How to Groom a Long Haired Dog with Scissors
Medium
20 - 60 Minutes
6 Weeks
Need regular grooming services?
Introduction
Caring for a dog with long hair can certainly be time-consuming. But the beauty your long-haired dog has is well worth the time you both put in maintaining his cut and fur. Grooming a long-haired dog with scissors can sometimes be challenging because of the length of the fur your dog has. You need to make sure when you're using scissors on his long hair that you are using the right scissors for the length and thickness of this luscious fur. Also, be sure to blend your cuts, so you don't see scissor lines across your dog's coat.
Dog's Perspective
Grooming your long-haired dog with a set of scissors may be more time consuming than using clippers. Your dog may lose a little patience and need to be redirected during this process. If this happens, give him a break and come back to it or give him a treat to reward him for positive behavior and for being patient.
The The Right Scissors Method
Effective
0 Votes
Slicker Brush
Scissors
Pin Brush
Step
1
Know your scissors
For your dog's long hair you're going to need a set of straight scissors for grooming that fits your hands well and has blades long enough to cut through your dog's fur. You may also need thinning scissors if your dog's coat is thick.
Step
2
Brush
Brush your dog's fur out in the direction the fur grows so that it is flat against your dog's skin. Be sure to get out any tangles while brushing. Don't forget to brush the fur on your dog's muzzle and his beard.
Step
3
Top of the head
Using a comb or a pin brush, pull the fur on the top of your dog's head forward. Be sure to pull it out of your dog's eyes and trim it to the length you would like.
Step
4
Ears and face
Comb down the fur on your dog's ears and hold the ear in your hand so that you can feel the tip of the ear. Cut around the tip of the ear, without cutting the skin, to the length that you would like. Trim any fur on your dog's face by brushing the fur downward and trimming to the length you would like. Focus on your dog's beard and any fur that grows upward around his eyes.
Step
5
Neck
Comb or brush the neck out and use a thinning shear to smooth the coat on your dog's chest. Blend this fur in with the fur on his neck until it is the length that you would like.
Step
6
Legs
Lift one leg at a time and trim any uneven fur growing on the back side of the leg. If you need to trim the front side, do so with the scissors pointed down towards the toes. Be sure to keep any of the back feathers under his legs and on the back of his legs trim and tidy.
Step
7
Feet
Using your scissors, trim any excess hair growing over your dog's foot. Be careful not to cut your dog's skin, but put the scissors right up against your dog's paw and cut in a circular motion around the edge of each foot.
Step
8
Body
Brush all the fur out on both of your dog's sides. Use your scissors to trim the length you would like, cutting straight across until the length of your dog's skirt is where you would like it to be. Use your scissors to trim the sides and thin out any thick areas. You can use a comb to separate clumps of fur. Be sure you blend these in as you are brushing and cutting so there are no scissor lines left behind.
Step
9
Tail
Carefully brush your dog's tail out and then lift it up and cut in a curved line to the length you would like the fur to hang from the tail. Tidy up the fur around your dog's sanitary area and the bottom of the tail to keep this area clean.
Step
10
Final brush
Brush your dog from head to tail again and trim off, with your scissors, any stray hairs, wiry fur, or straggly areas you didn't notice the first time around.
The Quick Cut Method
Effective
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Scissors
Pin Brush
Comb
Step
1
Position
Place your dog at the right height to groom him well. You’ll want smaller dogs on a table and larger dogs on the floor with you sitting comfortably next to them.
Step
2
Brush
Brush your dog's coat from top to bottom, back to sides, and stomach, head and tail, removing any loose fur and ridding the coat of any mats or knots.
Step
3
Scissors
With a comb, lift your dog’s fur upward and cut the ends, aiming for an even line. Use your fingers as a guide to create your trimming line.
Step
4
Repeat
Repeat this, grabbing small sections of your dog's fur and trimming it with the scissors in vertical lines.
Step
5
Comb
After each time you cut an area, comb through it to blend the scissor lines and ensure a clean cut.
Step
6
Continue
Continue this process for your dog’s body and tail.
Step
7
Face
Comb your dog’s face to even the fur and repeat the same steps as above, taking small sections between your fingers to cut. Start at the top of your dog’s head, moving to his face if he has long fur on his face, and then finish with his ears.
Caution & Considerations
- If you would like to trim your long-haired dog to a long but trimmed length, scissors are perfect and quick.
- If you're taking your long-haired dog to a short cut, scissors are helpful, but with shorter fur scissor lines may be seen if you are not careful.
- When planning a grooming session for your dog with long fur, break his body up into sections and focus on one section at a time.
- If this is an incredibly long grooming and your dog is impatient, give him a break and a treat. You can come back to it together after a break.
- Long-haired dogs often have beards that acquire food bits and debris. Keeping this area clean and trimmed will help to keep any foods out of his fur.
- Trim the long fur on top of your dog's head, but also consider a top knot with a long length for a cute look.Â
Conclusion
Long-haired dogs are fluffy and fuzzy. They require some maintenance but this can easily be done with some scissors. Fuzzy, cuddly, and furry are all attributes of a long-haired dog. Take care of these locks with a little scissor grooming and a good brush out for a fur-tastic look on your pup.
