Is your dog’s hair already too long? Does it need a trim? Or do you want it styled or neat?There are over 340 dog breeds recognized in the world by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, and each one of them belongs in a certain category: the long-haired dogs, the curly-haired breeds, wire-haired dogs, and the very short haired breeds. Styling a certain breed would require a different method and may only need to visit the pet barber little too often.But sometimes, we intend to try to do things ourselves which would help us save more and spend less with all the maintenance. However, giving your dog a haircut can be tricky especially if you want a specific style. Unless, of course, it is very simple.Without further ado, let us move on to learning about How to Give a Dog a Haircut!
The Factors You Need to Consider Before Giving a Dog a Haircut
I once had the intention to give my dog a haircut without thinking about other factors. I was too excited and decided to go for it without any background knowledge or experience of doing so to a dog before. I just really thought it was simple and how I could just pull it off with a scissor alone.
But believe me, it turned out really terrible. Now I am going to tell you what I missed out at that moment. Here are the three factors that I should have thought of before giving my dog a haircut:
- What is the Dog’s Breed, Coat Type, and Fur Length?
As I have mentioned earlier, every dog breed is given to a certain category and these categories are long haired breeds, curly-haired dogs, wire-haired breeds, and the very short haired dogs.
You have to know which category the dog you are going to give a haircut belongs to. This is important because this allows you to know what kind of equipment would be necessary to make the process a breeze and a sweet success.
- Equipment for the Specific Kind of Dog
You should always come prepared for these sorts of things. The main tools that you will need in this procedure are straight scissors, thinning scissors, a brush, a comb, steady surface, grooming table, and dog clippers. Without such equipment, you will end up having a hard time trying to perfect the style you wish to give your dog.
- The Certain Style You Want the Dog to Look Like
This part is certainly up to you. However, there are specific styles that you may want, but later then won’t look as good as you have expected it to be. There are also certain breeds that may need their hair long and thick such as the Husky since this is considered as a defense for them.
There are also those breeds with a certain hair type which makes it useful as it can be a medical condition. So what I am saying here is that you have to know whether you should only make a trim, or do much more according to the style you prefer.
How to Give a Dog a Haircut in a Few Steps
Now, it is time to break everything down in a few steps. Right after considering the three factors above, let’s move on to how things should be done. This whole procedure would require you to have at least:
- A brush
- A styling comb
- Thinning Scissors
- Straight Scissors
- A Steady Surface
- A Grooming Table
- Dog Clippers
Helpful Video ExamplesQuick video: How To Groom Your Dog at Home (Maltese Grooming)
Conclusion
So how was it? Was it a sweet success? First times usually don’t do much. However, sometimes they can actually be quite satisfying. My first time was terrible, however, it was fun and I have managed to learn a lot from my mistakes.
I hope that this article gave you all the information that you needed to know and that your attempt to answer how to give a dog a haircut was a success. If you liked this article, please share it with anyone you know who is also learning the art of how to give a dog a haircut. Thank you!
My dog is a golden retriever. So must of the hair cutting we need to do is between her toes. Perhaps you’ll have a post on that specific topic in the future?
Thanks for your suggestion Pamela!