Bathing, Drying and Trimming Techniques for Dogs

SMOOTH COAT
Breed example: Boxer (Wo-Sm)
Wash the coat with the appropriate shampoo for the skin type following the
bathing routine described in Chapter 6. Ensure that you massage the shampoo
thoroughly into the skin to remove any dead coat – a rubber brush can help with
this.
Dry the dog with a moisture absorbent cloth, towel dry and use the blaster to
remove any excess coat. If a cabinet dryer is available then finish drying the dog
in there or use a stand dryer or hand dryer to ensure total dryness. Check that all
the areas are thoroughly dry and then polish the coat with protein spray and a silk
cloth or rubber brush.
DOUBLE COAT – TYPE ONE
Breed example: German Shepherd (Pa-Dc1)
This coat type can take a long time to bath if done thoroughly and correctly. Use a
blaster first to remove dead undercoat and some dirt; this also opens the coat,
allowing the shampoo to penetrate. Apply a good cleansing shampoo following
the bathing routine described in Chapter 6. Use your fingers to work the shampoo
deeply into the coat. A shampoo brush is also useful. Rinse thoroughly. If the dog
has a lot of dead undercoat and tangles, apply conditioner and blast while the
conditioner is in the coat. This enables the conditioner to sink into the coat and
makes the drying process easier. It is vitally important to rinse thoroughly as
shampoo or conditioner residue will make the coat dull and greasy.
To dry the coat, squeeze out any excess water from the coat with a moisture
absorbent cloth. Use the blaster to remove the remaining water and undercoat.
Towel dry. Use a drying cabinet if you have one available but remove the dog

 

after ten minutes and blast again. If the coat is still very wet return the dog to the
cabinet for five minutes but if it is not finish drying the coat with a stand dryer or
hand-held dryer. Use a slicker brush and wide toothcomb to ensure removal of all
dead undercoat.
DOUBLE COAT – TYPE TWO
Breed example: Bearded Collie (Pa-Dc2)
For a type two double coat use an all-purpose shampoo but if the coat is long
and natural, do not rub too vigorously as this will cause tangles. Bath and apply
shampoo following the coat growth. Brush through with a shampoo brush but if
there are knots in the coat separate them with your fingers. Quite often, knots are
more easily removed from a clean coat instead of battling through dirt and twigs!
After rinsing, apply a good-quality conditioner. If the coat is out of condition or
knotty, allow the conditioner to soak for five or ten minutes keeping the dog
warm by wrapping it in a towel. Rinse thoroughly. Do not use a blaster on long
coats as this will cause tangles.
For long-coated breeds, the best drying method is to blow dry with a brush and
stand dryer but if the coat is trimmed, cabinet dryers can be used. All finishing,
however, should be done with a stand dryer to ensure total removal of dead
undercoat and tangles. Working to a routine on long coats is vitally important or
you will become lost and miss areas. Use your free hand to hold the coat open.
This allows you to brush the coat ensuring that it is dried straight. Always brush
the area where the dryer is blowing.
WIRE COAT
Breed example: West Highland White (Te-Wi)
Most wire-coated breeds seen in a salon will not have correct textured coats due
to clipping and/or poor coat quality. These dogs can be bathed with a regular
shampoo and dried either in a cabinet dryer or using a stand dryer.
For correct textured coats, hand stripping must always be done prior to
bathing. If you are hand stripping, it is not always necessary to bath the dog as the
coat can be cleaned during the stripping process. If the coat is stripped down to
the undercoat, the dog can be bathed, but if the topcoat remains it is advisable to
use another cleansing method to stop the coat from lifting and appearing bushy.
To clean a wire coat, you can use dry shampoo powders or chalk but ensure that
these are brushed thoroughly through the coat to prevent irritation. Spray-in coat
conditioner can also be used with a good massage and a rubber brush to remove
any dirt. You can shampoo the leg furnishings and beard to present a betterfinished
picture.

WOOL COAT

Breed example: Poodle (Ut-Wo)
Select an appropriate shampoo for the skin type. It is also good to use a conditioner
with these coat types to assist in the specific blow drying techniques and to
prevent breakage. Squeeze the excess water from the coat and use a blaster to
remove the dead coat.
‘Blow’ or ‘fluff’ drying is a must for most wool-coated breeds to ensure the correct
finish for the trimming techniques required. Always use the brush to deflect
airflow (Fig. 9.1). Start drying at the head and ears ‘ironing’ out the curls with long
brush strokes as you go. Continue down the body and the front legs and then the
back legs and tail. The finished coat should be straight from the root outwards
and stand out from the skin (Fig. 9.2).

Blow drying is a skilled technique that can take time to master so do not try to
rush. If the coat is dry before you have been able to use the brush, spray the coat
with water to enable you to achieve the correct finish.

 

SILK COAT

Breed example: Yorkshire Terrier (To-Si)
Shampoo the coat using a cleansing shampoo. Do not rub the coat as this could
cause tangles. Follow the coat growth as you are shampooing to help penetration
of the lather. After rinsing, apply a good quality conditioner; this will help the
coat to fall and flow naturally and can help reduce static. If the coat is lacking condition,
or is very knotty, allow the conditioner to soak in for five or ten minutes
keeping the dog warm by wrapping it in a towel. Rinse thoroughly.
If the coat is long do not use the blaster as this could tangle the coat. However,
do blast a shorter coat. For full long coats the best method of drying is to use a
stand dryer to blow dry. Part the coat with clips if necessary to work systematically
(Fig. 9.3). A cabinet dryer can also be used but the coat should always be
finished with a stand dryer to ensure total dryness and a knot-free coat. For long
coats there should be a centre parting down the back.

 

GENERAL TERMINOLOGY

When trimming any dog it is useful to be aware of the basic anatomy (points) of a
dog (Fig. 9.4). This will enable you to follow clipping/trimming lines and balance
the trim, creating the best possible style and shape for the dog. It is not necessary
to remember the name of every bone and muscle but the terms listed below will
be of help.
Angulation The angles formed by the bones meeting at a joint.
Balance Most important. A symmetrical proportioned overall picture,
i.e. balance of head to tail.
Beard Long hair on the muzzle and under the jaw.
Blown Refers to a moulting coat or a coat ready to hand strip.
Cat foot Short, round, compact feet.
Cobby Compact, short bodied.
Conformation Structure of the dog.
Corkscrew tail A twisted tail.
Cow hocks Hock joints turned towards each other causing the feet to turn out.
Crest Arched part of the neck.
Croup Rump.
Expression Appearance of the head and face.
Eyebrows Hair above the eye.
Fall Long hair around the head.
Feathering Long hair on ears, legs and tail.
Flag Long hair on tail.
Foreleg From elbow to foot on the front legs.
Furnishings Long hair on ears, legs and tail.
Gay tail Tail carried high over the dog’s back.

TRIMMING TIPS

When trimming, you should bear in mind that all dogs are different – even those
of the same breed – and you should therefore consider the shape of the dog and
work towards achieving the best possible look. Many faults on a dog can be disguised
with clever trimming, e.g. cow hocks and bandy legs can be made to look
straighter (Fig. 9.5).
While trimming you must remember to position yourself such that you can see
the exact trimming line. Look straight at the line you are trimming and try to get
the dog to stand four square to gain the best advantage and reduce chop marks
and incorrect lines in the coat. When trimming the legs remember that there are
four sides to trim (Fig. 9.6).

 

Trimming around the head on a fidgety dog can be difficult. Control the head
by holding the beard or muzzle firmly (Fig. 9.7). The safety of the dog is
paramount. Never point the scissors towards the eyes but always across them
and be very aware of loose skin around this area (Fig. 9.8). When trimming
around the ears always trim from the base towards the tip to ensure the ear is not
cut with the heel of the scissors; use the tips of the scissors (Fig. 9.9). Keep your
thumb close to the leather and work carefully around the edge (Fig. 9.10). Be very
careful when using clippers around the ears. To avoid injury be aware of the danger
areas indicated by red lines on Fig. 9.11.

 

Under the pads trimming can be done with either scissors or clippers.
Whichever method is used, the finger hold shown in Fig. 9.12 will help to open the
pad wide. Usually underpads can be trimmed with scissors but if the feet are
matted, an ultra-fine blade (size 50) can be used to remove the mat (Fig. 9.13).
Great care should be taken when clipping around the groin and anal areas, as
there could be a severe clipper reaction. Use a size 10 or 15 blade and clip carefully
avoiding the nipples (Figs 9.14 and 9.15). Never clip over the opening of the
vulva or penis or directly over the anus. Figs 9.16 and 9.17 illustrate how to correctly
clip the area around the anus and groin.

 

 

SCISSORING FEET

Trim the nails first. The dog shown in Fig. 9.18a has very long nails. These should
be clipped short before the feet are trimmed or shaped (Fig. 9.18b).
Round feet
Feet are trimmed in the way shown in Figs 9.19–9.22 when a dog has a full length
coat, e.g. Bearded Collie (Pa-Dc2), Afghan Hound (Ho-Si), when the owner
requires a neater edge. To achieve the required look, lift the leg coat out of the
way and trim close to the front two toes (Fig. 9.19) and to the outer pads (Fig. 9.20)
but NOT around the back of the foot. Stand the foot on the table and trim the
overhang at the back of the foot (Fig. 9.21).
Tight feet
Tight feet are appropriate for West Highland White (Te-Wi) and Lhasa Apso
(Ut-Dc2) in teddy bear trim and any other breeds with such trims. Lift the leg coat
out of the way and trim tight around the front two toes (Fig. 9.23) and the outer
pads (Fig. 9.24). Lift the leg and comb down the overhang at the back of the main
pad and trim across (Fig. 9.25). The foot should blend into the leg trimming. Do
not make the foot too small, as this will ruin the overall leg finish (Fig. 9.26).

 

 

 

 

Natural feet
This look is appropriate for breeds such as Golden Retriever (Gd-Dc1), Border
Collie (Pa-Dc1) and sometimes Cocker and Springer Spaniel (Gd-Si) depending
on the length of the coat. To achieve this look, trim around the outer edge of the
foot (Fig. 9.27), brush the hair upwards between the toes (Fig. 9.28) and trim
or thin the excess coat level with the pastern hair (Fig. 9.29). Do not dig in the
scissors or you will end up with chop marks. Tidy the overhang on the main pad
(Fig. 9.30).

 

Cat foot

The cat foot is mainly for spaniels. Start by trimming around the foot, keeping
close to the front two toes (Fig. 9.31) and around the outer pads (Fig. 9.32). Use the
hair on the top of the foot to build up padding on top of the toes (Fig. 9.33). Brush
the hair upwards and cut or thin over the top but do not separate the pastern and
foot hair (Fig. 9.34). Build the edge of the feet to a wall and trim the excess overhang
hair from the main pad (Fig. 9.35). The finished foot is shown in Fig. 9.36.

 

 

 

 

 

Padded hocks
The term ‘padded hocks’ is used in relation to some breeds. This term describes
the area from the hock bone down to the main pad. To create a padded look, comb
or brush the hair upwards and outwards and cut or thin the hair that extends
beyond the hock bone (Fig. 9.37). This gives a solid shape to the leg rather than a
spindly shape (Fig. 9.38).

 

 

LAYERING THE COAT

A coat is layered when you are trimming a long coat to a shorter length. It gives
a very natural look to the dog and is appropriate for breeds such as Bearded
Collie (Pa-Dc2), Lhasa Apso (Ut-Dc2) and Yorkshire Terrier (To-Si). To achieve
the desired look, lift the coat with a comb and catch the hair between the fingers
(Fig. 9.39), working in the direction of the coat growth. Use thinning scissors to
trim the hair off – shorter towards the spine and longer towards the belly. Comb
down to assess the finish.