[WonderPup]

Awww I like it. I like how you kept the braceletts on the tall size. I can't count how many of my spoo customers get this clip and want like toy poodle sized pom poms on their standard poodle, it looks awful and so out of balance that way LoL. Good job

 

[India]

Harry looks gorgeous! I love the clip i will definatly try it on India when she is older. i think you did a wonderful job at grooming!

 

[kristylynn]

He does look gorgeous you did a wonderful job!!

 

[Purple Poodle]

I think you did great! I put Tuesday is one as well (she is freezing!).

He looks very hansom. :cute:

 

[taxtell]

Are you sure you're not a pro groomer? Great job!

 

[BFF]

It looks fantastic to me. I'm still trying to get the basics figured out. That is a complicated clip. You're an inspiration.

 

[KPoos]

It looks fantastic to me. I'm still trying to get the basics figured out. That is a complicated clip. You're an inspiration.

Thanks it is a pretty complicated clip. I didn't know when I started. I think he will look better in 2 more grooms because the pompoms will be fuller and I can round them more. I didn't dry him with a dryer so they didn't fluff out as much as they should also.

 

[Bella's Momma]

Looks great!

I think the ears would scare me more than the nails, but I've yet to try to do anything other than wash and brush!

 

[KPoos]

Looks great!

I think the ears would scare me more than the nails, but I've yet to try to do anything other than wash and brush!

I'm going to let the vet do the ear hair pulling. I can't bring myself to do it either.

 

[Bella's Momma]

I'm going to let the vet do the ear hair pulling. I can't bring myself to do it either.

I meant trimming them that short. But ITA about the hair-pulling, too!

 

[Olie]

You did a very good job. I never heard of that cut.....

The dremal I am horrified of, my Poms wont have anything to do with it but Olie we will need to familiarize him as poodle nails are thick.

 

[cbrand]

I think you did a great job. I love the shaved ear!

Can I give you some advice based on how I do my dogs? I like to shave to the shoulder blades and then scissor in the neck. This way there is a gradual transition from back up to cap.

I also like to leave my bracelets higher in the front so that the dog has more of an uphill profile.

 

[KPoos]

I think you did a great job. I love the shaved ear!

Can I give you some advice based on how I do my dogs? I like to shave to the shoulder blades and then scissor in the neck. This way there is a gradual transition from back up to cap.

I also like to leave my bracelets higher in the front so that the dog has more of an uphill profile.

I always want critism because that's how I learn. I can do the bracelets on the front higher for sure next time because I didn't go as far down as I could have with the blade so we'll have some hair in case I didn't get it even.

This dog is pretty difficult to scissor since he doesn't sit still. So let me understand what you are saying. You are leaving the neck hair long and then scissoring? I know that the back of his head looks ridiculous but that's where his bald spot from the hot spot was. That part where there's like no transition and it just goes from topknot to chunk and then fur...it's from me shaving it down to skin so that it could get air. It's just now growing back and the hair isn't curly. So next time I groom I'll try to leave hair from the shoulders up and scissor the neck to see how it comes out. Are you using straight shears to do this or curved?

 

[cbrand]

This dog is pretty difficult to scissor since he doesn't sit still. So let me understand what you are saying. You are leaving the neck hair long and then scissoring?

Right. That way there is a more gradual transition up into the cap and you don't get the beret look (unless you want it )

Are you using a chin rest? My show dogs are trained to stand with their chins resting on a cup that is attached to a bar. I couldn't find a picture of one on the Internet but it is based on the model they use for sheep. The arm attaches to my grooming table:
http://www.enasco.com/product/Z15191N

You might also consider getting an arm with a noose to keep him standing.

 

[KPoos]

I have the arm and noose and that works to an extent but it's a cheap one and I need a better one. I don't have a chin rest but I know what you are talking about. My breeder has one for her show dog. I might eventually get one when I start having to groom Jasper for shows.

I do not like the baret look but like I said I didn't have many options at this point because even with his hair uncut it still looked like a baret because of that shaved to the skin portion in the back of his head. Next time I'll try scissoring the back of the head and see what I come up with. I'm also having a hard time getting him as even on the body as I want. I want that velvety look which he has for the most part but there are parts that I will see that I think look like I need to go over it and I went over it when he was clean with a finishing blade time and time again until nothing was being cut. It's probably just the way his hair grows and I'm overly critical of my work.

Right. That way there is a more gradual transition up into the cap and you don't get the beret look (unless you want it )

Are you using a chin rest? My show dogs are trained to stand with their chins resting on a cup that is attached to a bar. I couldn't find a picture of one on the Internet but it is based on the model they use for sheep. The arm attaches to my grooming table:
http://www.enasco.com/product/Z15191N

You might also consider getting an arm with a noose to keep him standing.

 

[flyingduster]

If you're having trouble getting it even, you can use a blade two sizes up, and go in reverse (from butt to shoulders/hocks to thigh etc) it does a much smoother cut cos it pushes the hair up into the blade rather than squashes it down... Just be aware that going in reverse does take it a lot shorter than you'd be used to, hence why I said to use a blade two sizes longer than what you are using forwards!!!

Definitely once the hair is coming back in you can form a smoother topknot, but honestly it looks great for not being a pro at all!!!! Well done.

 

[WonderPup]

This dog is pretty difficult to scissor since he doesn't sit still. So let me understand what you are saying. You are leaving the neck hair long and then scissoring?

So next time I groom I'll try to leave hair from the shoulders up and scissor the neck to see how it comes out. Are you using straight shears to do this or curved?

here are a couple of visual examples for you. I'm so visual, a picture's worh a thousand words and all... lol I just loooove to do a "crest" of my dogs it;s allows for a very pretty neckline. Pity more pro groomers don't even know to do it... at leats in myyy area. LoL, The groomer who messed up the dog in the first picture actualy told the owner I must be a Sh$%^ groomer and couldn't possibly know what I'm doing because I didn't even do an even lenght on the body, the hair on the legs and the back of the neck was longer than the body... *eye roll* who's the crummy groomer now?
Anyway like I said, here are a couple of pictures of what the neck looks like with the extra hair.


before and after scissoring


Please excuse the color and whats left of the pattern that was shaved in, we were transitioning from one clip to another (mostly to get rid of whats left of two seperate dye jobs that can you still see)

I can't speak for other groomers but when I'm scissoring the neck I flip back and fourth from straights to curves depending on what part I am scissoring. Mostly for the top of the line I use straights and then round in and blend the sides with curves and then finish with straights. Curves to do tk into crest. Sorry, if thats not explained well, I never have been great at typing out how to's

 

[cbrand]

LOVE the cut on the black!!!!

RE straights vs. curves....

I use both. The curves do a nice job of scooping out the base of the crest and the sides of the neck. Straights seem to get the rest of the job done.

 

[KPoos]

I'm pretty sure I'll be able to make Harry look like that black dog soon. My husband mentioned the big gap at the back of his head and I told him my problem so it's not just you that sees it.LOL