# <<Back to Old Fasion Hair Cut... Scissoring>>



## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

He's cute!!!! Really the best thing you can do is have the coat bathed & dried straight to get an even finish, curls are nigh impossible to scissor smooth & even!!! But it does look like a cute trim on him!


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

thanks flyingduster- I used my "people" dryer on him- hence the curls :/
working on selecting a nice dryer, just can't make up my mind; there are 3 that I think I've settled on, and it would be great to have a big one (the stand kind) but I honestly don't have room for it in my 1 bedroom apt


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

You can still straighten fairly well with a human one, just you need to tuck it under your arm or in your belt or something so it's pointing forwards but you have your hands free to brush as you dry, if you keep the rest of him damp (spritz with water if he's drying too much) and make sure you only dry (by brushing straight with the air going over it) each lil area at a time before moving on to the next area. Not as good as a pro dryer, but still better than nothing!


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

13, wow. He looks great!


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

Olie said:


> 13, wow. He looks great!


no, my sister's dog is 13

Ocsi is the dog in the picture- he's my dog
Ocsi is 6 years old 

but I groomed my sister's dog for a long time


flyingduster said:


> You can still straighten fairly well with a human one, just you need to tuck it under your arm or in your belt or something so it's pointing forwards but you have your hands free to brush as you dry, if you keep the rest of him damp (spritz with water if he's drying too much) and make sure you only dry (by brushing straight with the air going over it) each lil area at a time before moving on to the next area. Not as good as a pro dryer, but still better than nothing!


thanks for the suggestion, I've used the professional dryers in a 'self wash' salon and it kicks my hairdryer's butt! 
this morning it took me 50 minutes to blow dry Ocsi on the "high air" setting


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## kanatadoggroomer (Jan 24, 2010)

He IS cute! Very curly too - bet it's tough to get those curls out! If you're using a human hair dryer, try putting in on the groomer's third arm - it'll free up both your hands to comb/brush. Here's the link:

http://www.mightypets.com/product.asp?3=2404


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

kanatadoggroomer said:


> He IS cute! Very curly too - bet it's tough to get those curls out! If you're using a human hair dryer, try putting in on the groomer's third arm - it'll free up both your hands to comb/brush. Here's the link:http://www.mightypets.com/product.asp?3=2404


thanks kanatadoggroomer! that would be a great help to have, especially if I had a grooming table 
I usually groom Ocsi on top of his crate, using that as a grooming table 
oh, and his fur is very dense!


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

Fallie's turn! I finally have time to post these pictures of her hair cut I did on Sunday a last week.


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## kanatadoggroomer (Jan 24, 2010)

Wow - that looks like a very soft, soft coat. Like touching feathers, probably. I think it's a great job - LOVE the nail polish! The only thing I would probably do is have a tad more hair length on the legs to balance the dog. Give it a more proportional look - not much more hair - maybe 1/2" more? ? ? ?


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

^yes! I totally agree on the legs
Fallie is growing her hair out for proper poodle lenghts, since I've had her (offically adopted Dec 28th!!) 

I did not cut her fur on the whole legs, only blended the upper part


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## kanatadoggroomer (Jan 24, 2010)

Great job on the body and blending! Congrats on the adoption!


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

Sparkle, you are smart for learning how to hand scissor. Work your dog in sections so your hands and dog don't get fatigued. Take your rump and rear legs ONLY on day 1. Look at these photos and take an imaginary marker and draw the outline MUCH CLOSER to the dog's body....the goal is to make him look shorter backed. You will actually scissor from the point of rump to slightly above the hock nice & short....1/4" length. That will make that hock and lower leg appear fuller. Work on getting the legs looking parallel and even by combing and brushing....scissor a little, brush another section, etc. If you only let your eyes look at the rear and dont get distracted by the body, head and front legs, you can get that section PERFECT. Work on the front assembly tomorrow. Take a lot of coat off thatn chest......get your dog looking shorter backed again. Brush and fluff the front & scissor parallel tubular front legs. Don't leave much fur on the chest between the front legs....the shorter you take it, the longer the front legs will appear to be. It might take you a full week to get a great cut.....try not to leave scissor marks on the fur....but you can erase or soften sharp scissoring lines with tbinning shears.


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

thanks for the tips- can you maybe draw some lines on the pictures I posted?
I'm not quite sure I understand...


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

Basically you want the hair to be really short down the back of the back legs (to where it curves to come back 'out' to the hock), and the front of the chest. So when the dog stands side on, it looks, overall, shorter in length. 

It is the short back/long legs that gives the poodle that elegant outline we love. 

To lengthen the look of the legs, make sure it's really short under the chest & belly area, to make it look like the body sits a tad higher of the ground.


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

here's how Fallie looked before the cut:


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

Ocsi got another haircut this weekend (_finally_ getting around to posting the pictures) after seeing (and taking photos from all angles) of the pup at the IKC show a few weekends ago I think I have a better idea of "fur shapes"

Let me know what you guys think of Ocsi's new look, I couldn't get a good picture of him standing up- the lighting was really bad 


Also, see how Fallie's all ready for St. Patty's Day in Chicago- she said she doesn't want to miss them dying the river green!!


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

bump bump


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

Woooow! I think your boy looks GORGEOUS! ^^


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

thank you Fluffyspoos, I am trying hard to make him look handsome


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

well done, he does look great!!!


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

thanks flyingduster! I tried to take the advice you and partial2poodles gave me
I still need to work on the front to make it better


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

bump for the thread! also check out post #17 for updated pictures!! 

I scissored Fallie a little more today.


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

bump for Fallie's pics ^^


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## Purple Poodle (May 5, 2008)

kanatadoggroomer said:


> He IS cute! *Very curly too - bet it's tough to get those curls out! * If you're using a human hair dryer, try putting in on the groomer's third arm - it'll free up both your hands to comb/brush. Here's the link:
> 
> http://www.mightypets.com/product.asp?3=2404


:lol: He is a Poodle  I find it amusing we try to blow out the curl on a breed that is _suppose_ to be curly.

Anyway I think he looks wonderful! You did a great job on both of them.


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## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

_Love his little face and feet. He looks good.
_


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

update on the hair cuts!

the first two pictures are right after their bath when I shaved their face, paws, tail, sany

the next 3 pictures are at the pup beach (sorry I haven't gotten better pictures at the moment) where you can kind of see the overall groom they got.

let me know what you think


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## Gorky (Jul 14, 2009)

They look great and I sure miss the Chicago beaches.


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## poodlelover (Oct 19, 2008)

They look really good. Good job.


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## Sparkle&Spunk (Jan 26, 2010)

thanks guys! I'm going to try to take more "traditional" pictures today- of course their fluff is mostly gone from the fur since I bathed & blowdryed them, but you'll get an idea of the cuts
w/ Ocsi I was trying to go with a 'funky' style, something fun and off the wall- see how big his head his? 

btw, its super foggy in Chicago today, I can hardly see out my window!


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