# Shaved too short??



## BentleysMom (Dec 14, 2014)

Oh geeze I got clipper happy yesterday with poor Bentley. It has been raining a lot lately and his feet were getting so caked with mud- we have that horrible black clay mud! I shaved his feet first with finishing clippers and I think I got them too short? They are really really short... Is there anything special I should do? Creams or just simply let them grow back out? And not do that again...


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

One of our members has a little wading pool of warm water she uses as a doggie foot bath. I bought a "Soggy Doggie" towel that is great for drying but not for debris removal. Sorry I can't answer your short feet groom question, other than it will grow back...


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Most new groomers find it hard to cut short let alone too short! If not bleeding just bath in antiseptic ( betadine/iodine still the best mecurachrome where available) It will grow out.
Eric


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## itzmeigh (Apr 28, 2014)

Too short, like they are irritated? Or just "too short" you like them longer?

I like super short feet. I started Hazel out on a 15 and quickly moved to a 30. She's only 19 weeks old. By a year I might move her to a 40 (which is surgical close) but I like really close shaves. Mostly I don't have her at a 40 right now because I'm still a little slow and the fine blade heats up faster so you need to get the job done faster. 

So as long as puppy's feet aren't irritated (red or bleeding) then you don't need to do anything.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

As long as the feet aren't razor burnt or nicked up, there's no such thing as too short IMO! I use a 45 blade!


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## BentleysMom (Dec 14, 2014)

Ah good to know! They are super short not burned or anything, I was just worried I may have done something wrong!


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

BentleysMom said:


> Ah good to know! They are super short not burned or anything, I was just worried I may have done something wrong!


*I envy you!* The shorter, the better I think.  If there's no irritation, there's no problem. I shave Chagall's paws weekly, using a #15 on top and in between his toes and a #30 around the pads. If I shave his paws any closer on top, he wants to fuss with them. So I just shave them more frequently with the #15. Same with his face. Got a sensitive *silver* sweetie, I suppose. But I wouldn't change so much as a hair on him even if I could!


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## BentleysMom (Dec 14, 2014)

Yeah he does keep messing with his feet so I think next time I'll keep the top of them a little longer, after they grow out a bit. He sure didn't like me shaving those toes! I had to wrestle him a little on the bathroom floor to get them! He doesn't mind his face being shaved- he slept while I manipulated his face and shaved... Too funny! Compared to my sweet tiny Spyder (toy poodle) Bentley is a breeze to groom, I'm actually having fun doing it!


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## georgiapeach (Oct 9, 2009)

When I groom Sunny, I shaved his face and feet absolutely naked! As long as they're not clipper burned, you're good to go. Sunny looks a little funny for a day or two, but he grows so fast, that by day 3 or 4, he looks fine. By week 3 or 4, I'm getting irritated by his fuzz...


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## BentleysMom (Dec 14, 2014)

I guess I need to relax and see how it looks in a few days then! Thanks for sharing!


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I'm with everybody else. If they're not irritated, they should be fine. I use a #30 blade but go, for the most part in the direction the hair grows on the top of the foot. Where I can't get it, I'll go backwards, like right around the nails. And underneath, I just dig it out. Their feet aren't irritated, no redness, no licking or any sign of irritation. So, yeah...make sure clippers aren't hot and if you don't like it so short, let it grow and use a different blade. I like them short and clean, especially when it's show time. They need to be.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

No such thing as too short, as long as you didn't take the skin off too


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## dogs123 (Jun 14, 2012)

I've always used a #30 blade....then they look neat and tidy...

I never knew there was a "too short"....LOL


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## BentleysMom (Dec 14, 2014)

Well I noticed even this morning the hair is already showing back up so now I know to do that every time!


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## intenshn (Dec 25, 2014)

I do a 15 for CLFT on my own stpoo just so it lasts longer. If you start your pup with a 10, over time they will adjust, and you can go even shorter than a 15 too. As long as you're not clipper burning them, their feet are pretty resilient. Smaller babies like toys I would prolly stick with a 10.


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## BentleysMom (Dec 14, 2014)

Thanks for all the advice! His hair has already been growing back nicely and fast! Guess I'll have plenty of opportunities for practice and use my new grooming table! Yay thanks everyone!


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## BentleysMom (Dec 14, 2014)

Groomed Bentley yesterday and we are both getting much better at this! Only took 3hrs this time! Whew I hope we can get it done faster in times to come! He's good with everything but his feet! Still tries to pull away! I'm really not sure how to solve that issue! Any suggestions?


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## itzmeigh (Apr 28, 2014)

BentleysMom said:


> Groomed Bentley yesterday and we are both getting much better at this! Only took 3hrs this time! Whew I hope we can get it done faster in times to come! He's good with everything but his feet! Still tries to pull away! I'm really not sure how to solve that issue! Any suggestions?


With Hazel I started by just not letting her pull away. I also love touching her feet so I just made it a habit to touch her feet and toes while we are just sitting on the couch. 

But when grooming it took a while to convince her that when she starts trying to jerk her foot back I'm not going to let go. I stop touching her foot with the clipper and just hold on until she stops tugging. Then, before I touch her with the clippers again I check to see if they are getting hot. If they are getting hot then I let go of her foot and cool the blade. 

Now she gently tugs and it is almost always because the blade is heating up. But she doesn't really try to jerk her foot away anymore, just kind of tugs gentle. 

To check the blade I lay it against the inside of my arm just above my watch. If it is hot I cool it with a cooking spray like "Cool Lube" or right now I'm using "Cool Care Plus" by Andis but I like "Cool Lube" better so far. (Keep a towel handy and wipe the excess off before grooming again.)

By following this method you'll learn how much heat he will tolerate on the blade. And you'll know when he's tugging just because he's board. 

If I check and the blade isn't hot (or warm) then I tell her it's not hot and keep going. If she keeps tugging then I'll hold her foot until she isn't tugging and then change feet. Sometimes I go between each foot 3-4 times.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

BentleysMom said:


> Groomed Bentley yesterday and we are both getting much better at this! Only took 3hrs this time! Whew I hope we can get it done faster in times to come! He's good with everything but his feet! Still tries to pull away! I'm really not sure how to solve that issue! Any suggestions?


I'd make sure you don't get nervous or frustrated when he pulls away and fights you. Also, what you can do is shorten up the "sessions" of training with his feet. Do a few swipes of one foot, like the top of the foot. Make a party...give him something reeeeeeeeeeeelly extra special and call it quits for a while. Come back to it a little later and see if you can do a bit more. Always associate these things with good things and good times. Just add a little more pressure each time...over a week or two period. If he hates it _that _much, no sense in making a rotten time of it when he can get so he'll tolerate it much better and be more happy and comfortable with it. 



> I also love touching her feet so I just made it a habit to touch her feet and toes while we are just sitting on the couch


That's a good idea too. I always messed with puppy feet when they were tiny to get them use to "holding hands." lol. I agree, once you've got the foot in your hand, hang on until _YOU_ decide to let go. But I wouldn't force him too long if he's really uncomfortable with it. You can condition him to being quite fine with it if you don't make life miserable for him. Also make sure his feet aren't pulled out into an awkward or uncomfortable position. Sometimes they need to just have a little break or move a little bit in between.

Would love to see a picture of Bentley. 

It is amazing how practice helps. I just did Maurice yesterday with a Wahl Mini Arco with a #30 blade. You can see his picture here: http://www.poodleforum.com/5-poodle-talk/153402-happy-birthday-maurice.html


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