Learning How To Shave A Dog
A beautiful coat is one of the reason why dogs are admired however, some dog owners would opt to shave the pet. Dogs are commonly shaved to better cope with the heat of the summer months. A dog will be shaved if the owner is concerned with excessive shedding, with hot spots and fungal infection of the skin and finds the need to regularly groom the pet a tedious task. A pet owner will opt to shave the dog to do away with the need to groom especially if the pet is old and cannot tolerate being constantly brushed.
Dog owners would opt to shave the dog for different reasons. Professional groomers charge from $40 to $80 to shave a dog. Shaving the pet would be fun – the dog will not complain and the hair would grow in no time anyways.
Apart from being easier to shave, a clean and tangle free hair would not over work the clipper. Bathing the dog before the shaving session will remove the dirt from the coat. Dry the coat thoroughly and comb the hair to remove tangles. Positioning the dog on a table would be easier on your back but be sure to loosely fasten the head to an overhead support to stop the dog from vaulting. A dog that will be shaved for the first time must be accustomed to the humming and the vibration of the clipper thus before the starting to shave lay the turned on clipper against the body of the dog.
Use a #10 blade to shave the area between the eyes of the dog. Carefully shave the hair between the eyes. Move on to the face and to the ears. Shave the hair under the ears of long eared breeds.
The next is the armpit area. You need to raise the legs but be sure that the position is not making the dog uncomfortable. Move down to the anal area. Shaving this area is actually necessary for long haired breeds so as to prevent feces from sticking to the hair every time the dog defecates. To work on the rest of the dog’s body you have to replace the #10 blade with a longer one. Use continuous strokes to shave the hair on the head, neck and sides of the body . Pull the loose skin of the belly to make shaving easier. Last stop would be the legs and the feet. All done – give the dog a good hug for being a good sport.
Learn more about how to shave a dog and dog first aid at Sarah’s Dogs.