Grooming various Breeds

 

Breed

Pet Trim

Groomer Trim

Yorkshire Terrier

Generally centre parted but coat skirt trimmed to a shorter length. Feet are scissored round and the fringe can be trimmed. Some Yorkshire Terriers trimmed into short trim (similar to West Highland White Terrier)

Generally left long coated with coat hanging quite straight from a centre parting from the nose to the end of the tail. Only the hygiene areas under the pads and the tips of the ears clipped. Top knot fastened.

Cocker Spaniel

Generally clipped with short flowing furnishings and feathers. Ears often clipped short. Often kept short as an active breed.

Coat generally left longer/hand stripped with feathering that looks natural and flowing. Tail trimmed into flag shape if undocked. Cat - like feet with padded hocks. Head and cheeks clear of excess

Dandie Dinmont

Generally should be hand stripped but some owners prefer a clipped back with short skirt and furnishings. Head can be trimmed short to balance the body

Hand stripped. Front legs cylindrical flowing from the shoulder. Tight feet and flag shaped tail. Skirt shaped to the groin and deep to the chest. Ears stripped with a tassel at the end, head finished with a rounded shape.

 

 

Poodle – Toy or Miniature in a Blended Lamb Trim

Head The face is clean of any excess coat. There is a clear line from the far corner of the ear to the corner of the eye (clearing the front of the ear canal). All hair from the front of the eyes including the muzzle and the bottom of the jaw to the Adam’s apple is clear. If the dog has a beard and moustache, both sides are in balance and even. The top knot is in balance with the tail-pom and the whole dog.

Feet The feet are clipped to the wrist removing all excess hair from the top, pads and between the toes, showing the foot clearly below the furnishings.

Tail The tail-pom is in balance with all the body furnishings and the top knot. If the tail is undocked, it is in balance with the rest of the dog.

Back The back is clipped and the dog does not have shoulder pads.

Front Legs The legs are scissored in a tubular shape and blended into the body so as not to give shoulder pads.

Hind Legs The hind legs are scissored to give an angulated shape following the body and are blended into the body coat so as not to give hip pads.

 

West Highland White Terrier

Head and ears The tips of the ears are just visible above the head. The hair on the head is the same length all over to give a round appearance and the corner of the eyes are clear of excess hair.

Back The hair on the shoulders blends with the hair on the top of the legs and the excess coat is removed. The sides blend into the skirt. The skirt line is graded slightly towards the groin. The chest is clear with furnishings from the chest bone cut in a v-shape between the front legs. The coat on the hips blends to the hind leg.

Fore Legs The coat on the top of the shoulders is blended into the leg coat. The fore legs are straight and the coat is trimmed to give a rounded tube like leg.

Hind Legs The coat on the hind leg blends with the body coat. The front of the furnishings are shaped to follow the curve of the body shape. The foot and the hock are rounded and shaped to follow the shape of the leg. The rear furnishings are shaped to theatre curtains from hock to under the tail.

Tail The tail is carrot shaped (broader at the bottom than the top). The underside of the tail is shorter than the top.

 

Sealyham

Head The head is the main feature of this breed as the eye brows are not separated but fall as one centre furnishing. The top of the head is clipped clear and the ears are well trimmed.

Throat and Chest The throat and chest are clear of excess hair and the tops of the legs are blended into the top of the shoulder.

Skirt The skirt is long and trimmed straight.

Back The back is clipped to a medium to short finish and blended into the flowing furnishings all round.

Front legs The furnishings are of a good length to show the breed profile, have a tubular shape and are blended into the shoulders. The feet are neat.

Rear Legs The furnishings are of a good length to show the breed profile. The legs are shaped to follow the natural shape of the dog and blended into the hips and body. The feet are neat.

Tail The underside of the tail is trimmed short and clear of excess hair. The body side of the tail is short and padded giving the whole tail a tapered shape from base to tip.

 

Scottish Terrier

Head The head is clipped at the top of the head, cheeks and under the jaw to the corner of the mouth. The eyebrows are long and split. The beard is trimmed to flow forward to enhance the breed profile.

Ears The ears have short tufts in the corners of the front of the ear. The ears are clipped and trimmed to have a clear outline.

Back The back coat is clipped to medium to short length and blended from the fine clipping on the head to the furnishings around the body.

Hind Quarters The hind quarters are blended flat and clean of excess hair under the tail. The hindquarters are flat when viewed from behind with no protrusions from the side.

Chest and Throat The chest is clean and clear of excess hair from the throat to the breast bone. The front of the chest is blended into the leg furnishings.

Front Legs The furnishings are of good length to show the breed profile, tubular shaped and blended into the shoulders. The feet are neat.

Hind Legs The furnishings are of good length to show the breed profile. The legs are shaped to follow the natural shape of the dog and blended into the hips and body with neat feet.

Tail The underside of the tail is trimmed short clearing it of excess hair. The body side of the tail is short and padded giving the whole tail a tapered shape from base to tip.

 

Bedlington Terrier

Head The head is clipped with a fine blade on the cheeks and the entire bottom jaw to the Adam’s apple. The head is scissored into shape, domed from occiput to nose. The sides of the head are no wider than the cheeks.

Ears The ear hair is cleared with a fine blade leaving a tassel on the ends.

Chest The neck and chest are cleared of hair with no chest furnishings.

Back The back is either clipped or scissored to a medium length giving a neat finish. The dog should appear narrow and have slightly more coat scissored into a curved shape over the spine.

Legs The legs are scissored to cylindrical shapes tapering to the foot. The back legs show natural angulation following the body shape and tapering to the foot.

Feet All of the toes are clipped to the first knuckle to show a hare-like foot shape (not a poodle foot shape). The coat is blended into the legs.

Tail The tail is cleared of excess hair all over to about three inches from the body. This is blended into the body.

 

Lakeland Terrier

Head The head has a neat centre fall eyebrow and beard. The ears, top of the head, cheeks and under the jaw to beard are clear of excess coat.

Chest The chest is clean and clear to the breastbone. The front of the legs furnishings are blended at the top with no excess coat protruding.

Back The back is blended into the sides with a neat tuck up.

Fore Leg The fore leg furnishings are straight. There is no excess hair at the top of the leg and the coat is blended and flush with the body.

Hind Legs The hind leg coat is blended into the body and trimmed to show natural angulations.

Feet The feet are trimmed round and neat and angled to give a tiptoe appearance.

Tail The tail is short but padded close to the body.

Anal area The anal area is clear of any excess hair.

 

Welsh Terrier

Head The top of the head and cheeks are clean and blended into the beard. The ears are clean on both sides. The eyebrows are short and split. The beard is blended well and shaped forward.

Chest The chest is clear and clean to the breastbone. The front leg furnishings are blended at the top with no excess coat protruding.

Fore Legs The fore legs are straight and blended into the chest.

Back The back is blended into the sides with a neat tuck up.

Hind Legs The hind legs are blended into the body and the furnishings are trimmed to show natural angulations.

Feet The feet are trimmed round and neat and angled to give a tiptoe appearance.

Tail The body side is short but padded.

Anal area The anal area is clear of any excess hair.

 

Miniature Schnauzer

Head The top of the head and cheeks are cleared of hair and both sides of the ears are clipped clear. The throat area down to the chest bone is clear of excess hair.

Eyebrows The eyebrows are centre parted in balance with the natural head furnishings and breed profile.

Back The back coat is of medium to short length. The chest area has an inverted V-shape between the fore legs. The anal area and under the tail area are clean of any excess hair.

Fore Legs The coat on the fore legs is trimmed to a tubular shape from the elbow to the foot.

Feet The feet are trimmed round and blended with the leg furnishings. The underside of the pads is clear of excess hair.

Back Legs The furnishings on the front of the back legs are trimmed in a gentle curve following the body shape and the hock is trimmed in an upright shape to follow the shape of the hock.

Skirt The skirt is trimmed at an angle so that it slants up to the tuck up.

Tail The underside of a docked tail is clear of any hair and the top is clipped to the same length as the body. The underside of an undocked tail is clear of hair near the body and the top and furnishings of the tail are either blended to a flag shape or removed completely to balance the overall shape of the trim.

 

Cocker Spaniel

Head and Cheeks The head and checks are clear of all excess coat.

Throat The throat is smooth and clear of excess coat with furnishings extending from the breastbone.

Ears The inside of the ears are clear of all excess hair around the ear canal. The base of the ear is clipped clear of hair and furnishings are tidied to a natural rounded shape.

Back The back coat has a smooth finish. The sides are blended into the skirt to give a natural flow to the coat.

Chest Furnishings The chest furnishings drop from the breastbone and follow the line of the skirt. The skirt line is almost straight with no sign of an exaggerated tuck up.

Feet The feet are round to give a cat-like appearance. The under pads are clear of excess hair.

Fore Legs The fronts of the legs are clear of excess coat. The sides are thinned to give a natural flow.

Hind Legs The hock to the heel is clear of excess coat but left with a padded finish. The area under the tail is clear of excess coat and flowing into the back leg furnishings. The rear furnishings are trimmed in an inverted V-shape ending at the hocks. There is no excess coat protruding from the outer view of the back legs.

Tail The tail is clean and tidy with all excess hair removed. This will be the same length as the body. If the tail is undocked, it is in balance with the rest of the dog and not left over long or scalped.

 

Springer Spaniel

Head and Cheeks The head and cheeks are clear of hair leaving a smooth clean finish with no tufts.

Throat The throat is clear of excess hair to the chest bone and the furnishings flow from the chest bone.

Ears The tops of the ears are clear of excess hair, allowing the hair on the ears to flow into the furnishings. The ear furnishings are left natural or are given a rounded shape.

Back The back coat has a smooth finish. The sides are blended into the skirt to give a natural flow to the coat.

Chest Furnishings The chest furnishings drop from the breastbone and follow the line of the skirt. The skirt line is almost straight with no sign of an exaggerated tuck up.

Skirt Furnishings The skirt falls straight from the chest furnishings to the tuck up. The length is dependent on the balance of the dog.

Feet The feet are round to give a cat-like appearance. The under pads are clear of excess hair.

Fore Legs The front and sides of the foreleg are clear of excess coat. The furnishings flow from the side of the leg in a gentle curve from pad to elbow. The length of the coat depends on the balance of the dog.

Hind Legs The middle of the hind legs is clear of excess hair, leaving furnishings flowing from the front and back. The furnishings on the front of the leg follow the shape of the leg and the rear furnishings are shaped like a theatre curtain from hock to under tail.

Tail A docked tail is clean and clear of excess hair. An undocked tail is trimmed to balance the overall appearance of the dog.

 

Cairn Terrier

Head The ears are cleared of hair fully at the back but are partly hidden in the furnishings of the head. The head is well coated and finished with a natural appearance with the ears peeking out.

Back The hair on the shoulders blends with the hair on the top of the legs and the excess coat is removed. The sides blend into the skirt. The skirt line is graded slightly towards the groin. The chest is clear with furnishings from the chest bone cut in a v-shape between the front legs. The coat on the hips blends to the hind leg.

Fore Legs The coat on the top of the shoulders is blended into the back coat. The fore legs are straight and the coat is trimmed to give a rounded tube like leg.

Hind Legs The coat on the hind leg blends with the body coat. The front of the furnishings is shaped to follow the curve of the body shape. The foot and the hock are rounded and shaped to follow the shape of the leg. The rear furnishings are shaped to theatre curtains from hock to under the tail.

Tail The tail is carrot shaped (broader at the bottom than the top). The underside of the tail is shorter than the top.

 

Wire Haired Fox Terrier

Head The top of the head and cheeks are clipped smooth and blended into the beard. The ears are clipped smooth on both sides. The eyebrows are small and split, neat and forward facing. The beard is trimmed into a forward facing point.

Chest The chest is clipped clean to the breast bone. The shoulders are clipped smooth.

Back The back is clipped to a short to medium length and blended into the sides.

Fore legs The forelegs are trimmed straight and blended into the chest.

Hind legs The tops of the hind legs are blended into the body to show rear muscle. The featherings on the front of the back legs are trimmed to show natural angulations. The hocks are upright.

Feet The feet are trimmed round and neat and angled to give a tiptoe appearance.

Tail The tail underside is short and the top of the tail is scissored to the same length as the body.

 

Anal area The anal area is clear of any excess hair.

Grooming Styles Task Intro

 

In order to develop the full range of skills necessary to work as a professional groomer you will be creating the following styles and finishes on a range of coat types.

 

• Head: clean face, clean head, eyebrows and beard, round

• Tail: flag, blended, carrot, clean

• Body: skirt, underline, clean

• Legs: column, clean, feathered, furnishings

• Feet: round, natural, clean, cat

• Ears: clean, blended, natural, spaniel.

   

   

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