Go for it.She will look homemade.When I finally took mine back to the groomer they made fun of his big head.It's alright to cut loose hairs inbetween but she will look much better if the groomer does it.I have to pay $ 48.00 plus a tip.Thst's what you get if you have a prize dog.Lot's of money but you feel better and dog looks better.They kind of step high when they are groomed right.

Over the last 25 years I have clipped my schnauzers and other peoples dogs. Buy a good set of clippers,$75-100, and get the proper blade maybe for 1/2 inch long fur. Make sure you shampoo the dog after clipping. Do the clipping on a waist high table and good lighting. Also, get a pair of nail clippers. It takes time but you will get the hang of it. Also, I use a trash bag for an apron and cut arm and neck holes. Good luck.

I groom all my dogs. After discovering one of my poodle-x's spent his time at the groomers screaming I never took him again. They never told me.......I just happened to arrive very early one day!
The first cut I did was not perfect but you learn as you go. How easy it is to groom will depend on how 'perfect' you want her to look and how well she sits/stands while you're working on her.

Many of the quality clippers come with a video on how to clip your pet so just do some research online and maybe even ask your groomer what she recommends. Just warn her that you plan to start gooming your dog and may be bringing her in for touchups!

Below is just one site I found and it has a video preview to give you an idea of what is taught. Grooming poodle Part 2 is probably what you're looking for.

Here is a link that might be useful: Poodles

We have two standard poodles and I usually clip them myself because they come out better. I learned from a book by Shirley Kalstone that has nice clear diagrams. It's really not too difficult. You will probably also want to invest in a grooming table. Sometimes I just clip face, paws and tail and send them to the groomer to save myself time, but the groomer only seems to be able to clip them down completely -- anything fancier is over her head. The last time I sent the older one to the groomer, she lost her entire pom-pom. She came home with a stick! It had been a perfect tail when she went in, but there was nothing left when she came out. The plain swizzle stick looks better than the tiny Dr. Seuss pom-pom on the tip of her tail she got from a groomer one other time.

Anyway, if you make a mistake, it will grow out! It's possible, but not easy to cut skin with the clippers, so gather your confidence and give it a try. If you ask around, you'll probably be able to find another poodle owner who will be happy to show you how it's done.

I clip my little dog when I need to -- Good thing she doesn't know the difference between a good haircut & a bad one ...

Same here toomuchglass
My girl loves all the attention she gets from friends cuddling, and smooching her and saying things like "ahhhhh...poor baby..what did Mommy do to this time?"

I'm sure you would do a wonderful job clipping your dog. I have several friends who do and their dogs look just fine. I, personally, take both of my shelties to a groomer only because I spend hours brushing them each week. Every 6 weeks they go and I get "time off." However, they both strut just as proudly after a brush and bath from me or a clip, brush and bath from the groomer. Makes no difference to them!

Thanks for the votes of confidence every one! I will check for the book at the library - that cover shot is one fancy looking poodle!

I don't mind at all if she looks homemade - she's definitely not a show dog. In fact, she's such a scaredy girl that it would probably be better for her to be clipped at home, even though the groomers seem to treat her very well. And, they have never given her a prize winning hair cut anyhow!

Thanks for the advice on the blade size too - I will be heading to the store this week. Hopefully I will find a video included with the clippers.

I should post some before and after photos... but I will probably be too embarassed at the results! lol

Sher

I clip six yorkies myself, I just can't afford to send this many in for "good" haircuts! Get the good clippers, as someone said ... keep the blade sharp. I can do six dogs one time with my blade before sending it in to be sharpened. When the blade gets dull, it pulls and shreds the hair, rather than cutting it. I keep two blades, so that I can switch back and forth.

Go to your local petstore, or personal groomer, and watch while they cut hair. You can get some good tips on how they handle the dogs, which way they run the clippers, etc.

I keep my yorkies cut really short. We live in the country and they're always rolling in the dirt, and chasing squirrels, etc., so there are tiny pickers that get into their hair if I let it grow. The hardest part is the head/beard area, they look pretty silly at first but just like with people, it looks better after the first week.

We just got two new rescues, and they're very pretty girls. DH wanted to have them get professional cuts, so I checked on the price ... $38 each! EGADS! I'm not going to spend $80 every two months for haircuts! They're going to look as homemade as everybody else! LOL!

Good advice - where do you send the blades to get sharpened?
Sounds like with just one dog I should be able to go about 6 months inbetween sharpening. :)

You should be able to get much more than six clips out of a blade, especially on Yorkies. Are you keeping them cleaned and oiled? And don't use any of the spray coolents on them. That stuff will actually gum them up.

Lisa

really? the coolent gums them up? wow did not know that (I can be such a moron) I clip 2 shih tzus, my moms and mine using my mothers 200.00 clippers, they work good other then they do get hot, and I use the coolent on them, maybe not anymore!! guess maybe need to spend the time visiting the mom in between clippings! she uses them to clip horses manes most of the time, so maybe they need more oilings?
In my experiance dogs really don't care what they look like as long as you give them the same amount of love!!!!

Get an extra blade that you can switch out while you are clipping. Also go to a home inprovement store and buy 1 square of tile. The tile absorbs heat and laying the hot blade on it will cool the blade fairly quickly. By the time one blade is hot the other should be cool enough to use.

Lisa

My mom and I use my brother's hair clippers on our Cavalier spaniels. (LOL, don't tell him!) his is nifty b/c it comes with a set of differet sized plastic guards, so you have a bunch of choices.

Also, around the face, horse clippers are good, b/c they are smaller.

If you haven't trimmed the nails before, stand you dog in a few inches of warm water. That will soften the nail and make it much easier. Also, only clip a small amount at a time. It can be very easy to cut too much, or 'quick' them. Then they bleed from their toenails! it is awful!

So the clippers get real hot? Boy I have a lot to learn!

Too funny about the brother's clippers! lol

Thanks for the tip about standing them in water before clipping their nails - probably a good thing to do after a bath then - I never thought of that.

I HATE trimming my dogs' nails. 3 of them have black nails and it is so hard to see where the quick is. I usually just have the vet do it, he charges $7 and to me its worth it! I had one dog done at Petsmart once and it was $12... and he got a bandana... not really worth $12 though.

Friday is my dog clipper shopping day. I'm getting pretty excited now about giving this a try. My poodle is a toy and her face is real tiny, that is my biggest concern. I'm hoping to find a small blade meant for small dogs. If not, I'll see if they have horse clippers. My parents have horses, so they could use them too if I have to buy some.

Sher

The friction of the blades moving causes them to heat up and yes they can get hot enough to burn the dog. oiling will lessen the friction and help them stay cooler. All blade sizes are pretty much the same, there are a few specialty blades that are wider, the length of the hair left is determine by the length of the teeth on the blade. There is also a narrow blade but it is for detail work and feet, not anything you would want to use on a dogs face.

Lisa

I use my Dremel on toenails. They don't mind it nearly as much.