[Basil_the_Spoo]

Disclaimer
There's a pic of Basil's butthole below.
Disclaimer

I procrastinated her tail and fanny because I was scared of raking her tender bits accidentally with the slicker brush or comb, I think that's normal. I got the softest brush I could find (pics below), and followed some tutorials on youtube.

It's good enough for a first time. I did a 3mm around her sensitive privates, which is like a medium stubble on a guy, and still soft. It looks like she was wearing wool pants before, and I justified holding off trimming her fanny because she got weekly showers. After her fanny trimming, she would waddle a little bit as though to think, "I tell that something feels different back there but I can't see for sure". Her poops had to feel like a different experience. She tried to drag her butt on the carpet, so I thought it was too short and irritating her. I sprayed some grooming anti-itch spray, and when I sprayed her little butt, she got the zoomies. Lol. I think she's reacting to the chilling skin sensation like getting a haircut for the first time.

Here comes the zoom in...

I liked grooming her tail was because it was fun and simple. Next step is to learn the all the angulations, there are a lot. Hopefully this gives someone courage to do it at home too. She's looking more poodly!

...Taken moments ago taken mid lick.

(32 weeks, 40.5# & a lot of hair)

 

[Raindrops]

Good job! I'm sure she'll be much cleaner now. Often newly shaved areas are a bit itchy. If kept short they will stop itching when shaved. But it's normal for her to want to itch it.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Your disclaimer made me lol.

Well done on that delicate grooming!

 

[Newport]

She’s a very pretty girl. If she didn’t have you to take care of her personal grooming imagine how raggedy she would look! Can’t have that.

 

[that_poodle_noodle]

The title of this made me laugh so much (here, the word fanny refers to someone’s lady bits and it’s not exactly a word you’d use around your mum!). The grooming looks really professional though, and it’ll make toileting so much cleaner and easier for her - well done!

 

[Mufar42]

I think you did a good job. My guy is a big wooly lamb right now. I've procrastinated as we have had some cool days and i usually sit on my back patio with a vacuum alongside and clipper him. Man he has a lot of fur. But he is getting very thick now though I cn still get the comb thru so perhaps today I will also join you in the attempt of home grooming.

 

[Basil_the_Spoo]

@Raindrops thank you for those reassuring words. I've been monitoring her butt scratching keeping in mind why she's feeling uncomfortable. It's always slightly nerve wracking to think my furbaby is uncomfortable because of something I did. Two little red spots came up and I think it's due to the butt scratching friction. She even tried to rub her butt on sharp rocky gravel last night (omg..) before I startled her out of it.

@PeggyTheParti Thank you!!

@Newport For sure, long hair dogs definitely require human intervention, it's a lot of work, thank you.

@that_poodle_noodle Thank you!!! That's good to know. I have now watched so many British and American poodle butt demos that my brain clumps every word together; tushie, derriere, rump... I could go on.

@Mufar42 You totally can. I stratled Basil between my legs and clamped her in when I first got started because she's wiggly and not sure what's going on back there. Tail and butt kind of go together. If you want to take baby steps then start with tail and work your way around it before you think to work your way south. Baby steps. Use a guard length where you're 100% sure your boy won't get nicked. Once you watch enough videos to get an idea of what stays and what goes then it's not so bad. You can always do scissor work later once your trimmers hack through the forest a strand at a time. You can do it!

 

[Happy'sDad]

Looks good! Once you get the hang of it you start to doubt the need for a professional groomer. Happy has become so accustom to being home groomed, I can barely keep her awake during the process. Private parts and nails unnerve me the most.

 

[Dechi]

You did well !

I’m kind of traumatized with grooming the bums on my poodle as I have made Merlin’s rectum bleed once. So we both are nervous in that area now. I use scissors for the most part.