I’m sorry if this answer is somewhere but I can’t find it!
I’ve been grooming willow since I got her at nine weeks. I bought a cheap clipper and it didn’t work that great as she got bigger but it was quiet. I bought an andis 2 speed and it works great Getting through the hair but it’s so heavy. It’s really hard for me to control it on her legs because I’m fighting the weight. I’m going to return it. Does anyone know of a good clipper/trimmer(not sure the right name) that is light and quiet but will work? Does such a tool exist?
Thank you so much
Are you clipping her after she has been bathed and blown dry? I'll confess to clipping before bathing on occasion, but it's not a good practice. It's just amazing how much more easily the clippers go through clean, thoroughly combed, hair.
Personally, I am not a fan of using combs on clippers. I much prefer to use the correct blade for the length I wish to have. I have an old, noisy, Oster clipper that I rarely use and a fairly new Wahl. I have blades ranging from a #4 to #40. I use a 40 on face and feet and the top of the tail. I use a 15 on the back of the tail, around the anus, on the belly, and inside the upper part of the hind legs. I do not recommend a 40 for light colored poodles or poodles with sensitive skin - I would use a 30 or a 15 on them and a 10 on delicate areas. I have almost always had black dogs who do not have sensitive skin, but have had a few creams and apricots in years past.
I keep dogs who are not in show clip in a utility clip (done with a #7 blade all over in the summer, a #4 blade in winter) - and I usually like to have bracelets even though they attract stickers!
Here are some hints:
To get the head right, clip from the opening of the ear to the corner of the eye. Then clip the muzzle by going forward from a line that goes from the front corner of one eye to the front corner of the other eye. Make a V with your thumb and forefinger - run it down the neck until it naturally comes to rest - that will set the place where the shaved neck begins. A line from the opening of the ear to that low point on the neck will set how far back you should clip. You will need to stretch the skin on the face to get a smooth clip.
Be sure not to clip too far up the tail. If your dog has been docked to a proper length, the tail pom-pom ends just past the tip of the tail. The base of the tail pom-pom is not too far from the body - in other words, the pom-pom surrounds the tail, it does not hang off the end!
Be sure not to clip too far up from the feet. Only the foot is clipped - never go higher.
Always remember - it's just hair - it will grow back!
