How to trim a terrier correctly?

For terriers of different types, a haircut is necessary: ​​for some - as a means of hygiene, for others - as a mandatory procedure, which is a condition of an exhibition career. A similar treatment is also relevant for medical reasons, since a feature of animals is considered to be thick and, in some cases, long, rather coarse wool.

For terrier dogs, procedures such as trimming and grooming are necessary. If trimming a dog is relevant in the case of coarse hair, and this process is called "artificial shedding", which allows you to get rid of dead hair, then for long-haired representatives you need a haircut.

A haircut is needed if only because pedigree standards require it, in this way, cut ends are removed, which worsen the structure of the hair, in addition, in hot weather it is a way to protect the animal from sunstroke.

Before trimming a terrier of a certain type, the owner needs to understand the characteristics of each dog, as well as for what purpose it is being done.

• The processing of the fur of the Kerry Blue Terrier is necessary to emphasize the bluish tint of its coat, otherwise the overgrown dog looks black and, moreover, shapeless.
• Young wheaten terriers are not cut until their hair is fully formed, and a special clear contour is given to the head, making sure that the hair on the body "flows" in soft waves.
• For the Scotch Terrier, a classic haircut is suitable, providing short hair on the back, neck and head, while leaving the "skirt" at the bottom.
• The Russian Black Terrier, with its long, straight coat, needs to be cut to shape.
• The West Highland White Terrier, in general, is sheared only 1-2 times a year, and in principle the procedure is not difficult, but the haircut must be of high quality, otherwise the animal will not meet the necessary indicators.
• With regard to Yorkies, different types of haircuts are carried out, including hygienic ones with shearing off the wool on the pads of the paws and processing the claws.

How to cut your pet depends on the owner's desire, but, perhaps, first it is important to familiarize yourself with the main types of haircuts and their purpose:

• hygienic treatment allows you to remove hair on the ears and around the eyes, in the lower part of the tail and around the anus, in the groin, armpits;
• standard a haircut assumes the form in which the animal is allowed to be shown;
• for pets are intended model hairstyles any styles, if animals do not participate in exhibitions.

You can trim in the salon, which has its advantages - special devices, equipment, qualified craftsmen, but it is possible to tidy up the pet at home if you study the process using video tutorials and purchase special tools.

Having mastered the haircut procedure and having carried it out for the first time, in the future you can cut your pet yourself, without resorting to the services of salon masters. This is an economical option, but this will require free time and a set of special tools, purchasing which you can use them for a long time.

1. Convenient table for grooming, where the dog can be secured with a harness. This is, of course, a professional piece of furniture. However, an ordinary stable table is also suitable, if you put a rug with a rubberized base on it, which prevents slipping.
2. Three types of scissors (with blunt ends, with a long curved and straight blade) for cutting hair on different parts of the animal's body.
3. A trimmer to remove hair from the groin, armpits and muzzle.
4. Metal combs with sparse and frequent teeth, furminator.
5. Grooming machine with several attachments (not plastic), special tool for treating dogs.
6. A slicker with iron teeth for combing felted wool and a collar cutter.
7. For regrown claws - a claw-claw-guillotine.

Preparatory work will be required before a haircut.

• It is imperative to wash the terrier hair before treating it. This will help prevent the clipper from clogging up with wool and causing it to malfunction. Wash the animal in the bathroom with water at room temperature, laying a rubber mat on the bottom. Zoo shampoo is used special - to improve combing. It is bred in water, and only then the dog is soaped, leaving only the head dry - they do it last.
• Dirty foam is washed off the head first, while avoiding getting water in the eyes, nose and ears of the pet.
• The coat is wrung out by hand, then the terrier is wrapped in a towel.
• Drying is allowed with a hairdryer, using only warm air, and keeping the device at a safe distance.
• Next, you should comb the animal and remove the tangles.

And you also need adjust for optimal lighting.

If a black Russian terrier is being prepared for an exhibition, a haircut is required 7-10 days before the event. In addition, when washing such a dog after washing off the shampoo, the wool must be rinsed with water and diluted lemon juice or beer to make it harder.You cannot pull the pet's hair back while drying, as the coat will look like a poodle.

For black terriers, boys and girls, it is better to carry out grooming - a full complex, including preliminary washing, combing, clipping the hair between the toes using a clipper, as well as clipping and cleaning the ears. In addition, combing out the undercoat is also required.

In fact, the processing of the Black Terrier follows the same rules as for other dogs of this breed.

• Cutting the hair of an animal's head requires special care. On the ears from their outer side, 0.5 cm should be left; the platform is cut off to the same length in the form of a rectangle from the brow ridges to the front of the ear. From the forehead to the back of the head, a smooth transition is made from short to long hair (3-5 cm). The head should have a proportional rectangular shape, and the front view should be a triangle. The bangs always continue the line of the forehead.
• The front legs of the animal are cut in the form of columns, they should look voluminous.
• The hind legs are clipped 1-2 cm above the hock joint. On the side of the outer thigh, the coat is 3-5 cm long, and should smoothly transition from short to long (from the back to the front of the legs). Leave the "edge" in front, on the metatarsus there is a longer coat, which is combined with the hair of the forelimbs.
• The inner part of the neck assumes a short coat - 0.5-0.7 cm (from the jaw and neck to the keel, from the base of the ears to the shoulder blades), so that the "shirt-front" is highlighted. Of course, there should be no abrupt transitions, while the line of the shoulders is emphasized with a tendency for the body to move forward. This is achieved due to the fact that 1-2 cm wool is left from the sternum and downward, the front part is made with scissors. Its continuation is the "skirt", but if the chest is deep, it should not be left too long.
• The back is trimmed with scissors, from the withers to the beginning of the tail there should be a straight line. The total length of the coat for the back, sides and chest of the dog is 3-5 cm based on its constitution, disadvantages and advantages.
• The tail is cut evenly, the optimal coat length is 2-3 cm. The hair should be short only in the genital area and under the tail.

Since the black terrier has prominent, convex ribs, it is undesirable to flatten the look of the body, as well as to make its shape too voluminous.

The first haircut at home may not be entirely successful; owners often make such a mistake as excessively shortening the hair on the face. In such a situation, it makes sense to leave more hair on the animal's body, and to make corrections on the dog's head after the hair grows back.

After grooming the terrier, it is important to wash the animal again using a special shampoo and conditioner to remove any remaining dead hair. It is in vain that many owners think that frequent washing deteriorates the pet's hair structure - if applied high-quality hygiene products, the hairline only strengthens, in addition, it looks great.

After washing, dry the animal with a hairdryer and at the same time comb it, raising the mustache, making a lush beard. Before the shows, many apply a foam or gel for better styling. During drying, the legs of the dog are rounded.

Experienced dog breeders warn that only special agents for dog hair - oils and sprays - can be used for such manipulations. These drugs can relieve a pet of such an unpleasant phenomenon as dandruff, but it is advisable to apply them on the neck, back of the thighs, where the animal's coat is short. In addition, they make hair shiny, silky and well-groomed.

The terrier haircut technique is presented in the following video.