# I am a groomer! Feel free to ask me anything, anytime!



## Indiana (Sep 11, 2011)

Oh really? I thought you were going to be sarcastic and say everyone you know thinks you will help them for free  Actually that's really nice of you. I have a question! How do you clip nails on dogs that are terrified of nail clipping? Not my dogs, mine are crazy calm; it's for my sister who has 4 pugs.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

Indiana said:


> Oh really? I thought you were going to be sarcastic and say everyone you know thinks you will help them for free  Actually that's really nice of you. I have a question! How do you clip nails on dogs that are terrified of nail clipping? Not my dogs, mine are crazy calm; it's for my sister who has 4 pugs.



Nail clipping can be a really quick and painless procedure if the dog is cooperative, however not all dogs tolerate being restrained for grooming. Depending on what kind of misbehavior they are displaying will depend on what technique I use to groom them. I have one rat terrier that always poops and pees and anal glands before she even comes in my door every times she comes in for nails. Her owner brings her in a towel because she also poops in the car. The dog is just very scared of most things. With this dog, because she is so small, I sit her in my lap on her back and do the nails that way. I do have to use a small muzzle for her because she bites. She is calmer when the muzzle is on. The whole process takes less than 2 mins. For larger dogs I use multiple restraints on my table to keep them from falling off if they flail around and to keep them from being able to reach me to bite. I never have the restraints too tight where they can't breathe but just tight enough for the dog not to be able to fall off the table or bite me and for me to get the job done safely and quickly. The only time I ever stop is if they pee or poop in the middle of it. Then I recommend partial sedation at a vets office if they don't calm down. It's not good to over stress any dog. Pugs are harder because you can't muzzle them and they tend to have sensitive tracheae and have a harder time breathing when restrained. I can usually do nails by myself but sometimes with pugs I will need someone to put the dog in a hold to get the nails done - kinda like you would hold a football. The idea is to get it done with minimal stress and as quickly as possible. Restraints are necessary for many dogs for their safety and ours.  hope that helps!! 


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

Pugs are notorious for hating their nails trimmed. I saw this on a facebook page and thought, hmmmmm??, could work! lol

https://www.facebook.com/ShearDelig...0.1403140347./280160335427622/?type=3&theater


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

Yes that harness restraint looks awesome! I've never used one but it looks perfect for certain dogs. I may order one to see for myself!


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## SusanG (Aug 8, 2009)

I groom Callie myself and she's a good little girl on the table. But I am not so good with using the clippers to get her body about 3/8". Part of it is her coat is very soft and thick and it flattens out as I'm clipping. I bathe her and comb her out so her hair is clean and smooth, but I end up using the clippers only on her face and feet and do the rest of her with shears. I'm really afraid to use those clippers because in the past I have ended up with an uneven cut and she looks like I ran over her with the lawnmower. I have good Andis clippers and all sorts of blades and combs but I can't master the overall even clip! A few times a year I will take her to the groomer and she comes back looking great. The groomer told me it takes years of experience to get an even velvety clip on the body.


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## Jamie Hein (Aug 17, 2013)

I'm a groomer too if anyone wants advice although I prefer if people take their dogs to us instead of clipping at home since I've been "scarred" seeing so many dogs who were home groomed and they were all cut up. We go to school for this you know


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

SusanG said:


> I groom Callie myself and she's a good little girl on the table. But I am not so good with using the clippers to get her body about 3/8". Part of it is her coat is very soft and thick and it flattens out as I'm clipping. I bathe her and comb her out so her hair is clean and smooth, but I end up using the clippers only on her face and feet and do the rest of her with shears. I'm really afraid to use those clippers because in the past I have ended up with an uneven cut and she looks like I ran over her with the lawnmower. I have good Andis clippers and all sorts of blades and combs but I can't master the overall even clip! A few times a year I will take her to the groomer and she comes back looking great. The groomer told me it takes years of experience to get an even velvety clip on the body.


Professional groomers will probably give you advice here, but I found I get a more even body clip if I back comb the hair so it stands up. Then clip against the lay of the hair. You want to use a big enough comb or the hair will be too short.


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## Jamie Hein (Aug 17, 2013)

SusanG said:


> I groom Callie myself and she's a good little girl on the table. But I am not so good with using the clippers to get her body about 3/8". Part of it is her coat is very soft and thick and it flattens out as I'm clipping. I bathe her and comb her out so her hair is clean and smooth, but I end up using the clippers only on her face and feet and do the rest of her with shears. I'm really afraid to use those clippers because in the past I have ended up with an uneven cut and she looks like I ran over her with the lawnmower. I have good Andis clippers and all sorts of blades and combs but I can't master the overall even clip! A few times a year I will take her to the groomer and she comes back looking great. The groomer told me it takes years of experience to get an even velvety clip on the body.


Make sure you are back brushing when your clipping her body and make sure your blades are clean and sharp and if you use combs the plastic ones push down and the metal ones are better.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

SusanG said:


> I groom Callie myself and she's a good little girl on the table. But I am not so good with using the clippers to get her body about 3/8". Part of it is her coat is very soft and thick and it flattens out as I'm clipping. I bathe her and comb her out so her hair is clean and smooth, but I end up using the clippers only on her face and feet and do the rest of her with shears. I'm really afraid to use those clippers because in the past I have ended up with an uneven cut and she looks like I ran over her with the lawnmower. I have good Andis clippers and all sorts of blades and combs but I can't master the overall even clip! A few times a year I will take her to the groomer and she comes back looking great. The groomer told me it takes years of experience to get an even velvety clip on the body.



Kudos to grooming at home  many people find the job just too hard - and it certainly can be with some dogs. Others just don't have the time or patience to hone the skill enough to make their dog look good. Your groomer was absolutely correct when she said it takes years of experience. When you're using a snap on comb you always have to go back over the coat with a comb and fluff the hair up and use shears to even out the lines. Also, if your clipper continuously leaves track marks like you explained then the blade drive probably needs replacing.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

Jamie Hein said:


> I'm a groomer too if anyone wants advice although I prefer if people take their dogs to us instead of clipping at home since I've been "scarred" seeing so many dogs who were home groomed and they were all cut up. We go to school for this you know



I absolutely agree that dogs should be professionally groomed instead of grooming at home but some people can't afford it. I know I know, "why get a dog you can't afford, grooming is a part of owning a poodle" But some people actually do a decent job at home and as long as their dogs aren't matted or if they don't cut their dogs then I'm okay with them grooming at home. Owners get a sense of pride and bonding with their pet that way. Is it ideal for us groomers, of course not, but we can't win every battle


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## PoodleRick (Mar 18, 2013)

Critique please. This is Pennys' first hair cut. She's my third Spoo so I've been doing them at home for a while. Just want to get a pro groomers opinion.

Before









After. Still have to do the face, feet, base of tail and trim up the pants a little.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

Looks pretty good from what I can tell in the pic. Puppy coat is notoriously harder to work with but it looks like you've got some nice adult coat coming in. To get the best results always force dry completely and don't let them air dry or you will lose the fluff. The neck needs to be shaved a little farther down the throat. And yes more neatening up on the legs. Always use your comb to comb up, comb up, comb up, to scissor it perfectly even.


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## PoodleRick (Mar 18, 2013)

JainaSolo said:


> Looks pretty good for your first time from what I can tell in the pic. The neck needs to be shaved a little farther down the throat. And yes more neatening up on the legs. Always use your comb to comb up, comb up, comb up, to get it perfectly even.


Thanks, how far down the neck do I shave? I was told a long time ago as a general rule to put four fingers under the jaw to mark the point to shave to. is that about right or way off.

Rick


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

PoodleRick said:


> Thanks, how far down the neck do I shave? I was told a long time ago as a general rule to put four fingers under the jaw to mark the point to shave to. is that about right or way off.
> 
> 
> 
> Rick



I don't know exact specifics I usually just eye it out. If you look at the second picture you shave until the bottom of the shave is about even with the level of topline or the shoulders of the dog if that makes sense. Here's a pic I found.


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## PoodleRick (Mar 18, 2013)

JainaSolo said:


> I don't know exact specifics I usually just eye it out. If you look at the second picture you shave until the bottom of the shave is about even with the level of topline or the shoulders of the dog if that makes sense. Here's a pic I found.
> View attachment 163777


Great, thanks. I think the four finger rule is a bit higher up than that. I'll try that.

Rick


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Some of us owners enjoy clipping our dogs even if it is not of professional quality. I have owned 3 dogs that needed clipping. That would really cost a lot to have them done professionally. Also I am not a fan of my dogs sitting in a cage waiting their turn to be clipped. 

Do groomers still use those drying cabinets? I think my dog almost overheated in one of those? Just wondering.

Thanks for starting this thread . It is very interesting.


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## Jamie Hein (Aug 17, 2013)

From what I've learned the neck is done by drawing an angled line from their nose to their neck.


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## Jamie Hein (Aug 17, 2013)

MiniPoo said:


> Some of us owners enjoy clipping our dogs even if it is not of professional quality. I have owned 3 dogs that needed clipping. That would really cost a lot to have them done professionally. Also I am not a fan of my dogs sitting in a cage waiting their turn to be clipped.
> 
> Do groomers still use those drying cabinets? I think my dog almost overheated in one of those? Just wondering.
> 
> Thanks for starting this thread . It is very interesting.


Any good groomer isn't using heated cage dryers anymore since dogs had overheated. Also good groomers aren't letting dogs sit in the cage all day. Where I work the most time a dog is at the salon is 3 hours and not all of that time is in the crate, majority is on the table or the bathing room. I'm fine with the owners who clip at home and learn how to not cut their dogs but so far the home groomed dogs I've seen in person have nicks under armpits in sani area and behind ears and a few times there were nicks all over the dog. It's great to save money but not at the dog's expense.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

Jamie Hein said:


> Any good groomer isn't using heated cage dryers anymore since dogs had overheated. Also good groomers aren't letting dogs sit in the cage all day. Where I work the most time a dog is at the salon is 3 hours and not all of that time is in the crate, majority is on the table or the bathing room. I'm fine with the owners who clip at home and learn how to not cut their dogs but so far the home groomed dogs I've seen in person have nicks under armpits in sani area and behind ears and a few times there were nicks all over the dog. It's great to save money but not at the dog's expense.



As far as I know they don't even make those heater cage dryers anymore. I agree that groomers can do a much better job than home jobs because we have all the right tools and have been trained and keep going to seminars and trainings throughout our careers. It pains me to see dogs that are hurt by owners because they want to save money on grooming - they just end up spending MORE at the vet for stitches.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

MiniPoo said:


> Some of us owners enjoy clipping our dogs even if it is not of professional quality. I have owned 3 dogs that needed clipping. That would really cost a lot to have them done professionally. Also I am not a fan of my dogs sitting in a cage waiting their turn to be clipped.
> 
> Do groomers still use those drying cabinets? I think my dog almost overheated in one of those? Just wondering.
> 
> Thanks for starting this thread . It is very interesting.



I use cage dryers for certain breeds but only when they're either scared of the HV dryer or after I've HV'd them the majority of the way. I don't believe they sell heated cage dryers anymore. The one I use blows cool air. Also I groom dogs one at a time and it takes me about 1.5-2 hours start to finish on a small/medium sized dog. So unless the owner is late picking up or wants their dog to stay in the kennel for daycare for the day they are usually only there for a couple of hours. And they are only in the cage a little while during their session - not during the whole groom.


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## hunny518 (Jun 5, 2012)

I'm also a groomer and I think this was a great idea starting this thread. We all have different techniques and different levels of training. Not only will this help us answer the questions of owners, we may be able to teach each other a thing or too.
Also, I would not consider myself a show groomer, but I do show my standard poodle in AKC and I handle and groom her myself, so I can answer show questions too 

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## Rusty (Jun 13, 2012)

What a generous offer! Thank you for sharing your expertise.

I groom my poodle at home myself. I know he doesn't come out looking as good as he would from a professional groomer, but I haven't cut him while doing it, he's clean and sanitary, and I enjoy the process of learning a new skill and watching how I'm slowly getting better at doing everything.

My question has to do with how to cut the hair at the back of the ear (the part of the ear that's closer to the neck than the nose, if that makes sense). I see other poodles who have such a lovely crisp line between their topknot, neck, and ears, but even when I think I'm scissoring a clean line there, when I look at Begley after we're done, his ears don't look quite right. Close-up pictures of how the ears are supposed to look would be great (specifically, around the area where the ears meet the head). Tips on good scissoring technique on the head/ears are also appreciated. I have the Kalstone book, which has helped, but I think I can still do better.


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Thanks for starting this thread. I groom my dogs at home- they are all mixes. My skill is a work in progress but I am careful with them. I get them professionally done occasionally, and Lily was groomed in a Miami Cut yesterday by a groomer and looks really good. I'd post a pic but she is at the vet's getting a dental right now...poor girl, the groomer and a dental in one week! 

I do have one question. Two of my blades are not ceramic- one is- should I upgrade? Is the benefit a closer cut or less overheating? Or something else? They are Andis blades and I don't really notice a difference when I use the 30 blade which is ceramic. Appreciate your input, I am always learning:act-up:


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

A cage dryer is better than the totally enclosed heating cabinets I once saw used. Maybe they realized they were unsafe and don't make them anymore.

If I were going to use a groomer--and I may have to one day when I am older--I would like a groomer who does as you do, groom one dog at a time, finish it, and proceed to the next. 

One of my current dogs is older and doesn't walk real well. I groom her with her laying or sitting as much as possible and only make her stand to finish up at the end. Is that how you would groom an older dog that might not be able to stand for a long time?


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

My experience is the ceramic blades lose their edge quicker than the metal ones. I stopped buying them. Others might have had a different experience.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

Rusty said:


> What a generous offer! Thank you for sharing your expertise.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Some people do like to put a really noticeable line there where the topknot meets the rest of the head and ears. I like to blend it more so it doesn't look as noticeable and looks more natural.








What you want to try to do is comb the TK over to one side like the picture and take your shears and hold them vertical on top of the ear, level with the corner of the eye if that makes sense. (Cut the long hair that is combed over in the pic if you comb to the right cut the hair to the right)


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

This owner likes more of an eyebrow "shelf" I would probably go a bit higher up and more level with the corner of the eyes. But, you gotta give the clients what they want! lol


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Jamie Hein said:


> Any good groomer isn't using heated cage dryers anymore since dogs had overheated. Also good groomers aren't letting dogs sit in the cage all day. Where I work the most time a dog is at the salon is 3 hours and not all of that time is in the crate, majority is on the table or the bathing room. I'm fine with the owners who clip at home and learn how to not cut their dogs but so far the home groomed dogs I've seen in person have nicks under armpits in sani area and behind ears and a few times there were nicks all over the dog. It's great to save money but not at the dog's expense.



I know that there are good groomers out there, but there are also a whole lot of bad ones - back when I was still using groomers, my dogs suffered many a nick and razor burn at their hands. In fact it was a nick on her shoulder so deep that it left a scar from Taylee's second professional grooming that finally made me say &heck, I can't do any worse -and if I should hurt them, at least I am there to address it immediately. 15 years later, I have never done any worse than that groomer did. Do I do as well as a really good pro could, no - but at least I know that my dogs are safe, unstressed, not exposed to disease, and I save $300 - $600 bucks every time (ok, I wouldn't have three dogs if I had to spend that much on grooming every month, but that is what it would cost here).
Oh, and my friend's Yorkie was killed at the groomer just a couple of years ago - one idiot decided to let him run around in the grooming area, one idiot decided to leave the back door open for ventilation, and another idiot opened the door to the grooming area - out he ran into the street, and was instantly hit by a car and killed....


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

Tiny Poodles said:


> I know that there are good groomers out there, but there are also a whole lot of bad ones - back when I was still using groomers, my dogs suffered many a nick and razor burn at their hands. In fact it was a nick on her shoulder so deep that it left a scar from Taylee's second professional grooming that finally made me say &heck, I can't do any worse -and if I should hurt them, at least I am there to address it immediately. 15 years later, I have never done any worse than that groomer did. Do I do as well as a really good pro could, no - but at least I know that my dogs are safe, unstressed, not exposed to disease, and I save $300 - $600 bucks every time (ok, I wouldn't have three dogs if I had to spend that much on grooming every month, but that is what it would cost here).
> Oh, and my friend's Yorkie was killed at the groomer just a couple of years ago - one idiot decided to let him run around in the grooming area, one idiot decided to leave the back door open for ventilation, and another idiot opened the door to the grooming area - out he ran into the street, and was instantly hit by a car and killed....
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App



Yes there are good and bad in every profession. I'm sorry Taylee was injured by a groomer. That's not good but sometimes accidents happen. I'm not perfect and yes I've nicked dogs but I felt horrible and I always offer to pay for a vet visit if they think it's bad enough for that. And mostly I just feel terrible about it and I'm always more and more careful with each and every dog after an accident happens. We can only learn by making mistakes and if any groomer says they've never cut a dog on accident then they're straight up lying. Grooming dogs is not like a person getting a haircut. They don't listen when you say sit still they move around and when there are sharp tools involved accidents are likely to happen. That's why groomers are supposed to be trained in how to handle any situation. And some situations they have to learn by experiencing it. The best customer is one that understands the risks and trusts you with your pet. Grooming is how I make a living so I take it very seriously and always try hard to keep accidents from happening.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

Carolinek said:


> Thanks for starting this thread. I groom my dogs at home- they are all mixes. My skill is a work in progress but I am careful with them. I get them professionally done occasionally, and Lily was groomed in a Miami Cut yesterday by a groomer and looks really good. I'd post a pic but she is at the vet's getting a dental right now...poor girl, the groomer and a dental in one week!
> 
> 
> 
> I do have one question. Two of my blades are not ceramic- one is- should I upgrade? Is the benefit a closer cut or less overheating? Or something else? They are Andis blades and I don't really notice a difference when I use the 30 blade which is ceramic. Appreciate your input, I am always learning:act-up:



Ceramic blades usually keep cool longer but can only be sharpened once or twice whereas steel blades can be sharpened many more times. I have a mixture of different brands.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

MiniPoo said:


> A cage dryer is better than the totally enclosed heating cabinets I once saw used. Maybe they realized they were unsafe and don't make them anymore.
> 
> If I were going to use a groomer--and I may have to one day when I am older--I would like a groomer who does as you do, groom one dog at a time, finish it, and proceed to the next.
> 
> One of my current dogs is older and doesn't walk real well. I groom her with her laying or sitting as much as possible and only make her stand to finish up at the end. Is that how you would groom an older dog that might not be able to stand for a long time?


With elderly or disabled dogs I always work with what they can do. If they can't stand I only make them stand if I absolutely need to and I have harnesses I can use if they're too big to hold up with just my arm.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

JainaSolo said:


> Yes there are good and bad in every profession. I'm sorry Taylee was injured by a groomer. That's not good but sometimes accidents happen. I'm not perfect and yes I've nicked dogs but I felt horrible and I always offer to pay for a vet visit if they think it's bad enough for that. And mostly I just feel terrible about it and I'm always more and more careful with each and every dog after an accident happens. We can only learn by making mistakes and if any groomer says they've never cut a dog on accident then they're straight up lying. Grooming dogs is not like a person getting a haircut. They don't listen when you say sit still they move around and when there are sharp tools involved accidents are likely to happen. That's why groomers are supposed to be trained in how to handle any situation. And some situations they have to learn by experiencing it. The best customer is one that understands the risks and trusts you with your pet. Grooming is how I make a living so I take it very seriously and always try hard to keep accidents from happening.



Oh, I completely understand that accidents happen, and that there are inherent risks with grooming - I was just responding to what someone wrote making it seem like home groomers had the accidents, and the pros don't - i would say that my oops rate is about the same as any groomer that I have used - and I didn't get mad at them, nor do I get mad at myself - it just goes with the territory.
The groomer who killed my friend's Yorkie did buy her a new dog, and cover all or the expenses, but still it is hard to not be angry, because that was more like gross negligence than an accident, wouldn't you agree?


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## 2719 (Feb 8, 2011)

JainaSolo	
I am a groomer! Feel free to ask me anything, anytime!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty View Post
What a generous offer! Thank you for sharing your expertise.



I groom my poodle at home myself. I know he doesn't come out looking as good as he would from a professional groomer, but I haven't cut him while doing it, he's clean and sanitary, and I enjoy the process of learning a new skill and watching how I'm slowly getting better at doing everything.



My question has to do with how to cut the hair at the back of the ear (the part of the ear that's closer to the neck than the nose, if that makes sense). I see other poodles who have such a lovely crisp line between their topknot, neck, and ears, but even when I think I'm scissoring a clean line there, when I look at Begley after we're done, his ears don't look quite right. Close-up pictures of how the ears are supposed to look would be great (specifically, around the area where the ears meet the head). Tips on good scissoring technique on the head/ears are also appreciated. I have the Kalstone book, which has helped, but I think I can still do better.

JainaSolo A:Some people do like to put a really noticeable line there where the topknot meets the rest of the head and ears. I like to blend it more so it doesn't look as noticeable and looks more natural. Attachment 163817 

What you want to try to do is comb the TK over to one side like the picture and take your shears and hold them vertical on top of the ear, level with the corner of the eye if that makes sense. (Cut the long hair that is combed over in the pic if you comb to the right cut the hair to the right)


ME: I think she wants to know how to blend the front of the top knot to behind the ears into the neck hair too! If you could explain that technique too that would be nice. I am not a pro groomer, but I use straights to set my line from the corner of eye to over the ear. Then I take my curves to set a line behind the ear. Then I scissor away any hair behind the ear that is wider than the line I made for the sides of the topknot. I then scissor and blend this hair into the shoulder and across the back of the neck from back of ear to the other. I use blending shears to blend in any wispys. These are especially useful tools when trying to the get a smooth transition from ear to topknot.

What do you do?


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

Tiny Poodles said:


> Oh, I completely understand that accidents happen, and that there are inherent risks with grooming - I was just responding to what someone wrote making it seem like home groomers had the accidents, and the pros don't - i would say that my oops rate is about the same as any groomer that I have used - and I didn't get mad at them, nor do I get mad at myself - it just goes with the territory.
> The groomer who killed my friend's Yorkie did buy her a new dog, and cover all or the expenses, but still it is hard to not be angry, because that was more like gross negligence than an accident, wouldn't you agree?
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App




Yes I agree that is complete and utter negligence and should have NEVER happened


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

TLP said:


> JainaSolo
> 
> I am a groomer! Feel free to ask me anything, anytime!
> 
> ...


I think I understand now. Use curves and a comb to comb up and don't just take out chunks, instead scissor across from back to front or from to back. When explaining technique it's really hard via text. There are many videos online that explain it. Also, when you use a blade on the body you don't want to clipper the hair all the way up to the edge where the topknot meets the back of the neck, instead start farther back then where you want the topknot to start and blend the clipper line in with the topknot with thinners. Does that make sense and does that answer the question??  .


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

JainaSolo said:


> Ceramic blades usually keep cool longer but can only be sharpened once or twice whereas steel blades can be sharpened many more times. I have a mixture of different brands.


Thank you! I guess I'll stick with what I have for now.


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

MiniPoo said:


> My experience is the ceramic blades lose their edge quicker than the metal ones. I stopped buying them. Others might have had a different experience.


They're more expensive too! My 30 blade is ceramic, so we'll see what time brings. I use it a lot under the combs. It's been over two years and still OK, but it's just my 3 little dogs.


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## SusanG (Aug 8, 2009)

I agree that although she doesn't look as good as when she goes to the groomer, I enjoy doing Callie myself and it is a great bonding thing. She's very good about it and I get lots of kisses along the way. I love the way she looks when my groomer does her, but truthfully, even though she is treated like royalty, she hates to go there and be put in a cage. I am ever so careful, and except for once nipping the quick of one toenail, I never cut her short enough to nick her skin. I now use a dremel which works so much better and Callie doesn't mind it like she did the nail cutter.


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

Ooooh JaninaSolo (and Jaime and co)... you are going to be sooooooo busy posting!!!

I'm a home groomer and have just accepted that my dogs don't have access to mirrors so they get what they get... :biggrin: And the "ooops" bits grow back LOL. I know they're never going to have a professional look without professional grooming - so if any of you fancy moving to a wet rock in the middle of the Irish Sea we could sure use a top-notch grooming salon in my town!!! Please????

Very generous of you to share your expertise and hard-earned knowledge. This is what I love about the PF.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

Manxcat said:


> Ooooh JaninaSolo (and Jaime and co)... you are going to be sooooooo busy posting!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Where exactly are you talking? Is there a beach?? I would love to live on a beach!!! Lol


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

JainaSolo said:


> Where exactly are you talking? Is there a beach?? I would love to live on a beach!!! Lol


Beaches, hills, moors, cliffs, farmland, woods... I could go on...! All in a neat 32 x 13 mile package!! I'll conveniently not mention the damp and the gales, lack of shops, err lack of lots of things... lol! http://www.poodleforum.com/7-general-off-topic-chat/104065-manx-views.html

Seriously, we have a few groomers around and a couple of mobile groomers, but most of the salons are over the other side of the Island - not a huge journey but inconvenient. We had one in our little town but she moved back over to the UK


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

Manxcat said:


> Beaches, hills, moors, cliffs, farmland, woods... I could go on...! All in a neat 32 x 13 mile package!! I'll conveniently not mention the damp and the gales, lack of shops, err lack of lots of things... lol! http://www.poodleforum.com/7-general-off-topic-chat/104065-manx-views.html
> 
> 
> 
> Seriously, we have a few groomers around and a couple of mobile groomers, but most of the salons are over the other side of the Island - not a huge journey but inconvenient. We had one in our little town but she moved back over to the UK


Have you ever thought about going to grooming school somewhere?? Sounds like there's a market there!


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## three*please (Jan 24, 2014)

Ok, I'll play! LOL!

I like poodle feet, but I don't like them completely shaved down on my spoo. My standard puppy has big feet (long toes) and he ends up looking like he has fingers when they are shaved. It's almost distracting. LOL! My toy poodles look great with shaved feet...nice and dainty. 

When I take him to our groomer, what should I ask for, so that they are shaved, but to leave a bit of hair on them? 

He is 17 weeks old and going for his first real haircut on Monday.

Thank you!


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

I would just ask them to scissor the feet very short. If you try to use a blade longer than a 10 between the toes, you run a huge risk of cutting the dog.


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## janet6567 (Mar 11, 2014)

JainaSolo said:


> Just wanted to let everyone know I am a groomer and I am open to any questions anyone has about grooming  I'm not a show groomer though, just pets for now.
> 
> Have a great day!
> 
> ...


It is so very sweet of you to offer help to those of us who groom our dogs at home. I have just started grooming my two because my groomer retired and the ones I've tried after her have not done a good job. So thank you in advance because I know I'll have several questions.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

three*please said:


> Ok, I'll play! LOL!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Just ask them to use a longer blade when shaving the feet - maybe a #7 or #10 on top of the toes and scissor around the edges. I don't know what exact length you're looking for but just keep experimenting with lengths and you'll find the one that works for you!!  hope that helps!


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

Carolinek said:


> They're more expensive too! My 30 blade is ceramic, so we'll see what time brings. I use it a lot under the combs. It's been over two years and still OK, but it's just my 3 little dogs.


I use ceramic blades as well. I haven't done it yet but they sell just the ceramic section. You can take the blade apart and replace it. I may try that when mine get dull.

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## all that jazz (Feb 6, 2011)

My mini polo hates to have his two front feet done. How should I approach this? He is 3 years old and constantly pulls his foot away and will not sit still. Thanks.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Many thanks to you and all the pro groomers for your generosity .

I'm playing with home grooming and experimenting with different products. My Tpoo now has more brands than I do, almost LOL. And I'm about to order a new one.

My question has to do with proper clipper holding and technique. I don't have my Bravuras yet so the question is a bit premature since I primarily use scissors (recently got some decently nice 7.5" curves, oh my goodness what a change!!)...I have a little Peanut for the moment. But I'm wondering about the angle at which one uses a clipper/trimmer to avoid clipper scrapes.

Thank you for any advice you can give on this .

Btw re heated cage dryers, June 13 was take a stance day by the stellar groomers associated with Groomwise, and several featured the topic in their blog entries for the day. Here are links to three of them:
Grooming Smarter: Chloe's Story
BBird TALK: WAKE UP CALL! THE DANGER OF HEAT STRESS!
Pet First Aid & Care

It appears these dryers may still be out there so guess it behooves us to ask about drying techniques before leaving a Poodle or any dog at a groomer.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

all that jazz said:


> My mini polo hates to have his two front feet done. How should I approach this? He is 3 years old and constantly pulls his foot away and will not sit still. Thanks.



How often are you grooming him? The easiest way to get them used to grooming is daily practice. When he's relaxing maybe sleeping in your lap hold his foot and rub your fingers around his toes to desensitize. Do this as often as possible for as long as you can. This will help when you're grooming because eventually he will get used to having his feet touched.  hope that helps!!!


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

Streetcar said:


> Many thanks to you and all the pro groomers for your generosity .
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I will hold my clippers like you would hold a big pencil. Always keep the blade flat and flush against the skin/hair. Do not dig in with the edge. Always check the blade for overheating. A hot blade is sometimes worse for the dog than incorrect holding of the clippers.  with shears do not put your thumb all the way in the hole. Get yourself some inserts or you can wrap the hole with vet wrap. You only need the very top of your thumb in the hole for accuracy and stability.


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## Jamie Hein (Aug 17, 2013)

Hold the clippers like you hold a pencil is how I was taught. If you hold them wrong you could start to get pain in your wrist. Oops saw you already got this answer


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## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

I know an incredibly talented and caring groomer, she also became a great friend. But we moved out of state and I started "shaving" (I can't call it grooming, LOL) my poodles myself. 

I try my best to keep their eyelashes and eyebrows really short or they crash onto the glass door, (never again! learned my lesson, and no one was harmed) I also just try and keep the hair around their lips short so they can always have fresh breath etc. Mainly I focus on them being comfortable!! (Especially in this hot weather!) I don't care as much about the look than I care for their feelings. So I usually bathe one day shave with clippers one day, scissor another day, do nails the next day, etc etc etc , repeat...  so they do enjoy it a lot  

But I still admire professional groomers such as my friend "Ellyisme"!! She is incredibly talented loves all dogs and she is super nice!! 
 





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## 3sps (Feb 5, 2012)

Thank you, thank you!
We have had poodles for years and use a wonderful professional groomer (ME)every 4-5 weeks. She is gentle and gracious and does a good job on our two current SP's. One is a puppy mill breeding bitch (Sadie) who has lived with and basically owned us for 4 years. She is tough- is shy and deaf so is not easy to groom but always comes home looking great.
Our problem child (grooming wise only) is Odie- 2 1/2 years old black boy. ME says he has "more hairs per square inch" than she has ever seen. He therefore mats easily. Both are in a modified sport clip with short body and legs and nice heads. ears and tails. It is the legs on Odie that are my concern. I use a wire slicker followed by a human hair brush to line brush him and his white skin makes it easy to see if I am doing OK but it is hard.
Any miracle products or other advice?


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

They still make drying cages, guess you haven't been to any groom shows? A dog only needs air circulating to dry, and I have wire crates and simply either just wrap smaller dogs in towels and let them sit there a few minutes while I do something else, or larger dogs are in bottom crates with a fan on them for about 30 minutes to reduce drying time on the table. All my dogs are finished drying by hand with HV dryer. Prep work makes a world of difference in the finished product.


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

3sps said:


> Thank you, thank you!
> We have had poodles for years and use a wonderful professional groomer (ME)every 4-5 weeks. She is gentle and gracious and does a good job on our two current SP's. One is a puppy mill breeding bitch (Sadie) who has lived with and basically owned us for 4 years. She is tough- is shy and deaf so is not easy to groom but always comes home looking great.
> Our problem child (grooming wise only) is Odie- 2 1/2 years old black boy. ME says he has "more hairs per square inch" than she has ever seen. He therefore mats easily. Both are in a modified sport clip with short body and legs and nice heads. ears and tails. It is the legs on Odie that are my concern. I use a wire slicker followed by a human hair brush to line brush him and his white skin makes it easy to see if I am doing OK but it is hard.
> Any miracle products or other advice?



A slicker and comb is all you really need for keeping hair under control. There's this detangling spray called "The Stuff" that is really good


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## JainaSolo (Jun 18, 2014)

loves said:


> They still make drying cages, guess you haven't been to any groom shows? A dog only needs air circulating to dry, and I have wire crates and simply either just wrap smaller dogs in towels and let them sit there a few minutes while I do something else, or larger dogs are in bottom crates with a fan on them for about 30 minutes to reduce drying time on the table. All my dogs are finished drying by hand with HV dryer. Prep work makes a world of difference in the finished product.



Not sure who this reply was directed toward but yes I use a cage dryer for some dogs but it is not heated - it only blows cool air. I will only use a cage dryer on dogs that don't like the HV or dogs that don't need to be fluffed out.


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