dog grooming

marathon

my dog needs haircut and nails cliped surely this can be done myself without paying vet to do it

cocker5

marathon wrote: »

my dog needs haircut and nails cliped surely this can be done myself without paying vet to do it

Well for a start your vet doesn't cut your dogs hair a dog groomer does 😀!

Yes you can buy clippers and do it yourself but I personnally wouldn't recommend it, you could cut ur dog by accident etc. It can take ages, if your dog hain't been groomed before and has a bad first time experience he/she won't forget it easily!

Also clipping a dogs nails isn't that simple.. Again you can easily cut too close (not easy too see like a humans nails) hurt the dog, lots of blood and dog will be put off for life!

Dog grooming doesn't have to cost the earth.. What breed and where are u based? Might be able to give you an approx cost?

I have a cocker full groom, wash cut, nails blow dry costs me €50 four times per year - not outrageous

Plus best way of keeping dogs nail correct length is walk them on concrete it pairs them down naturally!

monkeysnapper

Paying 50 euros 4 times a year is a hell of a lot of money for a lot of people.

I used to always get my 2 westies groomed 3 times a year at around 70 each = 210 . But due to work I always seemed to have days off at last min so I'd always have to ring groomers last min. My groomer basically told me she couldn't do my dogs last min any more which I understanded and I rang a few others and was told no . One even laughed at me which really peeved me off big time.

I watched a load of good you tube clips and bit the bullet and went out and bought clippers and a good pair of snips and nail clippers .

My first time I didn't do a great job, I didn't cut them but hair was a bit uneven and they didn't look great, I had jackets so I hid them under jackets and walked them late at night he he he he . But after a week or so they looked ok.

2 years later I'm pretty ok at it now. It does take time . I also still get them groomed say once a year or once every year and half as a treat and because I'm still not great at heads.
I suppose it depends on breed tho.

Ashbx

Ive never used this groomers so I have no idea what they are like, but Mutt Ugly in Charlemount, Dublin do a DIY grooming. You bring your dog in, and they groom the dog with you so that you know how to do it yourself going forward.

Might be worth a try to do!

s90

As a groomer myself I wouldn't recommend clipping a dogs nails without experience. If cut incorrectly they can bleed ans be very painful for the dog. As for cutting the hair, that is up to you. Also €50.00 for a cocker is outrageous...! Ring round and ask a few groomers how much it is for nail clipping alone....usually they will provide this as a separate service and there is no need to pay for a full groom. However I would recommend a full groom. The work of an experienced groomer is incomparable to what an inexperienced person can do at home to be honest.

sotisme

OP
I groom my dog (CKCS) myself and have to say its not easy but it is do-able. Firstly you'll need to familiarise yourself with blades and grooming terms and watch videos on how to properly clip the breed your dog is. You will also have to invest a small fortune in a GOOD clipper (I can't stress enough how important it is that you use a good professional clipper.) I use the Andis 2 speed agc clipper and couldn't recommend it highly enough, I don't think there is a better one out there. I bought mine on eBay at a reduced price but i dont think they can be obtained for less than €120.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Andis-2-Speed-Professional-Clipper-22360/dp/B0018KVI5M

Then, you'll need to decide on a suitable blade that is specifically designed for an Andis clipper. The different blades vary depending on how short you want to cut your dogs hair, I just use one blade for my dog for an even cut. The blades are about €30 but again can be bought on eBay or even adverts for less.

Also you will need to be careful when grooming your dogs as even the best clippers can cut skin if misused. For any area near the face, the ears, paws, "armpits" and genital areas, never use a clippers. Use a safe scissors instead.

I spent about €150 on grooming materials for my dog 3 years ago. Muttugly charged us €65 to groom him and we were not happy at all with how they treated him when we collected him. He needs a haircut twice a year (February and July) so we have saved €240 so far (65x6 - 150).

Re trimming your dogs nails:
Are your dogs nails white and pink or black? If black, I would recommend going to a vet to get them trimmed. If white and pink, you can cut them but never go near the pink part (called the quick) as it is full of blood vessels and nerves so is very painful for the dog if you cut it. If you have a jumpy dog, it's probably best to go to the vet no matter what colour your dogs nails are.

Hope this is some help.

ABajaninCork

I groom my Shih Tzu myself. But I went to St John's College in Cork and did a course. Four years later, I wouldn't say I was brilliant, but can groom my dog to an acceptable standard. The dog's a furball, so any mistakes quickly grow out! People have even complimented me on how well the dog looks (poor fools! ).

It takes time and patience to groom your dog. I'd watch a LOT of You Tube videos, and do my research before attempting to groom it. It's not just a matter of clip and go!

Paid £125 for a clipper set, about 60 yoyo for assorted tools, and I've just paid £50 at Crufts for spare blades. Grooming a dog properly ain't cheap to begin with!

VonVix

I think an important question to ask Marathon is what dog breed they have.

So, Marathon, what kinda dog do you have? Also, do they have black or white nails?