I attempted Daphne's topknot a few days ago... That is tough! I watched several youtube videos, but Daphne got quite the chop job nonetheless. I have asked her breeder/groomer to give me a lesson soon. She taught me quite well on the FFT and shaving the body, and I think I have done pretty well so far. The scissoring is something I am for sure going to need some practice on. Any tips?
It's really just a steady hand and some good scissor work. I *love* scissoring, I wish I could give you a lesson in person! Big thing is to make sure the hair is clean and dried straight, else you'll find pieces sticking up all over later, go scissor happy, and have no topknot left.
OOh I wish too! I was so excited to use my new fabulous scissors too... I got the Geib Entree curved...and they are so nice compared to any scissor I've ever seen. I know they are pretty entry level to the groomers out there, but to me they were like BUTTA!
Ughh I feel you. Somehow, I used to be actually good at trimming Desmond TK, but then I kept letting it grow out into an epic fro, so I guess forgot how to trim it up nice, haha. I just tried trimming it a bit ago to keep it out of his eyes, he looks so dumb. It's all lumpy, I can't manage to keep it even and still long, and if I trim it any shorter he will look even stupider since his body is so long. I was really really bad about brushing him for a week or two, so it got all tangly and weak and just broke apart when I tried to brush him, it's all thin and wispy now, and some sections are just shorter and flat, it's horrible.
He's gettin a bath soon, so we'll tackle that problem then...
I usually follow the same method on each one, simply cos it generally seems to work!
basically I create a box, and then take the edges off. It's a whole lot easier to make an even box-ish shape first!!!
Combing all the hair forwards over the eyes, I scissor, at an angle, across the front of the topknot. The angle is towards the nose, create a bit of a 'ledge' or 'peak', so it angles out slightly over the eyes (cutting it at an angle back towards the head causes a permanent 'shocked' expression!)
Then comb all the hair straight over to one side, and scissor it all straight across there (straight across the top of the ear, and generally I hold the scissors, against their cheek with the blades pointing upwards to get it reasonably straight.) Cut ALL hair that sticks out the side; comb it across again and re-cut a flat side right across that side!0
Do the same to the other side.
Then comb it all back and scissor it blending into the neck.
You're left with a fairly tall, slightly squareish topknot, but it's a whole lot easier to then just round the edges and tip across the top to round it off into a fairly even shape...
There is always stragglers to get, but if you have a fairly even shape to deal with you'll have an easier time getting those stray hairs and be less likely to try and keep evening up the shape and end up whacking more [and more] off!!!! lol!
Thanks for the tutorial FD!! I will try this next time. My hardest part is trying to blend into the neck without making it look too "sharp" or having a really obvious cut off line.
The angle is towards the nose, create a bit of a 'ledge' or 'peak', so it angles out slightly over the eyes (cutting it at an angle back towards the head causes a permanent 'shocked' expression!)
We have one client that comes in with her standard that is a blue/silver color and whoever she takes it to (or if she does it herself - I've never wanted to ask!!) does a sharp angle BACK towards the head and with the color of the dog, we say she looks like one of those mountain gorillas!! It's awful:ahhhhh:
I also vote for a video! The world needs more Paris!
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