Clipping a labradoodle

[MagicMelon]

My doodle has just had her first clip (professionally done) which she found a bit stressful. As a result I'll be working on her to get her perfectly happy with being groomed etc. although she was ok I thought. As I've been told she needs to get done every 8 weeks and because of her not being overly happy about it, I've decided to buy my own clippers and do it myself (I do my horses and my 1 yr old sons hair so hey why not!). Then at least I can really take my time getting her used to the clippers. Have been studying You Tube videos like mad

Anyway, my query is which clippers to buy for this job? And which blades do I need? She doesn't get a poodle cut or anything, just a bog standard clip all over tidy up. Thanks in advance!

 

[PucciNPoni]

Okay, some of what I might say might not be very popular with you - but here goes

You didn't say how old your doodle was - so I'm going to make an assumption that she's at least six months old. (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). In my opinion, dogs should have their first "getting to know you" sessions with a groomer as soon as they've completed their vax - so about 16-20 weeks old. This starts them off on the right footing - later in life - adolescent dogs - can find it stressful because they are generally getting a mind of their own and if they've got to be corrected (and by a stranger no less) it's all bit much. It's not that it can't work - but if your groomer is suggesting frequent grooming sessions, I imagine they're saying it for good reason. I don't get overly enthusiastic at "have a go diy grooming" mainly because I've seen some disaster cases as a result. I'm not talking the hairdo -I'm talking the damage done to the dog. People who are too firm or too soft with their dog can put them of or make them aggressive or difficult to groom. Then these dogs go back to the groomer because owner is fed up and then it gets really interesting! I always find the dogs that have been DIY'd the most difficult to groom - and usually have to charge a higher rate because of it. Also, some people have accidently cut or injured their dog, resulting in large veterinary bills. Again, not ideal

Please don't be fooled in to thinking clipping your dog is like clipping a horse or trimming your toddler's hair. I know I'm sounding like a nag - but while dog grooming isn't rocket science, a good deal of canine behaviour work goes in to every single trim. Keeping a dog steady and safe on his feet is only the first part of the process.

However if you're still keen to have a go - then do invest in more than just clippers. You'll need a place to tether him - grooming table is the usual. You might want to get a dryer - and some shampoos. Clipping a clean coat is the best - clipping a dirty coat is okay if you've left it for ages and it's become matted.

What sort of coat does your doodle have -is it more poodly or more wiry? If it's a curly wool coat then you'll need slightly more robust clippers than you would if had a nice easy wire coat to deal with. Personally I like Laube - you can buy second had (reconditioned) ones for a fraction the price of new. I've got mine that I've used in a busy salon for ten years. However, they run FAST and can get hot. Wahl Switchblade are good for hobby/home grooming. You'll need a few blades (7F leaves a smooth finish - 3mm - 5F for a 6mm finish). You'll need stuff to clean the blades and oil. You might find scissors useful to do the tidying up that you can't get to with clippers (ie ears, feet, eyes). Mikki do some inexpensive blending and straights.

More than you perhaps wanted to read - so sorry if I've caused offense. But I think many people just assume that grooming is easy.

 

[Broodle]

I clip my own doodles with a Wahl Switchblade. Have had a few cheaper sets of clippers in the past, but none of them quite cut it.

I just do an all over trim - the dogs never look like they've been done professionally, but they look ok I think! I just do them on the lawn with an extension lead. They've never found it stressful, just boring, but have learned over time that fidgetting doesn't go down well. I find the 'head wedged between the knees' position useful

I have to confess that I don't enjoy clipping them as it is hard on my back (table would help here!) and always takes longer than I think it will. But I can't justify the cost of a groomer when I am capable of doing what is, to me, an acceptable job of it myself.

 

[elizabeth1]

I clipped my 7 year old labradoodle x German shepherd for the first time this summer as he could not cope with the heat.
I followed the instructions in this link
http://nwalabradoodles.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/how-to-clip-your-labradoodle-part-1/ and
http://nwalabradoodles.wordpress.com/2010/04/16/how-to-clip-your-labradoodle-part-2/
And effectively gave him a doggie version of a hunter clip.he looks good and is rejuvenated.
I bought a pair of andis super 2clippers and extra blades 4fc and7fc.it was much easier than I thought as easy as clipping the horses.i do agree though that the horse clippers would not have worked!the coat was really dense and thick.

 

[Gingermonkey]

Mine has a fleece coat and gets clipped every 6 months. My labradoodle fleece coated puppy (10 weeks) will be clipped from 6 months although he does get dried with the hair dryer to get used to it. I'll clip horses, children and hedges but I don't clip the dog I'm afraid so can't help on the clipper/blades front.

 

[GeeGeeboy]

I agree with Pucciponi on this one. As a fellow groomer I've seen too many owner D.I.Y jobs go wrong. Dog grooming is not easy. Even a shave off with clippers requires skill. I would never dream of cutting my own hair instead of going to a professional hair dresser , it is the same for dog grooming.

 

[misterjinglejay]

Don't know about clipping as I've never clipped mine. Double coat breeds, like mine, should not be shaved/clipped.

But I can vouch for the fact that grooming is hard - I have samoyeds and malamutes, so lots of fur to go through. I've collected over the years a wide variety of tools for each part of the body, and type of fur. It's easy to miss bits and then they become a problem next time, and you have to get right down to the skin, to prevent hot spots and matting.

My pups go on the grooming table for fun and light brushing as soon as they can, usually 6-8 weeks, and grow to love it, as a relaxing/bonding experience.

 

[MagicMelon]

Thanks everyone, lots to think about! She's now 7 months old and this was her first clip. I was hoping that I wouldnt need to have her done but her coat unfortunately got a bit out of control - she was so scruffy and being very much a country dog, stuff kept getting stuck in it. I totally understand ideally the pro groomer is probably best, but I'm thinking that if I do it myself I can really spend the time (little and often) to get her happy with the clippers rather than a stranger doing it every 2 months. I'll have a good think about it...