To a professional or go it alone?

Discussion of grooming tips and questions.

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delladooo
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Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2014 4:53 am
Location: Blackpool, UK

To a professional or go it alone?

Post by delladooo »

I'm not really sure what to do with Laufey, he's short coated and I'm pretty sure the pug in him means that he's never going to need a 'proper cut' but around his face and paws could do with a trim. I've managed to get a bit on the top of his head but he's a fidget anyway and then it's a new experience for me so I'm nervous and think he can tell. Would I be better having a professional look at him and give him a trim or keep trying on my own? There's some pictures of him here viewtopic.php?f=31&t=19418 (the top picture is more recent) and I have got some of the tufts around his eyes but his beard is getting a bit unruly and whilst he'll let me comb him, he has some reservations with a plastic brush and is very wary of a wire brush. Also add to this that if I try and leave him somewhere he's not happy - he was okay when I left him at the vets but if I leave him with a friend in the street as I nip into a shop he is not happy at all, so would it be better to get a mobile groomer to come to us then I'll be there or just accept that I need to try and conquer this trimming myself?
ClareMarsh
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Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:11 am
Location: London, UK

Re: To a professional or go it alone?

Post by ClareMarsh »

Sorry this has been missed.

If it were me I'd want to learn how to do it myself to avoid the costly and time consuming trips to the groomers. Plus not all groomers are created equal and some may end up making him more fearful of being handled rather than help him relax :?

I wonder if you could find a groomer who would teach you to clip him rather than clip him, or teach you how to clip, so that your confidence was dealt with then you could work on it with Laufey?

Also remember you don't have to trim/clip/brush everything in one go :D
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
Ted's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Tinkerwolf
Ted's You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedVids
delladooo
Posts: 763
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2014 4:53 am
Location: Blackpool, UK

Re: To a professional or go it alone?

Post by delladooo »

This is very true, and he doesn't need his whole body doing, just around his face (but it's all the eyes ect that make me nervous) which is why I was tempted by a professional. I might have a look around my area and see if there'd be anyone willing to have a look seem initially visiting them would be fine as he loves to go places (even the vets) but I couldn't leave him as it upsets him too much

Thanks for the opinion :D
gwd
Posts: 1958
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:33 pm

Re: To a professional or go it alone?

Post by gwd »

I see no reason to trim him at all............ just keep him clean and combed but I see no trimming required. If his feet get a lot of coat growing between the toes you can neaten that up a bit to keep him from tracking stuff in the house.......... but unless he gets TONS more coat, leave him natural.
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ClareMarsh
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Location: London, UK

Re: To a professional or go it alone?

Post by ClareMarsh »

gwd wrote:I see no reason to trim him at all............ just keep him clean and combed but I see no trimming required. If his feet get a lot of coat growing between the toes you can neaten that up a bit to keep him from tracking stuff in the house.......... but unless he gets TONS more coat, leave him natural.
Even better! I was hoping you'd swing by with your grooming knowledge gwd :D
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
Ted's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Tinkerwolf
Ted's You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedVids
delladooo
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Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2014 4:53 am
Location: Blackpool, UK

Re: To a professional or go it alone?

Post by delladooo »

gwd wrote: a lot of coat growing between the toes you can neaten that up a bit
What's the best way to do this? Whilst I can ask for both front paws he's a fidget so doesn't stay still long enough to really get my inexperienced scissors on him, also around his face has started to flop over his eyes, would this affect him and would there be a way to move it without cutting it?

Thanks for the advice, if he was full poodle I'd definitely have thought about it sooner but when I got him it didn't seem to be an issue so I didn't bother, now he doesn't particularly like a brush, although he's happy for me to take a comb to him so I figure whatever works for us. He doesn't seem to get matted but he gets junky eyes which I try to get out of his fur but it's not going so well, as I comb it I just seem to spread it about a lot before managing to comb it all out, but if I take a tissue to his face he just tries to eat it :roll:
gwd
Posts: 1958
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:33 pm

Re: To a professional or go it alone?

Post by gwd »

I have my dogs lay down when I groom feet just because it's easier............ granted, I'm working on a grooming table but there isn't any reason you couldn't' do it sitting on the floor with a towel under them.

If you're uncomfortable, get a pair of blunt end scizzors............my grooming shears are rather small as I feel it gives me more control with the tip but it's a personal preference. I know many gals that use 8" shears. .........just outline the pad from the bottom, then comb up the top of the foot and neaten it up with thinning shears. .........i'll try and find a tutorial...........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfPuaotli6I

Found one!!! She used regular kitchen shears!!!
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delladooo
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Re: To a professional or go it alone?

Post by delladooo »

Wow! If we ever get to that if be very impressed! He just does not stay still, it's something we need to work on. I've noticed today that he's chewed at a lot of the fur on one from paw and pulled some of it out. It's the same paw that had mud caked in it a few weeks ago that I soaked out and he wore a cone for a few days to ease the redness from him chewing it. Now it doesn't appear red but there's definitely less hair on this one paw, my only possibly explanation is that we were at the beach yesterday, should I be concerned about him chewing this paw or am I worrying over nothing?
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