat anymore!

Reward Your Lhasa Apso

If you own a Lhasa Apso puppy, start out by giving the treats to him/her, that way he/she will associate grooming with something nice. There are awesome treat licks on the market, and these are usually used to make your Lhasa Apso happily lick while you brush him/her. When all grown up, your Lhasa Apso will appreciate getting a dental chew while you brush him/her. Currently, there are many dental chews on the market and it is not certain all of them will turn to be successful for your Lhasa Apso, however, The Project Paws dental sticks seem to be one of the best ones out there, give them a try!

Most Lhasa Apso owners do the grooming chores in the evening because their dogs tend to pick up plant seeds, mud, leaves, mats, and tangles throughout the day. The longer you respect the grooming chores, the easier it will be to do them with your Lhasa Apso.