[chimom]

This mostly applies to long haired dogs but it can all be used with short coats as well. Since I used to raise and show Shih Tzu's I do have more experience than I want with long coats. First do not put a collar or a harness on anymore than you absolutely have to, they break the hair. .

I stopped keeping a collar or harness on Jasmine unless we are going outside. Then it is almost always the harness. I had noticed a couple of months ago, the hair around her neck was flattened and looked thinner in the area where her collar was. I hated to do it, as I had bought her a really nice collar. But with her long hair around the neck, you couldn't see it very well anyway.

Thanks for the tips.