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Understanding Dog Hair Types and What Grooming Tools to Use

Updated on September 26, 2016

Let’s talk about dogs, dog clippers, pet shears clippers, and dog hair and fur types today. There are lots of dog lovers nowadays that do not want their dogs to be left out from the trend especially in pet grooming or hair cutting trends.

Look at how cute this long coat small dog is.
Look at how cute this long coat small dog is.

What are the different hair and fur cutting tools for dogs?

Scissors

There are varieties of scissors needed to cut dog hairs or furs. A pair of straight scissors is just enough to be part of your grooming supplies if you only intend it to trim your dog’s long coat. However, if you want to have a complete set, you might also want to have a round tip scissor and a curved scissor. Round tip scissors are used on sensitive parts like near the eyes and curved scissors are specialized scissors used to give style to your dog’s hair. There are also scissors purposely designed for the ears and nose area but if your straight scissor is not that long enough, you can also utilize it for these parts.

When buying pairs of scissors, you also have to take other necessities with it for maintenance and if you want it to last even longer. Buy a scissor appropriate for your dog’s hair and its size. Cutting your dog’s hair is not an easy task to do so just be careful in choosing all utilities used in grooming your pet.

A set of scissors for professional and just one pair of scissors or a clipper for pet owner who owns one or two dogs only is enough to be added on a grooming kit.
A set of scissors for professional and just one pair of scissors or a clipper for pet owner who owns one or two dogs only is enough to be added on a grooming kit.

Thinning Shears

Some dog owners mistakenly assess their dog’s hair as thick if it has already built matt. Sometimes, to give this a simple remedy, just giving the dog a proper bathe and hair brushing will give it a thinner hair. Hair groomers also do this before using thinning shears because it will take them a lot of time if they will not wash the dog’s hair first. Thinning shears will only give the dog’s hair a thinner and softer look unlike the scissors. If you just want to remove a particular area, use thinning shears instead of scissors to avoid leaving a very obvious line on your dog’s body.

Find a clipper with detachable blade so that it will be easier to maintain and changed too.
Find a clipper with detachable blade so that it will be easier to maintain and changed too.

Clippers

Dog grooming clippers are the easiest option you can have when you want to groom your pet faster. Just make sure you are careful enough and that you have the best clipper which is dog friendly and that it is low noise as dogs are very sensitive to sound and vibration. To make sure you will not scare your dog away during the grooming process, get a clipper that is easy to use like that of Legendog which comes with comb guides and have adjustable blades. Grooming professionals suggest that you get dog grooming clippers that have removable blades like this one. It will save you money because it can easily be maintained and changed when already damaged.

What are the different types of dog hair or fur?

To understand the characteristics of your dog’s fur, just take a look of our brief descriptions on the different types of dog hairs or furs.

Here is a smooth coat dog and if you notice the photo, the owner is using a shedding blade not a scissor or shears.
Here is a smooth coat dog and if you notice the photo, the owner is using a shedding blade not a scissor or shears.

Smooth Coat

The bulldogs or the Dalmatians are some example of dogs with smooth coat. They are the easiest to groom as their hair doesn’t grow that long and likewise very sleek and elegant and just a simple bath will make them look clean and beautiful. Generally, you will not need cutting tools for these hair type just keep a grooming brush to regularly brush its hair.

Medium Coat

Medium coated dogs require occasional trimming which you can do after giving them a bathe to remove first tangles or matt. A clipper or a pair of scissor is just enough to be added in your grooming kit if you have this kind of dog.

This is a pekingese breed dog with a long coat I can't almost see its eyes.
This is a pekingese breed dog with a long coat I can't almost see its eyes.

Long Coat

This kind of coat will take some time to groom as some will need extensive brushing or combing before doing the trimming process. Some of them also need to be groomed daily and some needs to use hair conditioners to set their hair partings. As for long coated dogs who likes to play outside like the chow chow, the pet owner needs to bathe them regularly because their fur will tangle if they will be exposed to dirt and are harder to untangle.

Broken Coat

Broken coats are like wires that are rough and bristly. To let new hairs grow, the pet owner needs to pluck the old ones. It will really take a long time doing this process especially if you will do the take-the-coat down method which means you will pluck the entire coat. Another method is the roll-down method which means you will only pluck dead or damaged amount of hair at a time.

Dogs with wavy or curly furs has always been a favorite but whoa! they're not so easy to groom if you plan to do it yourself. You can give it a try anyways.
Dogs with wavy or curly furs has always been a favorite but whoa! they're not so easy to groom if you plan to do it yourself. You can give it a try anyways.

Wavy Coat

Also known as the curly coat, this kind of coat easily tangles and will need to be applied first with hair conditioner sprays before brushing. Grooming a wavy coat dog with clippers once a month can do. It is challenging to trim this type of coat but once used to it, you can do it faster than the usual.

Your dog has what type of fur?

See results

To Summarize the Hair Types and Grooming Tools to Use

Hair Type
Grooming Tools
Smooth Coat
Brush or Comb or a Shedding Blade
Medium Coat
Scissors, Shears or Clippers
Long Coat
Scissors, Thinning Shears and Clippers
Broken Coat
Clippers or None if you Prefer to Pluck
Wavy Coat
Clippers or Scissors
working

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