Coat 101: The Importance of Conditioner

When you think of conditioner, what comes to mind? Moisture. That’s completely true, conditioners are used to replace lost moisture. However, conditioners do a lot more than you’d think.

WHAT DOES CONDITIONER DO?

Remember our pal the cuticle? He’s the king among kings when it comes to healthy coat. Your number one priority is to keep him healthy.

(For those who don’t know the cuticle, see our previous post.) If you do, then you know the cuticle has to be protected like a litter of puppies. Conditioner plays a huge role in keeping the cuticle happy and healthy.

Conditioners:

• Close the cuticle
• Help prevent breakage
• Prevent matting
• Lock in moisture
• Reduce shedding

(Yep, you read that right – it helps reduce shedding! Seriously! Stay tuned for more on shedding. 😉)

HOW DOES CONDITIONER WORK?

When you apply shampoo to your dog, you’re raising the cuticle layer. If you don’t apply conditioner to flatten those ‘shingles’ back out, then you’re leaving the coat vulnerable to tangles and split ends.

Tangles are created when one strand’s raised cuticle layers get caught on another strand’s cuticle layers.

Shampoo tightens the cuticle layer, raising it so it can get inside and clean. Conditioner adds moisture back into the cuticle layer, flattening it back over the cortex, restoring the protective layer.

CONDITIONER FOR ALL COAT TYPES

You might be thinking, “My breed doesn’t get tangles, so I don’t need conditioner.”

Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory, CBS

Sorry, but Sheldon is right. Every coat type and coat length needs conditioner! By not closing the cuticle layer, you make the cortex vulnerable.

This can:

• Cause breakage
• Reducing hair growth
• Dry out the skin
• Fade coat color

CHOOSING THE RIGHT CONDITIONER

Just as important as using conditioner, is choosing the right one. Each coat type, and coat texture, require an appropriate type of conditioner for their needs. *All conditioners listed will close the cuticle layer.

DROP/SILKY COATS

For drop, or long coats, that are silky (soft) textured, you will need a conditioner that deeply moisturizes the hair, and leaves it feeling soft. This type of coat needs conditioner more than any other.

The best conditioners for long, soft coats:

1. Drop coats: Spectrum Ten Conditioner.
2. Deep Conditioning & Repair: Spectrum Ten Hypro Pac.
3. To remove tangles and condition: Ice on Ice Detangling Conditioner
4. Gently moisturizes coat & skin: Day to Day Conditioner

COARSE/ROUGH COATS

For coarse and rough coats, you will need a conditioner that is light enough to keep the coat’s texture intact while still flattening the cuticle layer and providing that much needed protection.

The best conditioners for coarse and rough coats:

1. Closes the cuticle: After U Bathe Final Rinse
2. Closes the cuticle & maintain volume: Spectrum One Conditioner
3. Closes the cuticle & gently moisturize coat & skin: Day to Day Conditioner
4. Closes the cuticle & remove tangles: Ice on Ice Detangling Conditioner

WIRE COATS

Wire coats require similar care to coarse/rough coats, with the exception of the curly coated wire coats. Curly coats need a LOT of moisture to keep their curls healthy, but they also need moisture that won’t change their texture.

The best conditioners for wire coats:

1. Closes the cuticle: After U Bathe Final Rinse
2. Closes the cuticle & maintain volume: Spectrum One Conditioner
3. Closes the cuticle & gently moisturize coat & skin: Day to Day Conditioner
4. For curly coats: Ice on Ice Detangling Conditioner

SMOOTH COATS

Smooth coats don’t need a lot of moisture for their coat, but for their skin. And since hair health starts from within, keeping the skin moisturized is just as important for smooth coats.

The best conditioners for smooth coats:

1. To treat dry, itchy skin: Spectrum Five Conditioner
2. Gently moisturizes coat & skin: Day to Day Conditioner

For more information on the products listed, visit our website. To find a distributor near you, click here.

---