# Need to cut my dog's hair



## Suzy623 (Apr 4, 2020)

Vets and groomers are no longer grooming dogs because of the virus so it's up to me. It's been 35 years or more since I've groomed a dog and it was a miniature poodle. Another poodle I had more recently had to be muzzled when the groomer would give him a haircut. He would try to bite me when I was going to cut him with the electric trimmers or when I picked up a pair of scissors. That's when I started taking him to a groomer. The one I have now is a rescue of questionable lines. My vet says she is mostly Australian Shepherd because of her build and her blue eyes. She around 35 pounds and her ears are getting matted. I'm not too picky on how it looks afterward as long as she's cooler and doesn't have mats. I don't want to buy electric trimmers and think I'll use scissors. Any tips on keeping her still while I cut, especially around her face. She is blind in one eye and is easily startled from that left side.


----------



## Ruthanne (Apr 5, 2020)

Suzy623 said:


> Vets and groomers are no longer grooming dogs because of the virus so it's up to me. It's been 35 years or more since I've groomed a dog and it was a miniature poodle. Another poodle I had more recently had to be muzzled when the groomer would give him a haircut. He would try to bite me when I was going to cut him with the electric trimmers or when I picked up a pair of scissors. That's when I started taking him to a groomer. The one I have now is a rescue of questionable lines. My vet says she is mostly Australian Shepherd because of her build and her blue eyes. She around 35 pounds and her ears are getting matted. I'm not too picky on how it looks afterward as long as she's cooler and doesn't have mats. I don't want to buy electric trimmers and think I'll use scissors. Any tips on keeping her still while I cut, especially around her face. She is blind in one eye and is easily startled from that left side.


I need to do it too.  Thinking of doing it very slowly and giving treats when she stays still.  I bought some grooming scissors.  I'm going to watch some YouTube videos on grooming.


----------



## Ken N Tx (Apr 5, 2020)

I would hate to see what any of mine would look like if I had to cut them!!!


----------



## Camper6 (Apr 5, 2020)

Just do a little each day and use treats . That's all you can hope for. Don't use anything noisy.


----------



## RadishRose (Apr 5, 2020)

My dog was groomed second week of March so she's ok for a little while longer, She'll barely allow me to cut away her hair around her eyes, but that's really the most important. 

I brush her plus her hair isn't too thick, so no mats.


----------



## SeaBreeze (Apr 5, 2020)

Suzy623 said:


> Vets and groomers are no longer grooming dogs because of the virus so it's up to me. It's been 35 years or more since I've groomed a dog and it was a miniature poodle. Another poodle I had more recently had to be muzzled when the groomer would give him a haircut. He would try to bite me when I was going to cut him with the electric trimmers or when I picked up a pair of scissors. That's when I started taking him to a groomer. The one I have now is a rescue of questionable lines. My vet says she is mostly Australian Shepherd because of her build and her blue eyes. She around 35 pounds and her ears are getting matted. I'm not too picky on how it looks afterward as long as she's cooler and doesn't have mats. I don't want to buy electric trimmers and think I'll use scissors. Any tips on keeping her still while I cut, especially around her face. She is blind in one eye and is easily startled from that left side.


I have a grooming table, been grooming my own dogs for over 30 years, don't trust groomers and don't want to spend lots of money on high-maintenance breeds.  Mine were Standard Schnauzers and currently have a Labradoodle.  Aside from standing them up and hooking them up to a grooming table, I think you would need the assistance of another person to hold the dog steady.

Sometimes you might be able to just lay an old sheet on the bed, get the dog to relax there, and then do a little at a time in a more relaxed setting.  Good luck!


----------



## Suzy623 (Apr 5, 2020)

Ruthanne said:


> I need to do it too.  Thinking of doing it very slowly and giving treats when she stays still.  I bought some grooming scissors.  I'm going to watch some YouTube videos on grooming.


I like the YouTube suggestion.  Think I'll start there and build up some confidence. I was caregiver for both my sister and my mother when they had cancer and I take care of my 89 year old father with Alzheimer's, and I've dealt with a lot of unmentionable messes and stress and hard days and nights with them. Can't understand my nervousness in cutting my dog's hair??!! LOL!


----------



## Aneeda72 (Apr 6, 2020)

My dogs’ hair can wait, but their nails need to be trimmed.  Can’t do it, might cut them too short.  Sigh.  Already but hooked once and received a very bad skin tear.


----------



## SeaBreeze (Apr 6, 2020)




----------



## SeaBreeze (Apr 6, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> My dogs’ hair can wait, but their nails need to be trimmed.  Can’t do it, might cut them too short.  Sigh.  Already but hooked once and received a very bad skin tear.


I use this trimmer.  For years I had my husband do our dogs' nails, now I do them myself.  I started using the safety stop which took off very little, now I don't use it anymore, just take off a small amount.  I have cut the quik in the past and had to use the powder to stop the bleeding, but haven't had that problem in a long time.

I lay my dog on his side on the grooming table, but can be done on the bed with a sheet under him.


----------



## Keesha (Apr 6, 2020)

I clip our dogs also and have done since we’ve had our smaller dogs. This is our second schnauzer cross and I usually give her a schnauzer cut. The Yorkie gets a clipped short as she gets too hot and I try and clip their nails. Since I’ve changed their diet to 50% meat/ 50% vegetables I have to wash and brush their faces  daily. Their beards get really greasy otherwise.
I’m not as confident trimming their nails as I once cut my shepherds nail too short and it bled for a long time. It’s spooked me ever since


----------



## hollydolly (Apr 7, 2020)

My Daughter is a qualified city & guilds groomer, she has her own grooming studio, so my grandfurkids are always in top notch condition


----------



## Ferocious (Apr 7, 2020)

Can you still buy those combs that comb and thin the hair at the same time, perhaps one of these would take away most of the hair,  I had one when I last had a dog, and my dogs adored having their fur combed.


----------



## JustBonee (Apr 7, 2020)

I scissor cut my bichon,  Lil'Bear on a regular basis when needed.   Groomers all want to take electric trimmers to him and it's not good for his skin.  I've had bichons in the past,  and I learned that early on.  
I do the nail trimming and baths every couple weeks.   And I  brush him everyday or at least every other day.  He's got silky fur and it doesn't mat.


----------



## Ruthanne (Apr 7, 2020)

Suzy623 said:


> I like the YouTube suggestion.  Think I'll start there and build up some confidence. I was caregiver for both my sister and my mother when they had cancer and I take care of my 89 year old father with Alzheimer's, and I've dealt with a lot of unmentionable messes and stress and hard days and nights with them. Can't understand my nervousness in cutting my dog's hair??!! LOL!


You aren't alone.  I'm nervous about cutting my dog's hair too.  At first I was even nervous giving her a bath until I saw she likes them.  I don't know how she is going to do when I cut her hair.  I may be nervous because a vet once told me not to cut it myself because I could hurt her.  Well, that vet must've thought I was really stupid that I would hurt her.  I don't think I will, I will be very careful about it.  Yes, the videos may help.  Going to watch them, too.


----------



## Suzy623 (Apr 7, 2020)

Bonnie said:


> I scissor cut my bichon,  Lil'Bear on a regular basis when needed.   Groomers all want to take electric trimmers to him and it's not good for his skin.  I've had bichons in the past,  and I learned that early on.
> I do the nail trimming and baths every couple weeks.   And I  brush him everyday or at least every other day.  He's got silky fur and it doesn't mat.


Me cutting nails is totally out of the question. Years back I cut too short on one of my dogs and I cried as bad as she did! Don't know who was reacting to who.


----------



## SeaBreeze (Apr 7, 2020)

Bonnie said:


> I scissor cut my bichon,  Lil'Bear on a regular basis when needed.   Groomers all want to take electric trimmers to him and it's not good for his skin.  I've had bichons in the past,  and I learned that early on.
> I do the nail trimming and baths every couple weeks.   And I  brush him everyday or at least every other day.  He's got silky fur and it doesn't mat.


Lil'Bear looks sooooo cute in those bunny ears, I love your avatar.  Just dragged hubby into the computer room to look at it, and he got a kick out of it too, we're both animal lovers, especially cute animals !


----------



## squatting dog (Apr 10, 2020)

After losing a baby to a groomer who let him get out and run over, we now have our own grooming table.
We also use a nail clipper like the one SeaBreeze showed. One thing, Keep a jar of styptic powder close by. It stops the bleeding if you happen to clip a little too close.


----------

