How to cut a dog correctly – clearly and in detail

Haircut types

For types of dog haircuts, there are two main definitions: hygienic and model. The first is mandatory for all pets. It includes cutting or trimming overgrown hair on the muzzle, ears, beard, if any, between the fingers and paw pads, in the genital area.

Hygiene also includes a bald haircut of the entire body of the dog, which is necessary or desirable in some cases. Among them – a strong confusion of wool, numerous tangles on all parts of the body of the animal, dermatitis, fleas, increased secretion of the sebaceous glands.

The hygienic procedure, as a rule, ends with the cutting of the claws.

Dogs with coats with an undercoat, such as Shepherds, Huskies, Chow Chows, Spitz, Shelties, Samoyeds, are shown only an infrequent hygienic haircut. At the same time, a radical shortening of the coat, and even more so shaving, is unacceptable for them, since in this case the natural mechanism of thermoregulation is violated, which allows the animal not to freeze in winter and not suffer from heat in summer. In addition, in dogs with a long undercoat, after a radical haircut, hair growth can noticeably slow down and even pathological hair loss can begin.

Dogs whose coat does not have an undercoat, and even more so dogs that are distinguished by fast-growing hair (Yorkshire terriers, spaniels, poodles, bichons), need frequent hygienic haircuts (at least once every two months), as well as shortening the coat throughout body (to avoid the formation of tangles), and on the muzzle. In the spring, you need to radically trim the hair on the abdomen and paws of the animal to protect against ticks.

Model dog haircut implies a certain set and sequence of operations:

• clippervek – cutting certain parts of the body bald;
• show trim – creating a hairstyle that meets the breed standard;
• flatweek – alignment of falling wool along the length;
• blending – thinning wool of different lengths, smoothing out the transitions from long to shorter wool, that is, filleting, which gives volume.

Model grooming of show-class dogs should definitely be entrusted to a professional groomer, because every detail in the appearance of an animal is important at championships and exhibitions. However, every caring and imaginative owner who is not too lazy to take a grooming course, which is relatively inexpensive, can give his thoroughbred pet an elegant appearance, basically corresponding to the standard. Even in Moscow, the price of obtaining basic knowledge in the field of dog grooming is quite democratic – from 20 rubles. Considering that the services of a groomer in the salon and at home will cost from 0000 rubles per procedure, the savings are obvious.

How to train a dog for a haircut

Dogs often dislike being manipulated with their hair, the sound of a clipper running, the vibrations it creates. Dogs can growl, bare their teeth and even bite. However, if your pet is accustomed from early childhood to the fact that combing and cutting are not at all scary, but quite tolerable and even pleasant procedures, he will not object to them.

The puppy is first accustomed to combing: the dog is placed on a stable surface and the comb is passed through the wool several times, affectionately saying “comb it”, then they are rewarded with a treat and let them run for their own pleasure. After the baby gets used to this procedure, it is already possible to arm yourself with scissors and imitate a haircut by cutting off tiny fragments of hairs. This action can be accompanied, for example, with the word “we cut our hair” and also end with a treat.

To prevent the puppy from being frightened by the sounds of a hair dryer and clipper, try to make it so that for a start it is simply present in the room where you yourself will dry your hair with a hair dryer. Realizing that an electrical appliance is not a terrible beast, the dog will quickly get used to the shaving procedure.

If a dog has not been accustomed to a haircut since childhood, the first such manipulation should be carried out by an experienced groomer-master who knows how to interest the dog, not scare it, and, if necessary, pacify it. In some cases, especially aggressive animals have to be given sedatives, although many veterinarians do not recommend this.

It happens that a dog, which has always calmly endured a haircut, suddenly begins to act up and worry on the eve of the procedure. This may mean that during the last session she experienced pain. If it was at a grooming salon, it might be worth considering a replacement hairstylist or where your pet will get a haircut next.

Dog Grooming Tools

Dog owners who decide to cut their pet on their own need to get a clipper, scissors, a comb, and a mat cutter.

Professional dog clippers should be purchased only by those pet owners who are familiar with the basics of the procedure, since the use of such devices requires a certain level of skill, and besides, they are very expensive. It is quite enough to buy a hobby-class machine belonging to the group of mechanical or electrical.

Mechanical machines are low-powered and driven by the power of the hands, which is quite tiring. It is almost impossible to process the entire body of a dog with such an apparatus, but in order to trim the hair on the muzzle and paws, it is quite suitable.

The choice of electric machines is very large, and according to the principle of operation, they are divided into rotary and vibration. The former are considered the most powerful and versatile, able to cope with even the toughest and most stubborn coat. They work almost silently, which has a beneficial effect on the behavior of the dog during the haircut. Their additional advantages are the equipment with a cooling system and removable knives. The only downside to this device is the cost.

Electric clippers are mainly used for clipping miniature fine-haired dogs. Their power is minimal, they vibrate noticeably and make noise, but they are quite popular due to their low cost.

Combs, scissors and pliers are available in specialized stores in a large assortment. There you can find tools designed for all types of wool.

For a home haircut of an animal, it is advisable to purchase a stable grooming table at a height convenient for the owner of the dog. The procedure can be carried out in the bathroom. You will also need a special mat with a rubberized base and a soft top so that the dog is comfortable on it.

How to trim a dog at home

Before grooming, the pet should be bathed, then dried, and then combed. Dogs with long thick hair, especially if it is already pretty tangled and matted, are recommended to be combed before bathing. If tangles form, try to untangle them with your fingers, but especially tightly tangled wool will have to be removed with a tangle cutter. When separating or cutting off the mat, try to hold the skin around it with your fingers so that it does not pull back – this will relieve the animal of pain.

If you are doing a classic hygienic haircut, after bathing and drying your pet, proceed to the next procedure – cutting off regrown hair in the groin area, anus, at the base of the tail and, if necessary, the armpits of the animal. Please note that the genital area is a problematic place on the dog’s body, and it must be handled with special care and attention. The procedure can be performed with a clipper, using medium-sized attachments, or special scissors, which will provide a more delicate treatment. Hold the dog’s genitals with your hand to avoid injury.

Next, proceed to cutting the hair between the paw pads. This procedure is carried out using a machine (the nozzle must be with a thin grip) or scissors. In the same way, remove the regrown hair on the muzzle.

Grooming animals with fast-growing hair, such as spaniels, poodles and terriers, includes additional actions: clipping hair with a clipper on the stomach, neck, upper body and sides, thinning, trimming hair. After processing the body, the hair on the limbs, tail, muzzle and ears of the dog is cut or trimmed. All these manipulations are performed in accordance with the standard of a particular breed.

The haircut is finished by cutting the claws. This procedure is carried out with the help of special nail cutters and requires increased attention, since the dead part of the claw is closely adjacent to the one where the blood vessels are located.

Grooming Safety Rules

To avoid injury, it is desirable that the dog moves as little as possible during the clipping process. If it becomes difficult to get to certain places on the animal’s body or change the angle of the machine, scissors, then it is better to change the location or posture for the groomer himself.

The clipper should move parallel to the skin without pushing into it. If there are skin folds on the dog’s body, it is necessary to smooth them out with your fingers and only then proceed to cutting this area.

To avoid damage to the skin of the animal, the haircut should be done in the direction of hair growth (among the exceptions is cutting the paws of a poodle).

When processing the dog’s muzzle, fix its mouth with your free hand so that your pet does not bite you reflexively.

Do not use a clipper on a dog whose coat is dirty, damp, and even more so, wet. Firstly, the likelihood of damage to the pet’s skin increases, and secondly, the knife attachments become dull very quickly and become unusable.

After each clipping session, carefully examine the skin of the animal. If you find cuts, be sure to disinfect the wounds.

When starting to trim the dog’s claws, make sure that hemostatic powder or pencil is at hand: even experienced groomers can accidentally touch its living area along with the keratinized part of the claw.