Grooming a Pomeranian to Not Look Choppy

Pomeranians are smaller dogs with long, thick, fluffy coats. Grooming and trimming Pomeranian coats improperly results in a choppy appearance due to uneven layers in the fur. Pomeranians must be washed, brushed and trimmed regularly to maintain a tangle free, silky and even coat. The process is simple and can be done at home with tools found at any pet shop.

Things You'll Need

  • Mild shampoo
  • Cup
  • Absorbent, lint-free towel
  • Blow dryer
  • Slicker brush
  • Hair cutting shears
  • Nail clippers
  • File
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill the bathtub with warm water until it's just over your Pomeranian's paws. Wet the fur by filling a cup with warm water and pouring it gently over the dog's entire coat. Lather soap into the undercoat and the overcoat, taking care to avoid getting water or soap the ears and eyes. Rinse the soap by pouring warm water over the fur again.

    • 2

      Towel dry the Pomeranian with an absorbent, lint-free towel. Get as much water out of the fur as possible with the towel. Blow dry the remaining moisture with your blow dryer set on low heat to avoid irritating the skin or drying out the coat.

    • 3

      Clip the fur at the ears. Lightly pinch the ear leather with your fingers to make sure you know where the ear ends and the fur begins. Cut a horizontal angle across the ears where the fur comes up from the ear leather. Keep the scissors parallel to the Pomeranian's eyes. Tilt the scissors as you continue to cut, creating a soft, rather than pointed, angle.

    • 4

      Brush the hair upward continually as you cut to see the shape. Visualize a circle around the Pomeranian's head as you move around the face. Brush the hair forward, hold a half-inch in between your fingers and cut. Continue this process in a circle around the face.

    • 5

      Brush out the fur at the shoulders. Hold a half-inch in between your fingers and cut a soft, horizontal angle. Continue this process across the shoulders. Keep the image of the circle in mind, rounding the horizontal shape in an arc across the shoulders.

    • 6

      Brush out the hairs on the chest upward. Clip away the excess, leaving a well-groomed, attractive "puff" at the chest.

    • 7

      Trim the hair along the rest of the body in a semicircle. Brush the hair upward, then cut in a semicircle starting on one side of the body. Continue to cut in an arc over the back and finish on the other side of the body. Brush continually as you cut to see the shape that's forming.

    • 8

      Twist the hair at the end of the tail tightly but with care. Find the flesh of the tail and hold it with your fingers. Cut a small amount of hair from the end of the twist in the hair at a slanted angle. Cut where you think your Pomeranian's tail will lie best. Start with less than you think is necessary, then cut more if needed.

    • 9

      Trim away small amounts of excess hair around the dog's nails. Take care to avoid cutting the nails with the shears. Cut just enough so that the nails are visible.

    • 10

      File the nails down gently with a pet nail filer. Rub in quick, soft motions just until the nail becomes smooth at the tip. File a small amount of nail often, rather than cutting a dramatic amount every once in a while.