How to Fix Uneven Dog Hair After Shaving
Sometimes, home dog grooming just doesn't turn out beautifully. Clippers can leave gouges and grooves in the coat, giving the hair an uneven appearance. In most cases, the unevenness can be attributed to a squirmy dog, but the groomer can hold some of the blame as well. If the clippers are held improperly, the hair will not be cut evenly. Every once in a while, a clipper guard might pop off of the clippers causing a knick or bald spot in the coat. All that can be done in all of these scenarios is cutting the hair shorter to remove the uneven hair.
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Instructions
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Put your dog on the leash, and tie the leash to a post, table leg or other immovable object. Leave enough room for the dog to have some movement, but not so much that you will have to chase him around to cut the hair.
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Comb all of the tangles out of the coat, working from the tips of the hair to the deep undercoat. Section off the hair and untangle half-inch sections of the hair if the coat is particularly tough to comb.
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Determine how short the hair will have to be cut by placing the clipper guards underneath the hair, against the skin. Choose the largest guard that still has hair hanging over it when placed against the skin. Always check the shortest areas when determining guard size.
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Attach the selected guard to the clippers. Hold the clippers in your right hand, and control the dog with your left hand. Place the clippers against the skin with the guard held flat against the dog's body.
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Turn on the clippers. Move the clippers against the hair growth using a slow, fluid motion. Place the clippers half on the previously cut section and half on a non-cut section. Repeat process. Overlap sections each time you make a cut to ensure that the hair remains blended. Continue cutting until the entire coat has been trimmed to the new length.
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Comb through the hair, and check for long pieces of hair. Remove any long hairs with the clippers. Brush away loose hair.
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Tips & Warnings
You should only attempt re-shaving your pet if there is enough coat remaining to do so and if the previous clipper job is very uneven and includes gouges, grooves and shorter patches. If there are only a few long hairs or small patches here and there, simply snip the longer hairs even with the shorter hairs using a comb and pair of scissors. After a couple of weeks, you will not be able to notice the shorter patch.
Bathing your dog after a clipper cut will remove all of the loose hair and increase the comfort of your pet.
Continuously comb through the coat to lift the hair up from the skin during the cutting process. If the coat is extremely coarse, hold the hair up with the comb and place the clippers underneath the comb to cut the hair.
If hair still looks uneven, try cutting the hair in different directions. First, cut against the hair growth. Then, cut the hair in the direction it grows and at cross angles.
Some breeds should never be shaved. Double-coated breeds such as Chows, Labradors, Huskies and Golden Retrievers do not need to have their coats cut at all. In fact, trimming dogs with double coats could result in an unsightly coat that takes months to even out. Double coats are identified by a coarse, water resistant outer layer and a fine, downy inner layer.
