Questions Answered

"Hello Cousin, Regina my Cockerpoo (more poo than cocker) gets matted easily, I bought clippers to be able to shave her and ,as you suggested above, start new. She is VERY curly and I can't seem to get the clippers to glide through her hair. What am I doing wrong?"

Ha! What a great question! I have the lovely long-winded answer I promised you.

Many people purchase commercial pet trimmers with the laudable intention of grooming their pets at home. Nearly as many end up discarding those trimmers in frustration and returning to their regular groomer with a hangdog expression and a patchy looking pet. The problem is that there can be more than one problem. The equipment, coat type, and coat preparation all combine to create an impossible situation for the pet owner.

Pet trimmers of the type you can purchase in Walmart are not usually powerful enough to handle a matted or dirty coat. The motor can often heat up and the blades may drag. Trimmers may also have an integrated blade that does not detach. It can be replaced, but not sharpened. To have a longer clip you will have to use a plastic snap-on comb. These combs will not pass through any tangles or matts and will contribute to the frustration. These trimmers can be great once the coat is trimmed off and you can use them to maintain the style.

More expensive, professional grade clippers are more durable and powerful. They also have the option of using a wide variety of detachable blades of different lengths. The blades can be sharpened when they are dull. You can often find a used or refurbished set of professional clippers for a reasonable price.

If you have a set of professional clippers and are experiencing difficulties it might be because of the blades. I have found that new blades come with a residue on them that renders them dull straight out of the package. To remove the residue you will need to immerse the blade in a special blade wash, and sometimes the stuff is so hard to get off you will have to repeat this several times. Because of the friction from the high speed at which they move blades also need to be oiled before each use. Only a small amount of oil is required or it will get all over the dog. A blade that has been used for some time will heat up, hot enough to burn. The blade wash can also be used to cool the blade down.

The type of coat you are trying to clip can be a challenge. Fine coats or undercoat can get trapped between the cutting edge and the main part of the blade. If even one hair is between the two surfaces the blade will jam. To add to the fun, some blades just tend to be prone to jamming and some do not. I have one magical 7F that works on any coat, and three more that each respond badly to a different type of coat. That is another reason why the pet trimmers with non-detachable blades can be a problem. It isn’t easy to clear a jam in the blade. With a detachable blade that is jammed, remove the blade from the clipper. Slide the cutting edge to one side without removing it entirely. Blow on the blade and use your fingers or a toothbrush over the comb and cutting edge to remove any trapped hair. Slide the cutting edge entirely to the other side and repeat. Replace the blade on the clipper and give it another go.

Finally, you mentioned that Regina’s coat is very curly and that she needs a do-over haircut. With a matted coat you need to clip under the matt line. You can not clip over the top. This means you will probably end up with a very short haircut. My go-to blade for a shave-down is a 7F. Most clipper kits come with a 10 which is quite short but fine for the purposes of a do-over. You will not be able to use any snap-on combs if there is matting. I like to wash the dogs before I clip them because I find it is easier to clip a clean coat. If you can use a forced air dryer to blow dry the coat that can help to lift the matts away from the surface of the skin. A clean, dry, straightened coat will be easier to clip.

You may need to make a starting point if the coat is very matted. With extreme care!!! slide a pair of scissors between the shoulder blades and, using tiny snips, create a small line following the spine. Only close your scissors if you are sure you have hair and not skin. Once you have that starting point you can use your clippers. Matted coats don’t clip off cleanly and you have to move slowly. I find it works best if you work the clipper in a “U” shape. Don’t force the clipper through or you might nick the dog, and be mindful of the blade temperature.

I hope this was helpful to you. Let me know if you have any more questions and I’d be happy to help!