How many of you groom your own dogs?

stellasmama

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#1
We have a little Schnoodle pup, Stella, that we adopted back in June. We've taken her to be groomed twice. She's got long wavy hair that we have trimmed up, but we still keep her a little shaggy.

I bathe her, but have never "groomed" a dog. Besides buying clippers...where to you even start to learn how to groom your own dog??? I'd love to save the $50 it costs to have it professionally done.

How many of you groom your own pups and where do you start????
 

Brattina88

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#2
I groom my own dogs :) Its great!

I started by getting books out at the library, and reading up as much as I could. I also watched vidoes online, and rented videos specific to the style/s(breeds) I needed to know how to groom. The books helped me purchase the right kind of brushes, combs, and scissors for the dogs' coats (who knew there were so many different types of scissors - now that I know how to use thinning shears properly, its one of my favorite tools)
Do you have a petsmart near you? That grooms? I stood by there window and watched a couple of times (I'm sure they loved that lol) but I am a very visual learner.

Invest in a good pair of clippers. I love my Andis clipper. The pet set kits that they sell at pet stores just don't cut it. I went that route for a long time, and it was very hard. The blades went dull and the clippers died too often (I was not saving money by doing it at home that way). Also they were very hard to maneuver and clip the hair the way I wanted.
The andis that I use glides through the hair like butter, and does Not leave clipper marks :D (I used to call them racing stripes, because with the other clippers the dogs always had them for a couple days after being groomed).

In all honesty some of it is trial and error. Grooming at home can be a very rewarding experience, by both saving money, and I think the time with your dog is bonding and therapeutic even. But it can also be very challenging and frustrating. Just remember that it is just hair, and it will grow back ;)
 
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#3
What you need id a dog comb and de matt spray.
this is needed in between grooms and will reduce the time it takes to groom.

When you dry a poodle or x there of you MUST blow dry them all the way and kinda UP to get the snats out that will occur due to the washing.

After dry you comb and back brush with a back slicker the entire dog if more poodle hair vs schnauser>.

Then you need a good clipper and a package of combs that clip on the clipper .
This allows you to trim your dog vs shave. Each comb has different size.

Never use anything but a 10 blade under body or feet NO comb.
Do a sanitary on the pup with no comb the rest comb.

However blades get hot you must buy blade cooler and press the blade to your arm tto check temp often. Most injuries are caused by BURNS. Do not due ears if you are not trained you can cut them. The body is better to practice on.

Best thing t do is get a p/t job as a bather and have someone teach you basics.
then quit and do your own dog.

good luck
 
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#5
I groom Molly as I like her hair long and shaggy. Daily brushing/combing is a must for her and I've never had any problems with mats. It's not fair to the dog to allow mats to form.
 

MericoX

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#6
I groom mine myself. I just kinda of wing it. LOL.

And when I'm lazy... I goto Giny (who's also a member who) who also lives in Maine. LOL
 

Beanie

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#8
I groom Auggie by myself. I took him to be groomed once, and only once, and she trimmed him wayyy too much. He didn't need all that fussing. So now, I do all of it and he doesn't get all that fussing.
My biggest resources have been his breeder and the book Sheltie Talk, which has a whole section on grooming. There's also a book called The Illustrated Guide to Sheltie Grooming (I believe that's the exact title, it's something like that anyway) but I don't have that yet. A lot of the stuff in Sheltie Talk is too much fussing for little Auggie IMO. He's not a show dog so I don't need to do much.

and I CERTAINLY don't need to give him aussie pants like some groomers like to do...
 
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#9
I groom Blaze myself, always have as there isnt a need for a real grooming. also helps that I work in a grooming shop, so I take him in and groom him there so I can blow dry him.

Im learning how to groom.

I cant wait to get my toy poodle and groom her from the start.
 

Laurelin

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#11
details details!! lol :D
Haha. Forevr papillons has a good article and so does the PCA. I like the PCA's better. Both are about show dogs but you can make it work for pet dogs easily. (Just ignore clipping the whiskers and stuff)

GROOMING & TRIMMING THE PAPILLON

Basically... pin brush for the coat, fine tooth comb for the ears. Trim between the pads and around the foot with some grooming scissors. They're supposed to have a 'hare foot' which means you leave the hair on top of the foot long and kind of cut the foot hair into a point. It's not clipped close like most breeds. From the hock down on the back, I trim and clean up with thinning shears. Also from the ankle down on the front. Then I take thinning shears and just clip once or twice the tuft on top of the foot. Sometimes I shape the feathering on the butt and legs some, most the time not. Sometimes I do a sanitary trim too. They're really an easy groom. I don't take them to the groomers as I know so many people that took their paps to the groomers to find the ear fringe has been trimmed some. :yikes: That's really not good.

But there are better instructions up there, lol! I'm actually going to groom the two now. Summer's getting big feet. Mia doesn't really need it but she needs to be okay with feet touching.
 

dogsarebetter

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#13
Since I am a dog groomer, I of course groom my own dogs.
My fav clippers are Oster.

I would recommend finding some books, or diagrams online. Some things are very easy to cut and nick. some body parts also burn a lot easier (belly, privates, around the anus, faces)

There is also some trimming under the eyes usually and a lot of people who try to groom their dogs themselves are scared they will poke out an eye.

since you have a schnoodle it will need its ears plucked. dont forget to do that, and nail trims.
 

colliewog

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#14
Growing up I groomed our rough collies for the show ring. (I've only got smooths now, so no grooming required!) This isn't the same type of grooming as a Poodle mix, but just brushing and some scissoring. However, when I had a Westie (ex's dog), I groomed him. I basically just bought some really good clippers (the cheap ones were always getting tangled up and dull), then clipped/scissored him to resemble pictures. It worked for me. :)
 
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#15
I wish I could... even forgetting the $160+ every 6 weeks, I just hate leaving the dogs and worry what could be happening to them. But poodles and yorkies just seem to require too much skill, which I have NONE of, lol... I brush them every day (or every other day if Im lazy) and I bathe them every 2 to 3 weeks... I have been known to trim their feet which the groomer always notices, haha... I just cant stand the platypus look.
 

dogsarebetter

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#16
i guess i understand people not trusting groomers and worrying about their dogs. but it is upsetting that apparently some groomers give people a reason to worry.

However i am so sure that you are more likely to injure your dog grooming it at home yourself, than a groomer who has went to school, licensed and been grooming for 5+ years.

accidents happen even with the best professionals though.
 

babymomma

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#17
I groom my own! And other peoples! I just bought good clippers, Thinning shears, and the scissors. And I actually subscribed to a lady on youtube who is a groomer and shows you how to groom some breeds or dogs.

I can groom mini poodles, Yorkies (Well, duh, I have a yorkie lol), cocker spaniels, shih tzus and westies. No other breeds yet but I have the skills needed for the other dogs so Im sure I could wing it with some toher breeds.
 

Saintgirl

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#18
I agree Dogsarebetter, too often you hear people who claim that they don't trust groomers. This bothers me because I too am a professional groomer. I payed a professional instructor to give me an apprenticeship and learned the proper way to groom a dog. I think part of the reason that there are so complaints about groomers is because of the lack of regulations when it comes to grooming associations, because essentially there are no regualtions at all! Unfortunatly any local joe can take an on line course or read a book and claim that they are a professional groomer. They can even get a licence from a grooming association if they are willing to pay the membership.

The other thing that I hear from many new clients is how other groomers don't groom their dog the way they want them to. And then when I ask them what they would like done they respond with the usual whatever you want, you're the groomer I'm sure you'll do just fine. When this happens I pull out the computer or books and get them to find me a picture of what they want. I can't read minds, and what I think looks good and what the owner has in mind could be two different things. My other favorite is the extremely matted dog whose owners want them brushed out and shaped perfectly. I will not have a dog on the table for hours painfully removing matts because an owner was too lazy to do the daily brushing, and if this doesn't work for the owner they are more than welcome to leave. I never let a client leave without having a sure description of what they would like to have done.

Good groomers are out there. The best way to find them are word of mouth. My clients come to me because more often than not I have been recommended to them by another client. A good groomer takes the time to listen to the owners, has patience with the dogs, and can give a good cut! I don't crate the dogs that come to me, I give them my 100% attention, I do not put them in cage dryers, I don't rush through dogs to get the extra dollar at the end of the day. I may only groom 5-6 dogs a day, but you can be sure that I am going to give the dogs I attend to that day the attention and patience that they deserve.
 

Fran101

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#19
i guess i understand people not trusting groomers and worrying about their dogs. but it is upsetting that apparently some groomers give people a reason to worry.

However i am so sure that you are more likely to injure your dog grooming it at home yourself, than a groomer who has went to school, licensed and been grooming for 5+ years.

accidents happen even with the best professionals though.
I think its more about the fact that I probably care about my dog more than someone who is licensed and grooming for 5+ years.
Accidents are normal, but the horror stories I see, hear and witness with some groomers aren't accidents.

Ive had horrible experiences with groomers,but finally I found one that I like :) she doesn't use those cage fan thingies and she grooms one dog at a time and really seems to CARE about the dogs shes grooming. so im happy

As for the original question, I groom my own dogs to an extent. kenya is easy, so i kind of groom her. but because my mom is a neat freak, both kenya and her bichon and her other dog all go to the groomer just about every 2 weeks. and for the bichon, its necessary because my mom keeps his hair look and floofy
 

babymomma

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#20
I dont trust groomers...You both may be outstanding groomers, but the majority are not. And quite frankly, I dont know either of you and Wouldnt trust You with my dog. That is just me.. I care deeply about my dog and Do EVERYTHING to avoid doing anything to harm her. Ive had bad experiances in the last year with 4 differeant groomers. I dont want to keep going to groomers that other people swear by and then all of a suden I had a dog with no ear or dead. Thats JMO.
 

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