The Ultimate Dog Groomers Glossary

• Coat Colours

  • ASCOB: Any Other Colour than Black

  • Blaze: a strip of white down the centre of the face

  • Blue: a greyish blue

  • Brindle: dark and light streaking similar to stripes on a tiger

  • Café au lait: creamy brown

  • Chestnut: reddish brown

  • Chocolate: brown

  • Cream: off white

  • Fawn: a reddish- brown yellow

  • Harlequin: patchy black or grey on white. (Sometimes reversed on Great Danes)

  • Landseer: black-and-white Newfoundland

  • Mahogany: dull reddish brown

  • Mask: dark colour on face

  • Merle: dark splotches against a tighter background of the same colour

  • Mottled: dark, round splotches on a lighter background

  • Mustard: muted yellow

  • Parti-coloured: patches of two colours or more

  • Piebald or pied: large splotches of two or more colours

  • Roan: mix of coloured hairs with white hairs

  • Ruby: mahogany red

  • Rust: reddish brown

  • Sable: black tipped silver, gold, grey, fawn or brown hair

  • Sandy: sand coloured, tan

  • Seal: black with a reddish tint

  • Stage: red (stag): deep red with black hairs

  • Wheaten: wheat coloured, tan

  • Ticking: little spots of colour lighter or darker than the base colour

• Ear Shapes

  Bat ear: an erect, forward-facing ear that is broad at the base and round at the top, a French Bulldog has a bat ear

  Button ear: an ear that folds forward, covering the inside of the ear. This ear is semi erect. The Parsons Terrier has a button ear

  Cropped ear: a drop ear that is cut to stand erect. This is illegal in Australia. Schnauzers, Boxers and Staffordshire Terriers can have cropped ears

  Drop ear: pendant or natural ear: this ear folds over and hangs down. A Labradoodle has a drop ear

  Prick ear: this ear stands upright. A German Shepherd has a prick ear

  Rose ear: a small, thin ear that folds over and back. The Pug or Greyhound may have a rose ear

  Semipricked: an erect ear with just the tips folded forward. A Collie is a good example

  Hooded ear: a wide erect ear with the edges turning in. Example, Bull Terrier

• Tail Shapes

  Brush tail: a bush tail that is well coated. Example, an Australian Cattle Dog

  Carrot tail: shaped like a carrot and upside down. Example, a West Highland White Terrier

  Corkscrew tail: a spiral tail. Example, a Pug

  Docked tail: a tail that is shortened by being cut. This practise is illegal in Australia

  Flag tail: a tail that is carried high with long silky hair. Example, an Irish setter

  Ring tail: a tail that is carried almost in a circle. Example, an Afghan Hound

  Saber tail: a tail carried like a sword in a semi-circle. Example, a Siberian Husky

  Whip tail: a pointed tail carried straight out. Example a Bull Terrier

• Canine Skull Types

  Dolichocephalic skull: a long slender nose with a high set eye, this allows for exceptional sight. Examples of this skull type are Salukis and Greyhounds

  Mesocephalic skull: a broader skull with larger nasal openings, many scent hounds and pointers have this skull

  Brachycephalic skull: a compact skull with a much short snout. Bulldogs and Pugs are good examples. Care must be taken around eyes and in the drying process; they are at risk of overheating if not cared for correctly

• Canine Anatomy

  Occiput: the area on the back of the skull where the skull meets the neck

  Withers: the ridge above the shoulder blades, below the base of the neck and above the top line

  Stifle: the rear leg knee, the joining point of the femur and tibia/fibula

  Hock: the rear leg, back section that joins to the foot

  Stop: the point where the top of the muzzle and skull meet

  Pastern: the rear of the front ankle bend

  Brisket: sternum, where the bones form the base of the chest

  Flank: the loose skin that sits below the loin and either side of the last rib and thigh

  Loin: the waistline, between the last rib and pelvis

  Prosternum: the point of the chest or forechest

  Zygomatic arches: or cheek bones, the widest point on the dog’s face.

• Grooming Terminology

  Against the grain: to clip against the natural fall of the coat

  Breed standard: a blueprint or ideal dog in relation to structure, temperament, coat type etc.; an example of a perfect breed as set out from the Australian National Kennel Council / Dogs Australia

  Breed group: dog breeds grouped from 1-7 in accordance with the Australian National Kennel Council / Dogs Australia

  Broken coat: wirehaired

  Carding: the technique of removing undercoat from a dog using a range of tools

  Cat foot: a foot that is neat and round and has a close set arched toes

  Coat king: an undercoat rake trade marked by Mars

  Cow hocked: hocks that are turned inward

  Confirmation: showcases the dogs breed standard. A visual reference to correct breed standard

  Fickle leg: an outward –bending leg, bowleg

  Hand stripping: is the removal of the undercoat on a wire or broken coated dog

  Tuck up: finding the ‘tuck up’ point between the last rib, the flank and the loin. This highlights the dogs’ waist

  Skirt: refers to hair furnishings on the dog’s rib cage

  Stacking: a dog’s stance in relation to show off his best attributes. This helps create the ultimate profile

  Topline: the area along the spine, from behind the withers to the tail set

  Tuck up: the highest point of the underline from the flank to the last rib

  Undercoat: short, soft dense hair that supports the outer coat

• Medical Terminology

  Abscess: an infected, pus-filled pocket under the skin

  Alopecia: hair loss

  Cherry eye: a swelling of the gland behind the dog’s third eye lid. Making an appearance as a cherry in the corner of the dog’s eye

  Crop: to amputate part of the ear to make it stand, not legal in Australia

  Dewclaw: a nail that is set above the foot on the inside of the back and rear feet, it does not touch the ground

  Hip dysplasia: a loose-fitting hip that is usually inherited

  Hot spot: an inflamed bald area on the dogs skin, caused by rubbing, licking, scratching or biting

  Incontinence: uncontrolled leaking of urine

  Kennel cough: a contagious bronchial disease that is caused by a virus or bacteria. The dog will often cough or appear to have a cold

  Lick granuloma: excessive licking that causes discoloration of skin and open wounds

  Tumour: an abnormal growth that may be malignant or benign

  Zoonosis: a condition that can be passed from one species to another. The Australian bat virus, lyssavirus is an example.

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