# Teddybear face?



## .13124

I really want to start cutting Cici's hair, but i'm terrified of the idea! The last time I tried trimming Cici's face in a round shape because the groomer just wouldn't do it or didn't understand me, I left her face really choppy looking:brownbag:. It was just horrible, poor Cici must have felt really embarrassed! I just couldn't get a smooth round trim.. but I was using regular doggy scissors, so I don't know if I should be using the layered/razor shears?


Well my question is, what tools do you recommend for grooming body, and for grooming face? 

I currently have "Conair Pet home grooming kit" clippers that I haven't used because I'm too scared to, but I purchased them a year ago. Are these "good enough" or what should I look for in clippers?










I want to do a "puppy cut" on her body and teddybear/round face. Any tips and suggestions for tools?


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## ckanen2n

I just cut Giovanni in a Lamb Cut - very short body with longer hair on legs. I used a #40 blade with a 3/8 inch comb attachment on his body. I slightly scissored his legs. I used the scissors to trim his beard. I try not to cut hair on his face. I think you need to be very experienced with clippers to do that!


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## eiksaa

Nora, I was debating if I should even reply to this post. I'm no expert so please take all of this with a grain of salt. I've only trimmed Gustave a few times, so I don't know what I'm doing. But this is what works for us. 

For clippers I use Wahl Bravura with steel combs. I have used my husband's beard clipper on his paws (never on the body) and I can completely feel a difference with the wahl. I've never used the one you have so can't comment on that. You do need metal attachment combs (not plastic) IMO to do a nice even clipper trim. 

For the round face, keep thinking sphere and not circle. Specially if the dog had a muzzle on them, like my Gustave. I think all those shihtzu teddy bead videos, while very helpful, cannot be mapped exactly to our dogs because of the longer muzzle. They just cut the face in a circle and done! But we need to shape all sides to make the face look round. 

Good shears are very, very important. Like many other things, the right tools make a big difference. I found my master grooming shears to be perfect for the job in the price range I liked. 

For the face I use my curved/straight shears to take off extra (based on what's closer to me) when I'm looking straight at Gustave. Then I get to work with thinning shears. I first make the circle look good from the front. Then I trim muzzle hair with thinning shears so even that forms a mini circle, like the green in this pic. And then the cheek hair, like the yellow








This is when my groomer trimmed his face. See how the muzzle hair just falls down straight? It doesn't look as teddy bear-ish as it should. 








And this is how I do it. The muzzle hair curves in too. You can tell the small circle in this pic. 








That to me was the biggest secret in getting a round face. That + good tools of course. 

Hope this helped. Good luck! 






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## Zoe's Mom88

Aastha, you do a great job on Gustave. It looks very professional. He looks adorable!!


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## eiksaa

Zoe's Mom88 said:


> Aastha, you do a great job on Gustave. It looks very professional. He looks adorable!!


Thanks! Much appreciated. 


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## Zoe's Mom88

eiksaa said:


> Thanks! Much appreciated.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Your welcome.....its really perfect! I love the pic of him in the skull black t-shirt looking over at you. Super handsome!! :wub:


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## StevieB

Just practice practice practice! It's just hair and it will grow. I recently got a pair of thinning shears and they're really nice for the face. I'm still figuring out how to use them so I can't offer any tips yet. I have a pair of 8" straight shears which are good for scissor cutting the body (which I don't do), a pair of 7" straight shears which are a little more manageable, and a pair of 7" curved shears which are really nice for doing the face and feet. I'm still learning and I get better with every haircut. Just cut a little bit off at a time, you can always go back and cut more. I have Andis clippers and I use a #4 blade on his body and leave the legs long. It's pretty short but grows back quickly. My clippers came with the plastic combs but I'm not crazy about them. The steel combs like Aastha suggested would be better if you're wanting to leave the hair a bit longer. Good luck!!


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## hoaloha

I think everyone knows that I love me some round faces :wub: For the face, The most important tools are thinning shears and straight or curved shears that you're comfortable using. I use a similar circle concept as Aastha-

There are 3 main circles that I imagine:
1. The whole face makes the largest circle when looked straight on
2. The muzzle hair makes a smaller circle 
3. From the side view, it should be another circle with the jaw line creating the bottom of that circle.

It really depends on the of the face an muzzle length to determine how big the circles should be so that the 3 circles are all in proportion. The longer the muzzle, generally, the larger the circles should be (meaning you shouldn't go super short). You can tell this difference between the way I cut Obi and Owen- similar concept but Obi looks better with a more full teddyface since he has has bigger features. If I cut him the length of Owen's, it would actually look unbalanced.

I think thinning shears makes the face appear more natural and not so blunt. 

I would watch a bunch of YouTube videos on maltese and shih tzu's and that's how I learned!


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## .13124

ckanen2n said:


> I just cut Giovanni in a Lamb Cut - very short body with longer hair on legs. I used a #40 blade with a 3/8 inch comb attachment on his body. I slightly scissored his legs. I used the scissors to trim his beard. I try not to cut hair on his face. I think you need to be very experienced with clippers to do that!


Do you use regular straight scissors or curved ones?





eiksaa said:


> Nora, I was debating if I should even reply to this post. I'm no expert so please take all of this with a grain of salt. I've only trimmed Gustave a few times, so I don't know what I'm doing. But this is what works for us.
> 
> For clippers I use Wahl Bravura with steel combs. I have used my husband's beard clipper on his paws (never on the body) and I can completely feel a difference with the wahl. I've never used the one you have so can't comment on that. You do need metal attachment combs (not plastic) IMO to do a nice even clipper trim.
> 
> For the round face, keep thinking sphere and not circle. Specially if the dog had a muzzle on them, like my Gustave. I think all those shihtzu teddy bead videos, while very helpful, cannot be mapped exactly to our dogs because of the longer muzzle. They just cut the face in a circle and done! But we need to shape all sides to make the face look round.
> 
> Good shears are very, very important. Like many other things, the right tools make a big difference. I found my master grooming shears to be perfect for the job in the price range I liked.
> 
> For the face I use my curved/straight shears to take off extra (based on what's closer to me) when I'm looking straight at Gustave. Then I get to work with thinning shears. I first make the circle look good from the front. Then I trim muzzle hair with thinning shears so even that forms a mini circle, like the green in this pic. And then the cheek hair, like the yellow
> View attachment 146626
> 
> 
> This is when my groomer trimmed his face. See how the muzzle hair just falls down straight? It doesn't look as teddy bear-ish as it should.
> View attachment 146634
> 
> 
> And this is how I do it. The muzzle hair curves in too. You can tell the small circle in this pic.
> View attachment 146642
> 
> 
> That to me was the biggest secret in getting a round face. That + good tools of course.
> 
> Hope this helped. Good luck!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thanks, the pictures were very helpful! Which shears do you have? I looked those up in Amazon but different sizes came up and I don't know what size would be best/easier for the face.




StevieB said:


> Just practice practice practice! It's just hair and it will grow. I recently got a pair of thinning shears and they're really nice for the face. I'm still figuring out how to use them so I can't offer any tips yet. I have a pair of 8" straight shears which are good for scissor cutting the body (which I don't do), a pair of 7" straight shears which are a little more manageable, and a pair of 7" curved shears which are really nice for doing the face and feet. I'm still learning and I get better with every haircut. Just cut a little bit off at a time, you can always go back and cut more. I have Andis clippers and I use a #4 blade on his body and leave the legs long. It's pretty short but grows back quickly. My clippers came with the plastic combs but I'm not crazy about them. The steel combs like Aastha suggested would be better if you're wanting to leave the hair a bit longer. Good luck!!


Which brand shears do you use? and so do you just use the curved ones for the face or do you use the straight ones for the face also?




hoaloha said:


> I think everyone knows that I love me some round faces :wub: For the face, The most important tools are thinning shears and straight or curved shears that you're comfortable using. I use a similar circle concept as Aastha-
> 
> There are 3 main circles that I imagine:
> 1. The whole face makes the largest circle when looked straight on
> 2. The muzzle hair makes a smaller circle
> 3. From the side view, it should be another circle with the jaw line creating the bottom of that circle.
> 
> It really depends on the of the face an muzzle length to determine how big the circles should be so that the 3 circles are all in proportion. The longer the muzzle, generally, the larger the circles should be (meaning you shouldn't go super short). You can tell this difference between the way I cut Obi and Owen- similar concept but Obi looks better with a more full teddyface since he has has bigger features. If I cut him the length of Owen's, it would actually look unbalanced.
> 
> I think thinning shears makes the face appear more natural and not so blunt.
> 
> I would watch a bunch of YouTube videos on maltese and shih tzu's and that's how I learned!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thank you! I never thought about having different circles, that's probably why the first time it didn't look good, I had cut it way too short and it looked too oval and choppy, almost even like a rectangle:blush:. For the face do you use curved or straight thinning shears? I didn't even know curved ones existed lol.








This is the youtube video I found that motivated me to attempt to cut Cici's face like that:




She does it with so much confidence it was kind of scary at first LOL. I wish it was more close-up of what she was doing, I really like that haircut, except on Cici I'm growing out the top knot. 

Can anyone tell if the scissors she's using at 2:50 are the thinning shears? Do you all use regular straight scissors first and then smooth it out with the thinning shears? Do you ladies prefer the straight or curved shears?

Thanks all so much for the help! I'm even considering that if it doesn't go too bad this time, I'll probably invest in a grooming table and other tools so we won't have to go to the groomers anymore:w00t:


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## .13124

Oh and I almost forgot to ask, what do you ladies use to trim the hair between the paws?


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## zooeysmom

I don't care for that girl's rough handling, but the dog sure turned out cute.


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## .13124

zooeysmom said:


> I don't care for that girl's rough handling, but the dog sure turned out cute.


Yes I felt bad for the doggy, he/she sure did get his/her hair pulled quite a lot I was worried he'd her poked by the scissors. But I still do really like the haircut style, short with round face. It's the only video I've found with a maltese and a teddybear face cut.


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## .13124

Looking at the master grooming shears at pet edge, what's the big difference between the 5200 Series thinning shears and the finishing shears? And are the 5900 Diamond Series significantly better than the 5200?


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## lols82

eiksaa said:


> Nora, I was debating if I should even reply to this post. I'm no expert so please take all of this with a grain of salt. I've only trimmed Gustave a few times, so I don't know what I'm doing. But this is what works for us.
> 
> For clippers I use Wahl Bravura with steel combs. I have used my husband's beard clipper on his paws (never on the body) and I can completely feel a difference with the wahl. I've never used the one you have so can't comment on that. You do need metal attachment combs (not plastic) IMO to do a nice even clipper trim.
> 
> For the round face, keep thinking sphere and not circle. Specially if the dog had a muzzle on them, like my Gustave. I think all those shihtzu teddy bead videos, while very helpful, cannot be mapped exactly to our dogs because of the longer muzzle. They just cut the face in a circle and done! But we need to shape all sides to make the face look round.
> 
> Good shears are very, very important. Like many other things, the right tools make a big difference. I found my master grooming shears to be perfect for the job in the price range I liked.
> 
> For the face I use my curved/straight shears to take off extra (based on what's closer to me) when I'm looking straight at Gustave. Then I get to work with thinning shears. I first make the circle look good from the front. Then I trim muzzle hair with thinning shears so even that forms a mini circle, like the green in this pic. And then the cheek hair, like the yellow
> View attachment 146626
> 
> 
> This is when my groomer trimmed his face. See how the muzzle hair just falls down straight? It doesn't look as teddy bear-ish as it should.
> View attachment 146634
> 
> 
> And this is how I do it. The muzzle hair curves in too. You can tell the small circle in this pic.
> View attachment 146642
> 
> 
> That to me was the biggest secret in getting a round face. That + good tools of course.
> 
> Hope this helped. Good luck!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Aw look at little Gustave  I think this is exactly how I want Sammy's face shape, we are working on the topknot.


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## .13124

Where do you all get your grooming tables? I wanted to order the small pink one from PetEdge, but it's on backorder  any suggestions??

Master Equipment Grooming Tables in Fashion Colors | PetEdge.com


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## socalyte

BellaNotte said:


> Oh and I almost forgot to ask, what do you ladies use to trim the hair between the paws?


 I use the Wahl Touch-Up Pet Trimmer for between the paws because it is very quiet with almost no vibration. 

Ok, ya'll, I'm embarrassed to ask, but I have a heck of a time trimming the toenails! What do you use that is small enough? The dog nail trimmers I have are so big they could cut off Cozette's whole foot!


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## eiksaa

socalyte said:


> I use the Wahl Touch-Up Pet Trimmer for between the paws because it is very quiet with almost no vibration.
> 
> Ok, ya'll, I'm embarrassed to ask, but I have a heck of a time trimming the toenails! What do you use that is small enough? The dog nail trimmers I have are so big they could cut off Cozette's whole foot!


Cat nail clipper, scissor style. Most pet stores have them. 

Nora, I'm just now seeing your questions. I had the 5200 and I liked it a lot. The table should also be available on Amazon. 


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## CloudClan

I had a cheaper set of clippers but recently bought the two speed Andis which was recommended by several of my friends including my friend Deb Ray who is a long time professional groomer. 

Andis AGP Super 2-Speed Pet Grooming Clippers

I have a Whal Peanut for paw pads. Be careful not to go between the toes, you can catch the webbing. If you use these carefully, they clean up the pads very nicely. (I found one in Plum, but I have seen them in Pink and Zebra pring as well). 

Wahl Classic Peanut Clipper/Trimmer | PetEdge.com

For trimming toenails I also use cat nail trimmers.

Master Grooming Tools Small Pet Nail Scissors


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## mdbflorida

eiksaa said:


> Nora, I was debating if I should even reply to this post. I'm no expert so please take all of this with a grain of salt. I've only trimmed Gustave a few times, so I don't know what I'm doing. But this is what works for us.
> 
> For clippers I use Wahl Bravura with steel combs. I have used my husband's beard clipper on his paws (never on the body) and I can completely feel a difference with the wahl. I've never used the one you have so can't comment on that. You do need metal attachment combs (not plastic) IMO to do a nice even clipper trim.
> 
> For the round face, keep thinking sphere and not circle. Specially if the dog had a muzzle on them, like my Gustave. I think all those shihtzu teddy bead videos, while very helpful, cannot be mapped exactly to our dogs because of the longer muzzle. They just cut the face in a circle and done! But we need to shape all sides to make the face look round.
> 
> Good shears are very, very important. Like many other things, the right tools make a big difference. I found my master grooming shears to be perfect for the job in the price range I liked.
> 
> For the face I use my curved/straight shears to take off extra (based on what's closer to me) when I'm looking straight at Gustave. Then I get to work with thinning shears. I first make the circle look good from the front. Then I trim muzzle hair with thinning shears so even that forms a mini circle, like the green in this pic. And then the cheek hair, like the yellow
> View attachment 146626
> 
> 
> This is when my groomer trimmed his face. See how the muzzle hair just falls down straight? It doesn't look as teddy bear-ish as it should.
> View attachment 146634
> 
> 
> And this is how I do it. The muzzle hair curves in too. You can tell the small circle in this pic.
> View attachment 146642
> 
> 
> That to me was the biggest secret in getting a round face. That + good tools of course.
> 
> Hope this helped. Good luck!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


You look like an expert to me. I could never do this!


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## eiksaa

mdbflorida said:


> You look like an expert to me. I could never do this!


Thanks, that's very kind of you. I used to think I could never do it but if I can, anyone can. I think it's all about staring at pics of your dog all day and REALLY understanding their face to tailor the cut to them. 


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## Dominic

I just came by to add that Aastha instructions saved Dominic from Lampshade look by the groomers to a cute dog by mommy. It was my first and only time doing this and I hope the photo helps - even tho I feel bad posting Dominic's first picture, my poor kid.


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## Yogi's Mom

*I Would Love to try Grooming.*
*Nickee in Pa.Lots of Great Tips On this Post.*
*Nickee**


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## Yogi's Mom

Dominic said:


> I just came by to add that Aastha instructions saved Dominic from Lampshade look by the groomers to a cute dog by mommy. It was my first and only time doing this and I hope the photo helps - even tho I feel bad posting Dominic's first picture, my poor kid.


 
He Looks Just Beautiful. You Did A Great Job.
Nickee*


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## littlefluffbabies

Excellent post and advice, ladies.. thank you so much! 

I have been considering trying home grooming (again). I'm very nervous about trimming around the face and potty area. Also, Penny tends to move around a lot and really hates having her paws and legs handled. I don't yet have a grooming table as I'm not certain whether i will be all that successful so don't want to spend the money yet. I imagine it makes grooming a whole lot easier though. I also have andis clippers though i don't think mine are quite as nice as Carina's and they don't have two speeds. I think i will take the advice of watching a lot of youtube videos. I have watched a few in the past and they didn't make my first attempt any more successful. lol. (Poor little Penny) but I'm ready to give it another try! - I too did not care for the way the woman in the posted video handled that little fluff. It seemed a little rough and detached, and he was so well behaved!! He at least deserved a few "good boy"s and a cuddle and kiss. I don't care is she was a professional groomer and not the little ones mommy. All fluffs should be cuddled, kissed, and talked to regularly..


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## hoaloha

BellaNotte said:


> Do you use regular straight scissors or curved ones?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, the pictures were very helpful! Which shears do you have? I looked those up in Amazon but different sizes came up and I don't know what size would be best/easier for the face.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which brand shears do you use? and so do you just use the curved ones for the face or do you use the straight ones for the face also?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you! I never thought about having different circles, that's probably why the first time it didn't look good, I had cut it way too short and it looked too oval and choppy, almost even like a rectangle:blush:. For the face do you use curved or straight thinning shears? I didn't even know curved ones existed lol.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the youtube video I found that motivated me to attempt to cut Cici's face like that:
> Grooming Teddybear Head Maltese - YouTube
> She does it with so much confidence it was kind of scary at first LOL. I wish it was more close-up of what she was doing, I really like that haircut, except on Cici I'm growing out the top knot.
> 
> Can anyone tell if the scissors she's using at 2:50 are the thinning shears? Do you all use regular straight scissors first and then smooth it out with the thinning shears? Do you ladies prefer the straight or curved shears?
> 
> Thanks all so much for the help! I'm even considering that if it doesn't go too bad this time, I'll probably invest in a grooming table and other tools so we won't have to go to the groomers anymore:w00t:


I use straight shears for everything but am going to purchase curved ones soon. I think learning to use straight shears is the fundamental skill but curved ones do make life easier for shaping. Use straight/curved first and then go over with thinning shears to blend.

Sorry to disagree with some of you- Personally, I actually feel that the girl in the video is not rough with the dog at all. It could be because I've seen a LOT worse. SAFETY of the dog is of utmost importance when grooming a dog with grooming equipment. It's a time to be firm with a good grip because one slip could be lethal/dangerous. The dog looks happy and is not resisting and she is handling him in an ergonomic way that isn't stressing his joints. I give a kiss on the head AFTER the grooming is done. It's not a time for cuddling and play during grooming. You should be firm for the safety of the dog.


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## eiksaa

I agree with Marisa. I also didn't find her rough. Infact, I think that's probably how I look when I am grooming Gustave. I feel a no nonsense attitude it better when you're doing these things, specially with fidgety little dogs. A kiss + praise + a big treat at the end is what I do. They can also get too excited if we talk too much to them and that's not good when you're handling sharp tools.


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## littlefluffbabies

hoaloha said:


> I use straight shears for everything but am going to purchase curved ones soon. I think learning to use straight shears is the fundamental skill but curved ones do make life easier for shaping. Use straight/curved first and then go over with thinning shears to blend.
> 
> Sorry to disagree with some of you- Personally, I actually feel that the girl in the video is not rough with the dog at all. It could be because I've seen a LOT worse. SAFETY of the dog is of utmost importance when grooming a dog with grooming equipment. It's a time to be firm with a good grip because one slip could be lethal/dangerous. The dog looks happy and is not resisting and she is handling him in an ergonomic way that isn't stressing his joints. I give a kiss on the head AFTER the grooming is done. It's not a time for cuddling and play during grooming. You should be firm for the safety of the dog.



I had really never thought of it that way, and you're right, more talking and or cuddling would definitely make a little fluff excitable and less cooperative. Very good point! :thumbsup:

It still scared me to watch how fast she brought those scissors up to the face and ear areas, but i suppose with practice comes confidence.


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## CrystalAndZoe

Aw the Malt in the video was adorable! But just a word of caution. If your Malt has more silky, straight hair, it won't turn out that way. That Malt has hair that is more cottony and therefore poufs out more.


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## StevieB

Here is my little Teddy Bear. I would love to see more detail on how Marisa and Aastha trim the cheek area so you get that separate "poof" on the muzzle in front. And we may just not be able to achieve that since Steve has a longer muzzle and thinner coat. But I'm trying!










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## hoaloha

*Celeta, I know what you are talking about referring to the separate round muzzle. A lot of this has to do with the way the muzzle is thinned and the angle that the side-view "circle" that I was mentioning goes up at the jawline. 

Here are some pics of that front-view "circle"*






*Here are pics of the side view-- notice how it's angled up towards the ear. The sharper the angle, the more the front-view circle becomes prominent.
*









*Compare that jaw line to this next set of pics from Obi's prior styles- I left the "side-view circle bigger/longer). You can see the longer length of the sides (kinda like Gustave's but with shorter ears and no topknot)*





*It does help to have thick muzzle hair but you can still achieve a similar look. For a longer muzzle, you don't want to go TOO short all around or else it will actually accentuate the muzzle. In that case, it's better to keep everything proportionally longer to get that full, round look. With the super tiny faces, the shorter each "circle" can be with it still looking in proportion*


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## hoaloha

StevieB said:


> Here is my little Teddy Bear. I would love to see more detail on how Marisa and Aastha trim the cheek area so you get that separate "poof" on the muzzle in front. And we may just not be able to achieve that since Steve has a longer muzzle and thinner coat. But I'm trying!
> 
> View attachment 147810
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Oh and wanted to mention that I LOVe Steve . 

You could try keeping the front of the muzzle more oblong (a little wider in width) than a perfect circle and it can help with the poof look . Buuuut, I think he looks ADORABLE the way he is!


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## eiksaa

Steve is adorable! 

Marisa said it so well, so I have no advice to give. Only thing I would suggest is keeping the face more full at the bottom, so more of an oblong circle for Steve. That's what I do for Gustave since he has a longer muzzle too. 

Not sure if this is the right way to do it, but I actually go in with thinning shears to create a circle for the front part of the muzzle. It barely takes off any hair, but I swear it makes a huge difference. Just take thinning shears and trim the muzzle 'down' into a circle shape (so you are taking off most hair from the bottom most part of the muzzle, a bit more on top, and then the least at the halfway point). Again, this barely takes away anything, so I don't mean chop the muzzle off...just tiny tiny bits. The decreasing amount of hair from top to bottom helps create a circle.

ETA: Just saw Marisa commented about the oblong circle too. I completely agree with that.


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## .13124

Thank you all soooo much :wub: I just finished purchasing a grooming table and some shears (curved and thinning shears). I can't wait to try them out! I've Ben watching a lot of YouTube videos, and I'm excited to try it myself. I'll definitely have to post before and after pictures, hopefully Cici won't feel embarrassed about the afters if mommy messes up LOL. 

I just wonder if her head hair is maybe too short? She does kind of have a long muzzle









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## .13124

Oh and Marisa, the pictures you posted of Obi from different angles are so helpful, I had to save them all, definitely going to be looking at them while I practice trimming Cici's face even though her hair isn't as long. I had to make a folder of pictures of Obi and Gustave so I can examine their faces as much as I can :chili: 

I'm so excited!


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## StevieB

Marisa thank you for the pic spam!! I love all those pix of Obi, plus the side views were very helpful. I think I need to grow his muzzle hair a little longer so I can do the cut the way you described (the way I think you're describing it!). He does not have nearly as thick and luscious a mane as Obi and Gustave so I'm not sure what look we'll end up with, but he'll still be cute! Nora, keep us posted on your progress!


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## sdubose

This post has really been helpful. I wish there was some way to save a favorite post to our user name for future reference. I am always having to search and search.


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## Maizy Moo's Mum

Would the teddy bear look work with long ears or is it better for short ears?? Heres Maizys cut atm i might get her muzzle more rounded next time but ideally like her ears on the longer side! Would she look odd? 

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View attachment 147858
/ATTACH]
View attachment 147842
View attachment 147850


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## .13124

Maizy Moo's Mum said:


> Would the teddy bear look work with long ears or is it better for short ears?? Heres Maizys cut atm i might get her muzzle more rounded next time but ideally like her ears on the longer side! Would she look odd?
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App
> 
> View attachment 147858
> /ATTACH]
> View attachment 147842
> View attachment 147850


I haven't tried it yet but I think it would still look good? That's how I'm planning to so with Cici, keeping her ears and top knot long. I think we'd have to clip the ear hair back or up into the top knot so we can see just what we want to cut and so we can imagine the "circle" without the ears getting in the way. Just what I'm imagining though, I still have yet to try it!


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## little+bella

Wow that lady was fast! I agree, i was nervous just watching her. She knew exactly how to hold the dogs face though which made it easier. I think the little one needs an award for just being so still and good!!!!!


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## hoaloha

Maizy Moo's Mum said:


> Would the teddy bear look work with long ears or is it better for short ears?? Heres Maizys cut atm i might get her muzzle more rounded next time but ideally like her ears on the longer side! Would she look odd?
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App
> 
> View attachment 147858
> /ATTACH]
> View attachment 147842
> View attachment 147850


She's such a cutie! I think the length of her face hair is perfect in that first pic. You could ask for a trim to keep that length and let the ears grow long. I think it would look nice


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## StevieB

Here is another video that does a really good job of showing what to do on the neck and cheeks! This is the area that confuses me the most. This dog has long ears with the teddy bear face and it's totally cute, so there you go Maizy Moo! 

Shih Tzu Groom Bella (round/teddy bear face) - YouTube


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## Maizy Moo's Mum

hoaloha said:


> She's such a cutie! I think the length of her face hair is perfect in that first pic. You could ask for a trim to keep that length and let the ears grow long. I think it would look nice


That pic was taken last week I like the length of her face so like you say maybe just a trim to shape it up a bit and keep the ears long! Different cuts suit different malts!! I simply love the cuts you have Obi and Owen in they suit them perfectly :wub:


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## Maizy Moo's Mum

StevieB said:


> Here is another video that does a really good job of showing what to do on the neck and cheeks! This is the area that confuses me the most. This dog has long ears with the teddy bear face and it's totally cute, so there you go Maizy Moo!
> 
> Shih Tzu Groom Bella (round/teddy bear face) - YouTube


Thanks for the clip looks great! You guys are amazing doing your own grooming I wouldn't dare Maizy would look a mess!!! :w00t:


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## AnakinMom

So today was my first shot at trimming Anakin. Here is a picture I took on my friends grooming table. I want to round him out some more to look more like a teddy bear face. Do I need clippers or can I do this with sheers? Any tips?? 


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## AnakinMom

AnakinMom said:


> So today was my first shot at trimming Anakin. Here is a picture I took on my friends grooming table. I want to round him out some more to look more like a teddy bear face. Do I need clippers or can I do this with sheers? Any tips??
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App











Forgot to upload the picture lol!!


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## .13124

AnakinMom said:


> View attachment 160553
> 
> 
> Forgot to upload the picture lol!!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


He looks adorable!! I think it's easier to do a teddy bear face with scissors, that's how I've been doing it (its my first time doing teddy bear face too). I use curved shears and then thinning shears if I need to smooth it out (the ones recommended by the other members and I love them!). 


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## AnakinMom

BellaNotte said:


> He looks adorable!! I think it's easier to do a teddy bear face with scissors, that's how I've been doing it (its my first time doing teddy bear face too). I use curved shears and then thinning shears if I need to smooth it out (the ones recommended by the other members and I love them!).
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thanks! Do you take off under the ears like in the video? 


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## .13124

AnakinMom said:


> Thanks! Do you take off under the ears like in the video?
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Good question, I don't know if we're suppose to? But I don't do that, I'm keeping it fluffy round all around her head, even the back. So I just make the shape with the scissors all around while holding her ears up so I can see what the face looks like without the ears getting in the way. I do shave her neck with the clippers though, like where the collar should go, to separate her head from the body, I just like how it looks 

Still learning and experimenting how to get it perfect, but its still a lot of fun!


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## eiksaa

AnakinMom said:


> Thanks! Do you take off under the ears like in the video?
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


It depends. I do for my two because they are very fluffy. If I don't they get what I call the pagoda ears look. 
Mieka before taking off hair under ears -









Mieka after-









You can see how her ears lay flatter. 


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## Maglily

I have the regular shears but I often bring Jodi to the groomers because when his hair is long I sometimes don't have the patience or skill to get a good result. I then have them trim it close and aim to keep it short myself before it gets too long and out of control.

I like to trim his face myself to keep 'his' look. The groomer is ok but Jodi doesn't look like himself to me if someone else trims his face. anyhow, for the face I use small round topped scissors for around the keys, and the small Wahl face trimmer from Walmart (not my big shears) just because it is so much easier to handle and it removes less hair. I find that it is best to trim little bits at a time rather than cutting off too much at once. and I use thinning scissors to blend if needed.
I need to learn more and watch some of the videos here, and I'm no expert either which is why I rely on the groomers to tidy up my work sometimes.


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## sophie

I have thinning shears, but have never used them as I'm not quite sure how to. Do they work like regular scissors? I tend to stick with the curved shears mostly because the end is blunt. I keep trying to groom them myself, but always end up back at the groomer.  They let me trim around their eyes with no problems and trim their paw pads, its the nails and clipping their body that scares me.


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## Maltshakes

Dominic said:


> I just came by to add that Aastha instructions saved Dominic from Lampshade look by the groomers to a cute dog by mommy. It was my first and only time doing this and I hope the photo helps - even tho I feel bad posting Dominic's first picture, my poor kid.


LOLLLLL @ Dominic's "lampshade" comment!!! I'm personally not a fan of the "straight" cuts on the ears and the face either.

I would also add that when I also ATTEMPT to do the "circles"/"sphere" thing that Aastha mentioned but I NEVER get it 100% right the first time (still hoping this will improve with practice). This is actually another reason to do it yourself, you can always give quick touch-ups  

It's funny, I stumbled upon that same exact video the other day and I was struck at how soooo many of those videos show groomers so fearlessly trimming the eye hair near the inner corner of the eye (I don't do this for Sneakers because I read a thread a long time ago on SM that said once you trim those hairs, you ALWAYS have to keep trimming them). And I also agree that the firm demeanor is import during the grooming process; unfortunately for now, that is a dream. In fact, as of now, the only magical way Mommy has gotten Mr. Super Alpha to sit for a grooming is if i SING A LITTLE SONG. -- Let's just say Mommy has sung a LOTTTT of songs at this point!!! *FAIL*

btw I posted this close-up pic of his face to someone else's grooming q the other day, and i'm STILL wondering how the **** i got his face so round here! i think sometimes you get lucky; at least for me it's not possible to replicate the same thing 100% every time yet (i'm hoping this will improve with practice).

PS. Marisa - Obi looks BUFF as usual haha!! I'm constantly so impressed w/ you + Aastha's grooming mojo . . . xoxoxo


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## Maltshakes

BellaNotte said:


> Oh and I almost forgot to ask, what do you ladies use to trim the hair between the paws?


Also wanted to say: the electronic trimmer is 100% the fastest way to get the paw hair, you know you have to sort of "scoop" it out between the pawpads in certain areas. I got this very basic one (only plastic attachments, which I don't use since I scissor cut the body) + it works just fine: 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Wahl-Series-Rechargeable-Grooming-Clipper/dp/B00378HV90/ref=pd_sbs_petsupplies_9]Amazon.com: Wahl Pro Series Rechargeable Grooming Clipper: Pet Supplies[/ame]

Also re the nails: I have wasted a LOT of money on nail clippers. we used to be able to use the scissor cat ones when he was a pup; he's just over 1 yrs old now and his nails are thicker, so those actually hurt him since his nails have since gotten thicker. The guillotine ones are what most groomers use that I've spoken to at least; these are the ones I got:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Safari-Professional-Trimmer-Small-Medium/dp/B0002RJM8C]Amazon.com: Safari Professional Pet Nail Trimmer, Small/Medium: Pet Supplies[/ame]

this is also a strange tip, but it has worked for me beautifully every time: wear a head lamp (and shine the light onto the nails) when you trim the nails. you will look unquestionably geeky, but this will allow you to see VERY clearly where the pink part stops, every time.

hope this helps! xoxo


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## puppydoll

hoaloha said:


> I think everyone knows that I love me some round faces :wub: For the face, The most important tools are thinning shears and straight or curved shears that you're comfortable using. I use a similar circle concept as Aastha-
> 
> There are 3 main circles that I imagine:
> 1. The whole face makes the largest circle when looked straight on
> 2. The muzzle hair makes a smaller circle
> 3. From the side view, it should be another circle with the jaw line creating the bottom of that circle.
> 
> It really depends on the of the face an muzzle length to determine how big the circles should be so that the 3 circles are all in proportion. The longer the muzzle, generally, the larger the circles should be (meaning you shouldn't go super short). You can tell this difference between the way I cut Obi and Owen- similar concept but Obi looks better with a more full teddyface since he has has bigger features. If I cut him the length of Owen's, it would actually look unbalanced.
> 
> I think thinning shears makes the face appear more natural and not so blunt.
> 
> I would watch a bunch of YouTube videos on maltese and shih tzu's and that's how I learned!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


What brand shears, scissors, thinners do you suggest?


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## puppydoll

CloudClan said:


> I had a cheaper set of clippers but recently bought the two speed Andis which was recommended by several of my friends including my friend Deb Ray who is a long time professional groomer.
> 
> Andis AGP Super 2-Speed Pet Grooming Clippers
> 
> I have a Whal Peanut for paw pads. Be careful not to go between the toes, you can catch the webbing. If you use these carefully, they clean up the pads very nicely. (I found one in Plum, but I have seen them in Pink and Zebra pring as well).
> 
> Wahl Classic Peanut Clipper/Trimmer | PetEdge.com
> 
> For trimming toenails I also use cat nail trimmers.
> 
> Master Grooming Tools Small Pet Nail Scissors


Carina,
I just looked on the website and put in the Andis AGP Super 2-Speed Pet Grooming Clippers and there were no results. Do you know if they have discontinued that set of clippers?


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## .13124

sophie said:


> I have thinning shears, but have never used them as I'm not quite sure how to. Do they work like regular scissors? I tend to stick with the curved shears mostly because the end is blunt. I keep trying to groom them myself, but always end up back at the groomer.  They let me trim around their eyes with no problems and trim their paw pads, its the nails and clipping their body that scares me.


There's a few videos on YouTube that demonstrate how to use the thinning shears, they're really easy actually and although it look like its not cutting any hair, it is. When you want to blend one part of the hair to another part of the body you do kind of pulling motion downward, like when you close the shears on the hair, pull downward. You don't want to get too much chair to where you're pulling hair that isn't getting cut though. There's probably other methods used with thinning shears, hopefully a more experienced member can chime in also and explain their method 


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## sophie

Thanks, Nora! I will definitely check out Youtube! Duh! LOL

Linda



BellaNotte said:


> There's a few videos on YouTube that demonstrate how to use the thinning shears, they're really easy actually and although it look like its not cutting any hair, it is. When you want to blend one part of the hair to another part of the body you do kind of pulling motion downward, like when you close the shears on the hair, pull downward. You don't want to get too much chair to where you're pulling hair that isn't getting cut though. There's probably other methods used with thinning shears, hopefully a more experienced member can chime in also and explain their method
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Lacie's Mom

As most of you know, I've been grooming for both show and for pet clips for about 35 years. I've been doing Lhasas, Shih Tzus, Malts and several other breeds that are long coated or need scissoring.

One tip I have (and don't think I'm crazy -- even though you know I am) is that when I'm doing a teddybear face, I pull the ears up on top of the fluff's head. I use a hair clip or a terrycloth band to hold the ears back. Make sure that you attach the hair clip to the HAIR and not to the ear LEATHER. Anyway, for me, it really helps me concentrate on getting the shape on the muzzle correct.


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## .13124

Lacie's Mom said:


> As most of you know, I've been grooming for both show and for pet clips for about 35 years. I've been doing Lhasas, Shih Tzus, Malts and several other breeds that are long coated or need scissoring.
> 
> One tip I have (and don't think I'm crazy -- even though you know I am) is that when I'm doing a teddybear face, I pull the ears up on top of the fluff's head. I use a hair clip or a terrycloth band to hold the ears back. Make sure that you attach the hair clip to the HAIR and not to the ear LEATHER. Anyway, for me, it really helps me concentrate on getting the shape on the muzzle correct.


That's what I've been doing too and I agree it is very helpful to imagine a round head without the ears! I was trying to keep them long at first so I didn't want them accidentally getting cut, but now I keep doing it because it really does help. 

And wow you are very talented! The more time I'm in this forum the more new talents I keep reading of you, I always think it's so inspirational . Hopefully one day I'll be able to cut Cici's hair with both sides being even, that's my goal LOL


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## silverhaven

I was just about to order curved shears and blending/thinning shears but the sizes are so different. Which ones would you recommend from here? I am in Canada so prefer a Canadian site as the duty/customs can get crazy Just Gifted The Chris Christensen ones  Also do yours make a noise that your dogs don't like. I got pretty pricey Double Duck shears and Lola jumps, which scares me of course every time she hears the noise, it is a different noise to the old ones I used to use, it seems to really scare her.


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## silverhaven

Mmmm just seeing the Master Grooming shears on Amazon.ca too. Soo many choices.... they do seem a lot cheaper.


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## .13124

silverhaven said:


> Mmmm just seeing the Master Grooming shears on Amazon.ca too. Soo many choices.... they do seem a lot cheaper.


I use the master grooming thinning shears and the dubl duck Mercedes c-75-ss curved shears. These curved shears do make a noise, not sure how it compares to the one you're talking about. These don't scare cici though, but its probably because she got used to wierd scissor noises from when I used to use the cheap pet smart ones lol. I think the master grooming ones are very smooth, but I haven't tried their curved ones. These are both my first real pair of shears so its all I can contribute so far 


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## eiksaa

I had master grooming before I bought CC. I think the Master Grooming cut just as well as the CC. No noticeable difference between the two for me. 


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## silverhaven

BellaNotte said:


> I use the master grooming thinning shears and the dubl duck Mercedes c-75-ss curved shears. These curved shears do make a noise, not sure how it compares to the one you're talking about. These don't scare cici though, but its probably because she got used to wierd scissor noises from when I used to use the cheap pet smart ones lol. I think the master grooming ones are very smooth, but I haven't tried their curved ones. These are both my first real pair of shears so its all I can contribute so far
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


 Thanks Nora, It is odd, she was always fine with the old scissors, but they really weren't meant for the task, I have to do her really quickly as she jumps around and is scared of them, certainly stops me doing a good job. 



eiksaa said:


> I had master grooming before I bought CC. I think the Master Grooming cut just as well as the CC. No noticeable difference between the two for me.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


 Thanks Aastha. Interesting you would find the similar because the price certainly isn't :thumbsup: there are so many out there, wish I could try them and see what both she and I are most comfortable with. I don't mind paying if they are good and I have them for years.


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## lols82

How do you get them to stay at peace?


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## eiksaa

silverhaven said:


> Thanks Nora, It is odd, she was always fine with the old scissors, but they really weren't meant for the task, I have to do her really quickly as she jumps around and is scared of them, certainly stops me doing a good job.
> 
> Thanks Aastha. Interesting you would find the similar because the price certainly isn't :thumbsup: there are so many out there, wish I could try them and see what both she and I are most comfortable with. I don't mind paying if they are good and I have them for years.


I think you would certainly see the difference if you were doing a lot of shear work. I am sure the MG blades get dull faster and probably don't work that well for some breeds requiring heavy duty shears. However with our Maltese and their fine coats, MG does just fine. 

I also wasn't using my shears a lot. I do the body, legs and some parts of the face with a clipper, then I go in with shears to clean up the body and shape the legs and face. On a small dog, that's not a lot. So maybe someone who was using their shears a lot more would notice a difference sooner. 

That said, I love my CC. I bought them when they had the 3 shears for the price of 2 special going on so I got a great deal. The CC is just prettier and it comes with a lifetime guarantee. So worth it! But, if you don't have the cash right now, you can buy the MG knowing it will cut your dog's hair really well too. 


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## silverhaven

eiksaa said:


> I think you would certainly see the difference if you were doing a lot of shear work. I am sure the MG blades get dull faster and probably don't work that well for some breeds requiring heavy duty shears. However with our Maltese and their fine coats, MG does just fine.
> 
> I also wasn't using my shears a lot. I do the body, legs and some parts of the face with a clipper, then I go in with shears to clean up the body and shape the legs and face. On a small dog, that's not a lot. So maybe someone who was using their shears a lot more would notice a difference sooner.
> 
> That said, I love my CC. I bought them when they had the 3 shears for the price of 2 special going on so I got a great deal. The CC is just prettier and it comes with a lifetime guarantee. So worth it! But, if you don't have the cash right now, you can buy the MG knowing it will cut your dog's hair really well too.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


 Which CC ones do you have? I like pretty :thumbsup: Will have them for many years so happy to buy the best if they really are the best for me. I was looking at the Gieb Gators, or the Geib Gator convex too.


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## eiksaa

silverhaven said:


> Which CC ones do you have? I like pretty :thumbsup: Will have them for many years so happy to buy the best if they really are the best for me. I was looking at the Gieb Gators, or the Geib Gator convex too.


I have Jasmine shears. The ones with the bling. Love them!


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## silverhaven

eiksaa said:


> I have Jasmine shears. The ones with the bling. Love them!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thanks  then that is the way I will go, want to get some Spectrum 10 anyway.


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## eiksaa

silverhaven said:


> Thanks  then that is the way I will go, want to get some Spectrum 10 anyway.


LOL, must say I love that logic. I need shampoo, might as well buy shears while I'm at it. That's exactly how I think too. 


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## .13124

eiksaa said:


> I have Jasmine shears. The ones with the bling. Love them!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Wow just looked those up, they're cute looking! The price is pretty cute too :brownbag: lol. Do you find their thinning shears to be smoother than the master grooming?


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## .13124

silverhaven said:


> Thanks Nora, It is odd, she was always fine with the old scissors, but they really weren't meant for the task, I have to do her really quickly as she jumps around and is scared of them, certainly stops me doing a good job.
> 
> Thanks Aastha. Interesting you would find the similar because the price certainly isn't :thumbsup: there are so many out there, wish I could try them and see what both she and I are most comfortable with. I don't mind paying if they are good and I have them for years.


My sister's shih-tzu is the same when it comes to scissors. Even if they're cutting nowhere near her skin, just the tips of her hair, she still wiggled like crazy each time. Don't know how reliable this is since each dog is different, but what I did with her was train her to be comfortable around the scissors. First just showing her the scissors and opening and closing them infront of her, and giving a treat each time. Then snipping off a little bit of hair and treat again, slowly working up to being able to do a 10-15 min grooming session. Might be worth a try if you have some time


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## eiksaa

BellaNotte said:


> Wow just looked those up, they're cute looking! The price is pretty cute too :brownbag: lol. Do you find their thinning shears to be smoother than the master grooming?


Maybe a bit, but not worth the price difference. If you already have MG, you don't NEED to upgrade right away. If you're looking at buying new ones and can afford CC, definitely worth it. 


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