The Kirby Cut

I have had several requests concerning how I cut kirbys hair and what products I use so I decided to do a post I can refer people to that details each step.

Kirby didnt need a haircut until he reached almost two years of age. All I had to do was trim his feet. Now he gets a haircut about every two months.  His hair doesnt grow very long but I prefer it cut otherwise it tends to start looking shaggy scraggly with all the wavy hair.

He's small so its easiest for me to do this on the kitchen counter. I lay a thick towel on the counter to collect the hair and make it comfortable for him. I used to tether him to a nearby cabinet knob for safety reasons but don't find it necessary anymore. If your dog is not comfortable with grooming you should tether him to avoid him falling or jumping off when you have your back turned.

I use the Oster Animal Care Easy Series Clipper with a whisper quiet motor so it doesn't bother Kirby at all.  I find the included 1/2 inch comb attachment gives me the length I want but you can try different combs to find the perfect length for your dog. A few drops of the included oil throughout the process eliminates any snagging of the hair. First I clip his hair from the back of his head to his tail going straight back. Then I clip his sides again going from the front straight back. I clip his backend avoiding his tail. Next is his neck, under his ears and chest.

Kirby has to hold a standing position although he does try to sit now and then.  Once this is done I lay him on his back to work on his underside, legs and feet. He is very relaxed at this stage. I then clip each leg going from his body to his feet.  He does very well but I've always given him breaks so he never gets agitated.  I let him down while I dispose of the cut hair and clean the clipper.

Next I trim his groin area, the inside of his back legs, and the bottom of his feet with the Oster Simply Pink Trimmer. I really like this one since it shaves close to the skin removing all those scraggly hairs.  It also has a whisper quiet motor.

During this process check the trimmers to see if they are getting hot. If the blades feel hot to you then they are too hot for your dog! Stop and let them cool down. In the beginning I had to stop several times. The process will get faster as you become more adept.

Next I trim his feet with scissors made specifically for dog grooming. They are rounded on the ends to avoid cutting or poking his eyes or skin in the event he should move. I like to leave the hair long here cutting the bottom of the hair around the perimeter of his feet.

The last part of the grooming is his face which takes the most time for me. Again I use the scissors to trim his face to the look I want. I use a brush to comb his hair toward his muzzle and trim all around cutting from front to back. Then I trim the hair between his eyes and in front of his ears. Holding his muzzle with my hand I comb the hair on his head right above his eyes forward and cut across far enough out that it will still want to fall over slightly.  I love the whispy fringe that hangs from his ears so I leave those alone.

Any missed twigs on his face or body can be quickly trimmed with the scissors. 99 percent of the time I feel I have trimmed his face a little shorter than I wanted but it always looks great in a few days. Also I never do a haircut right before an important event. With time and practice you'll discover what works best for your dog's coat to achieve the perfect look that suits him or her.

The last, but most important, step is a special treat to let him know he was a very good boy during his grooming process. Today he got a piece of liver jerky!

Using a towel makes cleanup a breeze. Pick up clumps of hair as you work. When done shake out the towel outside before throwing in the washer.

Do you groom your dog? Be sure to share your tips and tricks with us!