Trimming my dog myself... - YorkieTalk.com Forums

CesarTheGreat · 08-05-2011, 08:33 AM

I have been trimming Cesar myself for the last 8 months or so. I was paying a groomer to do it for a while but I like to keep his coat really short in the summer and his hair seems to grow very fast, where I am trimming him every 2-3 weeks.

I bought a regular trimmer and he will let me do his body (back and sides) but once I come up to his neck area he gets very upset and starts biting at the trimmer. He also won't let me do any of his legs with the trimmer, he pulls them away. I can do a little of the back legs but the front legs - no way. He isn't having it.

I muzzle his face and try to do the legs but he just goes nuts.

When I would take him to the groomer, they would have two girls. They'd muzzle him, tie him to the post, and one girl would hold him still while the other trimmed him.

I think it's the sound and vibration of the trimmer that freaks him out. Is there anything out there that I can just put over him and squeeze that will trim him, aside from scissors? Currently I am using scissors to do his ears, head, and legs.

I don't like doing this because I have to do it in sessions. He will be very sweet and patient for the first 15 minutes but it takes so long to do it with scissors, he starts to get ancy and starts moving around.

How to do this?

BTW, I was paying $60 per session to have him groomed which is why when doing it every 3 weeks or so I decided to try it myself. It was just too expensive.

susan lynn · 08-05-2011, 08:54 AM

I understand exactly what you are going through. I have 4 Yorkies, we were having them groomed about 3 times ayear and I was trimming in between. My DH decided I needed to buy the clippers and do the grooming myself to save money. It has been crazy. It is so hard to hold them and groom.One of my girls won't let me near her, DH has to hold her.I am beginning to think it would be worth paying a groomer. I can't do all the extras a groomer does, cutting their nails was horrible also. Good Luck

CesarTheGreat · 08-08-2011, 04:36 PM

well it turns out today I went to do the rest of him, and he actually let me do the top of his head and his ears. All that's left is his front and hind legs. I will try to trim those tomorrow with the trimmer.

nychelse · 08-18-2011, 08:10 AM

I am so worried about clipping the nails for my dog because I dont want to clip to far but also if he starts moving his feet then it gets to be dangerous

lucky999 · 08-18-2011, 08:15 AM

How funny....I had the same problem....just the nails...so when I took him to have nails clipped to my amazement, he allowed it to be done!!!! Go figure...Lucky999

CesarTheGreat · 08-25-2011, 08:35 PM

What I did a couple days after I posted this was tied the leash around the table and left only 2 or so inches of slack. Then I latched it to his collar so he couldn't flail around and go berserk.

Surprisingly, it worked like a charm. He felt trapped cause he knew he had no slack, and he just stayed still and I was able to trim the hair all around his butt cause that was getting long. I was also able to do his hind legs really well and pretty much anything from the neck down.

I got the idea from petco. I noticed they have a post and they tie the dogs down with a couple inches of slack with their heads tilted up.

Cesar looks great, and I was able to trim his face by hand. His underbody is a little long but I trimmed that with scissors as well, it's just not as short as I'd like it.

CesarTheGreat · 08-25-2011, 08:45 PM

What I did a couple days after I posted this was tied the leash around the table and left only 2 or so inches of slack. Then I latched it to his collar so he couldn't flail around and go berserk.

Surprisingly, it worked like a charm. He felt trapped cause he knew he had no slack, and he just stayed still and I was able to trim the hair all around his butt cause that was getting long. I was also able to do his hind legs really well and pretty much anything from the neck down.

I got the idea from petco. I noticed they have a post and they tie the dogs down with a couple inches of slack with their heads tilted up.

Cesar looks great, and I was able to trim his face by hand. His underbody is a little long but I trimmed that with scissors as well, it's just not as short as I'd like it.

Marilize · 08-27-2011, 10:39 PM

I groom all three of my Yorkies myself. I think it helps that I started grooming my first Yorkie right after I got him and he's been getting a grooming session every week since. I also make sure to give them a yummy treat afterwards. In the beginning when they are puppies, I use treats during the grooming session as well, but those treats weren't quite so tasty as the jackpot treat AFTER grooming.

I used to hate doing their nails too! I was very scared that I would cut into the quick because my parents did that with me when I was a baby

. But I bought a proper nail clipper anyway, I spoke to breeders and other Yorkie owners I know and watched a lot of videos on Youtube. I needed to do it myself because I couldn't find a groomer that knew how to clip a Yorkie's coat and I like the special time with my dogs.

We're having a photoshoot this afternoon because Orio's (my little Biewer) breeder really wants to see photos of him. So, after I've had my coffee (it's 08h36 now) it's grooming time!

08-05-2011, 08:33 AM	#1
CesarTheGreat Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 119	Trimming my dog myself... I have been trimming Cesar myself for the last 8 months or so. I was paying a groomer to do it for a while but I like to keep his coat really short in the summer and his hair seems to grow very fast, where I am trimming him every 2-3 weeks. I bought a regular trimmer and he will let me do his body (back and sides) but once I come up to his neck area he gets very upset and starts biting at the trimmer. He also won't let me do any of his legs with the trimmer, he pulls them away. I can do a little of the back legs but the front legs - no way. He isn't having it. I muzzle his face and try to do the legs but he just goes nuts. When I would take him to the groomer, they would have two girls. They'd muzzle him, tie him to the post, and one girl would hold him still while the other trimmed him. I think it's the sound and vibration of the trimmer that freaks him out. Is there anything out there that I can just put over him and squeeze that will trim him, aside from scissors? Currently I am using scissors to do his ears, head, and legs. I don't like doing this because I have to do it in sessions. He will be very sweet and patient for the first 15 minutes but it takes so long to do it with scissors, he starts to get ancy and starts moving around. How to do this? BTW, I was paying $60 per session to have him groomed which is why when doing it every 3 weeks or so I decided to try it myself. It was just too expensive.

08-05-2011, 08:54 AM	#2
susan lynn Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Georgia Posts: 3,262	I understand exactly what you are going through. I have 4 Yorkies, we were having them groomed about 3 times ayear and I was trimming in between. My DH decided I needed to buy the clippers and do the grooming myself to save money. It has been crazy. It is so hard to hold them and groom.One of my girls won't let me near her, DH has to hold her.I am beginning to think it would be worth paying a groomer. I can't do all the extras a groomer does, cutting their nails was horrible also. Good Luck __________________ SUSAN : TESSIE : HOBBES :CALVIN :SASSY There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face! ~ Ben Williams

08-27-2011, 10:39 PM	#8
Marilize YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Cape town, South Africa Posts: 703	I groom all three of my Yorkies myself. I think it helps that I started grooming my first Yorkie right after I got him and he's been getting a grooming session every week since. I also make sure to give them a yummy treat afterwards. In the beginning when they are puppies, I use treats during the grooming session as well, but those treats weren't quite so tasty as the jackpot treat AFTER grooming. I used to hate doing their nails too! I was very scared that I would cut into the quick because my parents did that with me when I was a baby . But I bought a proper nail clipper anyway, I spoke to breeders and other Yorkie owners I know and watched a lot of videos on Youtube. I needed to do it myself because I couldn't find a groomer that knew how to clip a Yorkie's coat and I like the special time with my dogs. We're having a photoshoot this afternoon because Orio's (my little Biewer) breeder really wants to see photos of him. So, after I've had my coffee (it's 08h36 now) it's grooming time! __________________ Cash & Orio RIP Beautiful Joni

08-08-2011, 04:36 PM	#3
CesarTheGreat Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 119	well it turns out today I went to do the rest of him, and he actually let me do the top of his head and his ears. All that's left is his front and hind legs. I will try to trim those tomorrow with the trimmer.

08-18-2011, 08:10 AM	#4
nychelse YT Addict Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Manhattan, NY Posts: 250	I am so worried about clipping the nails for my dog because I dont want to clip to far but also if he starts moving his feet then it gets to be dangerous

08-18-2011, 08:15 AM	#5
lucky999 No Longer a Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: desert hot springs CA Posts: 58	How funny....I had the same problem....just the nails...so when I took him to have nails clipped to my amazement, he allowed it to be done!!!! Go figure...Lucky999

08-25-2011, 08:35 PM	#6
CesarTheGreat Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 119	What I did a couple days after I posted this was tied the leash around the table and left only 2 or so inches of slack. Then I latched it to his collar so he couldn't flail around and go berserk. Surprisingly, it worked like a charm. He felt trapped cause he knew he had no slack, and he just stayed still and I was able to trim the hair all around his butt cause that was getting long. I was also able to do his hind legs really well and pretty much anything from the neck down. I got the idea from petco. I noticed they have a post and they tie the dogs down with a couple inches of slack with their heads tilted up. Cesar looks great, and I was able to trim his face by hand. His underbody is a little long but I trimmed that with scissors as well, it's just not as short as I'd like it.

08-25-2011, 08:45 PM	#7
CesarTheGreat Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 119	What I did a couple days after I posted this was tied the leash around the table and left only 2 or so inches of slack. Then I latched it to his collar so he couldn't flail around and go berserk. Surprisingly, it worked like a charm. He felt trapped cause he knew he had no slack, and he just stayed still and I was able to trim the hair all around his butt cause that was getting long. I was also able to do his hind legs really well and pretty much anything from the neck down. I got the idea from petco. I noticed they have a post and they tie the dogs down with a couple inches of slack with their heads tilted up. Cesar looks great, and I was able to trim his face by hand. His underbody is a little long but I trimmed that with scissors as well, it's just not as short as I'd like it.