How to keep your Dog Tidy in between Grooms with a Trimmer
Trimmers come in two sizes, MINI and MIDI, and are usually used for lighter, shorter areas of coat such as paw pads, faces and around the genitals. They are a great choice for home users just wanting to keep their dog tidy in between grooms, but don't need a high powered clipper for full body grooms.
Should you get a MINI or MIDI trimmer?
A Mini Trimmer has a blade that is roughly 30mm wide, and is great for toy breeds, or for exact work on delicate or injury prone areas. Mini trimmers usually come with a unique sized fixed length blade, and usually don't have adjustable blade lengths. The set lengths usually range from 0.2mm-0.8mm, but do check the blade length in the description of each product for the exact specifications. Due to the short blade length, these trimmers aren't recommended for shaving sanitary areas, but work great for under paw pads, between the eyes and on the lips.
A Midi trimmer has a blade that is roughly 40-45mm wide, and sits between a mini trimmer and a full sized clipper. Midi trimmers are the most versatile, as most midi trimmers come with 4-5 adjustable blade length options. These trimmers can be used to shave the sanitary areas, under the armpits, inside the ears, in between the eyes and on the lips, and can be used for target knot removal. Midi trimmers aren't powerful enough for a full body shave on most dogs, however may be suitable for some puppy coats, and for very thin adult coats.
How do I trim my dog to keep them tidy between grooms?
The most common areas to trim in between grooms are the places your groomer would clip short. These include the sanitary areas, under the armpits, inside the ears, in between the eyes and on the lips.
Watch the video below for tips on how to trim your dog at home:
Watch the video below to see how a sanitary clip is done:
In this video, Andis Educator Shannon Tupes can be seen using the Andis Vida 5 in 1 Trimmer to perform a sanitary trim on a male Bichon Frise.
Trimmer Maintenance:
When using a trimmer on your pet, it is important to clean and oil your equipment after each use, to make sure its clean, safe and ready to use on your pet next time. Good blade maintenance will also help your blade to last longer, saving you from needing to buy replacements often.
Watch this video to learn how to keep your blades clean: