Becky in Oz

Oh, that is tragic Becky. Thanks for the photos though Poor Oscar. I hope you gave him something yummy for dinner (for the next like, 3 years )

The dogs look good though

Aweeee, he thinks he looks beautiful!

He was tricky to clip. Hopefully I'll get better. He's happier now that the foster kitty has gone and has me all to himself again (for now). He's a genuinely a happy cat, he just looks a bit funny.- with and without hair

Sorry Becky but Oscar looks pretty tragic Did you find the dogs much easier than the cat to get even?

The dogs look great

Hehh, heeh, I know. I actually did have a bit of a time clipping Oscar. I think I should have cut the long fur with scissors first??? then tried the clippers. Don't know. This was his first ever clipping.

I decided to clip Gomez, Maverick and Oscar. :D

First up we have Gomez

Next up is Maverick

And my own little lion, Oscar

Trying to copy from other thread instead of doing it all over again (ading piccies) Fingers crossed it works.

Ed typos

I didn't want to start a new thread but wanted to 'share'.

I woke up at 5:30 AM on Sunday. Everyone was asleep. What to do, what to do?

I decided to have another go at clipping the woofers. I did a much better job this time. But after clipping both dogs and it being 6:30AM and everyone still asleep I got to thnking again...What to do, what to do?

BUT then the Persain strolled by... ahem... we now call him the Little Lion. hehh, hehhh, hehh, hehhh!

Sincerest thoughts to you Griff. May you always feel Bronson's nudge at your feet. His nose pushing into the place just at and between your ankles and toes saying, Mum, mum, I'm here.

RIP Bronson!

That's too funny, guys! I'm still gobsmacked OH wants to be clipped, I'll have a line up.

I got WAHL clippers.

Okay... so the clippers came in the mail yesterday and I had to immediately give them a go, on both dogs. The first dog looks like a patchwork quilt, but the second one looks alright.

BUT when I showed my hubby the clippers this morning he got ALL excited . He wants me to clip him! He says they look the same as at the barber so might as well. I'm trying to explain to him it's not the same, but he's really keen!

I DON'T GET MEN!

Well I just bought myself some clippers from ebay. They should arrive end of week or sometime next week. Boys are still looking good as they were clipped only 2 1/2 weeks ago. But maybe I can practice while hair is still short. The clipper come with a dvd.

Poor Chevy! RIP, matey!

A sad day for wombatout of hell household. Take family out for day, go and get the fresh air in you. Sorry, guys.

Dasher is beautiful! Hey Dasher, say G'Day to my buddy, Flash. Give him a nudge for me.

The boys have had a clip. I had a HUGE chuckle when I picked them up as they looked like just shorn sheep! Seeing as I have only just homed them I am unfamiliar with their look after such a clipping, so I kept on giggling away! The guy must have thought I was drunk or something. Ha ha ha ha! I can't take piccies cuz GOMEZ ATE the RECHARGER CORD and I can't recharge my camera! Grrr!

I made another appointment for 23rd Dec, as I am still not game to take on the clippers. But I'll keep an eye on this thread and listen to all comments.

I groom both my cockers, mainly because I love grooming (and show the younger one). Setting up with the gear is expensive to start with, but well worth it.

I have owned and showed an old english sheepdog and a cairn terrier. Both I groomed myself as the breeders were keen to teach me. The cockers are the hardest by far to keep looking good. I trim and bath each week - a big bill if I didn't do it myself.

Becky, happy to help with some tips if you would like to have a go. I'm still on "L" plates, but have some good teachers

Thanks Dougal! I may have to take you up on that offer one day.

In the meantime, Gomez (the 7yr old) ATE both ends of the cord to recharge my camera! So I am not using the camera until I get another cord. Am waiting for a call from Olympus.

Back on topic, the info on the blades size and cuts was excellent, JavaJava!

Carol, I have often thought of the lion cut for Oscar, but never been game- persevered with the felt prevention and combing instead.

This is a very interesting read. I think I might venture the home groom some day in the future, but I'll let the pros handle it to start.

Tramissa, hope you post a pic of your first trim.

For a cocker, how do you trim the fur in between their pads on their paws and what about the fur in/aroun the ears?

I may need to seriously quiz the groomer this Sat.

I'm not confident enough to go for it at present. But I am also a bit of a wuss when it comes to things like this. When I make up my mind, though, there's no stopping.

Anybody else clip their pooches?

I figured that it's easier and cheaper for me to buy the stuff and do it myself.

I was shown how to groom my little girl a few weeks back by her breeder's friend.

I recently tried it on my foster It didn't turn out too badly. She definitely looks better now that the fur's given time to settle down

Yeah, I guess it would be cheaper, you're right.

My mom used to cut our poodle's hair with scissors. She was better with the dog haircuts than ours. I have pictures to prove it! Bad childhood memories of haircuts is most likely why I won't brave the cuts myself. Maybe in a few years, maybe.

I guess if you're going for a basic cut, it would be alright. I don't know, just thinking aloud.

My two have their first appointment this Sat. I hope they let me watch, as I don't know how these guys will behave.

Fair enough if you are a groomer or a breeder, but what about the rest of you dog owners? If you have a dog that needs clipping do you do it yourself?

How did you learn, if you do?

I'm just curious is all, mine will have regular grooming trips, I don't even cut my kids' hair.

ED piccies page 4

Ari, go with your gut. tell them the price you feel is fair and reasonable for your time and tools' wear and tear as Nadia says, they must take a beating.

All they can do is say no thanks and walk out the door, but I gather many wouldn't and you finally get what you deserve for your services.

Charging more for matting is something I am REALLY bad at. I feel like once I've quoted a price I cant go up (even though most of the time people lie about the condition of the dog). Its something I really need to work on.

Ari, I am not a groomer, I a customer. Save yourself by quoting a standard fee for a standard groom then tell the client that if it goes beyond a standard groom you will have to adjust the quote accordingly and you will not be able to quote such until you see and 'assess' the dog's coat. That way you give yourself some room to move.

As a customer I would find that an extremely reasonable quote/statement.

Don't de-value what you do or people will take advantage of you.

Fair enough, particulalry for those serial offenders. Though they must be pretty daft, to not even gather that it's a small world and some groomers do actually talk to each other. In that case if they are that pathetic, they deserve to be charged what they get charged.

Just reading some people's replies. Not starting a debate at all, but do you think the mentality of some people may be to then not bother to take dog to groomer again if they were charged 'too much' for the dog's grooming, and then that's why we see the matted messes in the pound?

Dunno? I guess it depends on how you word things to the 'client', like Well unfornutnately 'so and so' was in desperate need of a groom and because s/he was so matted, it took me twice as long to groom than normally, blah, blah, blah, so the fee for this trip is $Blah. However, should you return in say 'blah' weeks/months time while having brushed 'so and so' at least once a week, it is more than likely that grooming would cost $X, instead.

I'm thinking it from a client's perspective who was naughty but would still wnat to have my dog groomed and e educated at the same time. (Incidently, I am NOT a naughty client)

Dunno? Comments?

I'm not a groomer at all. But I wante to share that last year when I was enquiring about grooming prices with the local groomer (then in Eastern suburbs of Sydney) for a cocker, she told me about $30. So if that gives you an average ballpark figure for a normal groom, maybe you could go from there?

Also, they can charge on average $100 for shaving a long haired cat (cuz of sedation and the likes). I never had my Persian shaved but have thought of it.

Does that help, at all?

You lot are SMAAAAARRRRRTTT Cookies!

Great idea! i'm keen to hear suggestions on this one.

Just bumping this up to ask a serious, albeit very ignorant question.

Does anyone know of a 'homemade' essential oils (diluted of course) solution for groomig coats?

Or am I just stooopid (don't answer that!)

How are things? Did you read through Cordy's thread? Hope things are still going well.

Good on you for helping this dog. Fancy kicking her away, sounds just terrible. poor thing.