Giant Schnauzer grooming?

I'm hopefully getting a Giant Schnauzer and have a few questions. It's a rescue black, 4 yr old that came as a stray so not much background. Here's my questions:

What kind of brushes would work for a wire haired breed like this?

What about their teeth? They have special doggy brushes and toothpaste right? I'll look at petsmart tomorrow.

What about nail clipper? Should I do it myself (ok maybe my parents will do it and I'll help till I know how to do it properly ).

What do you think about taking a dog to the groomers? I think that's what my parents want to do, but I am a bit worried that the dog won't like it and get really freaked out....so is there a way to get them accustomed to it without totally freaking out?

anyone?

Getting a Giant? Wonderful. They are great.

Grooming is tough, i wont lie. If you want to show him/her, its a nightmare.

Otherwise, get a good pair of clippers (Oster A5) or similar ($125). DO NOT get teh cheap ones for $20. they will overheat and break down on you, due to teh undercoat and harsh exterior coat. Not to mentionthat your Giant will get a bad impressiona bout clippers. If youget a good clipper it takes about 40 minutes if your Giant is cooperating.

Scissors? I dont have anything fancy, but make sure tehya re sharp and do not pull/rip the beard and eyebrows.

Brushes? Wire brushes are best.

I dont clean teeth, I give my schnauzer a bone or something else to chew on. She has sparkling white teeth at all times.

My Giant, Schnapps, hates nail clipping, but its necessary. Get a normal nail clipper and bring alot of patience. Its not easy with a big and stubborn Giant.

I took Schnapps to a groomer and it was a disaster. I got a call to take my dog back. She hated the experience.

You will also need a Coat King and stripping knife to keep teh coat at its best.

Lots of shampoo and conditioner and tangle remover.

Enjoy. PM me if you need more help.

Thanks for the reply!!
I do have a few...ok a lot...of questions.

First where can I find these things? Should I be able to find them at petsmart or petco? Or is there another store I can get them from?

Ok get the expensive one, no problem Is there any way to shave him that might make him feel more comfortable? Like should I have a leash on him or no? Small room or outside? Those kind of things.

Ok so wire brushes, sharp scissors (a pair just for that single purpose), and bones for clean teeth. Got it! Any special bones? Like greenie?

OK just normal nail clippers. I already know how to do that since we do it sometimes at the Humane Society. So probably no groomers. I don't want him to feel like we are trying to leave him. Ok gott it thanks!

I already got the shampoo and conditioner so I just need the tangle remover. What is a coat king and stripping knife?

Thanks

I get all my stuff online: http://www.ryanspet.com or http://www.futurepets.com/ has the best deals. I get the occasional Nature's Miracle from Petco, which is the same price everywhere.

YOu have to decide what is most comfortable for you and your dog when it comes to shaving. You can have him on a leash then he will stand for you and not move around as much, but the leash has to be pulled towards the ceiling as on a grooming table apparatus. Me, I just walk schnapps, tire her out, and when shes collapsed on the ground I shave her. Shes easy to move around that way (when tired). There is a schnauzer cut, a pattern you should follow. You can get this on the web, and in most grooming books. Rule #1: Never shave the beard off completely or the eyebrows. Rule #2: Do not shave the 'furnishings' hair on the legs and chest. Do it once and you will see why you do not do it. They look silly. Very silly. Rule #3: Use clippers on ears first. The clippers will get hot and bother his ears if you do it when they had a chance to heat up.

YOu can aska round on this forum for chew toys and bones, but I give my dogs those baked knuckle bones they have at Trader Joe's. Either that or real knuckle bones from the butchers. I also give my dogs raw meat, BUT thats another discussion. Your Giant has VERY powerfull teeth and jaws. No worries.

A coat king is a rake for hair. You can find it at teh online stores i posted for you. Stripping knife is also there. Basically teh Giant has two coats, top and bottom. You wil notice that if you pour water on him it will just drip off as if he was waterproof. Well its that undercoat that seals out the mositure. Thats great for dogs in cold climates like Germany but not much good in California, or indoors. Also, because Giants do not shed, the undercoat turn grey. Using teh coat king and the stripping knife gets rid of the undercoat, keeping it black, healthy, and shiny. BTW: diet is everything in coat condition.

I feed my dogs Eagle Pack Holistic. I used to feed Canidae until I found out Procter & Gamble bought it and changed teh formula. Eagle Pack is all natural. http://www.eaglepack.com/

My Sister who owns a grooming shop loves grooming Giant Schnauzer's, she keeps a few in show trim. What I would do if I were you, if you are a novice, take your Schnauzer to a professional dog groomer and ask if you can stay with your dog. My Sister doesn't mind if an owner wants to stay, and she will show the customer how to groom their dog. They will advise you the proper grooming equipment to get, scissors, clippers, brushes etc. It will cost you to learn, but, why not learn properly hands on. Search around till you find a groomer who is willing to teach you and doesn't mind your staying. My Sister will also order in brushes,clippers etc for her Customer's from the same distributer she purchases from. Since she already has a order coming in the Customer only has to pay for their products and not the shipping.

siemens716, Canidae was taken over by Proctor and Gamble. I am very glad you shared this information as I was thinking of distributing this product. I am constantly amazed at the information I learn from others. Thank you siemens716.

Excellent idea for Invisible.

As for Canidae, breeders at dog shows told me about this, I have yet to confirm it on my own.

Hey that is a good idea!! Thank you!

I posted this in another thread, but get a short leash. 2 Foot leather.

OH I saw that....I'll get that soon, but the house check should start as soon as the people come...I wonder if they are bringing chief with them

http://www.strippingknives.com/grooming/schnauzertips.htm

Good article on Grooming Schnauzers.

Thanks Siemens!!! You've been soooo very helpful this whole time and this is a great article!!! THANK YOU!!!!