Rysup Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 I really think you have to take each case as it comes. Unfortunately a lot of my clients leave their dogs way too long, and they never put in any grooming time in between visits, which means a matted mess. A dog left until 12 months old with no grooming at home or from a groomer, will be a mess. I often dealt with them, it was like shearing a sheep. Ideally I would start puppies in for a bath, groom and trim, you can slowly get them used to the sights and sounds of being groomed, but in general I was never called in until the dog was dire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlemum Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Lordy me, imagine a poodle after a year of no clipping?I think you are better to start early than to have to deal with a 12 month old who has NO experience with being groomed and clipped. I have never seen a coat turned to crap by starting hair cuts early. Agree with you Rysup - my puppies usually get their 1st clip at 4-5 weeks (just face, feet & tail at that stage) but when the coat grows we definitely trim it. If You didn't groom a poodle till it was 7 months old it would be impossible - they're big enough drama queens as it is. Muckypup - at the PIAA trade show recently one of the exhibitors (think it might have been Dr.Neils) had a grooming frame which stopped the dogs wriggling about. The dog was not in any discomfort, just couldn't wriggle. My partner in the grooming shop has always given my puppies their 1st clip - she takes a lot of time to calm them & get them used to the noise of the clippers etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavandra Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 I have never seen any dogs coat turn to "crap" because they were groomed as babies, and I have never seen any dog clipped as babies that have kept their "puppy coat"......the only "crappy" coats I see is on desexed dogs, and that is on breeds that arent meant to be clipped (like Cavaliers for example), so it hasnt got anything to do with being clipped as a youngster. I know alot of groomers, and I have to say I have never heard this ever mentioned before & dont know anyone who tells their customers this. As someone mentioned the majority of grooming clients are designer mutts anyway so what is a "normal" coat on them LOL If this was actually the case I would expect that most clipped breeds wouldnt be seen in a show ring before 12 months of age. I can only imagine the poor dogs matted to the skin if they hadnt been clipped before 12 months, that would make their first clip, potentially a major ordeal surely......... An interesting concept, but one I wouldnt want to take on board here, my babies all go out with having had a positive experience, and look gorgeous in their puppy cuts, I dread to think of a baby being clipped with 10 blades They would have to be matted badly for me to take a 7 to a Malt or coated mixed breed etc......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 I refuse to "clip" before 12 months of age, give or take because as I was always taught and others in the industry I have spoken to all agree if you cut puppy coat it can cause irreversable damage. I have had quite a few that others have done too early and their coats have turned to crap So you would never suggest to a schnauzer,poodle,cocker spaniel,american cocker spaniel.portuguese water dog or any of there other breeds that require grooming to be done before 12 months ?? All our pups leave at 8 weeks fully clipped so that there first groom is done by us & they have time to settle into there home before heading off to a groomer.the greater majority return to us but many dont. All the setters i have had as babies are clipped at 8 weeks on for the show ring. As far as poor coats I mean the texture. As in always staying like puppy coat and not changing into adult coat exactly right." Depends on the breed but if your grooming it correctly whether that be clipping,handstripping then all this is still done for a baby coat. In my breeds heavon forbid if you waited to 12 months to do something. Most cockers end up like hairy yacks because some groomers just do top n tail but never work on the top coat & then the coat gets more & more feral & it either becomes hardwork to strip out & both parties give up or groomers just clip it off. We luv having the owners come as pup because we can show them what to do & encourgae them to do the work that will get them result whenthe dog is 12 months & it is much easier to start young than do a whole lot latter . They should all be assesed on an individual basis. Exactly every dog that turns up is an individual with different needs,coats,quality etc etc & each one is done according to the owners needs & what the dog has to offer. Although i have to admit with being a groomer & seeing the works off other groomers my breed the schnauzer is being massacred by many Its more frustrating that many groomers wont be honest a say they cant clip that breed or dont even own a good grooming book to look up.The numbers of groomers that trim there beards off,chisel the hair under the eyes & above all groom them to look like scotties is just amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggrooma Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 (edited) So you would never suggest to a schnauzer,poodle,cocker spaniel,american cocker spaniel.portuguese water dog or any of there other breeds that require grooming to be done before 12 months ?? Schnauzers, cockers, setters, westies as you point out are hand stripped to differing degrees for the show ring are they not?? Edited January 13, 2008 by Doggrooma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggrooma Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 I wish people would read properly. I am far from your run of the mill hack. If I was taught differently well and good. I am happy with my clients dogs and so are they. Did I once say the dogs are not touched untill 12 months NO. Once again Everyone that needs to be clipped has Face, feet, bum done and depending I may scissor some off the coat but I dont however clip baby puppies coats right back. As stated at the moment I dont use Att. Combs my main blades I use is a 4,5 or 7. Working on my own and running a busy salon I dont have the luxury to muck around with alot of scissoring and long clips, so no I wont "clip" young ones!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 (edited) Schnauzers, cockers, setters, westies as you point out are hand stripped to differing degrees for the show ring are they not?? Im not talking about showdogs,im talking about these breeds as pet where the owners go to a groomer & expect the dog to be groomed So you would not clip a schnauzer till 12 months??(pets are clipped,westies are clipped)Cockers you handstrip but that depends on the groomer but again something that must ne started before 12 months. Im just curios if you got a schnauzers what sort of groom you would do prior to 12 months?? Working on my own and running a busy salon I dont have the luxury to muck around with alot of scissoring and long clips, so no I wont "clip" young ones!! It not about luxury but about grooming the way a breed needs to be . Although i have o say if there groomed regularly & they come back on a schedule then you can apply your time better,I cant understand why you would want to wait till there older & it be a more traumatic & longer job to groom. Lets face it who would want to clip off poodles at 12 months & even if grooming in between(face,feet & bum) if you didnt clip you would have to hand scissor the shape etc etc. Same as bichons,kerry blues,bedlingtons .Doesnt matter whether there showdogs they just need to be groomed before 12 months Edited January 13, 2008 by settrlvr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggrooma Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 I have never really questioned my way of being taught even though I did grow up showing and again do now, but Im not interested in dogs with coat so it never really crossed my mind to investigate WHY NOT? Funny that Im not into fluffies and Im a groomer, I like my bull breeds!! I am coming to the realisation that my way for some is a little weird, but its suits me fine and Im good at what I do so I'm not going to change too much however I will adapt a little I think. Its a little hard when everyone else is doing something different to yourself, when you thought you were doing the right thing in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 That's why I like to attend the occasional grooming seminar, it gives you a refresher in various breeds AND brings you up to date in how the business is working - eg dogs now go straight in the bath and get groomed out as it's blow dried (unless matted to warrent a rough clip off before hand) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggrooma Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Yeah but we only have a grooming school in Vic and im not going to do the course and be re taught ways I have mastered on my own. Plus where I live a mobile groomer promotes she is a graduate of this school blah blah. Ive had some of her dogs come straight to me when they have just been done to try and be fixed. And it wasnt a matter of what condition the dog was in before, it was a lack of not having a smooth even clip and not scissored well. This is only one exampe but was my first from someone who had done this course and it didnt say much for it IMO. Its something I beleive if you dont have an eye for it, you dont. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 There is more than one school in Vic. I know of three off the top of my head. You are right though....we dont have many seminars or tradeshows in this country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Also make the most of the dog show folk.Yiu wil find many breeders out there more than happy to share grooming tips on there breed,we certainly are if it means the breed,s are done more correctly.(even if competitionto us ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggrooma Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Not many of my clients actually want a show look apart from all of my Schnauzers and my one favourite Airdale. Different clips to replicate show dogs isnt a prob for me. I take great pride in these guys. I am about the only groomer around my area who does groom breeds as they should be or a slight variant being a pet. Settrlvr I grew up with my mum breeding and showing Griffons so I know all there is to know about hand hand sripping wire/rough coats, I think another reason why I never questioned the whole Never Clip before 12mo, knowing what clipping these coats does, I guess I associated this that and the other and never thought about it again. I have taken in everyones opinions, but its difficult to let go of something that was so often pumped in you head. I still know Im not the only one who thinks this way, but bugger it. Im buying myself some new blade combs and going to have a play around. Iv got a few around the 7-8 mo mark coming in over the next few weeks. Start at that and see how things go.Im still not going to clip baby babies its way to foreign to me at this stage. I do appreciate everyones views. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie mouse Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 Good for you Doggrooma it takes a lot for someone to say hey maybe there is a different way. I had no idea that my original question would turn into a should we or shouldn't we debate. I am still not much further forward with how to handle the pups but I have decided that i am now going to give my customers the option to have there pups come to me just so they can get used to the sights and sounds before getting clipped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 oops sorry muckypup I didn't ever answer the question. The best thing I ever got for doing those types of dogs was the Lauve I-Vac. It doesn't help for the purebred dogs getting put in breed trims but for the little small white fluffy puppies that do death rolls and bite and get clipped an inch or so all over its a godsend. It sucks up the hair as you clip so you only need to do one pass making it a ton quicker. Also the vacuum sound seems to muffle the clipper sound so they tend not to be fazed by the noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggrooma Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Sorry Muckypup for taking over. Ari does the Laube I-vac go on other clipper hand pieces to, Ive got Double K's. Iv'e heard of them but never seen one in action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 No the I-Vac is a clipper in itself. Look at the wooferwares site. www.wooferwares.com.au A "Clippervac" (www.groomersfriend.com.au) go on different clippers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now