Photos after grooming

**sana** · 08-07-2011, 06:58 PM

OMG! They look like stuffed toys! I love it when they are close together, seems like they've taken over

And the Choo Choo train looked like as if one doggy had been copied twice! Loved watching the pictures! The video was fun to watch too!

**Freedom** · 08-07-2011, 08:41 PM

Thank you for all the lovely comments.

kazyaboutkatz, I invested in the grooming equipment on Dec 18th of last year (warehouse sale). I've already saved more than I spent on that stuff. At $45 per dog, $255 every 6 weeks, it didn't take long to break even!

Sana, I grew up with big dogs. When my first bichon, Sugar, arrived 4.5 years ago, that was my comment as well: she looked like a stuffed toy!

**Sowa** · 08-07-2011, 10:35 PM

Looks great! They're so cute

My mom recently decided that I could trim her dog. It's hard!

**Freedom** · 08-08-2011, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by Sowa

Looks great! They're so cute

My mom recently decided that I could trim her dog. It's hard!

What kind of dog is it? It is hard on dogs like Sugar and Lacey, who stand and look sad. It is terrible on dogs like Tasha, Marlin and Willy, who wriggle and squirm, and (Willy only ) bite!

**Sowa** · 08-08-2011, 12:27 PM

I believe he's a yorkie/westie mix. He's fine to cut his back end, but when you try and do his front he starts to bite. He's only small but it kinda scares me that he's growling and biting me. How do you clip them if they're biting? She's gettnig a muzzle for him but we really don't want to make it more stressful for him. She thinks the groomers she's taken him to were mean to him and that's why he's like this now.

Also do you need to clip their faces? I've never cut dog hair before and she expects me to know how to cut out his face

Do you do it by yourself? My mom needs to hold him otherwise I can't imagine how you'd do it yourself!!

**Freedom** · 08-08-2011, 03:09 PM

Sowa, I have 5 bichons. When I made the decision to keep the 5th one (I was fostering him), I knew I was going to have to be involved with grooming. First thing I did was invest in proper grooming equipment.

I am fortunate that Pet Edge has a warehouse near me, so I went to their warehouse sale last Dec 18th. I bought a grooming table, which includes the grooming loop (goes around the neck). This helps keep the dog in place.

The groomer I used for 2 years had a PhD (ABD) in Animal Human Behavior. She never used a muzzle on any of my dogs, and so I don't, either. I keep a baggie of small bits of hot dog (one hot dog can be cut into 68 pieces), and I reward all the good behavior. So you work on the back, he is good, TREAT! You work on the front, he isn't, say "uh-uh!" or "whoops!" return to the back for one stroke, he will be good, TREAT. It will take time, especially at the beginning. Working on the front, you may one do one brush stroke and treat. One stroke and treat.

I get them used to the brushing before I start clipping.

For the face, you can buy a pair of scissors with rounded tips, to protect the eyes. You NEVER cut with the end of the scissors, but with the middle of them

You can go to youtube and search
grooming yorkie face
grooming westie face

I am pretty sure you will find some help there as well.

**lvpets2002** · 08-08-2011, 03:33 PM

WoW Mom you did a Great Job on the Grooming of all of them pups.. They are all so Adorable.. great pics thanks

**Sowa** · 08-08-2011, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Freedom

Sowa, I have 5 bichons. When I made the decision to keep the 5th one (I was fostering him), I knew I was going to have to be involved with grooming. First thing I did was invest in proper grooming equipment.

I am fortunate that Pet Edge has a warehouse near me, so I went to their warehouse sale last Dec 18th. I bought a grooming table, which includes the grooming loop (goes around the neck). This helps keep the dog in place.

The groomer I used for 2 years had a PhD (ABD) in Animal Human Behavior. She never used a muzzle on any of my dogs, and so I don't, either. I keep a baggie of small bits of hot dog (one hot dog can be cut into 68 pieces), and I reward all the good behavior. So you work on the back, he is good, TREAT! You work on the front, he isn't, say "uh-uh!" or "whoops!" return to the back for one stroke, he will be good, TREAT. It will take time, especially at the beginning. Working on the front, you may one do one brush stroke and treat. One stroke and treat.

I get them used to the brushing before I start clipping.

For the face, you can buy a pair of scissors with rounded tips, to protect the eyes. You NEVER cut with the end of the scissors, but with the middle of them

You can go to youtube and search
grooming yorkie face
grooming westie face

I am pretty sure you will find some help there as well.

Thanks for the tips!