How to Groom a Gordon Setter

The Gordon Setter originated in Scotland in the 17th century. They gained recognition due to their namesake, Duke Alexander the 4th of Gordon. Gordon Setters have smooth, wavy coats. They have bright personalities and are great with children and families. This breed does demand a lot of grooming. They need at least once a week general grooming and a full grooming every 4 to 6 weeks.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Scissors
• Clippers
• Slicker brush
• Steel combs
• Blending shears

1. Remove excess and stray hairs on the back of the hocks.
2. Trim the dog's whiskers using blunt scissors.
3. Get rid of any matting or knotting that you see on the your Gordon Setter's coat.
4. Clip the hair from the top of the head as far as just below the occiput (the back of the head).
5. Bathe the dog using a shampoo made specifically for dogs. Make sure to thoroughly rinse out all of the shampoo after the bath. You can bathe your Gordon Setter relatively frequently without causing skin irritation.
6. Brush the coat out after the dog is dry. Brush with the grain of the coat so that the hair lie flat.
7. Trim the hair from the bottoms of the feet and clip nails when necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• If your dog's back skull drops away noticeably, don't clip the hair near the back. If you do so it only makes the drop-off more visible.
• The average life expectancy of a Gordon Setter is between 10 and 12 years of age.
• Gordon Setters are excellent dogs for bird hunting. They can point to a bird after tracking it (they have a great sense of smell) and can then retrieve the bird if you hit it.
• Gordon Setters sometimes suffer from eye problems like cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy. They also occasionally suffer from hip dysplasia.
• These dogs tend to get bloated. It's a good idea to give them 2 or 3 small meals per day rather than one large meal.