Help with the "puppy cut"

[chelle36]

Well, I just gave Phoebe her first hair cut today. Somehow I thought a "puppy cut" would leave her looking like a puppy...she looks more like a puppy who has been run over by a lawn mower She is almost 5 months old now and was so cute with her hair growing out...it makes me want to cry when I look at her chopped up coat.

I see cuts that I like here on Yorkietalk....they look like the hair is about an inch or so long all over, full face with hair going every which way and just fluffy and random like a puppy. Her cut turned out way too short and choppy. I used clippers on her with the longest comb the clippers came with but I am wondering if I should just use scissors and skip the clippers all together. I liked the way she looked when she was about 3-3/12 months old....a little length but not shaggy.

Does anyone here do their own grooming or have advice on how to get the look I am after?

[luvnmymax]

HI! When someone asks for that length on a puppy cut I do one of two things. If the puppy is calm and used to being groomed I do a hand scissored cut. If it is squirmy and playful, then it is not going to stand while I do a scissored cut. So I use a #3 or #4 blade on my A5 clippers. I'm not sure what comb that would be, but with proffessional A5 clippers different blades are different lengths. The blade actually glides along the skin. That makes the cut a whole lot smooother than trying to use the attachable combs. A5 clippers are more expensive, but are well worth the money! Hope this helps! Jessica

[MyPeanutAbbyGra]

Originally Posted by chelle36

Well, I just gave Phoebe her first hair cut today. Somehow I thought a "puppy cut" would leave her looking like a puppy...she looks more like a puppy who has been run over by a lawn mower She is almost 5 months old now and was so cute with her hair growing out...it makes me want to cry when I look at her chopped up coat.

I see cuts that I like here on Yorkietalk....they look like the hair is about an inch or so long all over, full face with hair going every which way and just fluffy and random like a puppy. Her cut turned out way too short and choppy. I used clippers on her with the longest comb the clippers came with but I am wondering if I should just use scissors and skip the clippers all together. I liked the way she looked when she was about 3-3/12 months old....a little length but not shaggy.

Does anyone here do their own grooming or have advice on how to get the look I am after?

Maybe you could take her to a groomers and have them shape her coat up.
I do cut Daisy's hair or at least I have a couple times. When we first got her, her hair was long, but thin, so I took her in and had her professionally groomed...actually she's been groomed at the groomers 3 times since April and I've trimmed her up twice myself. She's very cooperative. Abby on the other hand. I just can't do her. She's too squirmy and I'm afraid I'll hurt her.

I would just bite the bullet and take her in and get her trimmed up. Did you do her face too?

[yorkiepuppie]

Originally Posted by chelle36

Well, I just gave Phoebe her first hair cut today. Somehow I thought a "puppy cut" would leave her looking like a puppy...she looks more like a puppy who has been run over by a lawn mower She is almost 5 months old now and was so cute with her hair growing out...it makes me want to cry when I look at her chopped up coat.

I see cuts that I like here on Yorkietalk....they look like the hair is about an inch or so long all over, full face with hair going every which way and just fluffy and random like a puppy. Her cut turned out way too short and choppy. I used clippers on her with the longest comb the clippers came with but I am wondering if I should just use scissors and skip the clippers all together. I liked the way she looked when she was about 3-3/12 months old....a little length but not shaggy.

Does anyone here do their own grooming or have advice on how to get the look I am after?

i tried to cut milu's hair myself when i first got her, and....after i was done and when my fiance saw her, he laughed for 10 minutes straight! i was a little bit mad at first, but i started laughing too and apologized to milu for making her look so stupid...fortunately hair does grow back, and now i take her to the groomers...she doesn't like it, but she doesn't like it when i do it either...

[Erin]

I agree that the clippers with the combs do not leave the smooth look of the professional blades. I'm capable of grooming my two but I just take them to my groomer who they love. It's so much easier than vacuuming the entire bathroom I would just find a groomer who will let you stay and watch and just be very specific about what you want.

[Coco Pebbles]

I took my Pebbles in to be groomed. I was so disappointed in the "puppy cut" that I got from them. It was all different lengths, she cut off one eye lash and most of the eyebrow on the right side...and she still had them on the left side. The good news is the difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is two weeks. That is how long it takes until they look better.

I am going to try someone else next time. I know what you mean about a cute "puppy" cut with it looking fluffy and that good in between length. I use to have a Shih Tzu and it took try and error before I found the right person. So even if you don't like the cut you did, at least it didn't cost you anything... I got a haircut I didn't like and it cost me $40.00 dollars.

[PANAMA69]

I do my girls, it just take practice in the begining is not that good, but with time you get better, just to tell you the true I kind of follow the hair directions, maybe here someone will help you more..
ps. I have a Phoebe also

[chelle36]

Originally Posted by luvnmymax

HI! When someone asks for that length on a puppy cut I do one of two things. If the puppy is calm and used to being groomed I do a hand scissored cut. If it is squirmy and playful, then it is not going to stand while I do a scissored cut. So I use a #3 or #4 blade on my A5 clippers. I'm not sure what comb that would be, but with proffessional A5 clippers different blades are different lengths. The blade actually glides along the skin. That makes the cut a whole lot smooother than trying to use the attachable combs. A5 clippers are more expensive, but are well worth the money! Hope this helps! Jessica

That does help...I think I will try using scissors, she sits pretty well for me. I purchased a pair of ball tip curved scissors also, is this what you would use or would you use straight scissors to trim her body? Do you just hold the hair up and try to cut it all the same length when you do one of these cuts?

I am returning my clippers...I paid $120 for them but they are not A5 compatible so I cannot try one of the blades you mentioned. I'll try the scissors and see if that gives me the look I want.

Thanks all...

[TeresaM]

Like Coco Pebbles said, it just takes trial and error. I was mortified at what poor Annie looked like when I first started cutting her. I think that's why she was always happy to wear clothes...it hid the horrible home haircut that her momma gave her. But fortunately her hair grew fast and with time I got quit good.

I feel like I'm starting all over again with rookie mistakes with Gracie Ruth. Her build is all different from Annie's, she a little miss wiggly butt, and she has beautiful long hair that I'm just really having trouble with the thought of cutting off. I know eventually I'll get a good style for her and she is getting better and better at standing still...well most of the time.

So don't sweat the bad cuts, just keep working on it, you'll get it right and then you'll love it when someone asks where do you take her and you can say you do her yourself.

[Dawn125]

Just a word of advice when you take your dog to a groomer. The term "puppy cut" doesn't mean the same thing to all groomers. If you just say I want a puppy cut you could come back to a dog with hair anywhere from 1/4" to 2"s. Think about how long you actually want the hair to be. If you think you want an inch, hold a ruler up to your puppys hair and see what an inch actually is. It may be shorter than you think. Or longer. People often ask me to leave their dogs hair an inch long while demonstrating with their fingers more like 2 inches apart. It can be deceiving. Also, an inch on a cotton coated yorkie will not look the same as a more silky coated yorkie. Another thing to consider is leg length vs body length. Your puppy will look cuter if the legs are a bit longer than the body. More teddy bearish (I hope that makes sense). Otherwise if you say "I want a inch long puppy cut" you will likely get back a little dog that looks pretty short with stick legs. Basically the point I am trying to make is just to be specific and don't assume the groomer knows what you are asking for. It is also a good idea to look at the dogs comming out of the grooming shop. If everybody is comming out naked move on.

[chelle36]

Originally Posted by Dawn125

Just a word of advice when you take your dog to a groomer. The term "puppy cut" doesn't mean the same thing to all groomers. If you just say I want a puppy cut you could come back to a dog with hair anywhere from 1/4" to 2"s. Think about how long you actually want the hair to be. If you think you want an inch, hold a ruler up to your puppys hair and see what an inch actually is. It may be shorter than you think. Or longer. People often ask me to leave their dogs hair an inch long while demonstrating with their fingers more like 2 inches apart. It can be deceiving. Also, an inch on a cotton coated yorkie will not look the same as a more silky coated yorkie. Another thing to consider is leg length vs body length. Your puppy will look cuter if the legs are a bit longer than the body. More teddy bearish (I hope that makes sense). Otherwise if you say "I want a inch long puppy cut" you will likely get back a little dog that looks pretty short with stick legs. Basically the point I am trying to make is just to be specific and don't assume the groomer knows what you are asking for. It is also a good idea to look at the dogs comming out of the grooming shop. If everybody is comming out naked move on.

Thanks...that is good advice. The fact that Phoebe's legs are a little longer than the rest of her hacked up body is the only thing that makes her cut tolerable. I think it would be a good idea to use a ruler and get a sense of exactly what I am after. I would rather not take her to a groomer...paranoid I guess...but if I did a picture would be a good idea...that's what I do with my stylist I think Phoebe has a more cottony coat, is is sort of wooly and gets tangled very quickly.

[yorkiepuppie]

Originally Posted by Dawn125

Just a word of advice when you take your dog to a groomer. The term "puppy cut" doesn't mean the same thing to all groomers. If you just say I want a puppy cut you could come back to a dog with hair anywhere from 1/4" to 2"s. Think about how long you actually want the hair to be. If you think you want an inch, hold a ruler up to your puppys hair and see what an inch actually is. It may be shorter than you think. Or longer. People often ask me to leave their dogs hair an inch long while demonstrating with their fingers more like 2 inches apart. It can be deceiving. Also, an inch on a cotton coated yorkie will not look the same as a more silky coated yorkie. Another thing to consider is leg length vs body length. Your puppy will look cuter if the legs are a bit longer than the body. More teddy bearish (I hope that makes sense). Otherwise if you say "I want a inch long puppy cut" you will likely get back a little dog that looks pretty short with stick legs. Basically the point I am trying to make is just to be specific and don't assume the groomer knows what you are asking for. It is also a good idea to look at the dogs comming out of the grooming shop. If everybody is comming out naked move on.

wow, this is a really nice post. thank you for sharing.
i especially liked this part.
"People often ask me to leave their dogs hair an inch long while demonstrating with their fingers more like 2 inches apart. It can be deceiving."
hahahaha, it's like they are trying to trick you!

[spr377]

Originally Posted by Dawn125

Just a word of advice when you take your dog to a groomer. The term "puppy cut" doesn't mean the same thing to all groomers. If you just say I want a puppy cut you could come back to a dog with hair anywhere from 1/4" to 2"s. Think about how long you actually want the hair to be. If you think you want an inch, hold a ruler up to your puppys hair and see what an inch actually is. It may be shorter than you think. Or longer. People often ask me to leave their dogs hair an inch long while demonstrating with their fingers more like 2 inches apart. It can be deceiving. Also, an inch on a cotton coated yorkie will not look the same as a more silky coated yorkie. Another thing to consider is leg length vs body length. Your puppy will look cuter if the legs are a bit longer than the body. More teddy bearish (I hope that makes sense). Otherwise if you say "I want a inch long puppy cut" you will likely get back a little dog that looks pretty short with stick legs. Basically the point I am trying to make is just to be specific and don't assume the groomer knows what you are asking for. It is also a good idea to look at the dogs comming out of the grooming shop. If everybody is comming out naked move on.

I'm a hairstylist, and you are right when you say an inch is different to different people! I also agree about keeping the leg hair a little longer...my josie is in what I call a puppy cut, and I leave her leg hair a little longer.....she does look like a teddybear!!

[k2p1e]

I am a groomer and you have received some really good advice! And be picky when choosing your groomer, like hairdressers there are good ones and bad ones.
be open with your groomer what you like and dislike. i had one woman who came to me 2 or 3 times then called and cancelled one day saying she HATED how I did her dogs hair and was never coming back. I called and asked what it was specifically she hated...she she wanted to grow out a topknot but had NEVER told me...I told her no biggie, we can leave the hair and start growing one out, just ask. She did not realize she could request changes etc. We now have the 'perfect' haircut for her little girly.

i do a 1/2" on my male yorkie, and he looks all plsuh a cute with his cottony coat but that length on his sister...well she look BALD, thing straggly hair does not look the best really short.

Sometimes on really long legged yorkies I will leave the legs just a touch longer then the body (body could be 1" and legs 1 1/2").

I love using thinning shears for softening that scissored look so they look more natural.

I know in my area most groomers do all yorkies the same in 'their' definition of a puppy cute...1/4" on the body, shaved ears (the WHOLE thing), short head and the face is perfectly round....

Personally being a yorkie owner I feel every yorkie has their own 'look' some are suited much better with different styles. People can request what they want but for those that are open to anything I will suggest different styles.
Some look better with that round, perfectly even face, some look better with a more layered 'puppy-er' face, some look better with a longer beard area.

I have two I have been grooming forever...always in either a schanuzer do' or grown out long...well they got skunked this summer and the owners wanted them SKINNED...I skinned their bodies but tipped their ears and rounded their faces (heads were not skunked)...OMG!! They looked SOOO different and looked SOOOO good!!! The owner was thrilled to pieces, could not belive how sucha simple change made her dogs look awesome and they were shaved (I am normally not a fan at all of the shaved body look but these guys did look good).

[SillyStrawberry]

I was just going to say...thinning shears are the way to go! I hate a choppy cut. It leaves a nice feathered look so you can't see any lines.

We rarely took my first yorkie, Kiwi, to the groomer. We just took care of her ourselves. We tried a few groomers, but one time they cut her so short she looked like a chihuahua. She walked around with her head down for days she was so ashamed of her appearance. Then the 2nd time we took her to another groomer and warned them not to cut her too short and she came home looking like a mini alpaca. For real! Not a good look! So we continued doing her face and feet trims ourselves. We occasionally got her paws trimmed and toenails cut at Petsmart and they cut her hair once when she was very old and did a fantastic job!

My new baby girl, Strawberry, has her first appointment at the groomers to get her used to it. I am trying out Petsmart again since they did such a great job with Kiwi. Fingers crossed.