I want to buy clippers, which kind ???

**tomkatzid** · 11-12-2003, 03:40 PM

What kind do you use and how much were they?? I want good ones. In the past I have owned 5 pair of clippers but none really good. All in the $20. to $60. range. I even had the blade sharpened on the expensive ones, didn't help. I really would like to be able to cut Nina and for go the groomer. Once in a while anyway. With the inexpensive ones I do her feet and legs, but I'm afraid to do her whole body. They just aren't strong enough to go through all that hair. What about cord or cordless? The book I'm looking in is Ryans Pets, thats where we got the hair dryer too.
Katz

**wolfsoul** · 11-12-2003, 03:49 PM

I'm assuming you mean like an electric razor? Tikeyas_mom's mother shaves Oscar herself, so I'm sure that if you ask, she'll tell you what type Oscar gets.

I went with them when they bought it at Wal Mart.

For scissors, my friend is a hairdresser, and I could ask what kind she finds is good. I'm not sure when I'll be seeing her though...But be warned, she is using $100 scissors at the moment.

**jenluckenbach** · 11-12-2003, 04:50 PM

OK.here's the poop (from a groomer)
Anything called a "pet" clipper is junk. If you are SERIOUS, go with Oster or Andis PROFESSIONAL animal clippers. YES< they will be quite a bit more that you quoted. $100 is the cheapest WE can get them wholesale. Do NOT get a cordless, unless you want to do half a dog and then wait until tomorrow.

How else can I be of help?

**Pam** · 11-12-2003, 04:59 PM

We have an Oster clipper and quite a large variety of blades. We periodically have our blades sharpened which helps a lot. My only complaint is that the clippers and blades heat up so quickly. We have to keep taking a "time out" until the blades cool down. We do use the Cool Blade (I think that's what it is called) Spray but the entire clipper gets hot and you just must wait a while for blades and clipper to cool down.

I guess when you are grooming professionally you just grab another (cool) clipper and continue????

**jenluckenbach** · 11-12-2003, 05:33 PM

I guess when you are grooming professionally you just grab another (cool) clipper and continue????

YUP

Kool Lube also lubricates the blades. Don't try clipping too long without it.

**Pam** · 11-12-2003, 05:42 PM

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
Kool Lube

I didn't think Cool Blade sounded right.

**Twisterdog** · 11-12-2003, 05:50 PM

You have been given good advice about clippers. Plan on spending $100 to $200 on clippers, and about $20 per blade - and you will need several blades, at least. You will also need Kool Lube (or another brand), clipper oil, and blade wash.

A couple things to keep in mind, though:

Professional clippers and blades are made for professional groomers. They operate at a faster speed than "pet" clippers, get hot faster, and the blades are much, much sharper. If you don't know what you are doing, you can cause serious damage to your pet. Please be very, very careful - and get some training and advice. Groomers are vastly, vastly underpaid for what the do and what they know.

Also, a professional groomer does more than run a clipper over your dog. She also clips nails to the proper length, cleans ears, expresses anal glands, checks teeth and gums. She is trained to notice skin and coat problems, the start of ear or anal gland infections, parasites, ticks, fleas, lice, thyroid conditions, mange, etc. I can't begin to tell you how many dogs lives have been saved by my groomers being experienced, trained, knowledgable and observant. Visits to the groomer also help to socialize dogs, teach them to be tolerant and patient, and to get along with people in strange environments. For a lot of dogs, a trip to the groomer is as fun as a romp in the dog park.

Not saying you absolutely can't groom your dog yourself, or that you won't notice things on your own. I just grit my teeth when someone thinks it's simple to "just buy some clippers, and do what the groomer does, for cheaper". Groomers do a LOT for your pets, that you might not even realize.

**jenluckenbach** · 11-12-2003, 06:40 PM

You know, Twisterdog, it is kinda like the home owner that wants to do their own plumbing. They gotta learn the hard way, sometimes.

**Twisterdog** · 11-12-2003, 08:25 PM

You know, Twisterdog, it is kinda like the home owner that wants to do their own plumbing. They gotta learn the hard way, sometimes.

LOL ... so true!

**micki76** · 11-12-2003, 08:29 PM

Excellent advice Twister!! Bravo! It's really not a simple as it sounds is it? I tried to groom Aneko one day and I'm sooo out of practice that she looked like the 1st dog I ever groomed. It's been many years since I groomed and I just thought I'd pick up the clippers and go. Wrong!
Poor kid, she went to the shop today to fix what mommy thought she could still do. LOL

**robinh** · 11-13-2003, 07:59 AM

I was thinking about learning to clip mine to save money, but listening to the professionals here has made me rethink it.

It's kind of a pain to drop off and pick up Molly and Kirby because of the distance between where I live and their shop, but I don't think I want to get into that much hassle. Lois and Julie do such a nice job. And they love to see the kids when I drop them off.

Thanks for the insight!

**tomkatzid** · 11-13-2003, 08:31 AM

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
Do NOT get a cordless, unless you want to do half a dog and then wait until tomorrow.

This made me laugh out loud.

Tom said after reading all this, to just go to the groomer. Tonee (RB) was shaved too close once at a groomer and got staff infection. It was pretty bad. So I know you have to keep things very clean too.

I would never shave Nina close enough to burn her, but maybe you mean burn because the shaver it so hot. I hadn't realized they get hot and that you need oil or something to keep them cool. I think our groomer cleans ears, maybe not express the anal glands, I'll have to ask. I bet she doesn't check teeth ect. But all in all she does a pretty good job, and Nina seems to like her. So I'm sure that's 90% of the battle right there. And she does do her nails, which I do not want to do ever. So for now, to the groomer we go. I will keep the inexpensive clippers for touch ups of the feet and head.

Thanks everyone for the info and your time to write.
Katz

**ParNone** · 11-13-2003, 12:38 PM

twister writes:

I just grit my teeth when someone thinks it's simple to "just buy some clippers, and do what the groomer does, for cheaper".

I have to laugh, because I groom Murph and Maddie myself,
with a pair of everyday scissors. I just snip, snip here and
snip, snip there. It takes me all of 10 minutes to do each of'em.
My groomer friend shakes her head and calls it a 10 min kitchen
do, ala the old hillybilly "bowl on the head" kitchen hairdos.

Only my version isn't that evenly cut. She wanted to fix Murph,
when his beard was cockeye, cuz I cut one side shorter than
the other. Ah, Cairns are suppose to be shaggy and they love
the fact it only takes 10 mins.

Par...