What is important to know about trimming and which dogs need it ⋆ Dogpedia

What is dog trimming

A unique cosmetic procedure for cleaning the coat of some breeds is called dog trimming. In fact, this is plucking out dead hairs. You might think that the animal will be uncomfortable, but in fact the process brings him relief.

In their natural habitat, dogs got rid of excess hair by rubbing against plants and trees. In apartment living conditions, the owner must take care of how to properly trim the dog.

Important: haircut and trimming are different events. You cannot replace one with the other.

Phenylalanine and tyrosine

Hair pigmentation can be affected by increased levels of tyrosine and phenylalanine in the body. The latter serves as a source for the synthesis of tyrosine, a non-essential amino acid necessary for the normal production of a number of hormones (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, melanin.

Many human foods contain the artificial sweetener aspartame, an artificial form of phenylalanine. This component is not included in dog food, but, as you know, many owners “sin” by feeding their pet products from their table.

Why is it needed?

The priority when choosing wire-haired breeds over others is the lack of shedding. But this statement is not entirely true. Their coat does not shed on its own; help is needed. If the animal is not trimmed, it will lose its presentable appearance. A simple haircut is not enough here.

Expert opinion

Anna Abramenko

An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.

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Coarse hair is given to these breeds in order to protect them from injury and save them from weather disasters. Such wool is not blown through by the wind, thorns and insects do not stick. Haircut disrupts their unique structure, the hairs become thin, lose their properties and grow poorly.

The hair structure of wire-haired quadrupeds has its own peculiarities. The upper part is thicker and the lower part is thinner. During cutting, the outer half is shortened. After this, the lower, thin and weak one begins to grow. There is a failure in the change of coat and its appearance becomes pale, the natural color is lost and the quality of the hair deteriorates. Subsequently, tangles form that do not allow air to pass through to the skin, and a fungus appears in the layer between the body and the undercoat.

Attention: if it happens that plucking was not carried out, but the animal was periodically clipped, it is impossible to restore the coat. The dog should be taken to a professional groomer for service and grooming.

Why not a haircut?

It is not recommended to simply trim wire-haired dogs. The thing is that after cutting the hair of such animals becomes thin, sparse, brittle, and can become tangled. Sometimes a dog can even change color: black hair becomes brown, gray, the coat becomes lighter and duller.

Some owners are convinced that it is not necessary to care for the coat of a wire-haired dog. This is a serious misconception. Felted wool forms a dense shell, which prevents the skin from breathing and provokes the development of fungi on the skin. At the same time, the growing new fur under the “shell” becomes soft, thin and sparse. In this case, in order to restore the beautiful appearance of the fur, you will need to shave it completely, however, the process of restoring the hair itself will be quite long.

Varieties

It is better to trim an animal for the first time under the supervision of a specialist, so as not to cause injury. The pain caused can prevent the four-legged animal from plucking for a long time. There are two ways to remove dead hair:

Stripping (carried out using tools).
Plaking (manual processing).

There are also types of dead hair removal procedures, depending on the desired result:

Exhibition. Conducted before the competition, the result must meet the selection criteria.
Cosmetic. Its goal is a beautiful appearance, carried out as part of the four-legged care procedures.
Hygienic. It is required when the wool is neglected and the formation of “armor” from tangles has begun.

Trimming also happens:

Full. It is carried out if more than 4 months have passed since the last procedure. Often combined with thinning the undercoat.
Easy. Do it once every 2-3 months without cutting the undercoat.

Special tools for trimming

Needless to say, it is better to give preference to professional tools of excellent quality, which are not cheap, but working with them is much easier and more enjoyable. The following equipment will be required:

Folding table , which is covered with a rough material specifically for trimming. It is quite compact and can be folded up and put away after the procedure. The table is also suitable for use at shows if the pet is destined for a similar career. Naturally, you will have to use it for more than one year, so you should think about purchasing a high-quality table.
Combs – a metal tool that has two sets of teeth – small and large – is suitable for trimming. They are used to comb out fur on the paws and skirt.
Slicker brush - it is used to remove dead hairs, in addition, it is also necessary for regular combing of the pet, for styling fur when drying with a hairdryer, and for styling fur during exhibitions. It must be selected based on the type of wool; the teeth of such a brush are made of wire. Tools that are too hard are not suitable for this type of rock. And you don’t need to take a powder brush with a large surface - 5 by 10 cm is quite suitable.
Trimming knife . They produce a great variety of similar instruments. You can purchase a knife for left or right hand use. Naturally, only practice can show what is most convenient, the main thing is that it copes with plucking and in no case cuts off hairs. To work, you will need two types of knives - one with medium-length teeth for processing the dog’s body, and the second with fine teeth to remove hair from the head, ears, and chest.
Trimming stones are also a kind of knives, but are used at the end of the procedure or for plucking fur from puppies.
Powder, chalk for grooming - increase adhesion to the coat, eliminate slipping, thereby simplifying the task. You can purchase special products or use regular powder for these purposes.
A fingertip is another device for convenience; it is made of silicone and latex. Their task is to prevent irritation and calloused formations.

When is trimming done?

The first time the process occurs when the puppy is six months old or a little less. The time of molting is favorable for this (spring and autumn). Next time you can pluck after 6 months. During this time, the coat will have time to renew itself, and the old hairs will die off. There are some nuances regarding individual breeds, but on average the frequency is the same.

The time for pinching can be easily determined by the appearance of the four-legged animal. The cover begins to bristle and looks sloppy. The hairs become thinner and stick out in different directions. You can run your hand against the grain, if something remains on your fingers, the time has come.

Interesting: plucking improves the quality of the coat. New hairs grow thicker and shine. For an exhibition, for example, you need to pluck once every 2 weeks so that the coat is renewed, thicker and looks presentable.

Kinds

Trimming can be:

Hygienic - done twice a year, in spring and autumn. When preparing an animal for an exhibition, the timing may be adjusted.
Cosmetic - done in the off-season, between hygienic trimming procedures, in order to maintain an image characteristic of the generally accepted standards of this breed.
Exhibition training is an integral part of preparing a pet for an exhibition. The goal is to create an image and shape that successfully emphasizes all the characteristics of the breed. This is done 40-70 days before the exhibition.

You can trim your dog either lightly or completely.

Easy

Light trimming is a uniform “weeding” of the animal’s coat, which is done 4-6 times a year. In order for the condition of the cover to be at the proper level, this is enough.

With this procedure, the trimming tool grabs the tip of the dead hair, leaving the young growth untouched. At the end of the event, the dog’s “haircut” is trimmed with a clipper.

Did you know? A trimming knife is similar to a serrated knife. The height and frequency of the teeth vary. The knife must be dull. Its purpose

—
not to cut the fur, but to be used instead of the thumb to pluck the fur.

Full

With full trimming, dead hair is completely removed without disturbing the undercoat. As an option - cutting with a three-millimeter nozzle.

This procedure is performed in the following cases:

Formation of the puppy's coat at six months of age.
Preparation for the exhibition.
If you want to improve the quality of the animal's fur.

It will be useful for you to learn about the reasons why dogs lick their paws, why a dog barks, how to make a booth and enclosure, how dogs are mated, whether it is possible to keep dogs and cats together, how long dogs live and how to choose toys for your pet.

Dog trimming tools with descriptions

Before carrying out the event at home, you need to familiarize yourself with the list of tools for trimming dogs.

Table. The dog should not feel uncomfortable. A rough surface will do. The owner should also be comfortable.
Trimming knife. This tool was created specifically for wire-haired four-legged animals and has replaceable blades. Stainless steel will protect against infection. The blades pinch the undercoat and thick hair.
Cleansing stone. It is used after pinching. The purpose of the stone is to remove the remains of dead hairs. Reminds the action of pumice.
Knife made of stone. Used for places that are difficult to reach, such as the ears.
Brush. This tool must be stiff in order to thoroughly comb out the hairs that have been plucked.
Chalk (powder). Used on the skin for disinfection.
Thimble. To protect the groomer. Some people pluck the fur with their bare hands, but the procedure is lengthy and it is better to be on the safe side.

How to choose a dog trimming knife

Having no experience in plucking wool with a knife, for the first time it is better to purchase a tool with a medium-sized blade. For the Cairn Terrier and West Highland White Terrier, knives with a coarse or medium cut are optimal. More experienced groomers and dog owners should choose from fine or very fine cut tools.

Some experienced groomers prefer knives with sharp blades that provide quick results. But handling such tools requires extreme care, since there is a high probability of cutting the hair instead of removing it. Therefore, it is better for beginners to use models with dull blades and even serrated teeth. A dull blade will not cut fur.

You should pay attention to the handle, select the tool taking into account the comfortable position in your hand. By the way, instruments are available for sale in the right and left hands. However, the ideal knife is selected experimentally, since processing techniques are different.