Because of their long hair Japanese chins need to be groomed twice a week. You wouldn't let your child go weeks or even days without combing their hair and you shouldn't neglect to groom your dog either. Unfortunately for most people the thought of grooming brings up images of expensive saloons or hair raising (no pun intended) wrestling matches. Fortunately this does not have to be the case, and whether it is or not is up to you. One of the most important things you should do is start grooming and bathing at an early age. An adult dog can be taught to accept grooming, so don't despair if your pet is older, but it saves a lot of hassle to start when they're young.

First start off with your puppy on a mat to prevent sliding and for easier cleaning. Run your fingers through his hair to check for mats or burs. Carefully comb out any mats, tangles cause a dogs skin to become irritated and combing them roughly makes it worse. In extreme cases clipping the hair is the only way to remove tangles. After you get all the matted hair out, a soft wire slicker brush should be used and a comb that has both fine and course teeth. Be careful with the slicker brush, they can burn the skin. First use the brush and then run the comb through to check for any knots you missed. The Japanese chin's eyes are prone infections and need to be checked regularly as do the ears Check the tail area for excrement build up. Chins also need to be trimmed regularly, how often and how much you trim is up to you.