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My name is Lynne and I am the owner and 'groomer' of Archie. I brought Archie home in November 2008. After being STERNLY warned by my breeder that a professional groomer would undoubtedly clip my Lagotto Romagnolo as a type of 'oodle' or 'poodle' (and not particularly liking the look of the fluffy breeds myself), I willed myself to begin the HUGE and DAUNTING task of learning the groom myself! I am STILL learning and still don't always get it right - but that's all part of learning and hair does grow again (on this breed .. it grows VERY FAST). Anyway, here is a guide to what I have learned over the last 6+ years. There are some videos too as I think that it is sometimes easier to see something than to imagine it. I would welcome comments or questions, and can be contact via the LRA or at [email protected]
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Clipping, Grooming, Bathing and ALL things Lagotto ...
This is MY OWN GUIDE and it is NOT meant to be a complete and professional guide to grooming a Lagotto Romagnolo. It might be completely different to a professional groomer or breeder, but it works for me and you are welcome to use it and adapt it to suit your own needs. Please get in touch if you have further questions. Feel free to share ...
Equipment
You need …
How often?
First you have to ask what your lagotto is ... is it a pet dog, or a working dog or are you showing your lagotto and therefore need a show coat?
Puppies
Puppies should be groomed almost from the day you bring them home at 8 weeks old. By that ... I mean that every couple of days you should STAND your puppy for grooming so they begin to understand what to expect from grooming and the need to stand for this. Put a comb or brush through your puppy's coat so that they get used to the feel of the comb or brush on them. And run your hands over the puppy's body and head and legs and tail ... they will begin to enjoy the feel on your hands on them as part of the clipping/grooming routine and have a positive memory of it. Another positive of this is that it is good basic training for you and the puppy and bonds of trust are already forming. You might want to involve someone else at this stage because puppies are not the best at standing still and they are constantly in motion and actively looking for other things to do. Another pair of hands is always welcome (as is a jar of peanut butter). Keep the first few grooming sessions short ... don't bore the puppy ... they will NOT want to repeat it if they remember it negatively. Never shout or tell the puppy off – make it fun and reward them and they will be more likely to want to do it in the future. It might be a good idea, if you have your clippers, that you switch them in the distance so that the puppy gets used to the sound … gradually bring them closer to him each time you have a grooming session – don’t overwhelm the puppy in the first grooming session or it will be your last!
You can also now begin to introduce your fingers to the puppy's ears as plucking them will become part of your grooming routine. Either use ear grooming powder or a little ‘Thornit’ to make things easier for you to 'grip' the hair … tweeze and pinch a little hair between your thumb and first finger and gently but firmly pull (i.e don't YANK). The hair is ‘dead’ and won’t hurt the puppy … but they will protest and I’m sure you’ll think you’re murdering them! Persevere … it is very important to pluck the lagotto’s ears to maintain health. You should NOT remove all the hair .. it is there for a reason after all. Pluck until you can see down into the ear canal and ensure there is no hair blocking it. NEVER pluck the hair on the ear flap as this is not 'dead' and will hurt your puppy and put them off this activity for life. After plucking, place a little Thornit in the palm of your hand, open the ear by folding the ear flap back and cup your hand over the opening and then just empty it into the ear canal. Close the ear flap and gently massage. They will shake and this is great for dispersing the powder within the ear.
Between 10 – 12 weeks old you might want to begin to clip the body and head using SCISSORS (not the feet or legs) – small sessions but often. Aim to get an even look at about 2cm length - buy try not to worry about this too much as the curls will hide any imperfections with ease. The hair on the tail is clipped shorter … to 1 cm and make it look like a carrot (thick at the top and narrower nearer the tip).
At 5 months old .. it is time for the first clipping with the clippers if you dare! You will need an extra pair of hands for sure and lots of treats (for me it was a jar of peanut butter!). If you don’t have an extra pair of hands .. you really need a grooming table with the H frame attached and then you simply smear the upright with the peanut butter which the puppy should be so interested in that he won’t even notice you! Hopefully the puppy is used to the noise of the clippers by now if you have continually switched them on in the background throughout your initial grooming sessions. However, the vibration of the clippers is something that you cannot prepare them for. It is natural for them to be scared and wary of this vibration .. so be patient and kind. You need to show confidence (to give reassurance) and to be firm (not cruel) (to let him know that this IS happening ) - but NEVER get angry or shout. Once the initial squirming is over and they realise that there is nothing to worry about ... and treats help A LOT with this ... then you just have to lengthen the amount of time that you use the clippers for each time. Try not to overwhelm the puppy by using the clippers for too long when you start using them. A remember the jar of peanut butter.
Remember … make it fun and never shout or be angry… it is stressful enough and remember you are BOTH LEARNING.
Equipment
You need …
- Grooming Table (or a rubber shower/bath mat placed on a table works too)
- Clippers – Oster A5 Golden (single speed)
- Scissors – Roseline 8” and 7” and 4” (intricate work) and 6” thinning scissors
- Comb – Wide-tooth Poodle comb AND a large Pin Brush
How often?
First you have to ask what your lagotto is ... is it a pet dog, or a working dog or are you showing your lagotto and therefore need a show coat?
- If you are clipping your lagotto only as a pet then you should aim to clip every 3 months.
- If you are clipping your lagotto as a working dog … then you will clip more often to keep the coat clean and short.
- If you are clipping your lagotto for 'showing' then you aim to have your clipping/grooming done at least 3 months (12 weeks) before the big show and then you can scissor groom between shows to maintain the shape.
Puppies
Puppies should be groomed almost from the day you bring them home at 8 weeks old. By that ... I mean that every couple of days you should STAND your puppy for grooming so they begin to understand what to expect from grooming and the need to stand for this. Put a comb or brush through your puppy's coat so that they get used to the feel of the comb or brush on them. And run your hands over the puppy's body and head and legs and tail ... they will begin to enjoy the feel on your hands on them as part of the clipping/grooming routine and have a positive memory of it. Another positive of this is that it is good basic training for you and the puppy and bonds of trust are already forming. You might want to involve someone else at this stage because puppies are not the best at standing still and they are constantly in motion and actively looking for other things to do. Another pair of hands is always welcome (as is a jar of peanut butter). Keep the first few grooming sessions short ... don't bore the puppy ... they will NOT want to repeat it if they remember it negatively. Never shout or tell the puppy off – make it fun and reward them and they will be more likely to want to do it in the future. It might be a good idea, if you have your clippers, that you switch them in the distance so that the puppy gets used to the sound … gradually bring them closer to him each time you have a grooming session – don’t overwhelm the puppy in the first grooming session or it will be your last!
You can also now begin to introduce your fingers to the puppy's ears as plucking them will become part of your grooming routine. Either use ear grooming powder or a little ‘Thornit’ to make things easier for you to 'grip' the hair … tweeze and pinch a little hair between your thumb and first finger and gently but firmly pull (i.e don't YANK). The hair is ‘dead’ and won’t hurt the puppy … but they will protest and I’m sure you’ll think you’re murdering them! Persevere … it is very important to pluck the lagotto’s ears to maintain health. You should NOT remove all the hair .. it is there for a reason after all. Pluck until you can see down into the ear canal and ensure there is no hair blocking it. NEVER pluck the hair on the ear flap as this is not 'dead' and will hurt your puppy and put them off this activity for life. After plucking, place a little Thornit in the palm of your hand, open the ear by folding the ear flap back and cup your hand over the opening and then just empty it into the ear canal. Close the ear flap and gently massage. They will shake and this is great for dispersing the powder within the ear.
Between 10 – 12 weeks old you might want to begin to clip the body and head using SCISSORS (not the feet or legs) – small sessions but often. Aim to get an even look at about 2cm length - buy try not to worry about this too much as the curls will hide any imperfections with ease. The hair on the tail is clipped shorter … to 1 cm and make it look like a carrot (thick at the top and narrower nearer the tip).
At 5 months old .. it is time for the first clipping with the clippers if you dare! You will need an extra pair of hands for sure and lots of treats (for me it was a jar of peanut butter!). If you don’t have an extra pair of hands .. you really need a grooming table with the H frame attached and then you simply smear the upright with the peanut butter which the puppy should be so interested in that he won’t even notice you! Hopefully the puppy is used to the noise of the clippers by now if you have continually switched them on in the background throughout your initial grooming sessions. However, the vibration of the clippers is something that you cannot prepare them for. It is natural for them to be scared and wary of this vibration .. so be patient and kind. You need to show confidence (to give reassurance) and to be firm (not cruel) (to let him know that this IS happening ) - but NEVER get angry or shout. Once the initial squirming is over and they realise that there is nothing to worry about ... and treats help A LOT with this ... then you just have to lengthen the amount of time that you use the clippers for each time. Try not to overwhelm the puppy by using the clippers for too long when you start using them. A remember the jar of peanut butter.
Remember … make it fun and never shout or be angry… it is stressful enough and remember you are BOTH LEARNING.
Grooming
The coat of the Lagotto is the most important characteristic. The dog is covered with a thick, woolly textured, double coat that forms tight ring shaped curls and is water resistant. Given that the coat is non-shedding it will WITHOUT some care become felted/matted. Remember that the breed is RUSTIC and therefore you should NEVER over-groom a Lagotto. They are NOT meant to resemble large Bichon Frise! I usually like to shear the ENTIRE coat off with clippers at least once per year in Spring (March/April) before the show season begins and I do this with a No.9 or No.10 Oster blade. If I am shearing with clippers at a different time of the year then I will use a No.3 skiptooth blade to leave a longer coat.
First things first … I do not bathe the dog first! Why? When you bathe your dog the coat becomes softer/fuller and gives you a ‘false’ sense of the actual shape and if you then clip then you will find that the coat begins to settle over the next day or two and you will NOT have the shape you thought. If you clip then bathe you are seeing the coat as it will end up a few days after bathing. I find it is easier just to snip off the odd bit or two a day after you bathe and the coat has settled again. This is just my preference and there are no hard and fast rules. Some folks think a dirty coat will blunt blades and scissors. Try both ways and see what you prefer to do ... you are the one doing the grooming after all!
Comb the coat through and make sure that there are no matts (people will tell you to use a dematter, but I think it is easier for me AND the dog, just to snip the matt out with a small pair of scissors. Of course if the matt is HUGE, then you will have to de-matt before continuing). I have never had a huge matt on Archie so I cannot offer advice on what to do but there are plenty of YouTube videos showing you how to use a de-matter. If the whole coat is very matted then you should scissor the coat down to a more manageable 2 or 3 cm before commencing with the clippers. I find it easier to cut a area near the back of the neck to enable me to get the blades close to the skin and then work beneath the curls down the body.
First things first … I do not bathe the dog first! Why? When you bathe your dog the coat becomes softer/fuller and gives you a ‘false’ sense of the actual shape and if you then clip then you will find that the coat begins to settle over the next day or two and you will NOT have the shape you thought. If you clip then bathe you are seeing the coat as it will end up a few days after bathing. I find it is easier just to snip off the odd bit or two a day after you bathe and the coat has settled again. This is just my preference and there are no hard and fast rules. Some folks think a dirty coat will blunt blades and scissors. Try both ways and see what you prefer to do ... you are the one doing the grooming after all!
Comb the coat through and make sure that there are no matts (people will tell you to use a dematter, but I think it is easier for me AND the dog, just to snip the matt out with a small pair of scissors. Of course if the matt is HUGE, then you will have to de-matt before continuing). I have never had a huge matt on Archie so I cannot offer advice on what to do but there are plenty of YouTube videos showing you how to use a de-matter. If the whole coat is very matted then you should scissor the coat down to a more manageable 2 or 3 cm before commencing with the clippers. I find it easier to cut a area near the back of the neck to enable me to get the blades close to the skin and then work beneath the curls down the body.
This is the coat length (13mm) after using a No. 3 skiptooth blade - to leave a longer and 'uneven' coat. The legs/feet have been scissored down and the tail resembles a ‘carrot’. The curls from the neck up towards the skull are graduated in length so that the curls on the head are longer in length than those on the body.
This is the coat length after using a No. 9 or 10 blade from the neck down (head has NOT yet been clipped and will still have to be graduated in length). The legs/feet have been scissored down and the tail resembles a ‘carrot'. This cut exposes the ‘undercoat’ and I do this once a year. I NEVER clip the head and will only use scissors to maintain the shape - I think it is a tragedy to lose that 'lagotto' look ... but understand that working dogs have their heads shaved for good practical reasons.
This is a scissor cut which I use to maintain the coat between shows. Note the ‘carrot’ tail, the graduated length of coat from neck to skull. Tummy should be trimmed with scissors to show the ‘tuck-up’ (waistline). The chest is cut short and flat.
Clippers (Body)
Use either No.9 or No.10 blade on your clippers and begin behind the head and slowly start to clip down the neck and around to the front and the chest … working downward and never upwards. Why? Dog hair is just like human hair so therefore you don’t cut against the grain but rather clip with it to maintain a healthy and unbroken strand of hair … or curl! Clip downwards from underneath the chin and down the chest towards the top of the legs. Stop at the top of each leg – as most lagottos will NOT allow clippers on their legs and feet and it is easier to do these with scissors. Scissoring also allows you to better ‘shape’ the legs. Continue clipping along the dog’s back towards the tail (don’t use the clippers on the tail) and down and around towards the tummy. Generally – I find it is easier to scissor underneath the tummy and around the genital area. I NEVER clip the dog’s head and only ever use scissors to maintain the shape.
Scissors (Tail, Legs/Feet and Head/Eyes/Ears/Beard)
Tail
Using scissors, cut the tail like a carrot – thick at the top and narrower as you go towards the tip. Hold the tail between the thumb and first finger and use these as 'guides' to ensure you don't cut the dog. The video will show you how to do this.
Legs/Feet
The legs should be like ‘columns’ coming straight down from the shoulder in a straight line. Keep stepping back to look at the ‘columns’ and you will see a shape beginning to form. I like a fuller leg but this is just a preference – go with what you like. The feet should be round at the front and the back should be slightly more oval. Check under the feet for excess hair or matts between the toes - also check for thorns/burrs between the toes ... get the dog used to you handling his feet.
Use either No.9 or No.10 blade on your clippers and begin behind the head and slowly start to clip down the neck and around to the front and the chest … working downward and never upwards. Why? Dog hair is just like human hair so therefore you don’t cut against the grain but rather clip with it to maintain a healthy and unbroken strand of hair … or curl! Clip downwards from underneath the chin and down the chest towards the top of the legs. Stop at the top of each leg – as most lagottos will NOT allow clippers on their legs and feet and it is easier to do these with scissors. Scissoring also allows you to better ‘shape’ the legs. Continue clipping along the dog’s back towards the tail (don’t use the clippers on the tail) and down and around towards the tummy. Generally – I find it is easier to scissor underneath the tummy and around the genital area. I NEVER clip the dog’s head and only ever use scissors to maintain the shape.
Scissors (Tail, Legs/Feet and Head/Eyes/Ears/Beard)
Tail
Using scissors, cut the tail like a carrot – thick at the top and narrower as you go towards the tip. Hold the tail between the thumb and first finger and use these as 'guides' to ensure you don't cut the dog. The video will show you how to do this.
Legs/Feet
The legs should be like ‘columns’ coming straight down from the shoulder in a straight line. Keep stepping back to look at the ‘columns’ and you will see a shape beginning to form. I like a fuller leg but this is just a preference – go with what you like. The feet should be round at the front and the back should be slightly more oval. Check under the feet for excess hair or matts between the toes - also check for thorns/burrs between the toes ... get the dog used to you handling his feet.
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Please note the ‘column’ effect of the legs which come straight down from the shoulder and the rounded feet
Head/Eyes/Ears/Beard
HEAD … the most dreaded and traumatic of all! … BUT ... it is just something you just have to learn over time and with practice and patience. Try and take TOO LITTLE rather than too much! Little by little you will gain the shape. I stand to the side and look at the profile first and try to graduate the shorter coat from the neck up to the top of the skull. If you lay your large scissors on the shorter hair on the neck onto the head you can see the slope that you are aiming for. The hair/curls on the head should be scissored so as to give the skull wide oval shape (you are aiming to give the impression of as wide a skull as possible). Aim to finish with a balanced head, but don’t worry if this takes a few clips to get right … we have all been there and it takes time and practice. The video will show you how to do this.
EYES … terrifying to attempt the first few times as you approach the dog with scissors and at the very last moment … they PULL AWAY … argh! I was a wreck the first few times I did this ... but it is a matter of gaining your dog's trust that you will not injure them. Go slow and be calm to reassure them. Please do not take too much from around the eye and NEVER across the bridge of the nose! I have seen cuts like this that leave the dog 'looking' startled. Trim the hair JUST ENOUGH for the eyes to be clearly visible. A little beneath and a little above (I don’t cut the eye lashes themselves, but rather the hair behind as I feel the weight of hair above the lashes often pushes them down over the eyes and by removing that, then the eye lashes naturally move back up. Hold the muzzle firmly to restrict movement ... they will probably pull to get free and this is completely naturally. Allow a little give and then hold firmly again and say 'stay' ... they will soon understand that this means "stay still for a moment while I do this" although it is a continuing battle that I have with my dog (see videos) ... I try not to get angry about this as it is natural to pull away and I understand this.
EARS … the hair on the ears should be trimmed to closely show the line of the ear and is usually quite short in length. The finished look is a ‘triangle’ with ‘soft’ edges. I ensure that the ear leather is between my two fingers and therefore I do not accidently cut the ear. I lift the ear and cut the hair on the cheek that the ears ‘lie’ on … effectively making a ‘pocket’ for the ears to lie on. Remove excess long hair on the ears by placing the scissors onto the ear and cutting up, working in a parallel motion, therefore thinning the ears so that they don’t look ‘fluffy’. You might find matts behind the ears (also under the armpit is a great place for matts to form) and I find it easier to snip these out rather than trying to de-matt them. BE CAREFUL … YOU DO NOT WANT TO SNIP YOUR DOG AND END ALL YOUR GROOMING TRUST. The video will show you how to do this. It is a good practice to add a little Thornit at this stage and pluck the hair inside the ear (see below).
BEARD … I DO NOT cut the beard. I use thinning scissors on the beard and beneath the chin but this depends on how hairy your dog is of course. Fluff up the beard with your fingers and use the thinners just like ordinary scissors (almost like you are cutting off the beard), you can then use a comb and remove the unattached hair from the beard. It is best just to tackle it and see and understand how these scissors work – it is daunting to think you are cutting off the beard! If you find matts in the beard … scissor them out. The video will show you how to do this.
HEAD … the most dreaded and traumatic of all! … BUT ... it is just something you just have to learn over time and with practice and patience. Try and take TOO LITTLE rather than too much! Little by little you will gain the shape. I stand to the side and look at the profile first and try to graduate the shorter coat from the neck up to the top of the skull. If you lay your large scissors on the shorter hair on the neck onto the head you can see the slope that you are aiming for. The hair/curls on the head should be scissored so as to give the skull wide oval shape (you are aiming to give the impression of as wide a skull as possible). Aim to finish with a balanced head, but don’t worry if this takes a few clips to get right … we have all been there and it takes time and practice. The video will show you how to do this.
EYES … terrifying to attempt the first few times as you approach the dog with scissors and at the very last moment … they PULL AWAY … argh! I was a wreck the first few times I did this ... but it is a matter of gaining your dog's trust that you will not injure them. Go slow and be calm to reassure them. Please do not take too much from around the eye and NEVER across the bridge of the nose! I have seen cuts like this that leave the dog 'looking' startled. Trim the hair JUST ENOUGH for the eyes to be clearly visible. A little beneath and a little above (I don’t cut the eye lashes themselves, but rather the hair behind as I feel the weight of hair above the lashes often pushes them down over the eyes and by removing that, then the eye lashes naturally move back up. Hold the muzzle firmly to restrict movement ... they will probably pull to get free and this is completely naturally. Allow a little give and then hold firmly again and say 'stay' ... they will soon understand that this means "stay still for a moment while I do this" although it is a continuing battle that I have with my dog (see videos) ... I try not to get angry about this as it is natural to pull away and I understand this.
EARS … the hair on the ears should be trimmed to closely show the line of the ear and is usually quite short in length. The finished look is a ‘triangle’ with ‘soft’ edges. I ensure that the ear leather is between my two fingers and therefore I do not accidently cut the ear. I lift the ear and cut the hair on the cheek that the ears ‘lie’ on … effectively making a ‘pocket’ for the ears to lie on. Remove excess long hair on the ears by placing the scissors onto the ear and cutting up, working in a parallel motion, therefore thinning the ears so that they don’t look ‘fluffy’. You might find matts behind the ears (also under the armpit is a great place for matts to form) and I find it easier to snip these out rather than trying to de-matt them. BE CAREFUL … YOU DO NOT WANT TO SNIP YOUR DOG AND END ALL YOUR GROOMING TRUST. The video will show you how to do this. It is a good practice to add a little Thornit at this stage and pluck the hair inside the ear (see below).
BEARD … I DO NOT cut the beard. I use thinning scissors on the beard and beneath the chin but this depends on how hairy your dog is of course. Fluff up the beard with your fingers and use the thinners just like ordinary scissors (almost like you are cutting off the beard), you can then use a comb and remove the unattached hair from the beard. It is best just to tackle it and see and understand how these scissors work – it is daunting to think you are cutting off the beard! If you find matts in the beard … scissor them out. The video will show you how to do this.
The head is shaped to look wide and oval but always balanced. The eyes should be clearly visible. The ears are trimmed to give a triangle-shape with soft/curved edges and remove the hair outside on the flat of the ear. Beards should be full/long.
NAILS
You will normally have a fight on your hands here! Dogs … lagottos in particular … DO NOT like their feet or nails to be touched. But this is something you must ensure you do as due to the nature of the breed, their nails are VERY LONG! Whether you do this yourself and take your dog to the vet every 6 months or so … please ensure you do it as nail injuries are significant and very painful for your dog. There are two very different ways to reduce the size of the nail. First is to use a ‘dremel’ tool which grinds the nail down and if your dog can handle the feeling of the vibration, then this is the most ‘non-invasive’ method as you ensure that you cannot CUT the quick of the nail. The other method of clipping is to use spring-loaded ‘guillotine’ style clippers. I use this style of clipper as my dog does NOT like the vibration of the ‘dremel’ tool. To clip the nails, I place the dog’s nail through the hole (maybe about 3 or 4mm should be exposed) and then I close down on the handle SLOWLY (it is spring-loaded) … ALWAYS watching the dog for any sign of discomfort. If once the guillotine blade has begun to bite into the nail and there is NO VISIBLE sign of distress from the dog … then a quick closing of the spring-loaded handle … and its over!
Finally … I shampoo after I clip and leave to dry naturally as much as possible. Once dry – usually the following day – it is easy to use your scissors to snip off any ‘stray’ bits of curls and scissor to the correct shape. Then a quick brush with the pin brush before a show. Remember it is a rustic breed.
Between Clips
After a full clipping it is simply a matter of combing the coat and removing matts while they are still small and easy to snip out without leaving a HUGE hole! I use the wide-tooth poodle come and do this once a week – each dog is individual so you will have to learn how often suits you. I shampoo about once a month and leave the dog to dry naturally in a warm area and then just comb though. Use scissors as much to maintain the shape between clips.
You will normally have a fight on your hands here! Dogs … lagottos in particular … DO NOT like their feet or nails to be touched. But this is something you must ensure you do as due to the nature of the breed, their nails are VERY LONG! Whether you do this yourself and take your dog to the vet every 6 months or so … please ensure you do it as nail injuries are significant and very painful for your dog. There are two very different ways to reduce the size of the nail. First is to use a ‘dremel’ tool which grinds the nail down and if your dog can handle the feeling of the vibration, then this is the most ‘non-invasive’ method as you ensure that you cannot CUT the quick of the nail. The other method of clipping is to use spring-loaded ‘guillotine’ style clippers. I use this style of clipper as my dog does NOT like the vibration of the ‘dremel’ tool. To clip the nails, I place the dog’s nail through the hole (maybe about 3 or 4mm should be exposed) and then I close down on the handle SLOWLY (it is spring-loaded) … ALWAYS watching the dog for any sign of discomfort. If once the guillotine blade has begun to bite into the nail and there is NO VISIBLE sign of distress from the dog … then a quick closing of the spring-loaded handle … and its over!
Finally … I shampoo after I clip and leave to dry naturally as much as possible. Once dry – usually the following day – it is easy to use your scissors to snip off any ‘stray’ bits of curls and scissor to the correct shape. Then a quick brush with the pin brush before a show. Remember it is a rustic breed.
Between Clips
After a full clipping it is simply a matter of combing the coat and removing matts while they are still small and easy to snip out without leaving a HUGE hole! I use the wide-tooth poodle come and do this once a week – each dog is individual so you will have to learn how often suits you. I shampoo about once a month and leave the dog to dry naturally in a warm area and then just comb though. Use scissors as much to maintain the shape between clips.
Equipment
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Oster Golden A5 Single-Speed
These are my choice for clipping. These are heavy duty professional clippers. They cut at a much lower speed (2100 strokes per minute) than other heavy duty clippers and therefore create less heat and noise. They’ll also last you a heck of a lot longer because of how well they are built. These clippers will cope with the curly coat with ease and they are comfortable to hold although they do get hot after time, but all clippers will heat up. It is more important that the blade stays cool and I find that these do that. |
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Oster No 10
The blade has a 1.6mm cut and is ideal for taking the ENTIRE coat off (I do this once a year to expose and remove the undercoat). It will go under matts with ease and can be used on all breeds. All blades (No. 3, 9 or 10) are used with the same clipping technique, regardless of size. |
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Oster No 9
The blade has a 2mm cut and is ideal for taking the ENTIRE coat off (I do this once a year to expose and remove the undercoat). It will go under matts with ease and can be used on all breeds. All blades (No. 3, 9 or 10) are used with the same clipping technique, regardless of size. |
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Oster No. 3 Skiptooth
The blade has a 13mm cut and is ideal for the body of curly coated dogs. It cuts heavy double coats with ease and leaves a ‘rough and uneven’ look to the coat. All blades (No. 3, 9 or 10) are used with the same clipping technique, regardless of size. |
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Oster 'snap-on' Combs
I have a few of these, but I have never had the need to use them as I find the No.3 skiptooth the longest (13mm) that I would want to leave the coat with clippers. If I required a longer coat to be left then I would just use the scissors for that. Please note that this can only be used to No. 9 or No. 10 blade. |
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Roseline 8.25” Straight Scissors
I love these scissors .. although they are daunting to hold the first few times because of the large size – be prepared for that. The benefit of them is that they take a LOT of coat off with one stroke. I use these for tidying up (when I’m not taking the whole coat off) the body and legs. |
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Roseline 7” Straight Scissors
Thee are obviously smaller than those above so I use them for smaller areas .. i.e. the head, the feet and the tail. They give finer detail. |
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Roseline 6” Thinning Scissors
These are used on the beard – sides and underneath. It is only cosmetic and to keep the beard thinner so that it is not smelly and matted with lots of food. It’s a personal choice if you want to do this and my dog has a very established beard so it takes a little care to maintain it. |
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Poodle Comb (wide tooth)
This is one of two combs/brushes that I put through my dog’s coat. No slickers! No de-matters!! I use this for a weekly comb through. I usually only put my fingers on the head (no comb or brush) and I find that I have NO MATTS to deal with .. it could be coincidence .. but I try and leave the head as much to itself as I can. |
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Pin Brush
I only usually use this when ‘showing’ – it lifts the coat and makes him look ‘fuller’. My preferred choice is Chris Christensen Oval Pin Brush. I know that it goes through the coat and doesn’t tug or pull and the pins are hand-filed down so there is no chance of scratching the skin of the dog although it is very expensive. |
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MD10 Texture Volume
I discovered this shampoo after 'chatting' online about the difficulties of the lagotto coat. It is for all dogs with textured/curly coats. It restores shape/curl from the roots and gives volume. You can dilute 50%-50% water and so it last a long time. I buy a 5 litre bottle (£48) and it last me – with monthly washes – for 2 years! |
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Thornit
What can I say - this is a MIRACLE ear powder. I have been using Thornit for 15+ years and none of my dogs have ever suffered with ear problems or infections. I treat monthly with a very small amount and it seems to work a treat. I have suggested it folks who’s dogs do have infections (if infection is present, please treat initially with daily doses) and it has always proven to be effective and sorts the poor dog … who has suffered for years and years with ear problems … finally and fully! http://www.thornitearpowder.com/ |
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Nail Grinder/Dremel tool
This protects from the pain of a nail clipped too short! It vibrates so not all dogs will actually allow this but if you start at a young enough age, then you will have happy nail grooming sessions ahead of you. |
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Nail Guillotine
This is quick and without vibration, but you can run the risk of cutting the nail too short and hurting the dog and then you are open to infection from an exposed nail quick. But this is my choice of nail clipping equipment. I find the trick is to do little cuts but OFTEN. I place dog’s nail through the hole (maybe about 3 or 4mm should be exposed) and then I close down on the handle SLOWLY (it is spring-loaded) … ALWAYS watching the dog for any sign of discomfort. If once the guillotine blade has begun to bite into the nail and there is NO VISIBLE sign of distress from the dog … then a quick closing of the spring-loaded handle … and its over! |
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I hope this guide helps you get over the initial fear of beginning to groom your dog. I am NOT a professional groomer and began to groom because I didn’t want my dog to look like a Labradoodle or Cockerpoo. You will have some bad cuts … accept that … but you learn and you get better! It is advisable - when beginning - to aim to cut for NO MORE than 5 mins for the first few grooming sessions. Short and often! Then increase the time as your dog gets used to each time. In no time at all .. with you always remaining patient and calm .. your grooming sessions will be an enjoyable shared time. And finally ... here is Archie with his Cruft's 'SHOW' clip ...
