How to Trim a Dog's Hair with Scissors

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Medium
15 - 45 Minutes
6 Weeks

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Introduction

If your dog needs a quick trim, you should be able to do it fairly quickly and easily with just a pair of scissors. In fact, brushing your dog out will probably take longer than your quick trim. Make sure before you do any trimming with scissors your dog is comfortable with the shears and is fully brushed out and tangle-free before you get in there and start cutting. You can give your dog a scissor trim quickly once you know the length of his fur you’d like and prepare yourself with the right pair of scissors. You will, of course, also need a dog who wishes to cooperate.

Dog's Perspective

If your dog is not used to the sound of scissors or the feel of them, introduce them to your dog first. He may be a little apprehensive about having scissors so close to his face and ears or even his tail and belly, which are sensitive areas. Give him permission to sniff them and then open and close them so he can hear the sounds that they make as they cut. Treats always help with any anxiety during grooming as well.

The Scissor Trim Method

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Scissors
Pin Brush
Comb
Step
1
Brush
Brush your dog from top to tail in the direction of the fur. Work out any tangles or knots, especially in areas where the fur is long or in the dog’s beard. Getting rid of knots before cutting will help for a more even trim.
Step
2
Top of the head
Starting at the top of your dog’s head, comb any fur forward and up out of your dog’s eyes. Trim with scissors to any length you’d like. Use short blade scissors to trim around your dog’s eyes and for his beard.
Step
3
Tips of the ears
Place your fingers at the tip of your dog’s ear to avoid cutting the skin. Trim the fur below this tip to the length you’d like. Make this a straight line or follow the curve of the ear. Trim underneath the ear as well.
Step
4
Neck and chest
With the neck and chest freshly brushed, trim the excess fur along the neck and blend it into the fur on the chest. You can use thinning shears to thin any thick areas. Hold the scissors parallel to the skin while pointing them down. Use a brush or comb to blend the fur in between cuts while trimming and thinning.
Step
5
Legs
Trim the feathers along the backs of the legs and tidy up the fur along the front of your dog’s legs. Trim around his toes. Keep scissors pointed down while cutting.
Step
6
Sides
Start with the blended fur at the neck and trim with scissors parallel to your dog’s side. Trim your dog’s skirt to the length you’d wish and thin the sides with the scissors pointing down. Comb or brush in between cuts to blend fur and avoid scissor lines.
Step
7
Tail
Brush the tail so the fur is hanging down. Hold tail out and cut to the length you’d like. Trim any stray fur and brush through again.
Step
8
Brush again
End your scissor trim with a good brush out to ensure you have cut everything that needed to be cut. Tidy up any excess stay hairs or fur for a cleaner look. After this brush out, be sure to offer your dog a tasty treat for a job well done.

The Quick Cut Method

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Scissors
Pin Brush
Comb
Step
1
Position
Position your dog at the right height for grooming. You’ll want him on the floor with you if he’s a large dog and on a table, at waist level, if he’s a small dog.
Step
2
Brush out
Start by brushing your dog from top to bottom including his back and sides. Remove any loose fur and work out tangles and knots while brushing.
Step
3
Scissor trim
Use a comb to lift your dog’s fur and cut the ends to the length you want to see. Aim for a straight, even line, and use your fingers as a guide for cutting.
Step
4
Repeat
Use this comb and scissor method as you take small sections across your dog’s midsection for cutting. Continue to trim his fur with the scissors blending the scissor lines with a comb.
Step
5
Comb
Once you are done cutting an area, comb through the fur to smooth lines and look for any stray hairs that need to be cut.
Step
6
Continue
Continue this comb and cut process for the rest of the dog’s body including his head and tail.
Step
7
Face
Use a fine tooth comb to comb the fur on your dog’s face. Repeat the steps above with any fur on the face that needs to be cut. Lift the fur on top of the head and cut to the desired length.

Caution & Considerations

  • Scissors are perfect for a quick trim.
  • Be sure to brush out your dog's fur before you trim.
  • If your dog has tangles and knots you may need to cut these areas with scissors while you're brushing.
  • Blend any scissor lines by cutting in an opposite direction and coming through once you are done cutting.
  • You can also blend any shorter areas that needed to be cut out because of matting or tangles with scissors and a good comb.
  • Be aware of the tip of your dog's tailbone, the tips of your dog's ears, and the skin around his paws as you are trimming with scissors
  • When possible, try to keep the scissors parallel to your dog's skin and pointed away from his face and sensitive areas.
  • Become familiar with the different types of scissors you can use on your dog. Scissors with short blades are good around the face and for cutting around paw pads. Curved scissors curve with your dog's body, and scissors with longer lengths are great for dogs with long fur.

Conclusion

You don't need clippers to trim your dog's fur. A quick scissor cut is easy to do while still giving your dog a fun and furry look. Be cautious with the scissors and protect your pampered pup from any injuries. Don't leave out areas like your dog's tail and ears when trimming with scissors. Make your pooch beautiful with an easy scissor trim. 

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