# Splashed out, eek and how to groom help please



## Lilies (Sep 14, 2011)

So finally splashed out on clippers etc for Ollie. He has only been trimmed around his face and paws since the grooming course in March and is desperate to be done...
unfortunately my daughters been v ill hence the delay in buying stuff and now ive got to remember what i learnt on the course
so
if anyone has any tips, i remember you go sideways along the body with the clippers but think i may have forgotten a lot of the rest!


----------



## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

I think the important things are:

Dry the coat straight so it is sticking out horizontal.
When clipping either go with the coat OR against it but not both
or you will end up with different lengths and it will be lumpy!!
Take each paw in your hand and trim around also trimming the fur between the pads. I do the same length (clipper size) all over, including the legs.
Once finished with the clippers I use scissors all over the coats to 'finish'...
I am by no means an expert but usually reasonably happy with the result and
Betty hasn't complained so far


----------



## Lilies (Sep 14, 2011)

trying to remember how to work the thinning scissors, will have a go at clippering the leges as well. Do you wash betty before you clip her or after?


----------



## mairi1 (Mar 12, 2012)

colpa110 said:


> I think the important things are:
> 
> Dry the coat straight so it is sticking out horizontal.
> When clipping either go with the coat OR against it but not both
> ...


Colin can I ask how you go about trimming Betty's face? This is a recent photo of Molly as you can see she's needing a trim but I don't want to take her to a groomers. I like a neat muzzle but not sure how to go about it. I hate how groomers also do a very defined cut along the fringe line but don't I know how to attack it to make it a bit more natural looking? Do you use thinning scissors or normal scissors? How would you go about sorting this out??!! Thank you


----------



## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Oh yes!!! I need muzzle help too!!! I like lady's shorter than it is right now....but not sure how to do it...and I don't get the results from the groomers.


----------



## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

mairi1 said:


> Colin can I ask how you go about trimming Betty's face? This is a recent photo of Molly as you can see she's needing a trim but I don't want to take her to a groomers. I like a neat muzzle but not sure how to go about it. I hate how groomers also do a very defined cut along the fringe line but don't I know how to attack it to make it a bit more natural looking? Do you use thinning scissors or normal scissors? How would you go about sorting this out??!! Thank you


Molly is just sooooo cute!!!


----------



## Lilies (Sep 14, 2011)

oh molly is just scrummy - is she a toy cross or just very young?


----------



## mairi1 (Mar 12, 2012)

Lilies said:


> oh molly is just scrummy - is she a toy cross or just very young?


Aw thank you ... She is an American/miniature poodle cross and is 5 1/2 months.


----------



## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

I think what I have learned from the two one day grooming courses and online tutorials is there is no real right or wrong as there is no breed specific cut and it really is about doing your cockapoo how you like it to look....
I think with Molly I would just use a good pair of thinning scissors and just take a little bit off here and there where you feel she needs a bit of a tidy up. Thinning scissors are very forgiving and you will not go far wrong. I personally do not like a beard or moustache on a girl dog so tend to keep them short....i just trim all under her chin and then cut upwards in to her muzzle( does that make sense)....Betty has never been to a groomer...I really like to be in control of how she looks...even on the grooming course the instructor cut the top of her head like a pom pom which i just didn't like....even though I had told her how I wanted it to look. There have also been many stories on here of dogs coming back from Groomers totally scalped
I think little and often is the best way forward and you gain a little bit more confidence each time but as I say I am no expert and I'm sure others will give you different advice!!


----------



## mairi1 (Mar 12, 2012)

colpa110 said:


> I think what I have learned from the two one day grooming courses and online tutorials is there is no real right or wrong as there is no breed specific cut and it really is about doing your cockapoo how you like it to look....
> I think with Molly I would just use a good pair of thinning scissors and just take a little bit off here and there where you feel she needs a bit of a tidy up. Thinning scissors are very forgiving and you will not go far wrong. I personally do not like a beard or moustache on a girl dog so tend to keep them short....i just trim all under her chin and then cut upwards in to her muzzle( does that make sense)....Betty has never been to a groomer...I really like to be in control of how she looks...even on the grooming course the instructor cut the top of her head like a pom pom which i just didn't like....even though I had told her how I wanted it to look. There have also been many stories on here of dogs coming back from Groomers totally scalped
> I think little and often is the best way forward and you gain a little bit more confidence each time but as I say I am no expert and I'm sure others will give you different advice!!


Thank you so much, yes it makes perfect sense .. I too prefer not to have a beard or moustache as such as I want to try and have her look like a girl!! Yes there are so many different styles but I always think Betty looks fab and looks like every strand has been perfectly placed around her face 
I now need to buy some decent thinning scissors and be brave!!!


----------



## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

mairi1 said:


> Thank you so much, yes it makes perfect sense .. I too prefer not to have a beard or moustache as such as I want to try and have her look like a girl!! Yes there are so many different styles but I always think Betty looks fab and looks like every strand has been perfectly placed around her face
> I now need to buy some decent thinning scissors and be brave!!!


Aww thanks...what a nice thing to say. I would invest in a good scissor set from the get go or you will only waste money replacing them in the long run.

This is what I've got.

http://www.groomers-online.com/product.php/1514/roseline-scissor-starter-kit

The thinning scissors are quite sharp - so be careful, Sarah ( Sezra) cut her finger on them when I lent them to her!!

BTW: Molly is absolutely gorgerous


----------



## mairi1 (Mar 12, 2012)

colpa110 said:


> Aww thanks...what a nice thing to say. I would invest in a good scissor set from the get go or you will only waster money replacing them in the long run.
> 
> This is what I've got.
> 
> ...


Aw thank you 

That set looks great, yes definitely better to go for something of decent quality from the outset otherwise I'd just be annoyed with myself if it didn't do a good job. I'm going to order this and a decent brush, do people have a couple of brushes as in a pin ball and a slicker? I've read about the les pooches (? spelling) brushes and that some find them a bit harsh. I've got a fairly decent comb which gets right to the undercoat but have seen the karlie coarse comb so not sure if it'd be better. Oh and will need clippers at some point but they sound a bit scary!!! Anyway, just need to build up a kit then the only thing to work out is how to keep the little madam still whilst I work my magic !!!


----------



## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

mairi1 said:


> Aw thank you
> 
> That set looks great, yes definitely better to go for something of decent quality from the outset otherwise I'd just be annoyed with myself if it didn't do a good job. I'm going to order this and a decent brush, do people have a couple of brushes as in a pin ball and a slicker? I've read about the les pooches (? spelling) brushes and that some find them a bit harsh. I've got a fairly decent comb which gets right to the undercoat but have seen the karlie coarse comb so not sure if it'd be better. Oh and will need clippers at some point but they sound a bit scary!!! Anyway, just need to build up a kit then the only thing to work out is how to keep the little madam still whilst I work my magic !!!


I have spent a ton of money on grooming stuff and have all kinds of brushes and matt breakers and it really is a matter of working out what works for your own dog/what kind of coat/ how much brushing it will tolerate. Betty's fur is VERY thick and soft and getting any kind of brush or comb through it is a nightmare ( think trying to comb cotton wool) - even as a puppy. Ted's fur is very fine and really easy to comb....
Personally i found the Les Pooches brushes very expensive for what they are..they are very harsh and are not really any different to a regular slicker.
Betty tolerates ball pin brushes much better but it can be a struggle to get them through her coat. Funnily enough I ordered the Karlie coarse comb and rec'd it yesterday but did not get much of a chance to use it last night. 
As Molly is only 5 1/2 months I would suspect her adult coat is not through yet and has not started matting??..being an american cross I would expect she will have quite a dense coat as she gets older....Betty's fur has got thicker and curlier - especially over the last three or four Months. 
Clippering is actually quite easy ( I have the two speed Andis ones)..I find cutting round the face much more difficult. I am sure you will add to your grooming tool collection as times goes on....I hope some of this helps xx


----------



## mairi1 (Mar 12, 2012)

colpa110 said:


> I have spent a ton of money on grooming stuff and have all kinds of brushes and matt breakers and it really is a matter of working out what works for your own dog/what kind of coat/ how much brushing it will tolerate. Betty's fur is VERY thick and soft and getting any kind of brush or comb through it is a nightmare ( think trying to comb cotton wool) - even as a puppy. Ted's fur is very fine and really easy to comb....
> Personally i found the Les Pooches brushes very expensive for what they are..they are very harsh and are not really any different to a regular slicker.
> Betty tolerates ball pin brushes much better but it can be a struggle to get them through her coat. Funnily enough I ordered the Karlie coarse comb and rec'd it yesterday but did not get much of a chance to use it last night.
> As Molly is only 5 1/2 months I would suspect her adult coat is not through yet and has not started matting??..being an american cross I would expect she will have quite a dense coat as she gets older....Betty's fur has got thicker and curlier - especially over the last three or four Months.
> Clippering is actually quite easy ( I have the two speed Andis ones)..I find cutting round the face much more difficult. I am sure you will add to your grooming tool collection as times goes on....I hope some of this helps xx


Really great advice Colin, thank you.Betty's coat sounds very like Molly's.. A mix of cotton wool and candy floss!! She has always been very curly and when she is wet she's just a mass of little cork screw curls!! She hasn't got her adult coat yet however she is starting to matt and I have found a few behind the ears but managed to get rid of them no bother with the Mikki Matt breaker that you suggested . Ill get a proper slicker and see how she likes it, will hold off on les pooches brushes for now, thanks. I'm sure I too will end up Spending a fortune as it is a bit of trial and error however getting such great advice I'm off to a head start 
Thanks again x


----------

