Question about shears. Almost finished buying my tools!

[Harper's mom]

So I am almost ready to groom Ella myself! My last purchase is the shears. I am looking at the Geib Entree shears. I am ready to buy the straight, curved and thinners. I am not sure the best length to buy. I was thinking the 7.5's. Do I really need the curved shears? I have the Andis clippers and comb attachments. I just don't want to be without when I start to groom her!

Sorry, one more question.. How important is it to have a dryer? I have been reading how it cuts down grooming and brushing time but don't really understand the brushing time.. How would it cut that time down?

Thanks again! The groups have made me confident that I can do this myself and not have her groomed professionally. You are all wonderful!

 

[Sandy]

I only bought the straight scissors 7.5 inches long, I think.  I am a rank amateur, but I only used the straight ones after the clippers.  I do not have a dryer.  I towel dry him well after a bath and then let him air dry.  I actually bathed him the day before I clipped him.

 

The beauty of it is - you have the tools.  If something isn't finished up today, it can be done tomorrow.  If something isn't quite right, you can pick away at it over the next few days.  You'll be fine!

[Jeanne, Tura and Dolly]

I ordered the Gator set (7.5) and used the curved shears around the feet, the straight under the chin and the thinning shears around the face and head.  They seem like really good quality to me.  I used the andis clippers with the combs and did my first grooming a week ago.  It was great!

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

You only need the 7.5 inch shears to start. The next most important would be thinning shears. The curved scissors are for special applications and to get the best use of them you would need training. I hardly ever use them on my doodles. They are for more formal looks.

The longer scissors are for scissor cutting legs mostly. Again, they are more of a specialty item and not something you need right now.

There is a difference between a dryer and a blower. It is the blower that is extremely useful for cleaning the dust and debris out of the dog's coat before you comb and you can identify matted areas too. The high velocity separates the hair to the skin so shortens the brushing time. There is almost no heat in a blower. It's to deliver very slightly warmed air.

The main use for a blower in a grooming shop is to blow the water out of the dog's coat before using a dryer. It's very useful to use it to look at all your dog's skin. This is one of the groomer's responsibilities. To look at all the skin on the dog and make sure there are no problems like ticks, hot spots, wounds etc. Several time I have found a sore on my dogs while grooming them. It can be from a scrape, or spear grass or a bug bite. There are lots of things that can get infected if not treated early.

[Harper's mom]

Thanks! And thank you Barb for your advice! I have learned so much from you in the short time I have been on DK. I will only purchase the 7.5 shears and the thinners. Do you recommend a specific tooth size? They have the Geib 30, 40, and 48. Now I can buy Ella more toys knowing I don't need the curved shears. Hide a squirrel is next on my list :) Thanks for the info on the blower. I think I will wait on that until I see if I am successful at grooming Ella. I am trying to be as prepared as possible, even though she is only 3 1/2 months!

Thanks again.