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!

Feet First

Over my many years of grooming I have learned new techniques and tricks, many of which contradict the original dogma. For example, rather than completely brush out, demat, and pre-clip (or rough-in) a dog before the bath as I was taught, I am far more likely to bath it first. It is far easier on myself and my equipment to work on a clean dog. Blow drying or force drying the coat can loosen up or even remove the mats, making half the work and feeling much more comfortable for the dog.

When it is time to finish the dog however, my routine rarely changes. I always begin with the back feet. The back feet are furthest from the dog’s teeth, and that is important for a new groomer to remember. Certain breeds can be extremely fussy about having their feet touched. Starting at the back feet gives you a better view of the dog’s body language and having that extra distance between your hand and the dog’s head gives you a better chance to dodge. Dogs are even fussier for their front feet than their back feet, so if a dog reacts poorly to having its rear feet handled you can be sure that it will be a tussle for the front.

Unfortunately for fussy dogs, grooming of the feet is extremely important and should not be neglected. Dogs with furry feet must have the hair cleared from between the pads on the underside of the foot. Hairy feet collect and trap debris from the street and yard, and reduce the area available for perspiration. Since dogs perspire through the pads of the feet, hair that accumulates becomes damp and can form painful, pebble-like mats between the pads. Between the toes on the top of the foot is a common area for mats to form also, and usually that area is too sensitive for them to be combed out. With any area that is matted, moisture can’t escape and is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria and fungus. Clearing the hair can be done (carefully!) with scissors but it is far safer, more thorough and faster to do it with a clipper and #10 blade. Most dogs become accustomed to this very quickly.

“My dog is wrecking my hardwood floors!” is a common complaint heard by groomers.

Not only do overgrown toenails damage floors, they are terribly uncomfortable for the dog. Long nails can lead to splayed feet and aggravate back, hip, and arthritis conditions. In some cases it can affect the dog’s balance. Nails and dewclaws will actually curl around and grow into the flesh of the dog, leading to sores and infection. They can also catch and break off at the root.
Very few dogs will wear their nails down adequately through exercise. They should be trimmed monthly at the minimum, with some dogs requiring more frequent attention. The longer nails are allowed to grow, the more difficult it becomes to correct the problem. The vein in the nail will grow as the nail grows.

The best solution is to have your dog’s nails trimmed frequently so that stimulation forces the vein to recede. Each session should allow the nails to be trimmed shorter until they are once again the correct length. Nail trimming can be combined with a dremel or grinding tool which may encourage the vein to recede faster. If your dog vehemently objects to having the nails trimmed you may need veterinary assistance.