How to Groom Airedales

Not all dogs are destined for the show ring, but that doesn't mean your family pet can't look as good as a show dog. Proper grooming can make your dog look like a best-in-show winner, especially for certain breeds, like Airedales, where the breed "look" is unmistakable. To get your dog the look without the expense of frequent trips to the groomer's, try doing it yourself at home.

Things You'll Need

  • Shampoo and washing basin
  • Comb
  • Brush
  • Grooming table or alternative platform-type surface
  • Pet clippers with assorted blade attachments
  • 7 or 8 inch straight trimming scissors
  • Pet nail clippers
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Instructions

  1. Cutting the coat

    • 1

      Prepare your Airedale's coat for a trim by brushing it out and giving it a thorough scrub with pet shampoo. If your dog's hair is matted or tangled, cut out the snarls with trim scissors before washing. Cutting a clean, mat-free coat will make the process easier for you and your dog and prevent unnecessary wear and tear on your clippers. Arrange your pet on the grooming table.

    • 2

      Clip your Airedale's torso using the #7 blade on the clippers, trimming along his back, belly and sides with the lay of the hair.

    • 3

      Clip the hair on the remaining portions of your Airedale -- head, legs, neck and chest -- with a blade. Trim the ears with this blade, clipping both inside and outside in the direction of hair growth. This blade should also be used to trim the dog's rear, the inside of the thighs, up to the anus and groin area.

    • 4

      Spot trim with your trim scissors, focusing on blending in areas where different hair lengths meet, for example where the shorter hair of the chest meets longer hair of the side coat. Use the scissors to trim the tuft of hair from the front elbows, and blend the hair on the front legs with the trimmed portion of the body. On the back legs, the hair on the back of the leg should be shorter than the hair on the front, showing the leg angulation. Scissor around the feet and between the toe pads. Remove any knots from between the toes.

    • 5

      Groom the face whiskers and eyebrows using either straight scissors or thinning shears. Blend the coat from the head to the neck and torso and trim the eyebrows, tapering them to the bridge of your dog's nose.

    • 6

      Clip the toenails with nail trimmer, using a file to smooth out any rough or jagged edges.

    • 7

      Clean your Airedale's ears with a commercial solution designed for dogs. After flushing with cleaner, gently remove dirt and build-up from ear crevices with cotton balls or swabs.