# Grooming Rain



## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

Most dogs do not like their chins being clipped. That and the front of their lips, right underneath the nose. I use my quietest clippers, turn them off, set my blade under the nose, wait until they are still then quick turn on my clippers and zip! in one swoop take it all off. Have you considered taking her to a groomer just for a face clip? Most places will do it for a few bucks. You are right, she knows you aren't confident doing her face and will fuss for it. Another suggestion is to start in easier areas. Clip her "v" in first, then her cheeks. If you feel like you are getting the hang of it, move on to her muzzle and save her eyes and lips for last. Use a 10 blade and go slow using a light touch. Keep your blade flat, don't dig. It really isn't difficult. If you could do it once, I think you would feel better about it. Think about it....you clip her feet and sanitary areas right? Those areas are way easier to nick than the face. I've never nicked a face, although I have nicked a few pads and belly buttons. Good luck!


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## kukukachoo (Jul 26, 2012)

no advice, but i can't look at pics of that girl and not say GORGEOUS!


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

I love Rain, she would be beautiful in any clip done by anyone! I want to encourage you to try. I was so scared to do Carley that I feared I was going to faint that first time. Now I don't think anything at all of doing her face, eyes, lips ect. I do have to say she is the best dog on this earth and never makes a fuss, but I think it is very easy. I have an Andis 2 speed with a #10 blade and I have never hurt her. Try it you can do it.


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## fantastic poodle (Sep 8, 2012)

She is a beautiful dog and a lovely face. Try to hold the skin taut when you save the chin area and it wont tickle so much. When you hold the muzzle use your thumb to sort of hold the skin around the mouth back. Think about holding it like you were going to wax it- about that amount of pressure. Going backward with a #10 from corner or mouth up to the chin.Both sides and then the center. 3 swipes is all it takes.

Okay guys now I going to put something here thats going to seem weird, so bear with me. Clipper confidence taught to me 25 years ago....this is old school low tech. You learn on a chicken. You get a whole chicken clean it and dry very well, then pick up your clippers and practice going over and over all the nooks and crannys, practice holding skin tightly and pretending theres hair to shave. This does not help your grooming other than to get your confidence up and show you how not to nick skin. After several hours of this you will know exactly how to hold and manipulate your clipper and hold and manipulte the skin to avoid cuts. Clipping around the wings and legs simulates arm pits hocks and stifles, flews, etc. Clipping around the open cavity simulates sanitary clipping for female dogs and intact males. Its a great learning experience and shows you how not to nick the skin. Can also use snap on combs and go around those little wings and see how easy it is to slit the skin wide open. 

Anyway its just a tip used in the old days before u tube and message boards and such.

Umm....just asking-sorry its the groomer in me- are you going to leave her legs like that? If you like it its fine but personally I would work on that a little...okay maybe a lot. Hope Im not sticking my nose where it doesnt belong.


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

Rain is such a beauty! Their eyes show such spirit!


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## cliffdweller (Jan 31, 2011)

fantastic poodle said:


> She is a beautiful dog and a lovely face. ...


Thank You !



fantastic poodle said:


> ... Anyway its just a tip used in the old days before u tube and message boards and such.


Sometimes the best ! Thanks, and I can feed the chicken to her afterwards !



fantastic poodle said:


> ....just asking-sorry its the groomer in me- are you going to leave her legs like that? If you like it its fine but personally I would work on that a little...okay maybe a lot. Hope Im not sticking my nose where it doesnt belong.


Remember you are dealing with a person and dog who live a little on the wild side and have difficulty staying in the lines. I don't know what you mean by "... like you were going to wax it", e.g., lol. When Rain came to me, she would not allow me to touch her with a "pin brush". I now use a ss comb and she likes it; I can go all over her except her feet. We are making progress. I do not require her to stand on a table for grooming, but we are working on "table games". Still, she's mostly laying on the floor (and sometimes falling asleep) when I groom her. I have shaved her legs completely in the past (-- they look like toothpicks), but have just let them grow for awhile now. They're really "poufy", aren't they ? Lol. I will probably need to shave all or most when I can turn her loose in heavy cover once again this winter. On the other hand, it occurs to me that this hair may afford her some protection from possible snake bite.

[addendum : I forgot to mention that the reason I began leaving her leg hair is because Rain likes to lie on hard, cool surfaces (it's mostly hot here), including (often) my concrete deck. I don't really want her flopping down on those bare elbows, soooo ... .]

So what would you suggest I do with her legs ?


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## waltersmom (Sep 8, 2012)

I have to laugh because I have to tell you I love her legs, I think she is beautiful and stately looking, beauty is all in the eyes of the beholder and what pleases us. I do not shave Walters feet although I do trim them short on top and clip the bottoms. There are so many "goat Head" burrs here that will really cause sores on feet not to mention that I am not that good at clipping yet. Again, your Rain is a real beauty and I love her name!!!


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## kukukachoo (Jul 26, 2012)

I love her legs, too! I'm just guessing, but maybe she was suggesting to blend them a little more? I don't know how you'd do that though. Shear the hair present or let the hair above the line start growing out and blend it as it grows? I'll be interested in hearing what's suggested because I think I want to maintain long legs and short body on my guy.


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## pgr8dnlvr (Aug 7, 2011)

I vote to keep the legs too! . I think its "different" and very cool! Love how long poodle hair blows in the breeze!

I have a devil of a time brushing Lucy's legs 

Rebecca


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## fantastic poodle (Sep 8, 2012)

kukukachoo said:


> I love her legs, too! I'm just guessing, but maybe she was suggesting to blend them a little more? I don't know how you'd do that though. Shear the hair present or let the hair above the line start growing out and blend it as it grows? I'll be interested in hearing what's suggested because I think I want to maintain long legs and short body on my guy.


I like the legs on her full but the placement to me is too low and sort of segments her. I would either bring the lines up on the shoulders and hips a little bit and blend or bring it a little lower to look more asian style without blending.With the fuzzy feet, which I love BTW, I would do the asian style. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Rain is a stunner....she can strut any style.

Hope the chicken idea wasnt too shocking....I read a lot of posts here from so many people trying to groom at home and clipper confidence is something that seems to be the biggest problem.


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## cliffdweller (Jan 31, 2011)

fantastic poodle said:


> I like the legs on her full but the placement to me is too low and sort of segments her. I would either bring the lines up on the shoulders and hips a little bit and blend or bring it a little lower to look more asian style without blending.With the fuzzy feet, which I love BTW, I would do the asian style. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Rain is a stunner....she can strut any style.


Yes ! I would probably go for the Asian (Pictures please !!! [_addendum_ -- OK, I see them now, down in the thread a bit. I'll study --- want to leave the elbows long, so need to figure out how to make the line, if possible]). I do not want to leave much hair on her body, because it is hot here year round --- cool floors and naked bellies (shoulders, backs, sides, etc.) are a blessing !



fantastic poodle said:


> Hope the chicken idea wasnt too shocking....I read a lot of posts here from so many people trying to groom at home and clipper confidence is something that seems to be the biggest problem.


Not at all -- I wasn't joking either, as Rain is raw fed. Only shocking to chickens, perhaps.

You were not on this forum when I had Rain shaved naked, lol :


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## fantastic poodle (Sep 8, 2012)

Sure wish I looked that good naked LOL


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## Oodlejpoodle's mom (Sep 11, 2009)

I too love the legs....what an original look. My Poos all would love to be rain, she looks like she has great fun on a daily basis......what a beautiful, lucky girl!


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## Tonjad (Mar 12, 2012)

I like her legs like that !


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## Doodlegirl (Aug 13, 2012)

My first thought when I saw the first photo was WOWWWWZAa. she is wonderful. This is a very awesome clip too. PLEASE KEEP THE LEGS! When I saw this, I was like, wow I have to try this clip on mine... I love it...


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## katbrat (May 8, 2011)

Love, love, love her legs!!! They remind me of a flapper dress and seriously, I don't mean that in a bad way! Like the fur would shimmer and flow!  I know nothing of grooming, what flows and blends, but she sure looks great!


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## flyingpoodle (Feb 5, 2012)

Her legs are quite shapely in the naked photo! 

I love the idea of "shaving" the chicken! 

I keep meaning to make some yarn Pom-poms to practice my scissoring skills on before little miss Pearl needs her topknot worked on. I have enough yarn, believe me!


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## fantastic poodle (Sep 8, 2012)

flyingpoodle said:


> Her legs are quite shapely in the naked photo!
> 
> I love the idea of "shaving" the chicken!
> 
> I keep meaning to make some yarn Pom-poms to practice my scissoring skills on before little miss Pearl needs her topknot worked on. I have enough yarn, believe me!


Thats exactly the way I was trained for scissors....on yarn pom-poms. Boy was I glad too...because the first hundred or so were a real mess..glad those werent real dogs. When I could do 25 pom-poms without a mistake in a row and could "shave" a chicken for 20 minutes without nicking the skin...only then would she let me work on a real dog.


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## cliffdweller (Jan 31, 2011)

fantastic poodle said:


> Sure wish I looked that good naked LOL





flyingpoodle said:


> Her legs are quite shapely in the naked photo!
> ...


She's all "styled up" [term used for pointing dogs], ready to pounce on the fish she's watching, lol.



flyingpoodle said:


> I keep meaning to make some yarn Pom-poms to practice my scissoring skills on before little miss Pearl needs her topknot worked on. I have enough yarn, believe me!


How do you make yarn Pom-poms?


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## fantastic poodle (Sep 8, 2012)

Wind the yard on your fingers held closed all 4 for large pom-pom, wind about 20 times to start. pull of fingers and tie tightly in center...should look like a bow tie. Leave tie tails long. Cut through ends of bow tie and take slicker brush and fluff until it looks like poodle hair. Then hold the loose ends and scissor away getting the shape you want. Make then bigger and smaller pom-poms to really practice. Recommend using lighter colors so you can really see the results. Also change up how much yarn you wind until the pom-pom resembles the type of hair your dog has.

The first 100 or so are fun....after that well not so much.


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