How to trim a dog

Types of haircuts

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

Hygienic also includes a haircut of the entire body of the dog, necessary or desirable in some cases. Among them are severe hair tangles, numerous tangles on all parts of the animal's body, dermatitis, fleas, increased secretion of sebaceous glands.

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

For dogs having wool with an undercoat, such as sheepdogs , husky , chow chow , spitz , sheltie , samoyeds , only an infrequent hygienic haircut is shown. At the same time, 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, allowing the animal not to freeze in winter and not to suffer from the heat in summer. In addition, dogs with a long undercoat after a radical haircut may noticeably slow down hair growth and even begin pathological hair loss.

Dogs whose wool has no undercoat, and even more so dogs that are distinguished by fast-growing hair ( yorkshire terriers , spaniels , poodles , bichons ), need frequent hygienic haircuts (at least one procedure every two months), as well as shortening of the coat throughout the body (to avoid the formation of tangles), and on the muzzle. In the spring, it is necessary to radically trim the fur on the animal's stomach and paws to protect it from ticks.

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

• clipperveck – cutting certain areas of the body bare;
• show-trim – creating a hairstyle that meets the breed standard;
• flatback – alignment of flowing wool along the length;
• blending – thinning of wool of different lengths, smoothing transitions from long wool to shorter, that is, milling, giving volume.

The model haircut of show-class dogs, of course, should be entrusted to a professional groomer, because at championships and exhibitions every detail in the appearance of the animal is important. However, every caring and imaginative owner who is not too lazy to take a grooming training course, which is relatively inexpensive, can give his pedigreed pet an elegant appearance, mostly conforming to the standard. Even in Moscow, the price of obtaining basic knowledge in the art of dog grooming is quite democratic – from 20,00 rubles. If you consider that the services of a groomer in the salon and at home will cost from 1500 rubles for one procedure, the savings are obvious.

How to train a dog to a haircut

Dogs often do not like manipulations with their fur, the sounds of a working clipper, the vibrations that it creates. Dogs can growl, show their teeth and even bite. However, if your pet is accustomed from early childhood to the fact that combing and haircuts are not terrible at all, but quite tolerable and even pleasant procedures, he will not object to them.

The puppy is first accustomed to combing: they place the dog on a stable surface and hold the comb over the wool several times, affectionately saying "combing", then they reward him with a treat and let him run for his pleasure. After the baby gets used to this procedure, you can already arm yourself with scissors and simulate a haircut, cutting off tiny fragments of hairs. This action can be accompanied, for example, by the word "haircut" and also complete with a treat.

So that the puppy is not frightened by the sounds of a hair dryer and a clipper, try to make sure that he is simply present in the room where you will dry your hair with a hair dryer to begin with. Realizing that an electric appliance is not a terrible beast, the dog will get used to the shaving procedure faster.

If the 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, particularly aggressive animals have to be given sedatives, although many veterinarians do not recommend doing this.

It happens that a dog, who 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 took place in a grooming salon, it may be worth thinking about replacing the master or where your pet will get a haircut next time.

Dog Grooming Tools

Dog owners who have decided to cut their pet on their own need to get a typewriter, scissors, comb, hair cutter.

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

Mechanical machines are low-powered and are driven by the power of the hands, which is quite tedious. It is almost impossible to process the entire body of a dog with such a device, but in order to trim the fur 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 vibrating. The former are considered the most powerful and versatile, able to cope with even the toughest and most stubborn wool. They work almost silently, which has a beneficial effect on the behavior of the dog during the haircut. Their additional advantages are equipped with a cooling system and removable knives. The only disadvantage of this device is the high cost.

Electric clippers are mainly used for cutting 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 hair cutters are presented 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 desirable to purchase a stable grooming table of a height convenient for the dog owner. The procedure can be carried out in the bathroom. You will also need a special rug with a rubberized base and a soft top so that the dog can comfortably sit 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 piled up, it is recommended to comb before bathing. In case of formation of tangles, try to untangle them with your fingers, but especially tightly strayed wool will have to be removed with a tangle cutter. When dividing or cutting off the tangle, try to hold the skin around it with your fingers so that it does not stretch – this will save the animal from pain.

If you carry out a classic hygienic haircut, after bathing and drying your pet, proceed to the following procedure – cutting out the regrown hairs in the groin area, anus, at the base of the tail and, if necessary, the armpits of the animal. Keep in mind that the genital area is a problematic place on the dog's body, and it needs to be handled with special care and care. The procedure can be performed using a clipper, using medium-sized nozzles, or special scissors, which will provide a more delicate treatment. To avoid injury, hold the dog's genitals with your hand.

Next, proceed to cutting the wool between the pads of the paws. This procedure is carried out using a typewriter (the nozzle should 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: I cut the wool with a machine on the stomach, neck, upper part of the body and on its sides, milling, trimming the 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 claw cutters and requires increased attention, since the dead part of the claw is closely adjacent to the one where the blood vessels are located.

Safety rules during grooming

In order to avoid injury, it is desirable that the dog moves as little as possible during the shearing 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 pose to the groomer himself.

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

To avoid damage to the animal's skin, the haircut should be done in the direction of hair growth (among the exceptions is the haircut of 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 cut a dog with a machine whose coat is dirty, wet, and even more so, wet. Firstly, the probability of damage to the pet's skin increases, and secondly, the knife attachments will become blunt very quickly and become unusable.

After each haircut session, carefully inspect the animal's skin. If you find cuts, be sure to disinfect the wounds.

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