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Clippers


Ronah
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Hi Everyone!

I am brand new to Dogz Online and what a great forum from what i've seen so far!

I am hoping to get some friendly advice regarding DIY grooming.

I have taken Daisy to the groomers a few times, but in blissful ignorance i reckon, 'how hard can it be?'. I have attempted to groom her myself with Wahl human clippers and it was a tedious, millimeter by millimeter, nightmare. Daisy was a trooper and with little resistance she endured the episode. So with awesome clippers i reckon we could groom her without the fuss of last time.

I would like to know if anyone could reccommend the best clippers for a poodle. What "number"clipper comb would be best for summer and winter lengths.

I have done a bit of research and Andis AGC 2 seems to be a favourite among groomers. Would this suit my Daisy-Dog? And are there different models of this clipper that would be best e.g Super, Ultra, Professional edge???

They are on ebay.com (US) for $130.00 which seems to be much cheaper that Australian retailers. Could anyone reccommend a reputable ebay retailer I could go through?

Thanks so much in advance for all your feedback and advice.

Ronah and Daisy

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Read the post "which clippers". The Andis are a good brand but for your dog the Wahl KM would suit and cost less. Andis clippers on a US site are not suitable for use here in Australia unless you buy a converter. By the time you pay for postage and buy a converter you end up paying the same here and you do not have the benefit of a warranty. Be wary of eBay clippers coming from overseas and using a plug adaptor as these clippers do not come with an Australian warranty.

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I have the Wahl KM2 and bought the snap-on combs which I use over a #10 or #30 blade. The snap on combs are good as I can vary the length but the dog does need to be dry and brushed out knot free.

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I groom my toy poodle at home and use the Andis clippers, the only complaint is that the blades tend to get hot so I do it in a couple of stages, she usually gets a #10 blade all over, but we are in Alice Springs so it gets really hot out here and I find that she stays cooler. The other thing I do is go against the hair under her belly and between her legs so she has the maximum skin exposed and can cool off quicker. Now its getting colder I will let the hair grow again. I dont use the combs at all.

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Read the post "which clippers". The Andis are a good brand but for your dog the Wahl KM would suit and cost less. Andis clippers on a US site are not suitable for use here in Australia unless you buy a converter. By the time you pay for postage and buy a converter you end up paying the same here and you do not have the benefit of a warranty. Be wary of eBay clippers coming from overseas and using a plug adaptor as these clippers do not come with an Australian warranty.

Andis has agent in Australia, you do not have to purchase from overseas. Andis in USA has 110v, it is not suitable for using in Australia. One year warranty provided by the Aussie seller, so do have to worry too much. :) Wahl is also good, but not as good as Andis. Andis is popular but because the price is higher than Wahl, so it is alway on our wish list but Wahl is in our shopping trolley.

After some research you will find Andis isnt that expensive from some of local sellers. :laugh:

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Guest Panzer Attack!

One thing to note is that clippers really are not expensive when you add up the price of having your dog groomer 4-5 times a year (which to be honest is a minimal amount for a poodle or any coated breed, really). If you got your dog groomed at my salon you'd be paying at least $330 a year if you had a toy or mini that you only shaved all over. So in a year the clipper has paid itself off!

I'd be looking at the Wahl KM or KM2 + snap-on combs as well. In my personal experience the Andis is OK (I have a pair at home that I NEVER use) but I much prefer the lightness of the Wahl. Hope this helps.

edited to add more info.

Edited by Panzer Attack!
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I recently hunted around for new clippers when my Oster Golds developed a problem which was way too expensive to spend more money on to fix.

I got a great deal & top service from - www.clippersharpening.com.au - on the Wahl KM2 which is also much cheaper to fix when it wears.

They also sharpen blades too which is a bonus.

You know you are covered by manufacturers warranty when you buy in Australia - not so if you buy from overseas.

Edited by Stitch
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I use Andis AG2's on my poodles.

What colour is your poodle? This can affect blade choice.

As has been pointed out, you'll never do a job half as good as a groomer without the coat being washed and blowdried. Any decent groomer also uses scissors on the coat. That means more expense if you buy a dryer, scissors etc but it will be cheaper in the long run.

I'd add Shirley Kalstone's International Book of Poodle Grooming to your list of 'must haves'. Its a great guide to how to do it well.

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poodle fan with the different coats colours and blades can u give more info?? i groom 2 std boy one white one black and she likes them to look the same but with the difference in the coats it is really hard!! maybe its the blades im using?? pm if its easier!! thanks :rofl:

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Thanks everyone for your feedback.

My Daisy is black, if that really affects which clipper I should buy! I'll definitely be asking the retailer what the deal is with fur colour and how it affects my purchase.

It seems that the Wahl KM2 2-speed and the Andis get the top votes so I guess it will come down to price. There is an ebay seller here in Perth who offer the Wahl KM2 2 for $229 and a very friendly Dogz online member has emailed me their prices for Andis clippers. But the Wahl is cheaper by about $50 if I factor in the postage I would save by getting the Perth (local) clippers.

If anyone would strongly recommend we pay the extra $50 for Andis, please let me know. Otherwise its going to be the Wahl.

Thanks again!!

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Wahls are great. I'm a groomer and have 3 pairs with no problems at all. I only ever use the slower speed so you might save some money if you get the single speeds.

Edited by Clyde
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poodle fan with the different coats colours and blades can u give more info?? i groom 2 std boy one white one black and she likes them to look the same but with the difference in the coats it is really hard!! maybe its the blades im using?? pm if its easier!! thanks :laugh:

The white coat is often finer and the skin more sensitive. I find the really close blades (30# and 40#) on the face of a white will often cause a rash where they are fine on the blacks.

I never clip my white girl as closely as the black boys.

They get 7# for their bodies in summer, she gets a 5#

In winter they get 5# and she gets 4#

Their face feet and tail I do with a 30#. She gets a 15# on the face and 30# on the feet and tail

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interesting!! thanks poodlefan!!

i have noticed a big difference in texture the white boy is very course but the black is more soft and silky and not as thick.

Thanks for the tips i do FFT in a 15 on both atm so ill stick to that the owners dont like ti too short anyways and they both get 5 body clip so works well for them :)

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Geuine question...why the slower speed? I only ever use the fastest speed and have often wondered why there is a slower speed option.

Wahls are great. I'm a groomer and have 3 pairs with no problems at all. I only ever use the slower speed so you might save some money if you get the single speeds.
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Geuine question...why the slower speed? I only ever use the fastest speed and have often wondered why there is a slower speed option.
Wahls are great. I'm a groomer and have 3 pairs with no problems at all. I only ever use the slower speed so you might save some money if you get the single speeds.

Some of the finer blades like the #40, 30,15, 10 will run hotter on the higher speed and therefore many groomers run them on the slower speed reducing the heat generated.

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Yes they do get hot...I just have multiple blades to switch over. I cool my blades on the metal base of the grooming arm and swap them as they get hot.

Geuine question...why the slower speed? I only ever use the fastest speed and have often wondered why there is a slower speed option.
Wahls are great. I'm a groomer and have 3 pairs with no problems at all. I only ever use the slower speed so you might save some money if you get the single speeds.

Some of the finer blades like the #40, 30,15, 10 will run hotter on the higher speed and therefore many groomers run them on the slower speed reducing the heat generated.

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