# Grooming supplies needed???



## niko-b (Jan 13, 2010)

our 14 week old male Maltese puppy named Niko. He is in need of some grooming and we need some assistance. it appears that he has some staining starting already and we need to clear that up. i read on a previous post that it could be caused by his teething. i ordered the following but am still awaiting its arrival.

Maltese Stay White Tear Stain Remover

Maltese Secret White Coat Shampoo

Maltese Secret Coat Conditioner

Maltese Secret Tearless Shampoo

since these products have not arrived i was looking for alternatives to use in the meantime to clean his tear staining and the proper way to do it as well as a good shampoo and conditioner to use besides what i listed above? we love him so much that we are wanting to provide him with the proper grooming. what is the best way to wipe off/clean his tear staining?

and finally has anyone used the products i purchased above? if so how do you like them, are they good safe/healthy products to use on our maltese.


thank you for all responses!!!


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I was rather unimpressed with the products you listed. 

I would simply keep his face clean and dry and let it be until he is done tearing. There is really no point using any harsh whitening products when the underlying cause is still there. A tearless shampoo like Absolutely Natural shampoo or one of the dog facial scrubs is fine. You can use a little cornstarch in between to keep things dry. Buy a Bayou Buddy Bowl for water drinking.


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## remy (Jul 9, 2009)

try Spa Lavish facial scrub for daily face washing and clean the eyes out 2x a day with Collyrium for Fresh Eyes Eye Wash. 


http://stores.pamperedpetboutiquellc.com/-...crub/Detail.bok

http://www.bausch.com/en_US/consumer/visio.../collyrium.aspx


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## niko-b (Jan 13, 2010)

QUOTE (JMM @ Jan 13 2010, 02:37 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873122


> I was rather unimpressed with the products you listed.
> 
> I would simply keep his face clean and dry and let it be until he is done tearing. There is really no point using any harsh whitening products when the underlying cause is still there. A tearless shampoo like Absolutely Natural shampoo or one of the dog facial scrubs is fine. You can use a little cornstarch in between to keep things dry. Buy a Bayou Buddy Bowl for water drinking.[/B]



well that sucks that you didnt like them? can you tell me a little more about what products you tried and what you didnt like? or what you were expecting from the product but did not get out of it.


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## niko-b (Jan 13, 2010)

QUOTE (niko-b @ Jan 13 2010, 03:01 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873137


> QUOTE (JMM @ Jan 13 2010, 02:37 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873122





> I was rather unimpressed with the products you listed.
> 
> I would simply keep his face clean and dry and let it be until he is done tearing. There is really no point using any harsh whitening products when the underlying cause is still there. A tearless shampoo like Absolutely Natural shampoo or one of the dog facial scrubs is fine. You can use a little cornstarch in between to keep things dry. Buy a Bayou Buddy Bowl for water drinking.[/B]


[/B][/QUOTE]

do those products i purchased contain harsh chemicals or anything that would hurt our maltese? 

where can i purchase the spa lavish products? internet only or can it be found at a local store?


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## niko-b (Jan 13, 2010)

what about the tropiclean product line? is that a good brand to use as well. i spoke with the spa lavish customer support and they stated thats it an all natural tearless product, but i forgot to ask them about does it help keep maltese hair white or would i be better off looking for the spa lavish brand. i guess that was one of the reasons why i chose the maltsecret products.


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (niko-b @ Jan 13 2010, 02:21 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873109


> our 14 week old male Maltese puppy named Niko. He is in need of some grooming and we need some assistance. it appears that he has some staining starting already and we need to clear that up. i read on a previous post that it could be caused by his teething. i ordered the following but am still awaiting its arrival.
> 
> Maltese Stay White Tear Stain Remover
> 
> ...


95% of all maltese puppies have tear stains when they are teething. No product out there will conteract that. You just have to keep the face clean and wait until he's done teething. 

I have never, ever heard of the products you have listed, nor tropiclean. We here, only use the healthiest and best products out their for our maltese, hence the name "Spoiled" Maltese. LOL I know many people here that use and love Spa Lavish. Local stores rarely have good products.


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## luna belle (Jan 8, 2010)

QUOTE (JMM @ Jan 13 2010, 11:37 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873122


> I was rather unimpressed with the products you listed.
> 
> I would simply keep his face clean and dry and let it be until he is done tearing. There is really no point using any harsh whitening products when the underlying cause is still there. A tearless shampoo like Absolutely Natural shampoo or one of the dog facial scrubs is fine. You can use a little cornstarch in between to keep things dry. Buy a Bayou Buddy Bowl for water drinking.[/B]




I would love to know more about the Bayou Buddy Bowl...where can I buy one? Thanks!


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (Luna Belle @ Jan 13 2010, 03:59 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873167


> QUOTE (JMM @ Jan 13 2010, 11:37 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873122





> I was rather unimpressed with the products you listed.
> 
> I would simply keep his face clean and dry and let it be until he is done tearing. There is really no point using any harsh whitening products when the underlying cause is still there. A tearless shampoo like Absolutely Natural shampoo or one of the dog facial scrubs is fine. You can use a little cornstarch in between to keep things dry. Buy a Bayou Buddy Bowl for water drinking.[/B]




I would love to know more about the Bayou Buddy Bowl...where can I buy one? Thanks!
[/B][/QUOTE]

Many members here have Bayou Buddy Bowls, our own vendor, Crystal, sells them here: http://stores.intuitwebsites.com/CWyse/-st.../Categories.bok


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## niko-b (Jan 13, 2010)

is the best way to keep the face clean by using filtered water and a soft cloth/hand towel? i went to a vet and he recommended hydrogen peroxide but i question using that on our maltese. 

how long does teething typically last for?


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

Do not use hydrogen peroxide on your puppy - its a harsh bleaching agent that can sting the eyes and nose terribly.

As mentioned before, daily gentle cleansing of eye goobers (using a small face comb or flea comb), warm water or alternatively, colloidal silver on the hair stains (anti-bacterial, anti-microbial liquid for humans or dogs) and keeping the face dry will help you through this period.

*EDIT TO ADD: *Most of us here recommend a MADAN brush for daily brushings. You can order it from Jenny Yu ([email protected])
or Cindy Fern-King ([email protected]
). I know Jenny has the new smaller size brush now, as well as the regular size. Both have Madan combs and rattail combs (for topknots) and water nozzles, top knot bands, as well.

Also, filtered or bottled water in a buddy bowl or water nozzle will help to keep the face dry and avoid yeast buildup (the red stains).

Finally, a high quality dog food or homecooked food along with a probiotic will help to minimize staining while maximizing overall health.

HTH!

ps - many of us use Dove Go Fresh shampoo and conditioner when bathing our dogs. smells great and nice on many coat types. human products are okay for dogs with hair rather than fur (like Maltese). 

also forgot to mention that adult teeth usually come in by 6 months of age.....sometimes a little longer. if your pup retains any baby teeth, that will continue the staining. its best to wait for neuter/spay until after adult teeth are in so any baby teeth can be extracted during a single anesthetic procedure.


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## niko-b (Jan 13, 2010)

QUOTE (tamizami @ Jan 13 2010, 04:40 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873181


> Do not use hydrogen peroxide on your puppy - its a harsh bleaching agent that can sting the eyes and nose terribly.
> 
> As mentioned before, daily gentle cleansing of eye goobers (using a small face comb or flea comb), warm water or alternatively, colloidal silver on the hair stains (anti-bacterial, anti-microbial liquid for humans or dogs) and keeping the face dry will help you through this period.
> 
> ...


yea thats what i thought. im glad i took that advice with a grain of salt!  but at the same time its kind of scary that i got that advice from a vet.... definitely will not be going back there!!

if i go with the Dove Go Fresh shampoo and conditioner does that work great at making his coat white and is it tearless?

we use Precise Plus dry kibble for puppies because that's what the breeder gave us and said they were feeding him. we also picked up one can of precise plus food as well (at least i think that's what it was) but we used all that so we are trying nutro for puppies (holistic) now as well.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I use all sorts of products depending on the dog's coat type...there is no one single product that works for all. Much of it also depends on your brushing, bathing, and drying technique. You can easily damage hair with poor brushing technique. One brand I tend to always keep around is Coat Handler shampoo and conditioner. 

Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent and can severely dry and break the hair. 

If your dog came from a reputable breeder, ask them what they recommend. They will know your pet's coat type and what has worked best for that in the past.


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## luna belle (Jan 8, 2010)

QUOTE (ilovemymaltese @ Jan 13 2010, 01:04 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873168


> QUOTE (Luna Belle @ Jan 13 2010, 03:59 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873167





> QUOTE (JMM @ Jan 13 2010, 11:37 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873122





> I was rather unimpressed with the products you listed.
> 
> I would simply keep his face clean and dry and let it be until he is done tearing. There is really no point using any harsh whitening products when the underlying cause is still there. A tearless shampoo like Absolutely Natural shampoo or one of the dog facial scrubs is fine. You can use a little cornstarch in between to keep things dry. Buy a Bayou Buddy Bowl for water drinking.[/B]




I would love to know more about the Bayou Buddy Bowl...where can I buy one? Thanks!
[/B][/QUOTE]

Many members here have Bayou Buddy Bowls, our own vendor, Crystal, sells them here: http://stores.intuitwebsites.com/CWyse/-st.../Categories.bok
[/B][/QUOTE]

Thanks so much! They're beautiful...I will place an order for sure. I'm a little confused about how it works or how it is designed to keep the face dry though?


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (niko-b @ Jan 13 2010, 04:55 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873188


> yea thats what i thought. im glad i took that advice with a grain of salt!  but at the same time its kind of scary that i got that advice from a vet.... definitely will not be going back there!!
> 
> if i go with the Dove Go Fresh shampoo and conditioner does that work great at making his coat white and is it tearless?
> 
> we use Precise Plus dry kibble for puppies because that's what the breeder gave us and said they were feeding him. we also picked up one can of precise plus food as well (at least i think that's what it was) but we used all that so we are trying nutro for puppies (holistic) now as well.[/B]


There are much better foods out there than Nutro. Basically any foods you can get at petsmart or petco are not the best for our babies. And I would personally never trust Nutro, not that they have any bad ingredients, they are constantly having pet food recalls. Just google it: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sou...mp;oq=&aqi=

Some good high quality foods out there are Wellness, Natural Balance, Acana, Orijen, ect. Here's a good website on dog food reviews: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/


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## angelgirl599 (Apr 8, 2009)

By the way, Tropiclean and Spa Lavish are the same company. I believe Tropiclean makes Spa Lavish.


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (angelgirl599 @ Jan 13 2010, 09:34 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873303


> By the way, Tropiclean and Spa Lavish are the same company. I believe Tropiclean makes Spa Lavish.[/B]


Thanks for that clarification Diana!


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

I've used the Maltese Secret Detangler (and like it) but I haven't used any of their other products.


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## niko-b (Jan 13, 2010)

QUOTE (ilovemymaltese @ Jan 13 2010, 09:30 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873300


> QUOTE (niko-b @ Jan 13 2010, 04:55 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873188





> yea thats what i thought. im glad i took that advice with a grain of salt!  but at the same time its kind of scary that i got that advice from a vet.... definitely will not be going back there!!
> 
> if i go with the Dove Go Fresh shampoo and conditioner does that work great at making his coat white and is it tearless?
> 
> we use Precise Plus dry kibble for puppies because that's what the breeder gave us and said they were feeding him. we also picked up one can of precise plus food as well (at least i think that's what it was) but we used all that so we are trying nutro for puppies (holistic) now as well.[/B]


There are much better foods out there than Nutro. Basically any foods you can get at petsmart or petco are not the best for our babies. And I would personally never trust Nutro, not that they have any bad ingredients, they are constantly having pet food recalls. Just google it: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sou...mp;oq=&aqi=

Some good high quality foods out there are Wellness, Natural Balance, Acana, Orijen, ect. Here's a good website on dog food reviews: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/
[/B][/QUOTE]

ok thanks for the food tip, i will look at the link you posted as well.


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## niko-b (Jan 13, 2010)

QUOTE (angelgirl599 @ Jan 13 2010, 09:34 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873303


> By the way, Tropiclean and Spa Lavish are the same company. I believe Tropiclean makes Spa Lavish.[/B]



thats what i thought, but no worries, we found some spa lavish shampoo, conditioner and facial scrub yesterday so we are set now!


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

If you are looking for a decent shampoo and conditioner that you can buy at a pet store rather than online, I would give Pet Head or John Paul Pet products a try. They are fairly good products and are something that you can go out and buy right away rather than wait for them to be shipped to you. Both Petco & Petsmart sell Pet Head, and Petco sells John Paul Pet. I much prefer the selection that Petco offers. I know you are concerned with keeping your Maltese coat white, but whitening shampoos should only be used 1x per month at most. Most of us bathe our babies weekly, and I never use a whitening shampoo at all. Maltese will stay white, don't worry! I have been extremely happy with Nature's Specialties products (specifically the Plum Silky shampoo, Re-Moisturizer conditioner & Quicker Slicker grooming spray) but they seem to be an online-only order. I love the Spa Lavish Facial Scrub, but I HATE their shampoo & conditioner -- it's not very moisturizing in my opinion.

Food-wise, I would not purchase anything at Petsmart. They just haven't got the same quality foods that Petco or local retailers have. Petco has MANY bad choices, but also a few good choices. Their "better" choices are Wellness and Solid Gold. Feeding a grain-free food is probably your best choice. If you don't mind searching around for a higher quality food, Orijen & Acana foods are some of the best dry foods out there. Those you will only find online or in small pet supply shops in your town. Orijen has a store locator on their website.

Please feel free to ask any more questions!


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

I don't use whitening shampoo on puppies either, I want until they are older (around 5-6 months). A whitening shampoo won't work miracles though, if you have color in the coat. I use Biogroom whitening on the puppies because I think it's fairly mild and it USED to be tearfree but they took that claim off the tabel. That you can probably find at petsmart or petco.

I have sooooo much stuff I bought at petsmart and Petco when I got my first maltese 3.5 years ago. Brushes, shampoo, combs, and now I can't even remember the last time i bought something from either store. I definitely wasted a lot of money! I buy my pee pads on ebay, my food at a little pet store where i live and everything else i usually buy on line or from a vendor at a dog show. 

Hope you find something that works!


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## niko-b (Jan 13, 2010)

im a little confused, i have heard/read that you should not bath your puppy 1 every two weeks as anything else for example once a week can dry out their skin and or strip their natural oils? since i have and will be using spa lavish shampoo and conditioner does everyone here recommend once a week using that product?


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## llf060787 (Nov 19, 2007)

Whitening shampoos are too harsh to use on a regular basis. I use a whitening shampoo every 1-2 months. Otherwise I use the Spa Lavish Oatmeal Shampoo and facial scrub on a regular basis.

I also feed them Natural Balance small bites. They love the duck and potatoe flavor. Its a better quality food that can be found both online and at Petco and I mix in about 1/2 tablespoon of boiled chicken cut up real tiny.

Also be aware of any snacks that contain dyes. It contributes to the tear staining.


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## llf060787 (Nov 19, 2007)

QUOTE (niko-b @ Jan 14 2010, 01:03 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873552


> im a little confused, i have heard/read that you should not bath your puppy 1 every two weeks as anything else for example once a week can dry out their skin and or strip their natural oils? since i have and will be using spa lavish shampoo and conditioner does everyone here recommend once a week using that product?[/B]


I bathe my girls once a week. I've tried stretching it out to once every 2 weeks but it doesn't work. They end up with real bad "pee-pee legs". I want to make sure that their fur doesn't stain from the urine.


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## elly (Sep 11, 2006)

Mercedes usually gets a bath about every 5 days. I have not had trouble with her skin or coat being dry. I really do not care for the whitening shampoo, she is very hard to brush wet after I use it. She is super white today after the Dove Go fresh bath.


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

Bisou gets washed about every 5 days as well. Personally I found the Spa Lavish shampoo was too drying for her ...although I do use the Spa Lavish facial scrub and that works well. I use a whitening shampoo about once a month, for that I use the Plush Puppy one.


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

I bathe mine at least once a week or every 5 days. Used the Dove Go Fresh again this week and can't believe I ever used anything else. Super white and soft coats. About once a month I use a clarifying shampoo, one from Sally's. 

I also give my dogs Wild Salmon Oil or Hemp Oil (rotating) so they get their omega-3s and we don't have any dry skin issues at our house.

EDIT TO ADD: this is an excellent place for researching dog foods: http://www.dogfoodproject.com/


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

Bathing every week is a good general length of time for Maltese, but you may find that you only need to bathe your baby every 12-14 days, or every 5 days. Just recently I let Preston go almost 2 full weeks without a bath because I had been so busy and I will never do that again. He started to look dingy and oily (although he didn't smell). If you ordered the Spa Lavish Facial Scrub you can use that daily on just the facial area.


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## niko-b (Jan 13, 2010)

QUOTE (llf060787 @ Jan 14 2010, 01:11 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873555


> QUOTE (niko-b @ Jan 14 2010, 01:03 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=873552





> im a little confused, i have heard/read that you should not bath your puppy 1 every two weeks as anything else for example once a week can dry out their skin and or strip their natural oils? since i have and will be using spa lavish shampoo and conditioner does everyone here recommend once a week using that product?[/B]


I bathe my girls once a week. I've tried stretching it out to once every 2 weeks but it doesn't work. They end up with real bad "pee-pee legs". I want to make sure that their fur doesn't stain from the urine.
[/B][/QUOTE]

gotcha, yea we went about a week with niko and he was pretty dirty/and yellowish in some spots, so we will go with once a week as well.


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