Tibetan Terriers are a "coated" breed and regular grooming is a MUST to keep the coats in good and healthy condition. Daily grooming sessions are NOT required but weekly grooming is suggested.

Puppies have no undercoat and grooming is mainly training for adult life, i.e. they are taught to remain still and lie on their side on a sturdy grooming table. Between 9 and 15 month, when the adult coat emerges, a daily grooming session is needed because mats seem to form overnight. This is the stage when novices often despair and resort to seeking help from groomers who unfortunately don't take the time to slowly demat the pup but often reach for clippers.

Once the coat change is finished one careful grooming session per week is usually sufficient. The Tibetan Terrier does not shed but when the undercoat separates from the body it is caught in the outer coat, and mats and tangles form if the coat is not brushed out. Of course leaves, twigs and burrs have to be picked and brushed out immediately to make the dog comfortable and to protect the coat.
A good pin brush, a Greyhound comb and a spray bottle to mist the coat during grooming sessions are the only tools required to keep a Tibetan Terrier in nice shape.

Bathing should not be necessary more than once a month unless a dog is entered in shows. In that case they are usually bathed every week.
A laundry tub is the right size and height for bathing and a hand held shower attachment makes soaking and rinsing easy. The bath with a good shampoo is followed by a thorough rinse. A conditioner is then applied, followed by another rinse. After a good shake and towel drying the coat is blown dry and thoroughly brushed at the same time. This will take between 1 and 2 hours.

A freshly bathed and groomed Tibetan Terrier looks and feels good and when everything is done, the proud groomer often reaches for the camera for a photo session.

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