How to Give a Dog a Close Haircut

Grooming your dog at home is a rewarding experience that helps build the bond between you and your pet. While some aspects of grooming are very simple, like brushing and combing the fur, others, such as a full haircut, may be more difficult to master. Using the right tools and working with clean, untangled fur are essential to successfully giving your dog a close haircut.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog shampoo and conditioner
  • Grooming brush
  • Towel or hair dryer
  • Professional-grade dog clippers
  • Clipper blades
  • Blade combs
  • Blade oil
  • Grooming scissors or shears
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a professional-grade dog clipper, and select a set of blades to use with your clippers. The blades you choose will depend on the length and thickness of the fur. A general guideline to follow is the blade number. The greater the number, the closer the cut. Blades numbered 15 to 30 will give a close haircut. Blades numbered 10 to 15 will leave more hair. Avoid blades with numbers higher than 30. These are surgical blades designed to remove all hair from the skin and are inappropriate for grooming.

    • 2

      Wash your dog with a quality dog shampoo and finish with conditioner. Rinse out products, and dry the fur completely with a towel or a hair dryer. Brush the dry fur to eliminate knots and tangles.

    • 3

      Use professional dog clippers to begin removing hair from the dog. Begin at the neck and work toward the hindquarters. Move the blade in the same direction the fur grows. Attach a blade comb when working with blades intended for a close cut to help avoid nicking the skin.

    • 4

      Clip the hair close without nicking the skin by pulling the skin taut in the area in which you are working. Do not apply pressure to the area with the clippers; let the clippers glide over the hair. If the cut is not close enough, repeat the clipper stroke to remove more hair.

    • 5

      Work in small sections, and only use clippers on the main parts of the body. Do not clip the head, legs or tail. Pause after you complete each section of clipping to clean the blades and check the temperature of the clippers. Remove excess fur from the blade.

    • 6

      Oil the blade with a lubricant recommended by the manufacturer. If the clippers have become hot to the touch, take a break to allow them to cool.

    • 7

      Continue clipping until the fur on the body has been cut to the desired length. Choose a finishing blade, which will be noted by a low number like three or four followed by the letter F, to even out a rough cut.

    • 8

      Use a pair of scissors or shears to trim the hair around the face, head, legs and tail to the desired length. Most groomers leave the hair on the head and tail at a natural length. Feathers on the legs may be trimmed shorter. Using one hand, pull the hair away from the leg until it is taut. Pointing the scissors down at the ground, cut the hair about an inch out from the leg.