Not all breeds of dogs are clipped, but quite a few are, and the degree of clipping may vary considerably from a "tidy or clean up" job to a "fashionable clip" as in the case of some Poodle clips.

Many dogs are clipped either because the necessity to keep the dog well groomed which in turn helps to keep it healthy, or for the purposes of easier management as a house pet. Principle areas which are clipped will vary from breed to breed, but usually include the head, ears, cheeks, neck, shoulders, sides, underbody, feet and tail.

Specific areas may be deemed necessary to clip for a variety of reasons.

Sever matting of the coat may require resorting to clipping using a #10 or #7 "detachable" blade. This will allow the coat to re-grow and with attention to regular grooming it should be possible to prevent the reoccurrence of further mats.

Many long haired breed are often clipped between the pads of the feet to prevent an accumulation of hair which may collect dirt and other material leading to the discomfort of the dog. Some groomers will remove this hair using scissors, but many people use either a #10 or #15 " detachable" blade or one of the popular paw blades such as a#5/8th.

The stomach is an area often where the hair is clipped for either sanitary or cosmetic purposes. Great caution should be exercised to ensure that clipper burns are not experienced when clipping this area. White dogs and those with sensitive skins require special attention, as they may well prove very susceptible to clipper burns. An alternative to clipping would be to use scissors even if it prolongs the job.

Clipper Burns are usually the result of the blade on the clipper becoming hot. (Usually the result of insufficient applications of oil being applied regularly to the blades!) They may also occur if the operator clips over a sensitive area such as the face, feet, tail or stomach too many times with a close cutting "detachable" blade such as sizes #50/40/30/15 or #10. Care must be take to keep the clipper blade and clipper head cool at all times which requires the operator to be disciplined in the procedure of frequent oiling of the blades. There are a number of coolants manufactured which can be applied to the blades, some of which are beneficial to the problem, but regular applications of oil are a MUST! Every few minutes!

NB. A point to consider!

With the use of blade coolants there is always a possibility of a reaction from some animals especially if they have sensitive skins.

In the unfortunate event of causing clipper burns to an animal it is recommended that generous applications of Cortisynth ointment is applied to the irritated area until healing has been fully completed. Clippers burns are viewed as a sign of carelessness!

Only ever clip a dog which is dry and clean. Ideally before you clip the dog it should be bathed and thoroughly washed using a good quality animal shampoo. Work the shampoo well into the coat when suitably cleansed rinsed well with clean water being careful to remove any shampoo still deep in the coat. Towel the dog if you do not possess a dryer, otherwise dry thoroughly with a warm air dryer suitably positioned to dry the animal without causing it distress.

When using a clipper if it is a mains appliance ensure the cable is clear of any obstacles and not in the way of your feet. Get your self well organised, and have a safe and secure place to put the machine when not in use even if only for a few moments. Many clippers are fitted with a "hanging loop" Use it and hang your clipper up when not using it! A clipper which accidentally falls to the ground may easily result in either a broken blade, broken casing, or internal damage all of which apart from terminating the clipping, can also be costly!

During the operation of "actual" clipping keep your wrist flexible and relaxed. This is very important because if the animal should suddenly decide to move whilst you are in the process of clipping, hair removed from the wrong place, or worse, a cut to the dog's body may result. Always keep the face of the blade "flat" to the body. Never attempt to angle or dig into the skin with the machine. Allow the clipper to do the work and don't be in a hurry! Rushing may result in an accident!

Listen to the clipper, if the tone of the motor changes, more oil may be required. If the blades suddenly start to chatter you may be trying to go through the coat too fast. If the blades appear to refuse to cut into the hair try drawing back and re-approach the hair again but this time in a slower manner. Blades can refuse to cut for a number of reasons; often one single hair trapped between the two blades (cutter and comb) can stop the cutting action.

Always follow the grain of the hair unless otherwise so instructed. Going against the grain will result in a finished cut half of the depth for which the blade is selected. For example a #10 2mm blade would give a finish cut of not 2mm but 1mm! On older dogs or those, which have excess fat or conversely are extremely thin "stretch the skin with your hand as this will make clipping both easier and far safer for the dog. If you do not, you may easily cut the surface!

After clipping discipline yourself to immediately cleaning both your clipper and the blades used. Not only is this a good and sensible practice, but it will over the years also save you considerable sums of money on unnecessary repairs and other bills. Having suitable cleaned and re-oiled your machine and the blade next carefully put them away in a dry and secure place.

Lastly - NEVER lend your clipper to a friend!

PEASRIDGE

Repair & service all makes of clippers and trimmers
and professionally sharpen all types of blades

Tel: 01424 882900 or E-mail info@peasridge.co.uk

Whilst every care has been take to ensure the accuracy of the information given both in the written text and pictures created, neither PEASRIDGE nor any of its staff can accept any responsibly of any type for injury or damage inflicted by or caused to persons or animals by any operator or a third party who has made reference to this web site. Owner/Operators of all such appliance should satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of any statements made, and if they are unsure on any point consult the manufacturer direct.