The 7 Deadly Trims by ZestyCrestie

A light hearted guide to the trims your groomer can offer, and help on how to pick which one suits you and your dog best

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The ‘Golden’ trim

You are absolutely meticulous about grooming your pooch, not one hair goes unbrushed on a daily basis, you have enough grooming tools/products to open up shop and twigs/sticky buds are your arch nemesis.

If this sounds like you then well done, you are quite possibly every groomers dream! You should be able to take your dog into the salon and request any style possible for your dog, all the furnishings and frills, just as long as you pass the groomers comb test............

The ‘ I Did My Best’ trim

You do everything within your power to keep on top of your dogs grooming needs, but sometimes life just gets in the way. Holidays/families/Work or a particularly energetic field walk/poo rolling session can obliterate the grooming schedule you have for your dog, and small tangles and matts have managed to form. Don’t worry, most pet owners tend to fall into this category and even ‘golden’ trim owners can fall into this if they have been surface brushing in areas instead of getting right down to the roots of the hair (a groomers comb test will reveal if this is the case)

The style for you is quite possibly a shortened down version of the ‘golden’ trim, as it will make your life and the dogs much easier with that little bit less hair to handle. Your dog will still retain the look of his/her breed but on a much more manageable level.

The ‘Wash and Wear’ trim

You have absolutely no interest in grooming your dog, he/she is there purely to be enjoyed for the wonderful animal that he/she is. You want your dog to be able to frolic in the fields, wrestle with their buddies and generally enjoy life without having to worry about matts/tangles/twigs etc.

The ‘wash and wear’ is ideal, also known as a smoothie for obvious reasons, the coat is clipped right back as if it were a short coated dog,

no frills, no feathers, no fuss and no mess – perfect!

The ‘Personality’ trim

You may want to add a little creativity to your dogs style, be it for personal preference, a charity event or maybe the kids want something fun on fluffy.

The possibilities are endless. Goatees, mohawks, hair colour, nail polish, a customised hairstyle totally sidestepping the normal or traditional styles are all available at many groomers salons and if they aren’t already, many groomers will enjoy stepping up to the challenge should you request it.

Warning – this should only be performed on pets that will enjoy turning heads!

The ‘Kindness’ trim

Do you own a elderly or disabled dog? Is Fido getting a little shaky on his legs, or maybe he has a lot less patience as a senior citizen than he did as a youngster? It happens to us all, and as your dog ages, you should reconsider the type of trim that is suitable for them.

Elderly or physically disabled dogs may find that standing for the amount of time an average groom takes is tough on their bodies, so it is a good idea to alter their trim into one that requires less physical strain. Often when your dog gets to this point it is harder for you to groom them at home too, so tangles and matts will form easily. A shorter trim, either a ‘wash and wear’ or an extremely shortened down version of their previous style is a good idea,  less hair = less brushing/combing/washing/drying time for your dog to tolerate.

Also try to understand that the groom may be less than perfect as older /disabled dogs present a challenge to groomers and it’s hard to strike a balance between a perfect trim and a comfortable dog. Remember all groomers are dog lovers and we want your dog to be happy, a perfect groom isn’t as important as a wagging tail - especially on the dogs that find grooming hard going.

The ‘Rebel  Without A Cause’ trim

Your beloved pet is an absolute angel in everyday living right? Well don’t be shocked if your groomer tells you that you may well own the very spawn of satan on the grooming table. Well, maybe that’s a little harsh, but it is true that many well behaved sweet natured pets can behave less than perfectly in the grooming salon environment. This is down to the fact that in everyday living your dog doesn’t come into contact with loud dryers/blasters/clippers and equipment such as this, they may well feel the need or desire to attack said equipment out of fear or sometimes just for the fun of it (terriers, I’m looking at you!) This makes grooming...well....difficult to say the least and if you are the owner of a rebel then you might have to make do with whatever trim your groomer can accomplish for you!

Training and de sensitising exercises are a good idea to try to transform a rebel into a model grooming client.

The ‘Multi Pedigree’ trim

If you own a mixed breed, mongrel,  Heinz 57, mutt, roggy doggy or whatever you like to call it then this category is for you.

Since there is no set pattern or style for your dog, you will need to discuss the type of trim you are interested in with your groomer, and if you have a very specific style in mind, go into a lot of detail when describing it to them. Groomers unfortunately aren’t mind readers, and you may interpret things differently to them so make sure you’re on the same wavelength before you begin. If you are unsure what style to go for, ask your groomer for their input, they will assess your dogs body shape and hair texture and give you a few ideas about what they think will compliment your unique pooch.

When choosing a hair style for your ‘multi pedigree’ dog , be realistic and also consider the amount of grooming you will need to do at home to maintain such a style.

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