Field Care for Long Haired Dogs? Burrs!

JPH

JPH

Member
Guys, I have a Golden retriever. I just returned from 5 days of hunting in SD. Had a great time. Hunting and dog work were excellent. After 5 days of hunting cane, milo, corn etc. the dog had many small cuts on nose, tongue and near eyes. This I expected as he is a very hard running dog. Did hunt one field that had tons of cockleburrs. Any recommendations as to how to minimize the collection of these? He ended up with several raw spots from the cockleburrs, especially in armpits and groin areas. I have heard you can put petrolum jelly in trouble spots and it makes burr removal easier?

Any Golden, Springer, Britt owners have suggestions?

Thanks:cheers:

JPH
 
I have heard that peanut butter works well for getting burs out and washes away easier than petro jelly.

Having this being the first year I'm hunting behind a dog, a golden at that, I sure understand the bur problems. :) :(

Best thing I've found so far is removing the really nasty ones ASAP in the field once I notice them. After that some TLC with a nice comb cleans mine up well. Only a few times we have had to resort to the scissors.
 
I had a wire hair pointer and would have it get a hair cut before the hunting season. Only way to go.

Zeepo
 
JPH said:
Guys, I have a Golden retriever. I just returned from 5 days of hunting in SD. Had a great time. Hunting and dog work were excellent. After 5 days of hunting cane, milo, corn etc. the dog had many small cuts on nose, tongue and near eyes. This I expected as he is a very hard running dog. Did hunt one field that had tons of cockleburrs. Any recommendations as to how to minimize the collection of these? He ended up with several raw spots from the cockleburrs, especially in armpits and groin areas. I have heard you can put petrolum jelly in trouble spots and it makes burr removal easier?

Any Golden, Springer, Britt owners have suggestions?

Thanks:cheers:

JPH
Click to expand...

JP I feel your pain We have a long hair Pudel Pointer and one day Gunner got into a bunch of bryors and Devil tails I looking at him and thought this is going to take a few hours to get out, a friend of ours he suggested spay on hair conditioner to loosing the bryors and devil tails out, I look at him like he was stoned but I went home and tried it, it did help a lot getting the burrs out without the struggle and now gunner have a mangable coat but he smells good to. hope this helps

MJ
 
Thanks for the responses.

Mr. Hyde, do you have a brand name suggestion for spray on conditioner? If you apply before the hunt, does it ease the removal during the hunt?

Thanks for any more info/suggestions.
 
I tried everything on my wirehair, Pam works good too, as well as vaseline before you hunt. But for my money get the hair cut, did not effect the dog at all and I did not have spend 2 hours after the hunt to remove the burrs. Plus the rubbing under the arm pitts and the groin area has to hurt the dog.

zeepo
 
JPH said:
Thanks for the responses.

Mr. Hyde, do you have a brand name suggestion for spray on conditioner? If you apply before the hunt, does it ease the removal during the hunt?

Thanks for any more info/suggestions.
Click to expand...


Great.... the guys are going to take my man card for this Oh well :eek:, I believe Suave leave in spray conditioner was one the we used and we applied it before and after we hunted on tender areas also like Zeepo said Pam works good too.
 
I hunt behind 2 Goldens. I just give them a short field cut (myself) and then carry a small 2-3 inch scissors and a small black comb in my vest. I dont think twice about cutting them out in the field. I dont care what they look like-neither do they. The ones that are easy I comb out. I agree burrs can be a pain but dont let them get the best of you and ruin your hunt. My Goldens look like labs when we hunt. Doooo it !
 
Yep the field cut, when it's colder the neoprene vests help too. With shaving the dogs I don't get it to badat all. But there is a comb that has a cutter right in it and those work awsome. I used my buddy's. It does not pull on them like a straight comb. I can't think of the name of it but I will be finding out, and I will be getting one.
 
Thanks for the great ideas.

FCSpringer, would love to hear the brand and style on the comb/cutter. Sounds like a must have item for a long haired dog owner.

Let me know if you find out.

Thanks:cheers:
 
JPH said:
Thanks for the great ideas.

FCSpringer, would love to hear the brand and style on the comb/cutter. Sounds like a must have item for a long haired dog owner.

Let me know if you find out.

Thanks:cheers:
Click to expand...

Field cutting your dog's coat is the only way to go. The key to your dogs comfort is not to allow the burrs to attach in the first place. There is really no other way to accomplish this other than cutting the hair short enough so the burrs won't attach to it. I went through prepping my Springers in the fall for 35 years before every hunting season. Even then, I would carry a pair of barber shears just in case. I now have a Vizsla and love the no maintenance approach to dog grooming.

P.S. On the occasion that I didn't trim short enough or didn't get to it in time, I too used all of the above tricks to remove them easier.

Good Hunting.

Paul
 
Burs on Dogs

JPH said:
Guys, I have a Golden retriever. I just returned from 5 days of hunting in SD. Had a great time. Hunting and dog work were excellent. After 5 days of hunting cane, milo, corn etc. the dog had many small cuts on nose, tongue and near eyes. This I expected as he is a very hard running dog. Did hunt one field that had tons of cockleburrs. Any recommendations as to how to minimize the collection of these? He ended up with several raw spots from the cockleburrs, especially in armpits and groin areas. I have heard you can put petrolum jelly in trouble spots and it makes burr removal easier?

Any Golden, Springer, Britt owners have suggestions?

Thanks:cheers:

JPH
Click to expand...

I always cut all the feathers off my Brittany for the season. The rest of his hair is short enough it is not a problem.
 
JPH said:
Thanks for the great ideas.

FCSpringer, would love to hear the brand and style on the comb/cutter. Sounds like a must have item for a long haired dog owner.

Let me know if you find out.

Thanks:cheers:
Click to expand...
His is a de matting comb, has the blades in it, Paws brand. He said several make them.Petedge.com or jbpets.com
 
I just got back from a hunt near Delmont, SD. Hit some burrs but was prepared with the scissors. One thing i thought worked pretty well was a hair detangler that i put on jesse my springer the night before. It makes the hair pull out from the burr a lot easier. The brand is cowboy magic. I didn't give him a haircut before but i will next year.
 
Have had goldens for 35 years...cut the hair on legs, chest and tail. Understand show-sheen for horses works: spray it on before the hunt. Assume hair conditioner would work also. Arm yourself with a good pair of scissors andcomb. Most of the time the dog will wear off the burr during the day.

Jon
 
I would assume that clean sheen used for show cattle would work as well. its easy to find at sullivans supply or other show animal related companies. Worked great on all my show steers.
 
Golden Retriever- & Burrs

GD- common sense says you CLIP GRs before Opening Day. I am on my 4th Golden and consider them the best one on one, hunt-all-day with -you, best road- hunting- dog- as well (Dont knock you over when you crack your door. ) They wind up looking just like a Lab when clipped and burrs don't stop em! Oh- and if properly trained they stay behind you or beside you complacently when you sneak up on birds- as in Road hunting wherin you spotted birds earlier. Ed McGaa, So Dak.
 
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