Tosa Grooming

The Tosa has a short, smooth coat that doesn't require much care--so Tosa grooming isn't at all time-consuming. Tosa Dogs are pretty light shedders, but they do drool regularly, so owners should be prepared to clean up some slobber.

The best brush for a Tosa Inu is either a bristle brush or a grooming glove. Brush your Tosa twice a week or so as follows: first wet the coat with water mist from a spray bottle, then starting at the shoulders, go over the entire coat with the brush or glove, moving in the direction of hair growth. Tosa coats don't tangle much--but if you do encounter a hair snarl, first try working it out with your fingers, then if needed continue working through it with the end teeth of a greyhound comb.

Baths are necessary every three months or so, unless of course the dog gets especially dirty or stinky and an "emergency bath" is in order. When bathing your Tosa Dog, be sure to use canine shampoo--and take the time to rinse the shampoo completely from the coat. Not doing both these things can irritate the dog's skin.

In between baths, you may need to clean the dog's chest and neck with warm, soapy water. Since Tosa Dogs are heavy droolers, those areas might get dirty and stinky from the drool, so owners may need to wipe those areas. And if your Tosa's drooling gets too excessive, you can tie a bandanna or towel around the dog's neck to keep its chest and neck clean.

Tosa haircuts aren't required at all.

Though owners can easily fulfill all the Tosa grooming needs themselves, it's a good idea to take the dog to a professional groomer at least once. The groomer can give the dog a nice makeover, and provide tips on how to groom a Tosa Inu at home.

Your Tosa's paws will also need some regular maintenance:

• Nails: If Tosa nails click on hard surfaces, it's time for a trim. Use standard clippers to cut the nails as close to the toes as possible---but make sure not to cut them too short! Doing so can cut into the nail's quick (the blood vessel running through it), which will make the nail bleed and be painful.
• Toe Hair: If the hair between your Tosa's toes gets too long, it'll get extremely dirty and even cause infections. Use scissors to trim the hair short if needed.
• Paw Pads: Your Tosa Dog's paw pads can get dry, cracked, and tender, as they bear the brunt of the dog's considerable weight. This is especially common with dogs that walk or run a lot on hot asphalt or snow and ice. Apply canine paw pad moisturizer (available at pet stores or online) to the dog's pads weekly to keep them soft, moist, and healthy.