All about clipping your dog

Are you thinking about shearing your dog yourself? Then our tips and information will help you.

Do I have to clip my dog's coat?

Of course, it is not a must, but there are some advantages that you can consider. Because short fur...

  • is easier to maintain
  • mats less
  • dries faster
  • is more comfortable in summer
  • less prone to snow clumps in winter

Can you shear any dog or breed?

Theoretically yes, but there are coats that do not grow back nicely and can remain dull (e.g., shepherds). There are also breeds that are trimmed by hand, such as the Fox Terrier, the hair falls out—so to speak— "almost" by itself, these are trimmed manually.

  • A good example of breeds that need to be clipped are Poodles, Lagottos, etc., they would become completely matted.
  • Westies, Fox Terriers, wirehaired Dachshunds etc. can be clipped, hand trimmed or both.
  • Shepherds, Collies, Bernese Mountain Dogs, etc., I recommend clipping if health conditions are present.

Dog clippers or by hand?

Do don't always need dog clippers, Yorkies for example, you can also shorten by hand. A Golden Retriever's flags or panties can be cut by hand very nicely. A “sweaty” shepherd can also be helped by thinning out his coat with thinning scissors. We will be happy to advise you if you have any questions about this.

A clipper cuts the fur in the length of the clipper head. With the help of attachments, the length is about 2.5 cm. Longer attachments usually don't work very well. For example, you can take shorter shaving heads for the body and a longer one for the head. With a little patience and practice, you will soon be able to give your dog a great hairstyle.

Cable machine or battery?

  • Clippers with a battery are handy. You are very flexible when shearing, the dog cannot bite the cable, the cable does not tangle with the legs of the dog. The running times of the batteries in good machines are between 1 – 2 hours when fully charged.
  • Clippers with a cable are usually a little quieter, stronger and lighter. A good corded machine has a long, flexible cord that will definitely reach from the outlet to the table. Cable machines are typically cheaper.

Which clipper head should I use?

Here are the different types of replaceable clipper heads:

  • Ceramic clipper heads: have a ceramic cutting plate, do not need resharpening, stay sharp. Ceramic is more fragile than steel, replacement cutting plates are available.
  • Steel clipper heads: are made of specially coated steel, can be resharpened several times, very suitable for beginners
  • FC (FinishCut) clipper heads: the tooth spacing is finer. Thus, a super nice finish is achieved, not suitable for matted skins

Length of the clipper heads:

  • The smaller or shorter the shearing head, the easier it is to shear matted skins.
  • Lengths from 0.05 mm to 19 mm (most common are 5 mm to 16 mm).
  • Attachment combs can extend the shearing heads up to 25 mm.

Get your dog used to grooming early

  • Whether brushing or clipping, it's important to get your dog used to grooming.
  • Start “grooming education” as early as possible.
  • Enjoy grooming sessions as valuable time that strengthens the bond between you and your dog. 
  • Start with small sessions. Gently accustom the animal to the sound of the machine. Try to see how your dog reacts when the machine is turned on. He does not have to stand on the table or be made ready for it. Just let it run – just like the coffee machine or the vacuum cleaner.
  • Start with less sensitive areas.  I rarely have a dog on the table that gets nervous when I do its neck or back. Start there and slowly work your way to the butt, legs, and belly. From my experience the most sensitive areas are: Butt, genital area, front legs, paws, face.

Dog grooming training

Michelle Lebert (dipl. dog groomer) works together with us and will gladly show you in a personal course how to groom your dog best.

The dog care course just for you and your dog: click here for your personal dog grooming training.

Have fun grooming your four-legged friend! 

Shall I groom my dog?