How to Clip a Cairn Terrier

Cairn terriers come from Scotland, where farmers bred the dogs to hunt badgers and foxes that preyed on the farm animals, according to the American Kennel Club. A purebred Cairn terrier is 10 inches tall and weighs 14 pounds. The dog has a double coat: The short inner coat is soft, lying close to the skin, and the long outer coat is weather resistant and tough. However, the outer coat is prone to tangles and matting. Without care, these mats contribute to discomfort and skin disease.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog shampoo
  • Small metal comb
  • Stripping comb
  • Small scissors
  • Thinning shears
  • Blow dryer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Wash and dry the dog. Choose a high-quality dog shampoo designed for small dogs. Dry the dog with a towel. Blow dry with a cool hair dryer.

    • 2

      Comb the dog, starting at the head. Comb gently so that you do not pull the hair around mats and tangles.

    • 3

      Clip the mats as you encounter them. Lift the mat with the comb. Slide the small scissors between the mat and the dog's skin. Clip away from the dog, toward the mat. Snip with the scissors two or three times until the mat pulls free.

    • 4

      Use the stripping comb on the dog's head. The comb has several sharp teeth, pulls the dead hairs out of the dog's coat and cuts the live hair. Hold the dog's fur between your thumb and the stripping comb. Pull the comb toward you. Remove the hair from the comb after each pull. Strip the hair off the dog's muzzle until you can see skin. This doesn't hurt the dog. Removing the dead hair reduces scratching behavior.

    • 5

      Strip all the long hair off the top third of the dog's ears. Trim any stray hairs to give the dog's face a round appearance.

    • 6

      Strip the long hair off the dog's back, from around the back end and belly. Remove any mats carefully around the dog's back end or private parts.

    • 7

      Strip any long hair off the legs. Trim any hair from between the toes.

    • 8

      Trim the hair on the tail to the dog's trademark conical shape.

    • 9

      After removing all the long, dead hair, use the thinning shears to blend the areas of shorter fur.