Shaving a dog is not so hard. You may have watched a professional groomer shave your dog. These groomers are not always available. Moreover regular grooming can be hard on the pocket. Apart from the budget concern you may want to shave your long haired dog because summer is just around the corner. A shaved dog will be more comfortable and can better cope with the hot weather.

So you want to shave your own dog. You have seen the groomer do it. The question is can you do it? Professional groomers would know how to deal with skittish dogs. If your dog is jumpy and would jump at the humming sound of the clipper, you may need to ask the vet to prescribe an oral medication that will sedate the dog.

The shaving session would go on smoothly if the dog is clean. Clean means that the hair is mat free and dirt free. A dirty matted hair will damage the blade of the clipper. The mats must be removed by combing the hair strand by strand. You may also want to bathe the dog to remove the dirt on the coat. After bathing, dry the hair thoroughly. Place the dog on the table or on the floor and fasten the over head support that will prevent the dog from vaulting. Be sure to give the dog some slack so that it can move its head a little. Start shaving Fido or Fifi.

Before you start the shaving frenzy, turn on the clipper. You may put the clipper against the dog’s body but do not start shaving. You are introducing the sound and the vibration of the clipper to the dog. Do what professional groomers do. Start clipping the face of the dog but be very careful not to nick the face and hurt the eyes. Stop if the dog is edgy and continue only if it has calmed down. The next is the armpit area. Lift the leg of the dog and doing long strokes, shave away from your hand. The anal area follows. Change the blade of the clipper and start on the body of the dog. Start at the back of the head down to the neck and then shave both sides of the body. Pull taut the skin of the belly and shave carefully. After the body is finished, shave the legs and the feet.

When you are done shaving the dog, brush the hair on the clipper and put a few drops of oil to the blade before you store the clipper. This way your clipper will last a long time.