How to Cut a Shaggy Dog's Hair
Hard
30 - 60 Minutes
1 Month
Need regular grooming services?
Introduction
There is nothing more enjoyable than running your hands through Shaggy's long coat. It can be very cathartic. But if you are like many people who own a dog with a shaggy coat, you probably spend a lot of money taking him to the groomer and paying a small fortune to have them cut his hair when it gets out of control. If you are ready to break this endless cycle of trading your hard-earned cash for a freshly trimmed Shaggy, it really isn't that hard to cut a shaggy dog once you learn how. In fact, you can make it a fun time for both of you once he gets used to being trimmed.Â
Dog's Perspective
To be honest, Shaggy likes his long coat and truly couldn't care less how long it gets. But, if you allow it to grow too long, it can become matted and filled with burrs, debris, fleas, and ticks, which can lead to serious health issues. The goal is to work with Shaggy rather than against him as you attempt to bring that crazy mess under control.Â
The Scissors Method
Effective
0 Votes
Slicker Brush
Scissors
Pin Brush
Comb
Step
1
Comfortable grooming height
Start by placing Shaggy on a grooming table or at a comfortable working height. If Shaggy is fussy, you need to restrain him, so he doesn't fall off the table. You may want to use a leash for this part or entrust another person to help you hold him in place.
Step
2
Brush out the mess
Using a pin brush, brush every inch of Cody's coat to remove tangles, mats, burs, debris, and anything else that might be hiding in it. Follow this up by going through it one more time with a comb to make sure you didn't miss any mats. This is likely to be a fairly lengthy process, so be patient.
Step
3
Grab the shears
Take the shears and let Shaggy see them. Make sure they are a good fit for your fingers. If they are loose on your fingers, you may not be able to control them properly which can cause cuts or nicks that can be uncomfortable for him.
Step
4
Start at the back
Use a comb to lift the hair up and backwards as this will let you see and short ends. Using your fingers as a guide, hold up the hair and clip the hair to length. Repeat this process all along Cody's back to his tail. Follow up by using the same method to trim the hair on his back and sides.
Step
5
Go for the legs
Continue using this back-combing and trim method on his legs, keeping the hair trimmed to the shape of the limbs. Lift each paw up and trim between his toes and pads. You may need to take your time with this to avoid clipping his paw pads or toes with the edge of the scissors.
Step
6
The head
Finally, trim the hair on his ears, face, chin, and muzzle. Give him a final brushing with a pin brush and then a boar hair brush to make his coat shine and you are all done! He gets a treat for sitting still and this will help reinforce a good association for later grooming and trimming.
The Calm Method
Effective
0 Votes
Scissors
Pin Brush
Comb
Clipper
Step
1
Take a walk
Take Shaggy out for a nice long walk first. This will tire him out and make the rest of the process much easier. Dogs with more energy can get anxious much more readily. Expending this energy before focusing on grooming will prevent anxiety from building up too much.
Step
2
Brush up
Brush his coat using a pin brush to remove all traces of tangles, mats, burrs, and anything else that might have made a home in Cody's fur since the last time you groomed him and trimmed his coat. Take your time to get rid of any lingering debris, as leaving it in may cause issues later on.
Step
3
Clippers on
Turn the clippers on and work in the direction Cody's hair is growing. Run the clippers down his back. Keep an eye on the temperature of the blades and lubricate them thoroughly and frequently to keep them from overheating and burning his skin. If you're not an expert with clippers, you may want to practice on a piece of shaggy fabric or something similar to prevent nicking your dog with them.
Step
4
Work his body over
Continue working the clippers over the rest of his body in the direction his hair is growing. Be sure you remove any tufts of hair from the clippers to keep them working efficiently. If you need to, take a few breaks in between clipping to give Shaggy some time to relax if his anxiety is making him fidgety or nervous.
Step
5
The belly
The best way to trim his belly hair is to have him lay down. This gives you access to his belly, his legs, and his paws. You may need to use shears to trim his paws, especially the areas between his pads and toes. If he struggles with laying down, you can use treats to encourage him to do so. Provide some gentle belly rubs if necessary for encouragement.
Step
6
Finish up
Use shears to trim around his bum, his face, muzzle, ears, and eyes. Once that is complete, time for one last going over with a slicker brush or boar hair brush. Then, give him a nice treat and take him outside as a reward. Make sure the whole process is as easy and calm as possible to make it easier to groom Shaggy in the future.
Caution & Considerations
- Never use any kind of product made for use on humans on Cody
as they contain toxic ingredients that may harm him.Â
- Be sure the blades of your shears are sharp, or they may rip
hair out of Cody's skin.Â
- Be sure you are using safety shears with rounded tips to avoid
injuring Cody.
- Â Be sure the blade on
your clippers is sharp to avoid snagging his hair. If you're inexperienced with clippers, practice on something else first to prevent mistakes or accidents from occuring.Â
- Lubricate the blades on your clipper frequently to keep them
from getting hot enough to burn Cody.
- If you use a grooming table, be sure to use the safety
restraints. Never tie your dog up somewhere with his leash without adequate safety measures, as he can leap off and injure himself otherwise.Â
- Never be afraid to take breaks and give Cody treats along the
way. Grooming should be a relaxed and calm event, so do be sure to not rush through the process in order to get it done quickly.Â
Conclusion
Cutting and trimming a dog with really long hair can be challenging and it is going to take you a fair amount of time. Be patient, working at Cody's pace, and it won't take long before both of you are quite comfortable with the whole process. Just remember: patience is key to a successful grooming session.
