Should i clip my dog or bathe him first?

Question

He needs a clip and a bath so i wondered if givign him a bath before or after would be better? Also, he seems pretty shy at the sound of the clippers...any way to help that?

Answer 1

I would suggest clipping your dog first... go for a walk to let more of the hair go off and then do the bath to get all of the hair off.

Answer 2

I have a good friend who is a dog groomer and I know that bathing, brushing, and sometimes blow dry should always be done before a cut.
This way all of the hair is clean and is easier to cut and you will get nice even results. If you skip the bathing and cut first - then when you do the bathing you will see that the haircut would have come out uneven.
Your dog will get used to the sound of the clippers. All dogs are afraid of them at first.

Answer 3

If he has mats and you give him a bath first it can make the mats worse. But if he is really dirty the dirt will mess with the clipper blades. How old is your dog? And is this the first time he has been clipped? What kind of dog is it? All of these can make a difference in the clipping. Go slow and easy when you start. And stop if the blades start to get hot because you can burn them. Good luck. If you write back with answers I'll try to help you if I can.

Answer 4

if the dog has mats in its hair then clip before, the bath would make the mats worse.it is easyer to clip, then bathe the dog because all of the hair is dry the clippers won't work well if the hair was wet. when you take your dog a bath you should blow dry them, just make sure that the blow dryer doesn't get that hot or it will burn. and before you try to trim your dog get him used to it by making him sit then turn the clippers on then give him a piece of food when he acts calm to it.
good luck,

Answer 5

I clip them bathe, but the groomer bathes then clips... I guess either works, but I prefer to be able to wash off all the little hairs when I'm done. It also keeps the dog from scratching too much (the itchy little hairs will have been washed away)

Answer 6

Clip him first, otherwise you will just have more hair to dry.

You can't put clippers through hair that is the least bit wet, so if you do cut it all off first, it will be less to dry. You can always tidy up the coat after he has been trimmed and bathed.

Answer 7

I always clip the dog first (especially if matted!), then bathe, then run clippers over the dog again to get any missed hair.

If the dog is really oily, or excessively dirty, I will bathe the dog first then clip...sometimes have to re-bathe the dog though.

NEVER bathe a dog with mats in its hair!

Answer 8

some bathe before, i prefer afterward as it washes off the tiny cut pieces of hair. also, if he is matted, the water will set the mats and makae them harder to remove.
just go slow and be patient and use a quiet voice, if you get upset with him, stop for awhile, you want him to associate the clippers with nice feelings, not you being upset.

Answer 9

Clip 1st...then brush away any loose hair.

Next...Clean ears & clip nails.

Bathe dog, (dip if necessary) cream rinse, & blow dry.

Finally...reclip to remove any shaggy areas.

How to accustom any dog to vibration & noise of clippers:
Lay clipper on grooming surface.
Put the dog on same surface. Speak to him soothingly...tell him what a good fellow he is, while rubbing your hands all over his body...
Pick up clipper...do not turn it on...lay it against his body first &
then his face...then lay it on the table again.
With the clipper lying on the table, turn it on...do not pick it up...continue to praise & rub your dog until he relaxes...
Now: Pick up running clippers & lay it, on its side, against his
body...do not attempt to shave him until he stops shivering...
Continuously praise him, soothingly...
Finally...lay the blade on the hair & begin to shave...

It will work...patience is the key...

Good luck!

Note: shave with the grain of the hair...not against it.

Answer 10

My groomer baths first. then clips