# New to grooming, lots of questions..



## Arcticfox (Dec 12, 2011)

I can only help with a couple questions as I just started self grooming a few days ago. I got the Andis 2 speed and I love it. It goes through fur like butter, but I have no idea how long that will last. I got an extra #10 blade as that is the most commonly used, and mine from petedge came with an extra 3/4 blade. I used the 3/4 first, she got a nice allover trim with that, and a few days ago I got a #7 and shaved her down really short. Short as in I've had people ask me if she was a greyhound, lol. But I actually really like her in this trim, she's so much easier to keep clean, and I can wipe her down with a towel and be done.

As for ear plucking, she doesn't really like it but she'll tolerate it now. I think it is painful for them at first, but it's something to get used to. I don't do it all in one go, just a little from one ear while I'm watching TV, and a little more the next day, etc. The powder is for grip to make the hair less slippery, as far as I know. The cleansing stuff is usually liquid to squirt in.


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## tcy1971 (Apr 25, 2012)

I'm somewhat new to grooming, too. I'd advise to read a lot here on the forum. Buy the most expensive clippers in your budget. I've read lots of good things about Andis brand. 

Maybe you should have your dog professionally groomed at first, then the lines will be there for you to follow. Also, a trained groomer will get done what you will not be able to.. at first, anyway. I'm working with Winston and it's slow going on shaving feet. Otherwise, we are doing great as far as body, face, etc.

You do need different blades and different sized blades for different parts of the body. I do not have luck with comb attachments. I've read that for at home, you need a 10 blade for face, feet and tail.. and for a short clip all over, a 7FC blade. That's what I use. I could not afford a 2 speed. I got an Andis pro animal clipper and bought extra blades. Works good enough for now.. but I am sure I will upgrade to better clippers in when I can afford it. 

Good luck. Be patient. And use treats. I'm trying peanut butter tomorrow!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

_*Any recommendations for a good (but not too expensive) clipper available in UK? (I'm looking for a decent clipper that will last, but not top of the range)_
I kept an eye out for the Andis 2 Speed (my choice, too, after handling several different ones at a show) on eBay, and got a practically new kit for around £70. It is well worth watching if you are on a budget - lots of people seem to try clipping, and give up very quickly!

_*Can I use the same clipper for her body as well as shaving her face, feet etc?_
You can certainly use the same clipper for her body as her face, etc. What size is Milly? A small cordless trimmer can be very useful for feet - I picked up a little Humminbird, again on eBay, for around £15, and find it brilliant for feet, It cuts too close for face, etc, though.

_* Do you have to have lots of different blades and keep changing them over or can you use attachment combs that fit over the blade and cut different lengths? I would prefer to use combs rather than lots of different blades but I'm not sure if this works?_
The Wahl Stainless Steel combs are excellent, and save a fortune on buying lots of different blades. Ideally you would use them over a 15 or 30 blade, but they work pretty well over a 10, which is what you need for clipping the face at first, especially if your dog has tender skin.

_*If the dogs hair isn't dried straight, how does it affect the result? Will the clipper get caught in the hair because it's curly? Or does it leave an uneven finish?_
As long as the coat is thoroughly combed out, I have not had problems getting the clipper through curls. It is much easier to get a reasonable finish if you dry the coat as straight as possible first though. It's a bit like decorating - you eventually learn that time spent preparing the surface is actually time saved in the long run!

_*Does pulling hair out of the ears hurt the dog? - I'm really nervous about this bit!_
I forced myself to pull a few tiny pinches the very first day Poppy came home, because I knew otherwise I would never have the courage! Done in very tiny pinches - a few hairs at a time - the dog should not feel it unless there is already soreness or inflammation. There are mixed views on whether or not it is necessary - if you search for ear care and plucking you will find the discussions on here.

_*Is it essential to put powder in the ears after pulling hair out? What does this do? Is it a sort of antiseptic to prevent infection?_
There are different kinds of powder - a drying powder, to ensure no moisture is left in the ear after bathing; a rosin-type powder, to help with gripping hairs when plucking; and ear powders like Thornit, which are antiseptic. I myself avoid putting anything in my dogs' ears unless the vet advises, but many people swear by particular products.

Hope that helps!


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## afkar (Dec 9, 2011)

I usually use four basic blade sizes. A #15 for the faces of my two silvers & a #10 for my chocolate. Bodies are usually done with a #4 or #5 although in the summer they often get done with a #10 all over (then again our temperatures are often in the mid 30C or higher. I groom mostly with a Les Poochs brush & a greyhound comb. good nail clippers are a must too. 
The biggest hint I can give is not to be intimidated by the idea of clipping. After all it is only hair & it grows back quite quickly. As in all things, take the introduction time slowly & use lots of rewards. Mine always get treats on the grooming table so now it is a race as to which poodle is first.


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## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

I also have that clipper and I really like it. It came with a #10 and I got a #4 for her body.

I have had my dog for 7 months and do not pluck the ears. She has had them done up until I got her, so we will see what happens.

I clip without drying her straight without any issues.

I use a grinder on her nails and it works great.

Good Luck, I don't think it is hard at all. You can do it.


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## vicky2200 (Feb 14, 2012)

I can't help much but I can tell you that you don't have to pull the hair from her ears. Many people do but it isn't 100% necessary. Ive been just clipping a bit from Weegee's ears. Some people don't do anything. As long as you make sure the ears are clean it should be fine.


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## afkar (Dec 9, 2011)

I only do the hair in the ears of two of mine as they have exceptionally hairy ears. As they are kept short in body coat drying straight isn't much of an issue although I do do it at the end of winter clip to make sure they aren't at all damp.
As has been said "you can do it!"


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## Leooonie (May 30, 2009)

I also have the Andis AGC 2... it is EXCELLENT. will last for ever believe me!
usually comes with a #10 blade. you can use this with comb sets to cut the hair.. there are loads of lengths of combs in one pack of 6 or 12 and so you can try the longest and shorten depending on preference.
I would definately take her to be professionally done a few times, and then try to 'trim' her with the clipper off to get her used to the feeling ..once a day. then try with it on, but not actually trimming and just near her. I would proceed with feet, then face then tail and finally try bits of her body she is comfortable with


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

I have had an Andis 2-speed for 8 years and I love it. It weighs less than the Oster A-5 and has a smoother feel to it. I've had much better results with different blades versus the snap-on combs. You can do a nice pet clip with a #10 and a #3 blade. Buying 1 blade will be cheaper than a set of combs anyway. 

Some dogs have "loose" ear hair that is easy to pluck - you could pull it out with your fingers - and it doesn't hurt the dog. Then some dogs have ear hair that is firmly attached, hard to pluck and it's not comfortable for the dog either. Unfortunately for my dog, his ear hair is hard to remove. Ear powder is not necessary and it can be hard to get out afterwards. 

Curly hair can be clipped (if it isn't starting to cord on its own). You might get an uneven cut with curly hair, but it's not bad for a pet. For a short clip, it doesn't matter. If you want a perfect look, then you'd have to straighten hair before you clip.


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## Milliekins (Mar 31, 2012)

Thanks for all the encouragement, I'm getting really excited about clipping Millie! Her hair does grow back really quick so I'm not too worried about not getting it perfect at first.

I definitely want the Andis AGC 2 speed now after hearing how great it works! It's great to know that it lasts so well too. I will have to look out for a bargain. How often should I expect to need the blades sharpened? I'm expecting to need to use it at least every 4 weeks, maybe more often for the face and feet shave.

FJM: Millie is about the size of a small standard poodle I think (vet reckons she must be a cross). I measured her today at her front leg, from the floor to the level of her back (is that right?). This was about 22 inches.

I would prefer not to pluck Millie's ears, but they seem quite hairy to me and they do seem to get a fair bit of wax although I try to wipe them out a few times a week. What really tips the balance for me is that Millie does scratch her ears quite a lot and rubs them on the floor and furniture etc. They are not red or inflamed and when the vet has checked them he thinks there is no problem, just maybe that the hair is irritating her. So I think because of this maybe I'm better plucking hair and seeing if that helps her?

I had originally planned to get Millie groomed professionally at first to get her used to it and then learn myself, but seeing how scared she was of being bathed and blown dry has changed my mind as I would prefer to slowly get her used to these things (and clippers) at home. I would rather spend a week or two showing her that clippers are not something to be scared of before I actually get to use them on her, rather than take her to a groomers and just expect her to have a full trim. Also, although I know groomers are great and would get a much better result than me, Millie is still growing out her shaved patches from being spayed so she isn't going to look perfect whoever does her trim at the moment. I'd rather be getting experience myself than pay an expert to do a job that can't look perfect anyway, if that makes sense? 

Another question with using clippers - Millie seems to have quite a lot of loose skin (you can move it quite a lot and it's easy to pinch) - I'm worried about catching and cutting this. Do you have to kind of hold the skin a bit tighter whilst you clip?


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

If you plan on clipping her yourself, I would very, very highly recommend Shirlee Kalstone's book The New Complete Poodle Clipping and Grooming Book The New Complete Poodle Clipping and Grooming Book Howell Reference Books: Amazon.co.uk: Shirlee Kalstone: Books

It takes you through clipping face, feet, tail etc in great detail, explaining exactly how to stretch the skin, and keep the ears out of the way, etc. 

If you have a human shaver, or even an electric toothbrush, you can begin to acclimatise her to the noise and vibration even before getting your clippers. Lots of treats and tiny touches. Much the same with the ears, use your fingers, grasp as few hairs as you can, and tug in the direction of growth. Scrummy treats, cuddles, and lots of praise, and she will probably hardly notice you are doing it.


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## tcy1971 (Apr 25, 2012)

I've heard people using their cellphones on vibrate to get the dog used to the noise and vibration as well.

Good luck with grooming!


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## kdias (Sep 17, 2011)

Thanks Milliekins for asking all of these questions! I am bringing a new spoo home in 6 weeks and plan on trying to learn to do my own grooming. I've been gathering up supplies and information for months, but I never thought of just asking all the questions at once. These are the very things I really been working on myself. This forum has been the best source ever for information.


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## Milliekins (Mar 31, 2012)

Thanks everyone! 

After all the great recommendations on here I've ordered a Andis AGC two speed clipper with a #10 blade! Can't wait to get them. I decided to order a set of Wahl stainless steel comb attachments as I feel safer about using them rather than just blades on Millie at first.

I also got the Shirlee Kalstone grooming book which is fantastic! I've got loads to read and learn.

Another question: I have a pin brush and a 'greyhound' comb, but I can't seem to get that nice fluffy brushed out look with the pin brush. Is it only a slicker that can achieve this? Millie's fur also quickly goes back to looking exactly the way it did before I brushed! Is this normal?


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## happybooker1 (Dec 6, 2011)

*Watch some videos on You Tube*

There are TONS of grooming vid's on there and after watching 4 or 5 of them you'll be seeing what groomers do. That's what really helped me at first. They even explain how to hold the clipper correctly but SEEING it makes the difference to me. 

I too have the Andis 2-speed and love it.


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## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

Your dog is still in it's puppy coat. I think that may be why you can't get that fluffy look . I could be wrong, but that's my guess.


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