How to Trim Your Dog's Coat

Keeping your dog groomed is an important part of keeping your dog healthy and happy. Vets and professional groomers offer services that include trimming your dog's coat, but owners can do it safely at home as well.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Professional clippers
• Scissors
• Dog brush

1. Brush your dog's coat. Use a dog brush to remove knots, tangles or dead hairs. Start at the neck and sweep the brush downward toward your dog's tail. Continue until you've brushed the entirety of the dog's body.

2. Have a partner stand in front of the dog and hold his head and neck steady. Take your clippers and begin at the dog's neck. Press lightly on the clippers and sweep them downward toward the dog's tail. Follow the natural contours of your dog's body.

3. Follow the lines of the dog until the entire back, neck and sides are trimmed. Stand back and take a look at the dog to make sure you didn't miss any spots.

4. Start at the top of the dog's legs. Move the clippers downward toward the ankle. Make sure you stop before you reach the paws. Do the same for each of the dog's legs.

5. Get the dog in a seated position and ask your partner to move to the side of the dog. Take the clippers and move them in a downward motion on the dog's chest. Stop before you reach the stomach. Take another survey of your work to make sure everything is even.

6. Take the scissors and carefully clip excess hair around the dog's face and ears. Be very careful, and work in small patches to remove any extra hair. If the hair on the dog's face is relatively short, leave it as is.