[Birdie]

I just really need someone to give me some advice for how to shave in between the pads of the feet. I can shave the top of his feet fine, but I feel like I'm cutting him up every time I try to shave between the pads. I have looked through all sorts of different grooming books and articles, I've not found very many good videos of it to help, but I just feel like I'm doing it very, very wrong.

Does anyone have any "tricks" or anything to help me understand how to hold the clippers or which directions to shave or anything else I might be doing wrong? Are there any good videos I could watch to help show me? Any help at all would be appreciated!

 

[Aidan]

I think it's less about how you hold the clippers and more about how you hold the foot. It's much easier on a standard poodle and I like to hold the foot while placing my finger under the webbing and pushing up on it so that I know where the skin is at all times and I just graze over it but I use a 40 blade so it doesnt take much touch to get the fur off, i would use a 10 blade while you're learning and getting comfortable getting in between the toes. I also gentle shave at an angle on the side of the toe if that makes sense and soem of the harder to r each stray hairs i honestly ignore them!

All my dogs are in pet trims so getting every bit of hair isn't a concern of mine. If I wanted to be picky I suppose i'd use a pair of small scissors to get some of the harder to reach hairs.

I might make a video of how I do it one of these days!

 

[Daddy123]

Can't give you advice for in between toes as I am learning myself but I found it easier to cut the hair around the nails if you hold your clipper upside down for those areas. It works much better.

I purchased a grooming DVD from http://www.groomingdvds.com/dvds.html I wouldn't say it's a great video (I don't like the look of her finished poodle) but she explains a lot of stuff for beginners.

There was a lot of things I didn't know especially the areas to be careful around and how to go about it. She covers the feet really well. I think it's a good starting dvd and they sell for $29.99

I also bought the poodle dvd from http://www.superstylingsessions.com/html/groomer_skills.html That one is more expensive and more advance but I love love love to watch them work. Maybe one day I'll be able to do something similar to what they do :drool:

 

[SophieGirl]

Feet

What I normally do is hold the foot securly and then use your fingers on the hand thats holding the foot and seperate the toes so that you can see in between, then you move the clippers inward into the hair. It is kinda hard to cut the dog, although it does happen. But I find if you just seperate the toes than that will give you more working room and to get out all the hair inbetween and the same with the pads on the bottom of the foot. Good luck to you and hope this helps. Is this what you have been doing or what was your style??

 

[highhorse]

I have two toy poodles. After clipping the front of the feet and between the toes, I turn the dogs to face away from me, tuck them into the front of me and pick up their feet from the back (hope that makes sense). You've got a good view of the underside of their feet and it's almost like clipping the top side of the toes. When I first learned, I used a tiny pair of battery operated trimmers that we use in the horse world to trim whiskers. If you find it a bit scary, just trim the bits that are sticking out proud of the pad, then gradually move in between the pads as you get more confident.

 

[Birdie]

Thanks so much for the info guys, I'm going to try again and keep what you said in mind.
I do separate his toes, but I don't know if I'm spreading them far enough apart to where the skin is tight enough. I don't know, but I will keep trying to get better at it. I think I will do what highhorse said and work my way up there... I think that will give both of us a little more room to get used to the feeling of shaving the feet.

Thanks Daddy123 for the links! I will definitely look into those DVDs. =]