# Help with Saleen's tail and haircut



## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

I have decided to try and do a German Clip style tail on Saleen. Mostly b/c I'm bored and want something different and her tail always looks stringy when it starts to get long enough to do a puff. I guess she has crummy tail hair. Anyway so I haven't clippered the base of her tail in a month and I scissored it this past weekend into a carrot... well sort of. My husband says it looks like a fox tail. Whatever makes him happy lol. 
I was watching her walking around the house today and thought that her tail set looked lower than it really is. So I went back and looked on my computer at the photos from shortly after the groom and it looks low there as well. It isn't low though so I'm wondering if there is something I'm not doing that is making it look low. Is there some German secret that I don't know  I also managed to make her look sway backed - yay for me - even though I clipped her with a snap on come down the back b/c at first I had thought to do a lamb and changed my mind. 
here is the picture of what I mean








And here is a photo showing that her tail isn't low and her topline IS pretty level. 








I also am not sure what I did to lose the pretty angles on her rear end. Is that just b/c there is more hair in the first photo? I did her body with a AG and the back of her leg with ummmmm I *think* it was a 1G and scissored. The second photo is a 4 on the body 0G on the outside of the legs and scissor. 

I'm not even sure where to go next with this haircut. I don't think I really want a real German, she looks fat lol and with her ears getting itchy again she killed her topknot and I had to take it really short. I was thinking of putting some sort of clippered in pattern on her. She needs some spice. Then again, I have never done a real German either so maybe I should let her grow and try it. Haha, I have both the perfect breed for me and the worst breed for me. I can do soooo many things with her hair (perfect) but I can NEVER make up my mind and pick what to do (not so perfect)


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

I think FD took a #5 and took that up the inside of the carrot tail, then shaped the rest of it? Saleens color is gorgeous.


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

haha; yup I do a 7F on the BACK side of the tail. The back side of the tail is SHORT SHORT SHORT, the front (if it's straight up) side has the most 'fill' (though scissored into a carrot shape of course; so more at the base) and the sides taper to the shaved back side. You've done the opposite; taking the front side shorter than the back, so it's more of a 'flag' than a carrot.

Here is Paris' german trim:









and another view of the judge going over her, but you can see the back of her tail a bit better









my fingers aren't 'denting' the hair at the back [like they are in Saleens pic] cos it's so short. [ugh! ignore my facials there! LMAO!]

You can also see in the second pic the SHORT back end, and how taking the back of the tail short means she has a wee butt to poke out the back, which gives her legs a chance to have a nice 'swoop' too. So shortening the back of the tail, and taking more hair off the inner 'swoop' of the back leg will bring the flare back.


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

Ah, I had forgotten that Paris had been in a German. I'm so used to her last two trims now lol. 

On question though when I was shaping the tail I was trying to get a shape that would look straight even though she curves it when she holds it up. It's not curled by any means, but an inward tilt. It won't stick straight up like Paris' does that matter? I was trying to fill in where the curve would be in other words. I ended up with a dent in the front too :doh:
I had a foxtail fern in mind when I shaped it, have you ever seen one of those, know what I'm talking about?

Anywho, I'll try what you suggest and see what happens. I might not do it that short at first. What a chicken Sh** I am. I guess if nothing else it will take the back end closer to the length of the base of the tail that's still growing in. Haha, anyone want to take bets on how long I can restrain myself from re-shaving the base of her tail? It's still a temptation  I wish she could have a fluffy tail but the coat gods just aren't friends with Saleen I guess. Oh well, I bet just like you say it will make it look better and I'll love it. *eye balls sleeping Saleen* ... I'll let her sleep (and me too) and clip her during naptime tomorrow. Hopefully the tooth fairy will leave us in peace and I can start to get a few things done minus monster cranky creature baby 

Oh and one more thing I just thought of, is the 'wee butt" as you put it the same length as the back of the tail or did you scissor that and start the clipper work on the back of the leg lower along the curve which is what it looks like? Hard to tell b/c everything is blended to look one length (god I love poodle hair!!)


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## neVar (Dec 25, 2009)

OK i think IMO it's the angle on the butt that is making her tail look lower.

I just tweaked the angle on her bum- and tightened up the back of the tail. Makes it look way better more '12 o clock'


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## Winnow (Jan 2, 2010)

I am trying to do German on Dima also I thought it was so easy hehe.
Its a little harder then I thought.
We are in the progress of growing coat this pic is taken 2 and half months after a shave down with 4#


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

Lol Dima's tail wag it so cute, she's standing all pretty.. TAIL WAG


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

lmao wonder; Paris' tail isn't stick-straight either! In fact it curves forwards as well... In the first stacked pic I'm touching the base of her tail to keep it up but she's not overly happy there so it's not a natural pose, and in the judging pic she's trying really hard to dump her tail between her legs and I'm holding it up (look at the tip; it doesn't follow the curve my fingers are forming at all cos it's bending back as far as it can) lol!!

This is her usual tail carriage:


















so I still say do it REALLY short up the ass end of the tail and shape the rest into a carrot; it doesn't look bad even with a curve to it so don't worry about that! You can't get a decent carrot shape if you try to fill it in.

I'd also suggest scissoring the top of her rump lower too. I know she's got a fairly straight back already, but she LOOKS sway backed there, so scissor that ass down!!! In those win photos of Paris, I did along her entire spine with a 5/8" blade. SHORT is good; the sides can fill in fine, but the topline is best shorter! It will give her tail a much better set then too. 

And yup, her butt is scissored, the clippers were only used on the inner curve of her back legs. She doesn't have a good natural shelf (it's not *bad*, it's just not great) so I scissor her butt into the shape I want. lol!


ETA; here's another view of her butt, it's a few weeks growth, but it shows the shortness on the back of her tail [the darker strip] blending into the fuller sides...


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Paris in a German!!


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

Alright so I clipper her topline only and then blend the sides or do them with a longer blade. This morning I was thinking of clipping the body with a #4 blade and leaving the legs. I can do just the topline instead. Maybe it will take some of the fat chick look away. Running around the house she kind of looks like a big fat dog with a little head lol.


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## Jelena (Aug 20, 2010)




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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

WOW! How incredible to see the transformation on video like that. Very cool. What an artiste!


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

I'm loving that video, I wish I could let Saleen's hair get that long and just scissor her like we used to. Maybe next year. I also wish I could do a whole haircut on a dog like that in 4 minutes hahahaha, time is money, I'd be RICH! LOL.  Love the magic of film editing


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## Jelena (Aug 20, 2010)

I like how she shaped doggy's butt  !

Have you noticed that guy who collects hair in a trash bag? I'd like to have one too  I hate vacuuming after grooming, he would be a saver.


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

*Okie, so I did some of it*

I did what you suggested and it looks better for sure, except now I cannot escape the fact that to finish her she will HAVE to have a bath and blow out *sigh*. Maybe I will stay up tonight and do it after the house has gone to bed  With so much of the hair I started with gone now it shouldn't take long at all to blowdry her. 

Here is what we have so far; 

I took a #4 up the backside of her tail and down the inside and curve of her rear legs. 
I scissored the tail tight and somewhat blended the remaining hair on the front side into the shorter hair that is growing out from where it had been clippered before. So it's not so much a carrot right now but that's OK with me, it was bothering me to have an obvious clipped area at the base. 
I did a #2comb on her topline from the shoulder back and didn't not have time to blend her neck/crest in since it's so curly now and she needs to be rebathed. It's been almost two weeks. 

Hubby took a couple of photos for me, excuse how poor they are. It's pretty overcast here and was late evening so we were losing the light AND she was being a real butt about not wanting to stand. She was bound and determined to post and/or bow her body one way or the other when I set her up. We just made due b/c frankly I was getting cold without a jacket and just wanted to go back in LoL.
We still have a little dip in the back, not sure how I manged that :/


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## 3dogs (Nov 3, 2010)

I think you have fixed the hind end well, just let the hair grow some now from hocks down & the front of the back legs. I think the problem is the shoulder area for me. Looks way to heavy. I know you didn't have time to scissor in the neck to topline but that really is throwing the dog off in balance as well. I would personally take down more shoulder since the head to top neck is thin & the trim/blend the neck to body better & you will get rid of the dent from neck to topline. also scissor towards the rear end from the neck don't scissor from rear end to neck or you will get a dent as well. Then let the front legs grow in some & the German trim will come together nicely.


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## neVar (Dec 25, 2009)

agree- the shoulders look too heavy, she needs more top knot and the top 1/2 of the neck 

More hair on the back of the front leg and the hock will help balance it all out.


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

Ya know she might HAVE a slight sway back now? That shaved down pic she *almost* has one, and she was younger...?

And yup, I agree that the front end is off balance now, the shoulders need a lot less hair to match the rest having a lot less hair. But I can understand not wanting to do that until she's had a good blow out again!!!! Her topknot is too small, making her neck taper into a pin-head look, but it'll grow again! 

She could also do with building a chest of hair; she's straight in the front end like Paris is (and her head is poking forwards a bit, though you said she was being a toad about it so maybe that's all!? LOL!) so building a false chest of hair helps them look better as well as a nice proud neck & big(ger) topknot! 

I LOVE the back end soooo much better now though! You did a much better job! And keep playing with the ideas every time you groom her, try a 5F on there next time! I use a 5F on Paris' legs, but only cos any shorter and it looks bald on her crappy coat (and being white!) a 5F is already verging on too short for Paris cos you can see the darker skin underneath... but ahh well! Try a 5F on the back side of the tail next time too; it'll only be a couple of weeks till it's the length of a 4F again if it's tooo short for your taste! hahaha!

Keep it up! It's looking good!!!


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

Yeah, she does need more topknot. Those MFing ears those, gaw!! She's scratched and rubbed all the hair off the side of her head. F*** !!!  I was going to just doa full on mohawk but I chickened out lol. Anyway when I clipped her ears I had to scissor really close above and just behind to keep it from getting matted since she was rubbing it so much and we were going to have to go back to antibiotics (again) and I didn't want a big oily mess. I guess we are going to have to break down and go back to the vet and tell them we need something else b/c the ear stuff they give us works but not totally, which I think why it keeps coming back. She doesn't appear to have a food allergy, but who knows. A client and a groomer friend of mine both had similar issues and their vet put this nasty goop in the ear that stays in and then leaks out slowly or whatever. They both have perfect ears now. *sigh* 

Anyway back to the point, yup, the front half almost looks like she's wearing one of those little jackets or something, it's waaayyy fuller. I only had about 15 minutes with her though between housework and the teething baby of doom who didn't want a nap after all  

She is most definitely straight in the front  though she has a tiny little chest now that she's a bit older. I hate that but whatever, can't be perfect I suppose and I reeeeaaallllyyy wanted a nicer rear end which I have. Always room for improvement *shrugs* but it's what I wanted so I'll be thankful for that. I worry sometimes that building the chest more will make her look long.. or I should say Longer I guess. I don't want to make that look worse. 

FD the shaved down photo was at 11 mo. She is level, I can see it when she stands on her own and when she moves.The topline in the shave down photo is bumpy where I tried and scissored some parts and clipper others. Barefoot and pregnant didn't do any favors for my grooming skillz. When Finghin shaved her down totally, a #7 ALL over, she was level and she was obviously level in Sept. when I clippered her down with a 4 to get rid of her hearts continetal. It could change when she's older, that's not uncommon but for now got an ok topline. She is level in a free stack, when her hair isn't screwing things up. 

Hahahaha I almost fell off the couch here at your calling her head a pin head... I'd have to agree with that on a couple of different levels.  

Maybe tonight I'll have time for that blow out and I can fix the front end. Or maybe I'll just cheat and take the same comb over the side of her shoulders and sides of her neck. I'd be surprised if it took anything off her neck though, it's already so short. She could use a bath now, she's been jumping the fence into what will become our veggie garden and getting in the dirt. We've been putting the chicks out there and this afternoon she rolled in chicken poo - ARRRHHHH!!!  I want a prissy poodle not a tom boy poodle haha


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