The Australian Cattle Dog – An alert, intelligent and faithful friend of the drovers of the great Aussie outback, is a breed that has been around for over a 100 years, easing the burden of working the cattle with his quiet and determined attitude. The no-nonsense persona of these types of breeds lends credence to the myths that they don’t need any grooming or attention to coat and that a quick hose bath is all that is needed. What you see is what you get with the Australian Cattle Dog. If you have not done your homework along the way then you will reap what you have sown which you will be hard-pressed to correct on show day.
To maintain and enhance his required rain resistant, double coat, it is advisable to oil this coat. Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil diluted at a ratio of 1 bucket water (approx. 4lt/1 gal water) to 1 tablespoon of the oil. Now, this lovely oil is very special consisting of natural oils such as Evening Primrose and Calendula oils plus others to be worked not just into the coat but also into the skin and left in and not rinsed out. It will maintain the texture and moisture in the coat and help protect from the harsh outdoors especially in some of the tougher climates where this dog is required to work. Use this in place of a conditioner as conditioners will flatten and soften and this is not an ideal outcome for this type of coat. Use the oil at this dilution rate after shampooing for a show. Again leave in and do not rinse. You will get a nice healthy sheen on the coat with this routine.
The silhouette you achieve with this coat also comes from a good even texture on the coat and we find the best way to keep a good texture without the moth-eaten appearances some of the coats can get when they shed or even with a rolling of the coat, is to blow dry using a force dryer. We know this goes against the belief of a lot of people who purchase a dog such as this so as not to have to blow dry but it does do wonders for the coat. Using a cool, strong, force dryer, after bathing, dry the coat against the coat growth till ½ dry and then with the growth of the coat to settle it back down. This lifts all the dead hair out and allows you to check the skin for any skin disturbances such as eczema, rashes, scurf, etc. I like this quiet time with the dog to run my hands over his body and check him all over for anything unforeseen and knowing I am doing his coat a great turn at the same time.
For the face use Plush Puppy Let’s Face It – what the dog showing world has needed for way too long. Another one of the famous Plush Puppy products with the latest technology and the highest amounts of naturally sourced ingredients has developed into a product that is a must! This is a hypoallergenic sulfate free low foaming shampoo designed for faces. It’s a ‘no tear’ formula with the highest quality Blue Cypress Extracts, Panthenol with Pro-Vitamin B and SugaNate. These special ingredients clean soothes, adds moisture, aids healing, and anti-inflammatory benefits. A small golf ball sized amounts directly to the face and eye area allows you to thoroughly clean without causing irritation. Can be used in and around ears also with the same benefits. Its low foaming design allows easy of rinsing yet complete cleaning
Your regular shampoo should be one such as the Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo for both the red speckle and the blues which will give a good healthy sheen or use the Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo to impart a good toning effect especially if the red speckled coats tend to burn in harsh sun or just fade out as the coat ages. Use all the above at a dilution rate of 5 parts water to one part shampoo for a show bath and 10:1 for home maintenance. Switch to the Plush Puppy Body Building Shampoo when the dog is not in full coat and dilute at 5:1. Don’t use conditioner, follow again with Seabreeze Oil. Maintain the coat during brushing with Plush Puppy Reviva Coat – spray approx. 1 golf ball amount into a water spray and top up to 1 cup water. This is a great spray for keeping up the moisture in the coat. Brush with an oval cushioned brush such as the Plush Puppy Ultimate Anti-Static Porcupine Brush which is ½ bristle and ½ dialon. You need a brush that gets down into the coat and doesn’t just skate over the top. If the coat texture tends to be too harsh due to sun damage, mix up a spray bottle of 1 tbsp. to cup water of the Plush Puppy Blow Dry Cream. This will help flatten and relax the coat if it has a tendency to stick up a bit.
For those dogs out of coat use Plush Puppy Volumising Spray is a ‘Ready to Use’ for quicker, easier and fuller coat results. Perfect either before blow-drying or used to ‘fluff’ up the coat at the show. A light even spray, brush in until dry or use a dryer. Produced for easy use and scientifically balanced for all coat types. This is a hair thickener to add volume – not a hair stiffener and not easily detectable as it leaves the coat with a natural fuller look and feel. This is also available in a cream that can be broken down to 1 dessert spoon to 500ml (16oz) of water. Mixed through the dog and left in.
For drying the Cattle dog use Plush Puppy FAST Blow Dry Spray that combines the latest active ingredients together to dramatically reduce drying time, adds moisture and conditions while protecting the coat. It contains a recently discovered ingredient from the Australian Native Flame Tree that makes dry or old coat feel and look perfect. It also protects the coat from damage from sun and heat. It contains a slight hold ingredient for better coat management and a special active ingredient that eliminates static electricity and stops the flyaways. FAST is probably the most technically advanced formula in the Plush Puppy Range to date.
Cattle dogs due to their ruff and tuff outdoor live can get damaged and dry coats. For this also use Plush Puppy Coat Rescue as an “in-between shows” treatment should the coat need that bit extra. Dilute the Coat Rescue well into a squeeze bottle 500 ml (16oz) water to 2 heaped dessertspoons. Coat Rescue and apply with a large sponge to the dehydrated area and leave on for a minimum of 5 minutes and preferably as long as possible – we tend to leave on for hours whilst we do other dogs – and then rinse clear. It just helps to put some lost structure back into the hair.
For brushing and refreshing the coat use Plush Puppy OMG is a revolutionary grooming spray that lives up to its name. A light spray of OMG and brushing in, allows this product to refresh the coat leaving it feeling wonderful. Using at an approximate mixture of 1 part OMG to 30-40 parts water using this breakdown form the OMG concentrate. The stronger the mix the stronger the effects. For this type of double-coated breed, a lighter concentration works best. Using OMG can be a one-off at shows or during the drying process after bathing. An amazing product for regular brushing also. The perfect product to allow all the benefits of putting a moisturising product into the coat without over softening the coat. OMG never builds up, never goes stringy. A product that took years to develop using the latest technology for maximum effects. A true necessity for the tool kit.
All senses come into play when judging and a good smelling dog is nice to touch. Plush Puppy Odour Muncher is sensational in that it kills the odour and leaves a pleasant scent behind without being too flowery or girly. You have your Plush Puppy Wonder Wash which is your self-rinse (instant clean) to remedy any last-minute messes and who would not be tempted to add some glints of glamour – let’s not leave it all to the Poodles and Afghans – with Plush Puppy Pixie Dust. Trust me, this does work and used judiciously, looks brilliant. Just don’t overdo it – simply add a very light dusting onto your brush, give it a light tap to tip of the excess and apply with light edgy strokes to the topline, pants, and front of the dog. Keep brushing against the coat to work the powder down into the coat leaving the shimmer behind on the top. This looks brilliant when showing outdoors or under spotlights. It just grabs the pinprick of light down onto your dog.
The point is, you can do something to make this dog even better than before and to help him stand out from the crowd, the balance of power and endurance this breed exudes. The honesty and integrity he displays and the courage and devotion to which he applies to his work and family. Seeing him out in the ring also beautifully groomed and presented and handled with skill that shows what he is capable of. This is a truly admirable breed.