INTRODUCTION
As it is for the bath, for the shearing too we should use a sequential method in order to spare time and work correctly.
It could seem difficult, but it isn’t so.
ARRANGEMENT
The first thing to take into account is the condition and the amount of hair , then we must decide the type of haircut and go on with the arrangement.
Sometimes the presence of knots or the bad conditions of the mantle oblige us to do an arrangement which is different from what we decided to do before, by cutting more or less deeply the hair and endangering the final results.
The general method is however more or less as it is summarized below:
FRONT ARRANGEMENT
We are in front of the dog and in a side position
1) Snout, Moustache and beard
2) Topknot or pon pon
3) Neck and shoulders
4) Back and chest
5) Paws and front legs
6) Cropped paws
7) Breast
BACK ARRANGEMENT
We are at the back of the dog and in a side position
8) Rump
9) Groin
10) Paws and back legs
11) Tail
Now we’ll examine closely all the above mentioned points, by connecting them and describing each passage.
As an example we’ll see the shearing of a caniche nain.
1) Snout, Moustache and beard
Pay attention to the left hand which holds the dog allowing the right hand to work with clipper and scissor in a safe way.
You’ll understand better with the help of images.
To memorize each passage by connecting it with the following one will help you when you come here to do the practical course directly on dogs.
By keeping the snout in the right position with the left hand, using the clipper take out the hair starting from the external junction of the eye up to the junction of the ear; execute with the clipper bent towards the exterior, leaning on the cheek-bone with the lower half of the comb, the one which is turned towards the table.(f.1)
Lean now the comb on the starting point, using the technique of the “half comb cuts and half revises”, go on through the entire cheek (f.2)
Change now the holding of the left hand (f.3)
We raise the snout and do the cutting until the cheek-bone height in correspondence with the eye shearing the neck all around frontally and laterally. (f.4.5.6.7 )
We change the taking of the left hand to clean the skin below the eyes, cutting from the external junction of the eye to the internal junction towards the nasal septum.(f.8,9,10 left eye) (f.11,12,13 right eye)
The left hand stretches gently the skin below the eyes towards the back of the dog, increasing the smoothness of the heads of the clippers.
The skin below the eyes is extremely mobile and thin, so it must be stretched to avoid cutting or scratching.
Starting from the right eye, we shear cheeks and throat reaching the left eye.
To complete the arrangement of the snout, with the clipper we must act on the nasal septum at the height of the eyes junction, but we’ll do this passage after the arrangement of the moustache, in order to have the best final point on the nose.
Moustache and Beard
Comb towards the nose at the exterior the hair around the nasal septum and the mandible (f.14)
We seize the snout in a firm way, then we cut with the scissors all the hair which exceeds the snout horizontally and vertically. (f.15,16,17,18,19)
Pay attention when you use the scissors on moustache and beard; the dog stimulated by our manipulationsdesires to lick his nose; hold him in a safe way means to apply the right strenght to the holding of the snout which permits us to understand when the dog tries to open the mouth, in order not to hurt it accidentally with the scissors on the tongue.
Now we comb the hair towards the eyes (f.20,21)
By leaning the scissors on the line made before with the clipper near the junction of the mouth, we cut all around the snout in a circular way rotating the scissors to the outside (f,22,23,24,25)
Now we can complete the gap of the nasal septum with the clipper.
Starting at the height of the eyes cut the hair to the nose direction reaching the line of the back gap of the moustache which we created before with the scissors (f.26)
Now comb centrally towards the outside moustache and beard, and smooth it using the final part of the scissors, eliminating the hair that come out of the ideal circle that we have just created. (f.27,28)
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2) Topknot or pon pon
• Back arrangement of the topknot.
Seize in a correct way the snout with the left hand,(f.29), by means of a metal comb with thin teeth ; comb the topknot towards the back in the tail direction. (f.30)
Now take the scissor straight , keeping the snout inclined ahead to the bottom, lean the final part of the scissors to the back junction of the ear (f.31).
By leaning the scissors towards the outer side, cut the hair until the junction of the other ear thus creating a half-moon shape (f.32,33,34,35).
Leaning more or less the scissors during the gap among the ears, we modify the back dimensions of the topknot; it’s important to keep some kind of inclination while we execute the cut in the external direction.
• Front arrangement of the topknot.
Keeping the snout in a raised position, comb the hair of the topknot in the nose direction, lifting now the snout on high and leaning the scissors in a horizontal way on the nose near the eyes, eliminate the hair which exceeds. (f.36,37)
• Side arrangement.
To complete the arrangement of the topknot we must cut the hair from the external junction of the eyes to the junction of the ears. Execute by keeping the snout in a position lightly lowered, incline the scissors to the outside thus obtaining a side roundness of the topknot. (f.38,39)
• Preparation to thesmoothing.
Comb the hair of the topknot using the metal comb towards the centre of the head and to the top starting from the gaps made before (f.40)
Seizing gently the final part of the ears shake the topknot with a continuous and alternating movement (f.41)
Now the topknot is ready for the final smoothing.
• Final smoothing.
Seize the snout in a correct way, cut all the hair which exceeds using the final part of the blades of the scissors, trying to round off the topknot.
Moving the snout with the left hand in different positions we are able to see better the hair to cut by making the smoothing easier.
Repeat some times combing and shaking the hair towards the centre of the head before smoothing with the scissors.
To make the haircut last long and the hair grow uniformly, it is important to repeat the smoothing many times. ( smoothing of the pon-pon f. 42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52)
• Advanced techniques.
As stated before, to know and follow a correct method of working makes easy also groomings which seem difficult at the beginning, as it is for the two-headed caniche in the photo.
The technique I followed is the same described in the paragraph; the unique difficulty I met was to share myself in two during the work!
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3) Neck and shoulders
Seizing the snout in a correct way with the left hand, carry out the arrangement of the neck.
Keeping the snout down to maintain the skin stretched, lean the clipper on the gap made before with the scissors among the ears in the back side of the topknot. (f.53)
Execute the cut reaching the height of the blade-bones and the shoulders. (f.54,55)
Change the position of the left hand , seize the snout lifting it on high to stretch the skin under the throat, completing with the clipper the cut all around the neck trimming near the shoulders and the breast-bone.(f.56,57)
When you execute operations on the neck with clipper, scissors or even a brush, it’s better to seize the ears with the left hand leaning them on the mandibles; this will allow a better view and a more freely working. (f.58)
It’s very important to maintain constantly the right position while working; it’s better to bend the legs and not the back, while the arm shall be stretched out, the position must be natural.
The examples in the photos 59 and 60 show a wrong position with the back and the arm which works with the clipper too bended.
Wrong position of the operator with back and arm too bended . (f.59)
Below: Head and back of the operator still too bended and arm not stretched out. (f.60)
RIGHT POSITION:
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4) Back and chest
To stretch the skin of the back seize the snout low with the left hand creating a horizontal line among back and neck. (f. 62)
Starting from the final point of the precedent cut at the centre of the blade-bones, make a straight line with the clipper all along the back at the tail height until the groin.
Make slowly the first central cut from the blade-bone towards the groin.
Since we are using the whole width of the comb blade, in the following cuts we’ll use the technique where half comb cuts and half comb touches up, increasing the speed of sliding.
(f.63)
Move by the side of the dog continuing the cut also on the flanks on both sides reaching the chest.
(f.63,64,65,66, 67,68)
Some different positions of seizing to execute the trimming on the chest. (f.67,68,69,70,71)
The seizing with the left hand helps to maintain a correct position while working; it’s important when seizing the front legs to interpose the forefinger among the paws.
In this way the dog won’t suffer pain at the articulations of the front paws and the seizing of the legs will be steady.
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5) Paws and front legs
Summing up:
We executed the arrangement of the front part included the shoulders, and for our convenience we reached the junction of the groin near the tail and the trimming on the chest.
Before shifting on the back moving behind the dog it’s better to finish the arrangement of the front.
Since there’s a starting point as a reference on the shoulder, we need a final point which we will create preparing the paw.
Only after we will join with the clipper or better with the scissors these two points (shoulder – paw) reaching an excellent aesthetical result and above all equal in both legs, without the need of imaging lines of cut..
It is easier said than done; however as it is for topknot, moustache, beard, shoulders, if the starting and final points are taken into account, the work is easier and more qualified, making the cut lines proportionate to the size of the dog.
Before starting we shall check the nails and if necessary cut them. (f. 72,73,74,75,76)
The nails must be periodically cut, with particular attention to the black nails which don’t allow to see the length of the blood vessels.
If it isn’t clear, it’s better to shorten it only a few millimetres.
There are nail trimmers like the one used in the photos with a protection which avoids to shorten too much giving confidence also in case of restless dogs.
Cut of the spur of the front paw. (f.74)
Seize the leg at the height of the elbow with the left hand, using the teaser with the right hand comb the hair of the paw in all directions, leading finally the hair down.
Alternatively to the brush or after it, it is possible to pass with a linear comb on the brushed hair, eliminating the last knots. (f.75)
With the help of the scissors and using as a standard cut the length of the nails, cut around the paw bending the scissors outward. (f.76,77)
Eliminate also the hair which exceeds on the pulps under the paw and back (f.78)
Repeat the operation combing again the hair of the paw to the low; then comb or brush the hair of the paw to the high in the shoulder direction, shaking lightly the leg and using the final part of the scissors give a round shape to the hair joining the first part of the leg to the flaring obtained when you cut around the paw.
(f.79,80,81,82)
Repeat all the operations executed up to now starting from the combing of the hair to the high towards the shoulders.
To finish the arrangement of the leg, we must join the starting point on the shoulder with the final point on the paw linking perpendicularly the two references with the clipper or the scissors. (f.83,84)
It’s better to use the scissors if you are not still expert with the clipper.
Owing to the particular structure of the legs it’s use to cut the hair more at the external side than in the internal side of the leg leaving a little gap; obviously the dog must have the hair long enough.
(f.85)
Variant
Seize with thumb and forefinger behind the pulp.
In this way the right hand is able to work freely on the leg with the scissors without crushing the hair of the paw.
Notice that the paws so arranged are called “cat’s”.
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6) Cropped paws
The skill which characterizes the left hand to seize and separate the toes of the dog to permit to the clipper the elimination of all the hair of the paw is fundamental.There’s the need of a particular position while clipping the hair of the triangle under the pulps; the expert rotation of the wrist lets the clipper cut all the hair without hurting the skin.
For this operation the combs of the clipper are less than a millimetre.
Seize the leg at the elbow and comb the hair of the paw to the high towards the shoulder, lean the clipper on the nails and execute the first cut (a pair of centimetres) towards the junction of the toes; the same laterally; make attention not to go too high, the right limit is the height of the back pulp which must be bare without allowing the view of the skin.
This first phase makes us see better the final points, we can also use our thumb as a measure.
It’s easy to cut too high, but it would compromise the beauty and proportionality of the work that we are going to execute.
Seize the paw as if we had to cut the nails, decide from what toe it’s better to start and clean laterally each toe from the right to the left bending with the clipper without being too deep between the toes.
The cutting comb works between the toes with the 25% of its surface, as a matter of fact some producers have a narrower comb to help this specific operation.
Repeat from the left to the right.
As it regards the below of the paw we must use a particular position of the hand seizing the toes on the upper part with the thumb and the middle finger, putting the forefinger among them.
These are difficult operations to explain, so my advice is not to try without having seen them in practice.
We are willing to teach all these basis techniques. To know more, contact us.
Comb now the hair to the low and using the final part of the blade cut all the hair round the leg leaning on the gap made before with the clipper.
During this operation the scissors must be horizontal to the leg (as a right angle), so as not to obtain a too narrow flare of the hair which comes from the paw.
With the comb of the clipper clean the tender skin between the toes; if this operation isn’t correctly executed, there’s the danger to hurt the skin of the paw.
The following pictures serve as an example of what above stated, but they mustn’t be followed in practice.(f.86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95)
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7) Breast
Before doing the back side, join with the scissors neck, shoulders, breast-bone and front legs; with the scissors too it’s better to use the technique of the half which cuts and the half which touches up; have always a look to the cut just made , and go on skimming it with a new scissors cut.
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8) Rump
We are now behind the dog, using the clipper start where we left on the back and cut the hair until the junction of the tail.
Continue on the thighs and create the first reference of junction which will permit us later to join the paw to the thigh respecting the vertical line (f.100,101)
Take into account that the carrying out of the shearing is above all external .
While using the clipper or the scissors control the dog with the left hand and make him maintain a correct position. (f.102,103,104,105)
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9) Groin
We are behind the dog, seize with the left hand the back legs on the fetlock near the paws, with the forefinger among the articulations lift the back. We must lift until we obtain the best sight of the groin to work safely and in a position without bending the back. (f.106)
The groin is a very delicate part of the body, it presents mobile skin; females have the udders and males have the genitals.
The ideal measure in the choice of the comb must be neither too low in order to avoid irritations of the skin, nor too high, since the structure of the comb with large teeth permits easily at the skin to enter with consequent hurts.
This operation can be done also lifting the front legs or, for big dogs, lifting laterally one leg. The comb of the clipper must always lean to the skin respecting the slopes of the anatomy of the dog. As showed in the following images, we’ll lean the comb in a central position on the belly from the low to the high (f.107)
Roll the clipper in the hand putting the comb in a diagonal position leaning it horizontally through the thighs. (f. 108,109,110 )
This is an unnatural position for the dog, often he starts to move after a few seconds because he wants to lean the paws on the table. We are strained too if a dog moves because the time of execution is longer and our arm and shoulder hurt.
Advice:
To obtain a perfect result often we pass many times on the same spot. But it leads to irritation of the skin after some hours, and also pruritus; so it’s better to leave some hair than to irritate the skin until when the practice will improve your technique. (f.110)
Often our reliability conveys stillness to the dog which allows us to manipulate it even for some hours without protest. If the times become too long it’s better to lean down the dog for some seconds and then start again.
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10) Paws and back legs
We left a starting reference on the thighs when we started the arrangement of the back (see f.100,101,102,103,104,105)
Now we prepare the paw with the same operations described in the paragraphs 6 - 7starting from the checking of the nails.
After having combed the hair of the back paw to the low using a teaser first and then a linear comb, with the scissors eliminate rolling outward all the hair which is longer than the nails. (f.75,76,77)
Comb the hair to the high towards the back, reaching the heel.
Seizing the paw stretch the leg behind touching up the flare if the paw is cropped, or the conicalness in case of cat’s paw.
(f.111,112)
After finishing the arrangement of the feet, we obtained the reference point which we need to join perpendicularly the thigh (f.113)
Seize gently the groin with the left hand (maybe the contact is enough) and join with the scissors the two references to complete the arrangement (f.114,115)
Head, shoulders, paws are distributed in a proportional way on the dog.
If our method uses these points as references for start, finish or join for the cut, we’ll obtain easily pon-pons which are proportional to the measure of the head; moustache and beard will develop according to the length of the nasal septum, the legs will be proportionate to the whole body and the back legs equal to the front ones.
As a matter of fact the back paws have the same dimension as the front ones., and so it is for the shoulders.
Who works without a method is able to perform a shearing but in more time and with more strain.
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11) Tail
The gap on the tail depends on the length of the tail. It should not reach its half, but possibly the third part.
In the drawing 1 we can see the correct developing of the pon pon.
You can notice that in the upper part of the tail there’s more hair, than in the lower part.
After some days the hair of the drawing n.1 gets down, bends naturally towards the low, leaning on the tail.
If the pon pon is developed as in the drawing n.2, when the hair gets down it will be as in the drawing n.3.
• ARRANGEMENT OF THE PON PON ON THE TAIL
After having checked the characteristics of the tail execute the gap starting from its junction on the back towards its end , cut the hair with the clipper for the third part of its length.
Comb the hair towards the outer part (f.117)
With the two hands twist the hair.(f.118)
Keeping the hair twisted with the left hand, make a clear cut with the scissors more or less one centimetre and a half from the end of the tail (f.119.120)
Seizing the hair of the tail with the tip of the fingers, comb the hair towards the back and shake (f.121)
Now finish the arrangement rounding the hair with the scissors, taking into account the advices which you find at pag. 36 regarding the developing of the pon pon after some days. (f. 122, 123, 124, 125)
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