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If you own a long haired dog, you know how expensive it is to keep the animal well groomed. You can do much of the grooming yourself at home and save money at the same time.
You will need:
Dog clippers
Dog/cat toe nail clippers
Scissors
Brush
Leash
I suggest that you purchase a set of professional dog clippers. Hair clippers for humans will not stand up to the rigors of dog grooming and should not be used. You can usually find dog grooming tools at large pet speciality stores. A good set of clippers can cost up to $200.00. Although the initial expense is large, the clippers will pay for themselves quickly.
In order to groom the dog, you will need to immobilize the animal so that he cannot get away and so that you have access to him from all sides. I usually use a leash tied to a door knob.
It is a good idea to bathe the dog prior to grooming. Otherwise the clippers will become dirty and dull from the oils in the coat. Make sure the animal is completely dry before using the clippers.
I usually shave my dogs down to the skin, especially in the summer. I begin at the head and work my way down to the tail and hind legs. Since the clippers may get hot after a time, you will want to stop periodically and let them cool down.
If you wish to give your dogs specialty cuts like a poodle or a cocker cut, you should follow the directions that come with the clippers. You can also get books that have diagrams on giving special cuts. The clippers come with attachments that cut hair to the desired length for whatever effect you are trying to achieve.
Toes are a particularly vexing problem. Dogs do not like you messing with their feet, and especially dislike the vibrations from the clipers on their feet. I suggest trimming with scissors and then using toenail clippers on the very long toenails. You can use the clippers on the feet but the dogs will put up a fight. Care should be exercised with the toe nail clippers as if you cut the nails too short you will nick the vein that runs part way down the nail. You can purchase special nail clippers that seal off the vein and keep you from creating a mess if you cut the nails too short.
You can touch up the grooming every two or three weeks. That way, the general grooming will not be as time consuming as it could be. Depending on how quickly your dog's hair grows, you will need to groom him every month and a half to two months, or more frequently.
After you finish using the clippers, go over the dog with a brush to remove any small stray hairs.
That's it. You're done and you've saved at least $50.00. Congratulate yourself and give your dog a biscuit!
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