It’s a familiar story: you’ve got some time off work, and your dog needs a haircut. So you decide to try cutting your dog’s hair yourself, but you’re nervous and don’t know where to start! This guide is designed to help out whether you’re an experienced dog hairstylist or a first-timer looking to give it a shot at home.
Assemble All the Required Accessories
When it comes time to give your dog a haircut, there are a few things you’ll need to have on hand:
- You’ll need a good pair of scissors. Make sure the blades are sharp and clean so that you can get a nice and clean cut.
- You’ll need a comb to help detangle your dog’s fur. A slicker brush can also help get rid of knots.
- You’ll need guards to protect your dog’s skin from the scissors.
Once you have these items, you’re ready to give your dog a haircut at home!
You can easily get these accessories at a pet store. But if you don’t have the time to visit a pet store, you can purchase them online from the comfort of your home. You can look for online pet accessories and medication stores like PetCareRX to get everything you need at the best price. All the items will be delivered to your house, and you will be ready to give your dog a haircut.
Prepare Your Dog for the Experience
Before you begin, it’s essential to make sure that your dog is comfortable. A nervous or upset dog can be dangerous to work with, so it’s best to start the process when your pup is in a good mood.
The next step is knowing what not to cut. The hair around paws and nails shouldn’t be trimmed because that could cause irritation or infection. Similarly, don’t trim between pads on feet because this will also lead to sores. And while most dogs hate having their tails pulled on, they don’t like having them cut off entirely—so try not cutting too much off at once!
Secure Your Dog for Trimming
Now that your dog is in a safe place, it’s time to get the job done. There are several ways you can secure your dog for trimming:
- Use a table or chair. This method will work best if you have a small dog breed, as larger dogs may be challenging to hold down on their own.
- Use a grooming stool. This is great because it allows you to sit comfortably while working on your pet, but it also has its downsides—for example, stools tend not to be adjustable and are often not very sturdy.
- Use a grooming table with an arm attachment. The T-shaped base allows full range of motion when grooming your pup without worrying about losing balance or falling over—which can happen when using just any old chair!
Trim the Hair
You’ll want to start with a clean slate. If your dog has long hair, you can use scissors or a clipper to cut it down to size. Start by brushing out tangles and parting the hair into two equal sections. Using a comb and brush, separate each side into three layers: top, middle, and bottom—the point where you’d like the haircut to end up.
Now that your pup is ready for the haircut, grab some scissors and begin cutting the hair until you reach your desired length. When you’re done trimming both sides of the head from front to back, make sure not to get too close above their eyes!
Paws and Nails
To trim your dog’s nails, you must find a comfortable position to hold her paw. You can wrap a towel around the paw and secure it with one hand, or gently grasp it while she is sitting on the floor in front of you and gently squeeze her toes until she lifts her foot into your lap.
Make sure you have a pair of dog nail trimmers or clippers available. If these are not available to you, regular human-sized clippers will do just fine—just be careful not to clip too close! Dogs have thinner skin than humans, so we must be extra cautious when clipping their nails.
Place one finger between each toe with your thumb on top. This will help keep the dog from moving while also giving some stability while trimming each nail individually.
With the other hand holding your dog’s paw firmly but gently between two fingers, use scissors or clippers from above in a downward motion towards yourself – away from any toes that could get injured during this process.
Check for Foreign Objects and Grass Seeds
Before the haircut begins, thoroughly check your dog for ticks and fleas. These pests can cause serious harm to your pet, so you must remove them before they have a chance to do their business on your dog’s skin.
Next, you should check your dog’s coat for grass seeds. These tiny things can be challenging to spot at first glance—and if left unchecked, they’ll make their way into the fur of your pup’s coat and cause significant discomfort during a crucial moment in grooming! Finally, check for foreign objects such as twigs or other trash that might have caught your puppy’s hair during its most recent romp through the park.
Do Not Cut the Hair Around Paw Pads or Nails
Do not cut the hair around your dog’s paw pads or nails; trim it with scissors. Use blunt-tipped scissors to cut the hair straight around their paws and nails. Curved cuts can lead to inflammation and infection of the paw pad.
Cut the hair around the paw pad, not on it. When you cut your dog’s fur, ensure you are doing so above its paw pads—not underneath them! Cutting too closely will cause irritation or soreness when they walk on hard surfaces like concrete floors or tile floors at home.
Cut in a straight line when cutting fur away from their nail beds and around their paws. Also, avoid diagonal cuts because they tend to be more painful than straight ones!
Conclusion
It’s important to remember that there are some parts of a dog’s body you do not want to trim with a clipper. First, it’s usually best not to shave the hair around their paws and nails, as this can cut off its natural way of protecting itself from cold weather or hot pavement.
In addition, don’t try cutting hair on your dog’s face or any other sensitive areas where it may be hard for them to hold still while clipping safely. If you do get a haircut at home, make sure everyone involved leaves feeling like they accomplished something great!