How To Groom A Long Haired Chihuahua (10-Step Guide)

Want to learn how to groom a long-haired Chihuahua? We’ve got you covered!

Feet are probably the most important part to maintain when grooming a long-haired Chihuahua.

Because when the hair grows between the pads they no longer have the ability to grip.

image of Small longhair Chihuahua dog enjoy walking

Whether show dog or home dog, this breed needs to be trimmed regularly.

In this Digdoggy.com guide, you will learn:

  • What materials you will need for grooming your Long-Haired Chihuahua
  • How to prepare for grooming your Long-Haired Chihuahua
  • Other useful knowledge to have for this task

And much more!

What's In This Guide?

      What Do You Need To Know About Grooming A Long-Haired Chihuahua?

      Grooming your Chihuahua’s long hair is part of a healthy routine. If you begin grooming him while he is young, he will get accustomed to it as he grows older.

      When it comes to your Long-Haired Chihuahua, a minor trim goes a long way. The fur on his paws is probably the most bothersome aspect of grooming. 

      I suggest doing this first, before anything else, to get the hard part over with.

      Anytime your brush or dry a long-haired chihuahua, you absolutely need some type of conditioning spry on the coat. 

      Because brushing or drying a dry coat will break the hair and totally damage it.

      Brush out your Chihuahua or strip his coat before soaking him into the tub. This helps them with the process of detangling after their bath. 

      Ensure that the water does not exceed 3 inches high. 

      Prevent the possibility of slipping by putting a towel or mat along the surface bottom.

      How Often Should You Groom A Long-Haired Chihuahua?

      Bathe your Long Haired Chihuahua at least 2 to 3 weeks in order to keep them clean and avoid causing dry skin.

      The absolute least you can go is every 12 weeks, however, if your doggo travels in your car, sleep in your bed, or lives purely indoors, you might want to bathe him more frequently.

      Supplies That You’ll need to groom Your Long-Haired Chihuahua

      • Dremel
      • Scissors
      • Slicker brush
      • Grooming Table
      • Double-sided trimming shears
      • Thinning shears
      • Stripping Tool
      • Blueing Shampoo
      • Dawn Dishwashing Soap
      • Leave-In Conditioner
      • Blow Dryer
      • Conditioning Spray
      • Christ Christensen Super Fine Mist SPrayer
      • Show Sheen
      • Hair clipper
      • Bristle Brush

      image of Small longhair Chihuahua in pink harness posing for image when walking

      Step 1: Grind The Toenails

      Take a Dremel and grind down your Long-Haired Chihuahua’s nails.

      Use scissors to trim away all the long hair growing between her toe pads. Use a slicker brush to fluff up his paw hair.

      You can make him stand on a grooming table for this. Gently trim around her paw using double-sided trimming shears.

      Step 2: Trim The Ears

      Use thinning shears to trim the ear hair away. Make them fringy and trim away the front hair. Hold the ears flat against the ears to keep them stable for easy cutting.

      Step 3: Trim The Tail

      Cut off the overly-long tail hair on the tail. Use caution when you do this. You can hold his tail down to cut evenly if needed.

      Step 4: Strip His Coat

      Strip off the coat of your doggo using a stripping tool. Take a few minutes to thin out the thick coat of your doggo. 

      This should take care of the undercoat and define where his shoulders are.

      Step 5: Bathe Him With A Blueing Shampoo

      Use a blueing shampoo that brightens white or black coats. Lather the fur of your doggo until all his fur has been shampooed.

      Leave the blueing shampoo on for three minutes. Rinse off the shampoo completely.

      Step 6: Apply a bit of Dawn dishwashing soap

      Add Dawn dishwashing soap to the long coat of your Long-haired Chihuahua. This gets rid of all the extra oil and residue that the previous products left.

      It also gets rid of dander and dirt. Rinse off your dog.

      Step 7: Apply Leave-In Conditioner

      Apply leave-in conditioner to your dog. This will transform his frizzy, drab, and dull coat almost instantaneously. Air dry your dog for half an hour after applying this product.

      Step 8: Blow Dry Your Dog

      Once you have air-dried your dog after the application of the leave-in conditioner, it is time to blow them dry. Use a blow dryer and a conditioner spray. 

      For the conditioning spray, use a Chris Christensen superfine mist sprayer filled with Show Sheen.

      Blow drying alone with no spray mist could dry and damage your furball’s hair. This could cause damage in the long run.

      As you blow-dry your Long Haired Chihuahua’s hair, use a pin brush to spread the misted conditioner throughout his coat.

      Step 9: Trim His Hair

      Once your Chihuahua is completely dry, you can do touch-ups. Look where there are stray hairs and overly long portions. You can use a hair clipper to do the finishing touches.

      Step 10: Use A Bristle Brush

      As a final touch, use a bristle brush to brush off all the hair that has been trimmed.

      A bristle brush will also ensure that no tangles or mats exist on your toy doggo’s now-fabulous coat.

      Final Thoughts On Grooming A Long Haired Chihuahua

      Always use a conditioner when brushing and grooming to a minimum of 12 weeks (according to professional groomers). I personally recommend every 2-3 weeks for best results and start with the feet.

      Cover the toes, nails body, and tail, and brush out before bathing to avoid causing additional tangles and mats.

      Jennifer Cosculluela

      Jennifer Cosculluela

      Jennifer Cosculluela graduated magna cum laude in Marketing from the State University of New York’s F.I.T and was a Presidential Scholar, specializing in Shakespearean Studies. She also has an AB Psychology Degree from De La Salle University Bacolod and when not writing, loves to spend time with her daughter Margarita and bake cookies and lasagna for her loving husband Sebastian.

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      Jennifer Cosculluela

      Jennifer Cosculluela

      Jennifer Cosculluela graduated magna cum laude in Marketing from the State University of New York’s F.I.T and was a Presidential Scholar, specializing in Shakespearean Studies. She also has an AB Psychology Degree from De La Salle University Bacolod and when not writing, loves to spend time with her daughter Margarita and bake cookies and lasagna for her loving husband Sebastian.

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