Curry comb or slicker brush?

[declanssexymama]

For a rough-coat Saint Bernard, which would you recommend?

Also, raised bowls?  Yes or no?  Is 2-quart big enough?

Oh, and would a rolled leather collar be best with the rough coat?

Please be patient with my newbie questions!

[newflvr]

Chester wears a rolled collar because it
1) doesn't hold water
2)  it doesn't smell
3)  it doesn't mess up his fur.

Yes, on raised bowls and usually the bowls come the raised platform.  The bigger the better....so 2-quart is good!

I have found that the best brush for that puppy fur is the a shedding blade which is piece of curved metal with leather handles that pulls out the dead fur.  It doesn't really have teeth....it's more like a fine saw blade.  You can get it at Petco for about $7 - 8.  The dogs don't seem to mind it at  all since it doesn't pull the fur.  In case of matting, you need to get a serious tool.  The one I use is has long bladed teeth that actually cuts the mats out.  You have to be far more careful with that because the blades are really sharp! 
 
I'm excited for you!!!
   
 

   

[declanssexymama]

What do you put underneath the water bowl?  I'm thinking a good sized rug or towel?  And will size "large" nail clippers do the trick?

[newflvr]

We actually keep the water bowl outside....oth erwise you have to change the towel about every 3 minutes  !

Here's a picture of Chester as new pupper with the "water bowl"

[declanssexymama]

Hey, I want a water bowl like that!  It's beautiful!  Did you build it yourself?

[newflvr]

No.  I bought it at a garden center.  I got the idea from a friend who has a half a wine barrel with a fountain pouring water in to it for her Bernese Mt. dogs.  Her's really is better because it holds more water.  I have to refill ours at least once a day...since Chester puts his front paws in it now and drinks from the top part.  Cowboy puts his whole head in it and drinks from the bottom  !  The biggest advantage is that the water says outside, for the most part! 

[newflvr]

http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?R=446&sku=743992&redirectURL=%2fShop%2fProductList.aspx%3fNav%3d185%26N%3d22%2b102%2b30%2b4879&Nav=185&N=22+102+30+4879

That's the link for the shedding blade at Petco.  It the tool I use most often on the Chester.

[doglover]

I love your water bowl. We have been trying to fine something elso fro our outside water bowl. What do you do during the winter? For inside and outside we use the Le Brestco (by petmate) 2.75 gal water system. We got them at walmart.

[declanssexymama]

Would this work?:  http://cgi.ebay.com/Pet-Supplies-DOG-Grooming-Ergonomic-3-Blade-Shedder_W0QQitemZ7721435778QQcategoryZ46305QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And the water's gotta be inside - we're in Chicago and it'll freeze outside and we're not going to have a doggie door for him to get out to drink whenever he wants.  So, I'm thinking two big, thick, absorbant bath mats that we can switch out and use one when one is in the laundry.

[newflvr]

That shedding tool looks good!!

Oh, I totally forgot about Chicago....sor ry!  And the good news is that I don't think Saints HAVE to be IN the water like Newfies.  I think they just drink the water!   A bath math or 4 sounds good to me!  He'll still have the big jowls to drip water.   We also keep golf towels handy by the doggy door wipe drooly faces as they come in the house.  They are thicker than hand towls and a perfect size to wrap that big ole face before they get kisses  !

[shangrila]

Try a veriety of brushes. Shedding blades are good, but haven't used one on zoey. For her we use a slicker brush when she is shedding heavily, and a zoom groom when she is shedding lightly.

I highly recommend you get a raised feeder. I have found the best thing to keep under the feeder is a large bathmat. We bought an extra large bath mat that matches our kitchen and has the rubber underneath. I has worked excellently!

Oh, and as far as collars go, leather is the best, but I wouldn't neccessarily go straight to the leather. He is going to be growing quickly and leather collars are too costly to be constantly replacing. Zoey has been through 4 or 5 collar sizes so far and she isn't even full grown 

[wiss329]

Congrats!

We use a slicker brush.  The shedding seems to be continuous, but is at its greatest with Max the day after his bath.  We also have a comb to help with mats, which luckily aren't common for him.

We bought a raised feeder from Farm and Fleet for Max (Before we got one, we improvised by putting his bowls on an empty Tivo box).  It's in our kitchen with 3 bath mats (not the fuzzy kind) under it.  Even with the mats, Max still makes water trails after he drinks.  I think we bought cheap mats from Walmart or Meijer.

Max has a normal nylon collar.  He's not a swimmer and we take it off for bath time, so it rarely gets wet.  However, it could still stink...I guess I haven't smelled it.   

[Anky]

I have a rolled leather for my Dane but I had the quick release adjustable nylon ones until he was a year.  Even then I bought about 5 of them.  I shudder to think what I would have spent if I kept getting the leather ones  

As for the dishes, my grandfather made me a raised feeder to go with the cabinetry, which I LOVE, and it has the 3 quart bowls in it. 







Nee has no hair so can't help you there

[declanssexymama]

Hey Grampa!  Make me one too!!!   

I'm trying to figure out a way to make a raised feeder/food storage bin out of one of those clear totes...

[Anky]

You cut holes in the top