One place for blades and combs in 1 discussion

[Adrianne Matzkin]

It would be perfect if someone with good home grooming experience to post what kind of coat their doodle has and which blade and/or comb they use for the different parts of grooming a doodle and for the length they get with each one. I have 4 doodles with different coats and need to order blades and I have found different info on different sites. Poodle sites say no to skip tooth while others say yes. 

Posting a picture with the after grooming would be fantastic for those who are visual learners like me.

Thanks

coat type    blade   comb attachment      length

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

Let's start this with some general observations. I can't call them rules.

1. Coat preparation has everything to do with blade choice and length of finished coat.

2. Age of dog influences blade- younger dogs tend to have thicker coats so you need a shorter cutting blade.

3. Generally you cannot use attachment combs with curly coats. They either won't go thru or pop off.

4. Straighter fleecier coats can usually be groomed with attachment combs for up to a 2 1/2 inch finished length of coat.

5. The curlier the coat, the shorter the cut will be. You can use a 3/4 ht  blade on a wool dog and get a 1/2 inch of length and you can use the same blade on a soft fleecy straight coat and get 1 1/2 inch length.

 

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Thanks Barb!

I ordered the 3/4ht blade. Since it is hot, humid and Charli LOVES to roll in the sand when soaking wet, I shaved her. Will not show a picture until I am done. TG she has a tall, lanky body or she would look more ridiculous then she does. It is only hair and it will grow to a nicer length in a week. 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I think the easiest way to work out what is best for you is to buy the clip on attachments and start with the longest one and experiment. That is what I did and I find I only use the clipper on the belly and under ears, around the neck and under the tail. I find scissors are much better if you have some good ones. Coat preparation is key and I spend a long time combing and brushing every inch of them before I start cutting anywhere. I also find that doing a bit and then coming back to it the following day avoids mistakes as I get to view my work before shaping further. 

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Nicky,

The combs pop off the clipper all the time which is why I ordered a longer blade. She has tight curls and is so not happy with me combing her legs. She hates her legs just being touched! Charli is the only dog I ever met who hates her bum being rubbed! Silly doodle!

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Riley is funny about having his legs groomed, with either a brush or a comb but I lift one leg and do the other one and am very firm about it. He lies down on the counter and tucks his feet under himself so I can't get to them lol It helps if you can rope someone in to help if you are having serious problems. The combs do pop of sometimes but generally they work for me. I used to use the clipper far more but have got better with the scissors and find that it looks better when I do it that way. The thinning shears is also a useful tool. I couldn't do without the curved shears or the small round end one for the face and sensitive areas.