Dog Grooming: Hard?

[Greenville 90210]

Apparently New Orleans has a shortage of dog groomers. My poor dog is a sloppy, bushy mess and there's not an opening anywhere in the city (that I can find) for a groomer until the first week of August.

Should I just buy clippers and shave my dog myself? Is it hard? Does anyone else cut their dog's hair? I have a pretty small cocker spaniel.

Thanks in advance,

Cashed

[kritty]

i clip my own dog - its difficult but free

i made her throw up once - she kept gagging because she wanted me to know how miserable she was (as if i couldnt figure it out) and then she puked

i would rather bring her somewhere, but i am broke and it is free

[kubiak]

It's a skill. One I definitely don't have. I tried to help my neighbor (at the time) trim her dog once and it didn't go so well. Only a trim, mind you. I ended up dropping the scissors on my foot (only a tiny cut though, luckily) because the dog kept moving about and I didn't want to hurt it. Since then I leave it to the professionals, my neighbor decided to do the same.

Giving a dog a bath is kind of fun though. If you don't mind wet-dog smell. And I'm the only one capable of giving my mom's cat a bath. I'm not sure if she just trusts me more, or if I've just got a higher threshold for pain than anyone else.

[Gunter]

The last few years I've clipped my dogs hair.

Before...



After...


It is a chore though. The dog hates it, and he either just lays there and looks at me with those pitiful eyes or he snarls and snaps at the clippers and the scissors as I'm trying to cut.

Then I get him about halfway done and he runs away under the bed and won't come out.

By the time it's all said and done there's hair all over the house, he looks really uneven for a few days until it grows out some, and he's so ticked off at me he won't even look at me for a couple of days.

But it's cheaper than taking him to a groomer.

[gwyllgi]

for a cocker you will have to buy two speed clippers. they are at least one hundred dollars.

any thing else will not work as well and probably won't even get the coat all the way off.

Make sure the hair is clean and dry if possible. it will make the job easier.

do not use anything but a #10 blade on the belly, pads, armpits, face, and ears.... a #7 will be okay on the body, if you like. a #7F.

[kubiak]

for a cocker you will have to buy two speed clippers. they are at least one hundred dollars.

any thing else will not work as well and probably won't even get the coat all the way off.

Make sure the hair is clean and dry if possible. it will make the job easier.

do not use anything but a #10 blade on the belly, pads, armpits, face, and ears.... a #7 will be okay on the body, if you like. a #7F.

Nice.

[Greenville 90210]

for a cocker you will have to buy two speed clippers. they are at least one hundred dollars.

any thing else will not work as well and probably won't even get the coat all the way off.

Make sure the hair is clean and dry if possible. it will make the job easier.

do not use anything but a #10 blade on the belly, pads, armpits, face, and ears.... a #7 will be okay on the body, if you like. a #7F.

Wow. Thanks! Now I know I don't want to do it myself.