What will you need to groom your dog yourself? What you need to prepare will differ slightly depending on the length and texture of the coat. We will introduce how to do a self-cut of your dog without making mistakes and recommended tools such as scissors, brushes, clippers, and nail clippers.
For Combing the Coat, Removing Loose Hairs, Etc.
Pin Brush
For basic brushing of medium to long-haired breeds, as well as for removing loose hair, dandruff, dust, etc. Choose a brush that is the right size for your dog’s size and with the right pin length for the density of the coat. Grip the brush lightly and comb it with a rotating wrist motion. For single-coated dogs, it is possible to dry the coat after shampooing using only a pin brush without using a slicker brush.
Slicker Brush
For loosening hairballs, removing loose hair, and drying after shampooing. Consists of thin, wire-like pins bent in a “U” shape. Careful attention should be paid to the amount of force and angle of the brush to avoid damaging the dog’s skin by combing too hard. Hold the handle of the brush as if you were holding a pencil (less force = less likely to damage the skin), and lightly comb the hair in a horizontal motion against the coat.
If you are not used to using a slicker, it is best to avoid using it on the face, ears, legs, and other areas where the fur is short and scarce. When using a slicker for the first time, it may be better to practice a little to get a feel for it. There are hard and soft types of slickers, and they can be used according to the quality and quantity of the coat and the degree of hairball formation, but most owners seem to prefer the soft type.
Comb
The comb is used for finishing brushing, checking for hairballs, making hair stand up or trimming when cutting, and for small parts such as ears, around the mouth, eyes, and decorative hair on the legs. If the comb has both coarse and fine bristles, you can use different bristles depending on the density of the coat and the degree to which the hair is caught. One way of combing is to brush the coat by brushing through the fur a little at a time, checking for snagging with the comb after combing with a slicker. If there are hairballs, pinch the hairballs with the fingers of one hand and comb the coat vertically to loosen them little by little.
Brush for Removing Loose Hair
This brush is designed to remove loose hair by twisting the loose hair around the pin or blade tip. Some brushes should not be used more than necessary, as they can break or damage hairs if used too hard, repeated in the same place too many times, or used too often.
For Skin Massage and Hair Glazing
Animal Hair Brush
Made of pig or boar bristles, etc. For oiling and shining the fur, for finishing and preventing static electricity when you do not want to remove too much undercoat, etc. Brushes come in various softness, hardness, and lengths, so you can choose according to the quality of the coat, for example, use a soft brush for dogs with supple coats and a hard brush for dogs with bristly coats.
Rubber Brush
For skin massage, shampooing and drenching, and removing loose hair on short-haired dogs. The rubber material also absorbs loose hairs, so it can be used for cleaning loose hairs on carpets. In addition to the brush type, there is also a glove type.
For Cutting and Shaping Fur
Cutting Scissors
Scissors have a dynamic blade (which is moved by the thumb) and a static blade (which is supported by other fingers, such as the ring finger). This means moving only the thumb as much as possible. By doing this, you can cut hairs more neatly.
Suki Scissors
The scissors have a gap between the blades and are used for blurring the cut ends of the hair to make them look natural or for adjusting the amount of hair. If the blade is placed at a right angle to the coat and a quick cut is made all at once, the cut area may be noticeable. or by twisting the bundled hairs and cutting in two or three places.
Clippers
Clippers can be used for everything from overall cuts to cuts on the soles of the feet and around the anus. Depending on how you apply the blade, you may injure your dog, so it is best to avoid areas where the skin is soft and somewhat complex, such as underarms, inner thighs, wrinkles, and sagging skin, if you are not familiar with the technique. Please note that if you apply clippers to a dog with hairballs or if the dog has not been properly brushed, the hair may get tangled. Professional clippers are sharper, more powerful, and require more care and skill; there are types with blades of different mm (replacement blades) and types with attachments to adjust the length to be clipped.
Others
There are scissors, guillotine, and nipper types. The scissors type is difficult to use on large, sturdy nails and is more suitable for small to medium-sized dogs. The guillotine type is used to cut off nails by inserting them into the ring-shaped part of the blade. If you are looking for a more detailed work, the nipper type may be a better choice. When clipping nails, it is surprisingly easy to forget about wolf claws on the paws. In some cases, wolfsbane nails have grown so long that they are digging into the skin, so be sure not to forget to cut them.
Ear Cleaner
Ear lotion should be used when cleaning the ears, but do not rub too much or otherwise irritate the inside of the ears, as they are very delicate. In fact, it may cause inflammation. Cotton swabs can also push dirt deep into the ear, so if you use cotton swabs, it is best to avoid putting them deep into the ear. It is sufficient to put lotion on a cotton ball and lightly wipe the area in front of the ear canal (the part that can be seen).
Although asking a professional to groom your dog is one method, touching your dog’s body is also a good way to check its health and communicate with it, so why not do a basic grooming by yourself if possible?