Haircut....

[Tuckersmom]

I have an appointment on the 30th to get Tucker clipped - I am so tempted to get him cut short - Has anyone ever had their dog cut short? I am afraid....but he coat is totally blown out. Let me know what you all think and if you have any pics, I would love to see them.

Thanks, Kathy

[beccadiane374]

I did have Tanner clipped on his one & only trip to the groomers in February. (He'll be a year old on Sunday.) I know it's not the preferred method of grooming, but I didn't know anything about hand stripping at the time. He seemed to LOVE being cut short, even though I prefer the more, what I call "scruffly" look. Although, he (of course!) still looked very handsome! I haven't exactly decided what I'm going to do next, as the groomer I had previously taken him to declared that "no one does hand stripping any more at all, except maybe sometimes for show dogs." So...seeing abt. trying to find another groomer that maybe can at least show me what to do. Right now, he's getting kinda shaggy & seems to be shedding a lot, so I try pulling out hairs & he doesn't seem to mind it. Mostly, though, I'm worried abt. his face & ear b/c they need neatened up & he doesn't appreciate me trying to use scissors at all. Anyhow, here're some pictures from when he came home from the groomers:

[Nikki]

these arent my dogs these are dogs angel plays with at the the dog park

the dog on left (duffy) is clipped and skipper is on the right (boats85's dog)

I personally dont like the clipped look...but thats just me

[kjwarnold]

Since I didn't know any better with my first Cairn, I had him groomed and clipped periodically. We liked what our groomer called a "puppy cut," which was the same length all over (including the head and legs), about an inch long. He looked cute and short but wasn't shaved, which I don't really like. Sorry, but I don't have a good picture that shows him clipped. He's been gone 4 yrs. now and I lost many of my pictures last year when our computer crashed.

Now that I know more about Cairns, I strip Packy and Kirby, although I'm not very good at it. Still, I like it way better than clipping. You might try working on his coat with a Mars Coat King to try to get all that blown, dead hair out. Clipping won't really get the dead stuff out and that's what you need to do to get him started on a nice new coat. Unless he's all matted and just yucky, and then a clipping would probably be where you start. Good luck!

[Tuckersmom]

Wow, that is short - I guess they can't do the face close - she is very cute! I still can't make up my mind. The girl that cuts him works at the vets office and she is just ok - I don't think she could do a puppy cut. Maybe I will try myself and if I screw up she can fix him on the 30th.

Nicole, I can't see you pics here at work, I'll look when I go home.

[Kramersmom]

I pull Kramer's dead hairs at times but he is clipped. My first Cairn was clipped as well and had a beautiful coat. Its preference. Here is a photo of Kramer

This was my Missy. She passed away at age 17 Nov 2004

She was always clipped

[Idaho Cairns]

We've gone both ways with our dogs. I have had them clipped in the past but no longer do so. I prefer that "rugged" Cairn look but certainly understand why someone might want to take some hair off. I find a good brushing keeps them pretty clean and smelling pleasant.

I think clipping is a personal choice--fine if you aren't looking for a show dog appearance. I do believe clipping is damaging to the double coat--softens the outer coat too much but the double coat is really meaningless unless your dogs are out in rough weather or you are showing them.

[Tracy A.]

I've gone both ways too. Howewever, when the boys where "clippered" it was with a very long blade to only 'even out the coat' since I was still hand stripping. It was a way to take a blown coat and stip a little and let them still look good.

I don't like doing it...i'll be honest..... and I haven't in 2 years now.

[Hagar]

Last year my mobile groomer of many years went out of business. A grooming with her consisted of a bath and combing out, clip nails and "minimal trimming" mainly around his butt and muzzle. Like many of the members here, I like the natural slightly scruffy look.

Last July I went on a 2 week vacation trip and Renny went to a local Pet Resort". He was overdue for a grooming so I left instructions for him to be groomed a day or two before I was due back. I gave the same instructions as always to the new groomer; ie., bath, brushing, and minimal clipping.

When I got back, I almost didn't recognize Renny. He was clipped very short, not a buzz cut, but short. It has taken nearly a year for his coat to almost grow back. He was a lot more sensitive to the winter's cold weather this past winter due to the short coat.

I managed to find a new groomer who specialized in Terriers. The first time I took Renny in I took along before and after pictures. She took one look at the "short" picture and said "Oh my God, it's going to take awhile, but we can get him looking like a Cairn Terrier again". After nearly a year, we're almost there.

I happen to taken pictures a few weeks before my trip and the day after I got back. The difference is amazing! I'd post them but haven't been able to figure out how to post them.

[Shazza]

Tuckersmom,

Try searching for a breeder who is local to you.

The groomer I found actually lived in my hometown, which was about an hour away when we lived in Illinois. She is a breeder/groomer and she shows her dogs.

She was awesome, we took Miya in and she gave me lessons on everything from trimming the hair between their pads to stripping the legs. (which can be the worst/hardest part)

She's also the one who got me hooked on the cordless dremel for their nails. Our 2 aren't fond of it, but they tolerate it enough for me to get them done. She also gave me the tip about the spray bottle with about 1-2 Tablespoons of listerine mixed with water. Spray them down once a week and give them a good brush (going against the way the fur grows) and it keeps them smelling nice and not "doggy".

I now do our own 2, as I prefer the shorter body hair and rounded pom pom face look. It's really not that hard and if I make a mistake, not many would know

I actually had a lady ask me if our 2 were Cairns and I told her yes. She asked me who groomed them and I said I did. Then I found out she worked for Petsmart as a groomer! lol She told me they do not teach them how to strip dogs, so I told her that's why I do them myself. She even asked if I showed my dogs.. lol

Good luck!

[Jessica H]

I have done both. I wish I had never clipped them because it made their colors dull, especially Scooter. I let it grown out a year and had them stripped and he is getting his dark red color back again. I also like the crazy look so I don't think I will ever shave them again. I found a groomer that strips them for $40 each so it is worth it to me twice a year. I also noticed they felt dirty more often, b/c their coats were no longer water or dirt proof.

After being clipped, Scooter's coat got very dull in color and very soft.

Before being clipped, Love the color much more

[tk223]

I had Kooper clipped last fall. My groomer grooms my Golden but does not hand strip. I asked her just clean to Kooper up DO NOT shave him! She did okay-he was cleaned up very nicely on his face, legs, feet, back end. But the hair on his body felt "funny" and did not repel dirt all that well. I now use a Mars Coat King on him and only bring him in for clean up around his face, feet & back end and his nails done (He hates them done). The Coat King keeps him looking scruffy but manageable. They are a little expensive, but I've found it well worth it.

[Cairnmania]

Handstripping also has another advantage - it's much cheaper if you do it yourself! You can strip the body - (neck, back and sides) - very easily and most dogs don't mind the process at all. For the rest you can use thinning scissors if you wish - end result you will have a Cairn that looks like a Cairn.

I hand strip everything but the stomach and below the "knee" on the legs.

[josie&holly]

Cairnmania - So for the stomach and below knees do you clip or use the scissors?

Only Holly is going to the groomer next week and I was thinking about asking her to clip stomach as that she would be cooler.

[Tuckersmom]

Those of you who have the scruffy look, do they have a part down the middle of their back? Tucker does and it is orange. I still haven't made up my mind yet - I am kindof thinking not to do it now. His hair on his back is probably 6 or 7 inches long - I brush him and run around the yard.....back to scruffy.

[Tracy A.]

I like a scruffy head, but a neat body. I keep the hair on the back/sides tidy looking.... just a scruffy head but hair trimmed between the eyes and bangs trimmed so you can see the eyes... also top 3rd of the ears trimmed.

I just don't do a 'show head' so it's longer and they do have a beard.

[Tuckersmom]

Last night I started cutting his face and head myself - doesn't look too bad. Maybe tonight I will attempt his sides. He was better than I thought he would be - he might have to go a day with one side cut - lol He thinks he looks good....

[Cairnmania]

Cairnmania - So for the stomach and below knees do you clip or use the scissors?

Only Holly is going to the groomer next week and I was thinking about asking her to clip stomach as that she would be cooler.

I use thinning scissors - the kind of scissors with "serated" edges so the cut is slightly uneven. I actually bought clippers for their feet two yeas ago - still in the plastic wraper. :-)