Protective styles for hiking?

[nari]

I have a Saint Bernard and maintain her myself (sanitary, armpits, scooping out paws, etc). However, we hike regularly and she strongly dislikes getting leaves or sticks stuck in her tail. Any recommendations for braids or other protective styles while we hike so she can keep some of her feathers?

I already shave 1/4 of her feathers off at the base of her tail and shave her rump. She gets brushed/combed daily and bathed and HV dried weekly.

Dog tax of her first antler find

 

[livelifeliving33]

@nari Might consider just wrapping the tail with like vet-wrap if she'll tolerate that. Braids get knotted up really easily, especially with high movement that a dog's tail is going to do.

 

[shellyeve]

@livelifeliving33 Second this!! This is what show groomers do and I’ve done this to avoid cutting really long tails.

 

[nari]

@livelifeliving33 Thank you - I will definitely give it a try! She doesn't mind sitting in the tub with foils on her tail when I dye her feathers so hopefully the vet-wrap will be okay.

 

[christianmechanic]

@nari ive never tried this so its really just an idea but maybe like a tail bag for a horse? that might be counter productive and make it worse but im not too sure just an idea

 

[hms]

@nari I’ve used thinning shears a lot for this reason, thinning the hair keeps things from sticking as easily..