[dogsavvy]

Oh man, yesterday I decided to clip Mr. Layne (my Standard Poodle). I've been doing a longer clip than I intend to keep him in but I clip every few days. I want to just keep him so used to it that it's no big deal to him & I'm working with him to learn to be still & maybe take a nap. Hmmmm… I didn't have the blade I wanted & the combs just weren't doing a great job so I decided to skim the coat. Well... that was a dumb idea. I do this all the time with my Giant however different hair & she's a long time away from puppyhood.

No worries, no pinches, no nicks, no damage to the pup & the awful hair cut (uneven... all over the place) did more good than harm except to my eye because he just totally relaxed on the table & let me do whatever I wanted. It's the most relaxed he's ever been. Right now he's sort of in modified Giant Schnauzer like pajamas, lol. So I am very thankful that hair grows back. He looks like maybe a kid got ahold of him with scissors or a weed whacker got him. As for Mr. Hondo, he just looks at me like I did the best job. What a guy!

I tell myself training is more important than hair. Hair grows back but yeesh!

 

[MaizieFrosty]

Absolutely, the experience is much more important than the appearance. Good job. You'll get better and better.

 

[EVpoodle]

The training and experience you are getting grooming your dog is for more important than the finished cut.

 

[MerrysSarah]

Would love to see pictures I'm pretty sure we've all had a bad cut a two!

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[MollyMuiMa]

That darn learning curve......................LOL!!

 

[Skylar]

Haha, I would love to see photos too.

It's only hair and it grows back - you have the right attitude.

 

[dogsavvy]

okay but they're not good photos. Mr. Layne is wiggly today Then again, it's an awful hair cut. It's a good thing Mr. Layne loves me! My Collie & Giant are so jealous. They keep photo bombing us. The bad cut makes him look like his legs are a mile long! There are sprigs of hair that are long & some that are very VERY short.

Edited to add: I put him on the table today & cleaned his ears & he did more kissing me than anything. it might be possible that he is starting to like this grooming stuff. Oh yes, he's a little discolored. He was lizard chasing in my flower beds... OH the dirt. Ugh.

 

[MerrysSarah]

What a cutie! It does look a little like a schnauzer or cocker spaniel style, but he's still adorable

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[Vita]

...He looks like maybe a kid got ahold of him with scissors or a weed whacker got him...

I love that description and it brings back memories of Bella and I going thru the same thing with my early attempts at grooming. I called it the Poodle Grunge Clip.

 

[Dechi]

It doesn’t look bad at all, I’ve done a lot worse ! Keep practicing, you’ll become a champ soon.

 

[Moni]

I have done worse to Louie - and he is one color so it shows more. Ask me how many times I weed wackered down his back forgetting to switch the blade!!! :adore: so..yep thankfully it grows back and fast! Yours looks adorable though! Louie also got groomed a lot as a puppy and his favorite position during grooming is fast asleep - so much so he has a hard time standing - hence grooming being uneven on both sides because there is the up side = wonderfully done, and the down side = hurried finish. Somehow he only sleeps on one side...silly pup!

 

[dogsavvy]

Thanks everyone. I promise in person it looks worse but you all give me hope that I'll improve, especially in hearing some of you had similar experiences with early cuts. And I've said it before but I'm thankful hair grows back REALLY... really thankful.

 

[dogsavvy]

UPDATE: Oh what a difference a little time & the right blade & a booster bath makes!

Here we go. First I'll remind that he still looks a little goofy because I'm only doing small bits at a time several days a week which means he's perpetually goofy looking but I just would rather him learn patience on the groom table & be a good boy for it rather than insisting on doing it all at one time & have him hate the table. A celebration will be had when he tolerates the whole dog spa-day treatment

I love my new 3 3/4 finish blade (Andis). It leaves 1/2" coat & despite that it's all curly, it still has a much nicer finish than the mess I did last time. This pup is eager to explore everything no matter what he climbs on or crawls under or into. So I'm keeping top of his head at 1/2" with a little longer on ears (such pretty ears) & long hair on legs. I'm hoping if he ever encounters a snake it'll get a mouth full of fluff & nothing to sink fang into. Plus right now it keeps everyone guessing as to what in the world I have in my yard, lol.

Pictures are coming as soon as I can get them loaded.

 

[dogsavvy]

Here is a picture of each side as he's deciding whether or not to point at something he sees.

 

[Moni]

You did great! He looks lovely! and he sure is growing fast - look at those legs!

 

[dogsavvy]

Thank you. He's growing by leaps & bounds. His daddy was 70+ pounds, so I have hope that he'll be a big boy. It just goes to show the difference the right tools make

I've still got the feet, face, & sanitary to do but he was so great today I wasn't going to push it.

Edited to add: The only thing I haven't figured out is how in the world to get dirt stains out & when I do... how to keep them off. I live in the country. It's most likely impossible if I'm going to have him be a working dog... or to breathe outside (lol).

 

[dogsavvy]

I must be doing something right... I hope. Today Mr. Layne got himself up onto the grooming table. He's not fond of being picked up. He wants to do it himself. I put the leash & training collar on Mr. Layne as a precaution. He climbed right up & as you'll see in the pictures, my Giant was jealous & loaded her front end up. Mr. Layne had no issue with it, just hanging out.

Okay so he is freshly bathed, got a new hair cut. I did his hind quarters two different ways & have decided I like the left side better as it leaves the leg hair up a little higher on the hip.

I've got to find something to whiten his white parts but living in the country... it probably wasn't too smart to get a parti poodle but I wouldn't trade him. He's such a doll.

 

[dogsavvy]

Don't know what happened. I loaded pics but they didn't show up so try again

 

[Mufar42]

I think your doing a nice job grooming him and getting him accustomed to the table. He is certainly growing fast.

 

[Asta's Mom]

Compared to your dog, Asta is a hot mess. When I groom, I do it in pieces over several days so you can imagine how goofy he can look. Right now we are on the 3rd day of grooming. I've done his body, but not his belly, one leg is done, another started. When I finish, I'll move on to FFT & sanitary. I recently got a toe blade for my Oster in hopes that will be easier for us both. He hates my small Arco SE but doesn't seem to mind as much when I use the A5 - So I will be trying that for the toes this time.