Giving your dog a haircut at home

We all love to snuggle and pet our dog when their hair is soft and clean. Proper grooming is a vital aspect in the health of your pet. Grooming can either be done professionally especially for those fancy haircuts or at the comfort of your home. Giving your dog a haircut for the first time at home can seem like a daunting task; however, with some basic tips and practice, you will become a pro in no time.

Trims are easy to do especially with the right tools such as a great pair of curved dog grooming scissors like those from Groomingscissorsdirect.

Learning how to groom your dog at home will save you time and energy not forgetting gas money to the salon and the cost of the haircut. If you have a dog breed whose hair grows rapidly, it’s best to have the haircuts done at home to save you monthly salon costs. Furthermore, giving your dog a haircut in familiar territories will make him calmer and strengthen the bond between you and your dog.

The frequency of haircuts solely depends on the breed length of your dog’s hair. Breeds such as Maltese or the Afghan hound have long coats that need some grooming at least once a month or once every two months. Curly or wire-haired dogs such as the Bedlington terrier, the Bolognese or the Pumi can go without a cut for several months. Below is a how-to step to giving your dog a proper haircut at home.

Table Of Contents hide

1 Prepare your dog

2 Bath the dog

3 Choose a quite place

4 Assemble all your equipment

5 Plan the cut

6 Go slow in the right direction

7 Finish up

Prepare your dog

Before trimming any hairs from your dog, it’s best to spend time brushing and combing the dog’s coat. This will put him at ease as well as remove large debris such as food particles or pieces of carpet. Brushing the hair makes the cutting process go faster and smoother.

Bath the dog

Once you finish brushing your dog’s hair, you should give him a bath with warm water and shampoo. Make sure the shampoo is vet-approved as some dogs may have sensitive coats. Rinse the dog thoroughly to remove any traces of the shampoo or dirt debris.

Choose a quite place

Choose an appropriate spot to cut your dog’s hair free from loud noises as it tends to distress them. Curved dog grooming scissors are recommended for home haircuts as opposed to dog clippers whose vibrations tend to agitate the dog.

Assemble all your equipment

To give your dog a safe and skillful cut at home, it’s best to equip yourself with some basic equipment. This ranges from hairbrushes, combs, towels, blow dryer and a pair of curved dog grooming scissors. Make sure the blades of the scissors are sharp for easy control.

Plan the cut

Before anything, you must have decided way in advance the length and style you are going for. Trim the hair gradually usually between 1-2 inches while combing to see how the length looks on your dog.

Go slow in the right direction

The cutting process should be done slowly and gently using curved dog grooming scissors. These are the best compared to straight scissors for an easy cut free from any injuries. Fast and aggressive cuts may result in an unexpected haircut or worse, harm the dog. Cutting the hair should be done in the right direction to give the dog a natural-looking coat and avoid harsh lines on the body.

Finish up

Before calling it a day, check to ensure that the cut is all even. Use the scissors to touch-up on hidden areas such as the face, ears and legs. Brush the coat to make sure all excess hair is removed and the dog is neat and clean.