How to Groom a Large Dog's Eyes

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How to Groom a Large Dog's Eyes

Easy

15 - 30 Minutes

1 Month

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Introduction

If your four-legged family member is one that has long hair on his head, face, and especially around his eyes, it needs to be groomed on a regular basis. If you allow the hair around your pup's eyes to grow too long, it can make it hard for your up to see where he is going. It can also scratch at his eyes and irritate them, leading to a possible eye infection. The irritation can also lead to excessive tearing, which may cause staining under your dog's eyes. Learning to groom around your large dog's eyes really isn’t that hard, it just takes time and patience.

Dog's Perspective

Odds are pretty good your dog is not going to be very happy when you start trying to groom around his eyes. This is normal, as most dogs don't like things near their eyes and will flinch as a natural reaction. Take your time; let your pup get used to having the brushes and shears near his eyes before you try to groom him. This will make the process much easier for both of you.

The Brush Then Trim Method

Effective

0 Votes

Slicker Brush

Scissors

Pin Brush

Comb

Step

Start by brushing his hair

Take a comb or brush the hair on the sides and tops of his eyes outwards and upwards. This will make it much easier to trim the hair and maintain a straight line. Be gentle and work with your pup, this will help stop him from becoming face-shy.

Step

Scissors to nose

Take scissors and show them to your pup, let him sniff at them and give them the once-over. Lay them on top of his snout where he can see them and let him get used to them. Give him all the time he needs to relax and start to ignore them.

Step

A little off the top

Using blunt-nose safety shears, cut a straight line above your pup's eyes. You can use a comb or even your finger as a guide. Give him a treat when you are done.

Step

Side by side

Using the shears, trim each outer side of his eyes starting at the bottom. Work with the shape of his eyes and go all the way to the top.

Step

At the bottom

If he has long hair around the bottom of his eyes, go ahead and cut it back and you are all done. See how easy that was?

The Tired Dog Method

Effective

0 Votes

Slicker Brush

Scissors

Pin Brush

Comb

Step

Time for walkies

Most big dogs have plenty of energy, which can translate into a dog full of nervous energy. One that won't sit still while you are trying to groom around his eyes, something you certainly don’t need. A good way to cure this problem is to take your pup for a nice long, tiring walk. This should help keep him calm and relaxed while you groom his eyes.

Step

Put on the blinders

Use one hand to cover his eyes, keeping it just below the level of the hair above his eyes. Brush the hair up and away from his eyes.

Step

The first cut is the deepest

The other nice thing about having your hand across his eyes is that your finger makes a great straight-line guide. Being very careful, use your shears to make the first cut across the top of his eyes. If you are not sure how short to cut it, cut the hair a little long at first, you can always go back and cut more off later.

Step

Those "attack eyebrows"

Now is also a good time to trim back those massive "attack eyebrows". Use the same hand to cover his eyes and the forefinger to guide you while trimming.

Step

At the bottom

Keep his eyes covered with one hand and brush out the hair on the bottom of his eyes. Then cut it back to the point where it won't irritate his eyes. By this time, your pup has more than earned a treat or two and you deserve a trophy. The rest is all about practice for both of you.

Caution & Considerations

Be aware that working around your dog's eyes with a comb, brushes, or shears is inherently dangerous. Be sure to exercise extreme caution.
If your dog won't hold still, consider asking another family member or friend to help hold him still.
Always use safety shears, they have a rounded tip much like those used by elementary school kids.
Be patient and take your time, this will help your dog remain calm, making the whole process go much more smoothly.
If your pup won't settle down, your vet may be able to prescribe a mild sedative to calm him for grooming.

Conclusion

Grooming around your dog's eyes is very important to his vision and eye health. While you should do this once a month, keep a close eye on how fast this hair grows. Your grooming sessions could be necessary less or more often, depending on your dog. Take your time, there is no reason to hurry. Your dog will learn to appreciate this when he can see where is going.

How to Groom a Large Dog's Eyes

Introduction

Dog's Perspective

The Brush Then Trim Method

The Tired Dog Method

Caution & Considerations

Conclusion

Success Stories and Grooming Questions

More Dog Grooming Guides