How to Trim Your Dog’s Coat – Tips for Healthy and Beautiful Coats

Take a closer look at your dog’s coat: Is it a stock-haired, a short-haired or a wire-haired? Does it have a single coat (top coat) or a multi-layered coat (with undercoat)? If it is the latter, the dog’s hair should be trimmed (more on this below).

For dogs with an undercoat, the ever-popular “summer clipping” should only be carried out after thorough consultation with experts. One possible consequence of unskilled shearing is so-called clipper alopecia. This results in many hairless, “naked” or insufficiently interspersed areas in the coat of your four-legged friend. Breeds with a very slow-growing top coat are likewise prone to this condition. In water dogs such as Portuguese water dogs, golden or labrador retrievers, the undercoat is actually of vital importance, as it protects the skin from drying out and from hypothermia in the water and also provides the necessary buoyancy for swimming.

For each breed of dog, there are different aspects to consider, which is why there is no universal rule on the perfect shearing. The dog’s coat should be cut in such a way that it can continue to fulfil its important protective functions.

Good equipment is crucial for smooth, stress-free shearing. The clippers should be powerful and have a strong cutting force to ensure that the procedure is not painful for your dog. In addition, you will need different attachments, clippers (with rounded ends), different brushes and combs.

Dog breeds with a very dense undercoat should only be shorn short in a few exceptional cases. To remove dead top coat, trimming is the right choice of coat care here.

Some dog breeds, like the wire-haired dachshund, do not have a natural shedding cycle. In order to prevent skin irritation and eczema and to stimulate coat growth, trimming is recommended every three to four months.

There are two methods of trimming: hand trimming and removing hair with a trimming knife. Both methods of grooming require a lot of experience and practice. The reason is that it is difficult for novices to correctly identify which dog hair should be plucked.

A skilled groomer generally trims the dog’s hair by plucking out the longest trimmable hairs with thumb and forefinger. After successful trimming, the colour of the dog’s coat will appear vibrant and the coat will retain its important qualities without being incorrectly thinned.

While grooming with a trimming knife, ensure that the serrated blade is as blunt as possible. If it is too sharp, it could easily result in an undesired haircut. Never pull out too large tufts of hair at once, because the procedure is painful even if the hair is already dead.

Are you familiar with the Fellini dog salons? Check out the dog hairdresser at your nearest Maxi Zoo store.