The Perro de Presa Canario is a beautiful embodiment of pure power. Equipped with prominent muscles, huge frame and a working dog attitude, the Presa is an amazing specimen. Originally bred to help farmers with livestock, this rare dog breed is used more often these days as a deterrent for would-be burglars. Their coats come in two accepted colors, fawn and brindle, all of which are composed of a short, smooth coat that makes for easy grooming.
Being a smooth-coated breed, the Presa Canario requires minimal upkeep in between grooming. Instead, the weekly at-home grooming regiment involves shed control. While Presas lack the dense undercoat seen in many other breeds, they still shed and benefit from a good brush out at least once a week.
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A rubber curry brush is the best dog brush for Presas. This brush is a must-have for any dog owner, but especially owners of smooth and short-haired breeds. Void of a protective undercoat, the use of a wire slicker brush on these dogs could easily scratch the skin leaving what is referred to in the grooming world as brush burn. Since they’re made of rubber, curry brushes eliminate this problem and make your Presa feel as though he is receiving a massage. Move the curry in circles or in fast, short strokes with the grain of the hair. These motions help release and collect loose hairs in the coat in clumps for easy removal.
If your grooming session is more than just a weekly touch-up and you find your Presa in need of a bath, first find an appropriately sized tub for him to get into. Place cotton balls in both ears to ensure water doesn’t get inside (this is especially important if your Presa has cropped ears, which would make them very vulnerable to getting water inside during the bath).
Wet his coat thoroughly and apply a gentle shampoo. Massage the shampoo over the body and create a nice sudsy lather. Use a tearless shampoo on a washcloth for the face area and rinse it clean with a separate washcloth. Follow by rinsing the body clean of all shampoo. If your Presa is especially dirty, repeat the process until the water running off the dog is no longer brown.
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After your Presa is all clean, cover the body with conditioner, which will bring a shine to the coat and prevent that doggy smell from immediately returning. Allow the conditioner to soak for several minutes and then rinse clean. Once your Presa is free of conditioner, it’s drying time. Remove excess water with several clean towels. If you have access to a high-velocity dryer, now would be the time to use it. Not only will the dog dry faster, but it will fluff up his coat too. If you don’t have a high-velocity dryer at home, air drying is another option.
Now that your Presa is clean, he can take on any task thrown at him with a shiny coat and fresh scent.
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