How to cut dogs - haircut rules by breed

Most people have just gotten their first dog or are simply of a different breed and are wondering how often they should visit the groomer? As with most questions in our lives, there is no single answer and each case is individual and depends on the type of dog’s coat, its age, how much it sheds and how often you want to care for your pet’s coat yourself.

It is important to remember that regardless of the breed and coat type of the dog, nails should be trimmed at least once a month.

So, let's divide dogs by coat type:

Shorthair breeds

Owners of dogs with short hair are lucky and do not require special care, only occasional washing, especially if the dog decides to take a mud bath. But even short-haired dogs have periods of shedding. You can do the grooming yourself or go to a pet beauty salon where they will comb it out with special brushes, wash it with a special anti-shedding shampoo and dry it well.

How much does grooming cost?

Prices for hygiene services
Service	Small breeds	Large breeds
Combing out the undercoat (no tangles)	900 r/h
Muzzle trim	250	500
Haircut, ear plucking	200	400

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Longhaired with undercoat

Like short-haired dogs, they usually shed every season. Dogs with this type of coat, in addition to a soft and fluffy undercoat, also have long hair all over their body, especially the hairs stick out on their paws, between the toes, belly, butt and behind the ears, and you may want to shorten them slightly. Unfortunately, a dog with such hair often develops tangles, especially behind the ears and near the back. If, however, your dog has already formed tangles, then it is better to contact a specialist, since there is a high probability of injuring the animal, because their skin is thinner than ours.

Haircut features

There are subtleties of dog grooming that will help the owner make his pet look neat.

If your pet does not allow you to get a haircut, snarls and bites, you need to calm him down and postpone the procedure for a couple of days. During this period, it is necessary to accustom the animal to handling fur every day. It is important not to give a haircut, but only to pretend to have a haircut, while treating your pet with his favorite treats.
Before grooming, the animal is washed with shampoo. To do this, you need to choose the right tool. For example, ELITE ORGANIC universal shampoo, which, thanks to its soft detergent base, balanced formulation and complex of natural ingredients, is suitable for regular use.
Both small and large dogs are easier to groom while standing. The animal is placed on an elevation that is convenient for the owner, and, holding the fur with hands, it is calmly cut. In this case, the wool is lifted with a comb or brush so that there are no bald spots left. After processing one side of the body, they move on to the other. They start cutting the dog from the back, gradually moving down the body.
The muzzle should be cut as carefully as possible so as not to pinch the skin. The fur inside the ear can be trimmed, but it is advisable to carefully pluck it, treating the surface with lotion or powder.
To give your pet a cute look, you need to determine in advance which areas of the body will have longer or thicker hair. Usually these are the withers, neck and shoulders.
Before grooming your dog in the heat, you need to know that many representatives of long-haired breeds are protected from overheating and sunburn by their thick undercoat. There is a risk that after cutting the animal may get a skin burn.
Special attention is paid to the paws of wire-haired and long-haired dog breeds. Fur matted between your fingers can be painful. When dirt or snow gets on it, hairballs can cause dermatosis and dermatitis, so the hair between the toes is cut off.

Dogs with very dense undercoat

There are dog breeds that are incredibly soft to the touch due to their double undercoat. If you are a lover of such breeds and are the proud owner of such a dog, then you should immediately prepare to visit the groomer once a quarter or spend a lot of time at home removing excess undercoat, which is prone to matting if it is not properly cared for. Since if they already have tangles, then in many cases they only have to be cut off; diaper rash can even cause eczema under the tangles. It is not worth cutting such dogs short; it has a bad effect on their coat and in the summer they can get sunburn. To prevent this, keep an eye on your friend or take him to the groomer at least once a quarter.

Grooming a dog at home

Grooming your pet yourself requires following a number of rules and recommendations:

You need to restrain the dog. To do this, you will need a grooming table, which includes a noose that is safe for the health of the pet, attached to the stand, as well as a special non-slip coating. If it is not possible to purchase a table, a rubber mat will do, and you will also need the help of an assistant who will hold the dog with his hands.
The device must be moved parallel to the skin along the hairline. Any folds that appear should be straightened so as not to damage the skin and achieve the same length.
Before the procedure, your pet must be washed and thoroughly dried. Otherwise, the cutting tool will quickly become dull.
At the end of the haircut, you should check the dog's skin for wounds or scratches. Problem areas need to be treated with an antiseptic.
Tools must be well sharpened. Blunt instruments will tug and pull on the fur. As a result, the dog will form negative associations with the grooming procedure.

Note! Tools are stored dry and closed.

Required Tools

To carry out a haircut you need the following tools:

Well sharpened scissors. They should be straight and have rounded ends. You may need 2 types of scissors - small and large.
Pukhoderka. If the dog has a dense and thick undercoat.
Brush.
Wide-toothed comb.
Dog clipper.
Colt cutter. This will be necessary if the fur is so matted that it cannot be combed.
Thinning scissors (if necessary).
Hair dryer.
Hydrogen peroxide or potassium permanganate.

Since the haircut procedure usually includes other accompanying activities (manicure, bathing), you will also need:

nail clipper;
shampoo;
foams, varnishes, mousses (if the dog is being prepared for a show).

How to prepare

Before you start cutting your dog’s hair with a clipper, you need to select and arrange a place in the house for the procedure. The groomer and the dog must also prepare for the event:

It is important that the area for the haircut is well lit.
The hairdresser should wear a robe or unnecessary clothing (as it is quite difficult to remove hair from the fabric).
It is recommended to wear a mask to prevent hair particles from getting into your nose and mouth.
The location of the pet should be as comfortable as possible for both the animal and the master. It is advisable that the dog's withers be at the level of the hairdresser's chest.
Before the procedure, you should walk the dog and give it something to drink. At the same time, it is better to avoid heavy feeding, since the pet may vomit during a haircut (from stress).
After a walk, the dog should be washed with shampoo, dried with a hairdryer and combed.
If there are old tangles, then before cutting they must be removed with a tangle cutter.

Groomer's workplace

How to cut dogs - stages of cutting

The procedure for grooming dogs at home includes the following steps:

Trim claws.
Trim excess hair between toes and pads.
Remove hair from inside ears.
Give the muzzle a shape that meets breed standards.
Move from the head to the neck, shoulders and body.
Treat the groin area using a machine. Males are sometimes left with a small amount of fur to cover their dignity.
Trim the body, leaving the desired length.
Leave a little hair on the paws, do not cut the tail (unless docked).
Create bangs (if necessary).

Important! After all the manipulations, the dog must be bathed.

Difficulties

The most common problems during haircuts are:

Restless behavior of the dog. The wrong approach to the matter can provoke severe stress and aggression in the animal, which is why the pet begins to bite. You need to behave calmly with the animal, not raise your voice at it and not cause pain. As a last resort, if the pet is too aggressive, you can put a muzzle on the dog. The use of a sedative is allowed only if the above methods did not help. It is important to calculate the dosage correctly. You can calm a frightened dog by letting him sniff the tools. You should carefully comb the fur on his neck. You should not blow dry a timid pet; it is better to wash it the day before the procedure and let it dry naturally. It is desirable that the machine be as quiet as possible.
No previous haircut for a long time. If the dog is not groomed regularly, the procedure will be unusual for the pet and therefore frightening. In addition, over such a long period of time, the dog’s fur has become very tangled, and the procedure will obviously take a lot of time and require a lot of manipulations. All this will only scare the pet more. Therefore, you should not let the situation get worse - you need to trim your dog on time.

How to cut a dog's hair at home yourself
Grooming a dog yourself at home is a completely doable task, even if a beginner takes on it. The main thing is to master the basic lessons, try out the technique in practice and consolidate the skills, following all the necessary recommendations.

Silky dogs

Dogs with this type of coat have only one layer of hair, which is constantly growing and therefore needs regular trimming. If you make a short haircut, it can last up to 2-3 months. But if you are a fan of long haircuts and leave the salon with 2.5-3 cm of hair, then most likely after 4-6 weeks you will need to contact the groomer again so that your pet does not start to form tangles and does not look very neat.

Be careful!

An inexperienced owner rarely succeeds in cutting hair on their own the first time. To gain experience, you can take grooming courses or take your pet to a specialist and watch his actions.

Incorrect machine cutting disrupts the structure of the coat. It becomes susceptible to moisture, so the skin becomes drier, bald patches, dandruff, and eczema appear.

Animals with long hair that are cut very short become vulnerable to weather conditions, dirt, etc. After an incorrect haircut, the pet may begin to shed.

Following the recommendations will make grooming a pleasant, easy procedure for both the pet and the owner.

Terriers

Of course, there are a lot of types of terriers and those with short hair are easy to care for. But even long-haired terriers are not at all difficult to care for; their coat structure is quite dense and elastic and is less prone to tangling. Therefore, this type is quite easy to care for, just brush it regularly, but if you want the coat to lie flat and be well trimmed, then you should visit the salon once every 3-4 months.

How can I keep my dog smelling good?

Natural Ways to Improve Your Dog's Smell

Brush your dog regularly. Regular brushing of your dog's coat not only keeps it matte and tangle-free, but also removes dirt and debris. ...
Wash them with natural shampoo. ...
Keep their teeth clean. ...
Clean their ears. ...
Wash your dog's bedding. ...
Baking soda. ...
Rinse after walks.

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Curly and wavy coat

Dog breeds with curly and wavy hair are most susceptible to tangling and matting. It is believed that curly hair longer than 1.5 cm should be combed at least twice a week, and if it is longer than 3 cm, then it is recommended to go through the hair with a comb once a day. These dogs need frequent grooming, you can visit the salon every 4-6 weeks.

When choosing a haircut for your pet, remember that the shorter you ask for your pet’s haircut, the longer you can avoid visiting a pet beauty salon and the longer you want the haircut, the more often it needs to be kept in shape. Try not to get into serious tangles, they cause pain and harm to your friend.

The center of Dog City employs qualified groomers with many years of experience. Entrust your dog's grooming to us and we will not disappoint you!

Is it possible to cut a dog's hair?

When we first try to cut a dog's hair, we immediately encounter resistance. Oddly enough, animals often do not like it when their natural beauty is interfered with. Therefore, dogs need to be trained from a young age, so that in the future the grooming process will not be so unpleasant for the owner himself.

It is possible and even necessary to cut a dog's hair, especially for breeds such as Yorkies, Pekingese, Poodles and Spitz.

If this is not done, the pet will become so overgrown that it will be difficult for him to move, and even breathe in the summer.

Considering that animals like to always be on the move, the dog needs to be helped by giving him freedom of action.

You should definitely ask how to cut your hair correctly so as not to harm the person you want to help. And even the strongest resistance can be turned into an exciting game and the pet will even fall in love with this activity over time.

What is better to use

Smooth-haired dogs do not need to be cut. Daily brushing is enough to keep the coat shiny and smooth.

Dog breeds that have coarse hair require trimming (a clipper is used for some areas). Scissors can only be used for trimming:

beards;
hair on paws;
bangs.

For home haircuts you will need the following set of tools:

a brush with large and long teeth;
scissors (with rounded or straight ends);
a clipper that can also be used for dogs;
rubber mat to create a more stable position for the animal.

Competitions

Another reason for a haircut is preparation for an exhibition. Dog owners will not be able to do without this procedure. The pet must look its best on the show floor. The jury evaluates, among other merits of the animal, its impeccable appearance.

Grooming experts recommend cutting your dog's hair about a month before the event, so that the hairstyle can be corrected immediately before the event. In this case, it will be possible to advantageously emphasize the beauty of the breed on the eve of the exhibition.

Grooming to improve the dog's quality of life

New technologies can significantly improve the well-being and mood of a pet. Grooming, as a set of procedures for caring for a pet, in addition to trimming nails, bathing, treating eyes and ears, includes cutting dogs and combing them. The procedure not only provides animals with an attractive appearance, but also improves their health and quality of life.

Often, owners cut their dog's hair themselves. Unfortunately, these manipulations rarely give good results. The owner runs the risk of ruining his relationship with his friend, since the dog can be injured by scissors or other tools if handled improperly. In addition, the quality of a hairstyle done by a non-specialist leaves much to be desired.

Veterinarians recommend contacting professional groomers who will determine the animal’s coat type and select the right tools and grooming products. In addition, they know how to approach the dog without causing it discomfort, and will provide a hygienic haircut that is most comfortable for the animal.