Equipment Selection, Use,

and Maintenance

HAND TOOLS
Grooming is a hands-on job. Just as a carpenter needs a
hammer, groomers need appropriate tools as well. Grooming
a pet is easier when your equipment is the right type for the
job at hand. You dont need to spend much money, because
the basics will do just fine; however, you do get what you pay
for. A carpenter cant frame a house with a toy hammer, even
though its still a hammer. The essential tools that youll need
for full grooming include the following:
Brushes

Combs

Scissors

Clippers

Nail cutters

Shampoos

Towels

Dryers

A tub

A table

1
 With these basic tools, you can groom any type of pet, regard-
less of any particular pets grooming problem. With these tools,
you can groom pets that need only a simple wash and dry as
well as severely matted pets. Although you may not use every
tool covered in this study unit, its still important to know about
all the tools that are available and how to use them. Consider
that you may have a client bring you a tool. Its embarrassing,
and possibly a danger to the pet, if you dont understand the
purpose and proper use of the tool.

Brushes
Its amazing how many different types of grooming brushes are
on the market today, and new ones are being developed all the
time. From boar-bristle brushes to rubber curry brushes, the
number of brushes is unbelievable. Its not necessary to buy
every kind of brush available. You would then need to determine
which brush to use for each type of animal you groom. For your
convenience, the following is a list of the different types of avail-
able grooming brushes.

Slicker Brushes
The main brush youll use is a universal slicker brush (Figure 1),
which is the brush of choice for most situations. Useful for
untangling hair and breaking up mats, a slicker brush is a wire-
pin brush that has bends at the end of the wires. Slicker
brushes are available in different colors and styles. A curved
slicker brush with heavier wires is excellent to use on dogs with
long, wiry hair, such as an Old English Sheepdog. Gentle slicker
brushes with very fine wires also are available. Because theyre
light, these are used on dogs with sensitive skin and on dogs
that are small, such as Toy Poodles and Yorkshire Terriers.

2 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance

 FIGURE 1Slicker brushes
are useful for many
grooming situations.

Bristle Brushes
Bristle brushes (Figure 2) come in three types and are similar
in their use.
A boar-bristle brush is a wooden-handled brush with
bristles that are actually made from boars hair.

The second type of bristle brush is made from nylon

bristles.

The third type is called a hound glove. This is a mitt with

very short, stiff bristles made from either horse hair or
sisal. Its useful for polishing and shining the hair of
dogs with short coats, such as Dobermans, Boxers, and
Basset Hounds.

Bristle brushes are typically used to help stimulate the natu-

ral oils in the skin and bring out a shine in the coat. Theyre
not used for dematting. When using a bristle brush, be sure
to use the entire surface of the brush with the lay of the coat.
Long, even-pressure strokes are best.

Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance 3

FIGURE 2A bristle brush
will help to spread oils
throughout the coat.

Pin Brushes
Pin brushes (Figure 3) are wooden-handled brushes with
thick pins that may or may not have nibs on the ends. Pin
brushes come in many shapes, sizes, and styles. A pin brush
removes loose hair. These brushes are used on long drop-coat
breeds to help eliminate the breakage of the coat and to fluff
the coat. Pin brushes can be used with long strokes with the
lay of the coat on a long-haired breed. To fluff a double coat,
use short lifting strokes against the lay of the coat.
FIGURE 3Pin brushes are
useful for fluffing the coat.

4 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance

Rubber Brushes
One of the finest brushes available, rubber brushes are useful
for removing dust and loose hair on shorthaired breeds. You
can also use this brush on cats. This brush should be used
with firm strokes with the lay of the coat.

Rubber Curry Brushes

More firm than the rubber brush, this oval brush also takes
out dust and dirt on shorthaired breeds, such as Boxers and
Dobermans. Also, you can use it in a tub while shampooing a
pet. Using this brush in a circular motion on short-coated dogs
will result in the best removal of dead hair and dander.
Now lets take minute to talk about proper brushing techniques.
When brushing an animal, use as much of the surface area of
the brush as you can. If you use only the top row of teeth, you
wont get the pet brushed out very quickly. You also run the
risk of creating brush burn. Brush burn is a skin rash or irrita-
tion caused by brushing with too much pressure in the same
place for too long. Brush burn can be anything from a small red
spot to an actual bleeding sore. So, for the safety of the pet, you
shouldnt brush more than 10 times in one spot. For example,
suppose the Golden Retriever youre grooming has a big mat
behind its ear. You brush it 10 times, but the mat is still there.
In this case, move on to brushing the shoulderagain, 10 times
only. After youve brushed the shoulder, you can return to
brushing the ear. If the mat still isnt removed, move to another
section of the dog and return to the ear after it has had time
to rest.

Combs
The main purpose of a comb is to check for matting in the coat
and to fluff the coat for scissoring. Like brushes, combs come
in many different sizes and shapes (Figure 4). Most groomers
prefer to use a combination comb with both fine and medium
teeth. These combs work on practically every type of coat. If a
comb doesnt have a handle, its considered a Greyhound-style
comb. Combs with handles are just called combs. Combs come

Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance 5

 in a variety of lengths. You wouldnt want to use a comb with
half-inch-long teeth on a Newfoundland, because you would
never get all the way to the skin.
Several combing methods are available, but the principle is
the same. You want to place the comb in the coat and try to
keep the comb at a 90-degree angle to the skin. If the pet has
a mole or wart and youre tipping the comb backwards and
leading with the teeth, youre likely to catch the mole and
potentially cause injury to the pet. Combing can be done with
or against the lay of the coat. You can also place the teeth of
the comb parallel to the skin and pull out from the skin in a
fluffing motion. This works best if you give a slight twist of the
wrist upward as you pull outward. This is the style of combing
youll use when scissoring the coat.

FIGURE 4Many differ-

ent types of combs are
available.

The following is a list of commonly used combs.

Mat Comb
Shaped like a rake with heavy, razor-sharp teeth, a mat comb
(Figure 5) will cut through and remove mats without destroy-
ing the coat. Mat combs can be resharpened and are also
available for left-handed groomers. Caution must be used
when using mat combs, because they have several razors and
if used incorrectly they will cut the dog or cat. The correct

6 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance

motion for using a mat comb is a picking motion, not a
pulling one. Youll place the comb in the coat next to the
skin, rotate the blades so theyre facing away from the dog,
and pull outward away from the dog. Repeat in the next
section.

FIGURE 5Groomers use

mat combs to remove mats
in a pets coat.

Molting Comb
A molting comb, or molting rake (Figure 6), typically comes
in a rake design, with teeth of alternating length, long and
short. Youll use a molting comb to remove the loose under-
coat of double-coated breeds. A molting comb uses the same
set and pull motion as the mat comb. The longer teeth touch
the skin, while the shorter teeth catch in the undercoat and
hold on to it to pull it out. You typically dont take long
strokes; this is a quick pulling out of the hair.

Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance 7

FIGURE 6A molting comb
has two sizes of teeth.

Shedding Blade
Good for removing loose hair, a shedding blade pulls loose
hair from the top coat and the undercoat. A shedding blade
is typically a thin band of metal with serrations, or teeth, in
one edge thats bent into a circular shape. You use the blade
with the teeth against the pet and pull with the lay of the
coat, using a medium amount of pressure. Use a shedding
blade only on the parts of the body covered by muscle. If you
use it on the bony parts of the dog, such as the hocks, head,
feet, and breastbone, the pet is more likely to develop brush
burn.

Furminator
The newest type of deshedding tool is the Furminator
(Figure 7). Its the bottom blade of a clipper blade, with a
handle attached to it. The fine teeth in the blade are used in
a comblike fashion over the body of the dog or cat. Keep the
blade at a 90-degree angle to the pet and use medium pres-
sure with the lay of the coat, as with a shedding blade. This
is a very useful tool when finishing pets. It will remove as
much hair as possible from a petmore than can be removed
with a brush and comb alone. Caution should be used while
performing this procedure, however, because if you use too
much pressure or work in one area for too long you can
cause brush burn or baldness. (Yes, you can furminate away
all of the hair!) Work in a section until the shedding slows
down, then move to the next section of the body.

8 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance

 FIGURE 7The Furminator
is the newest type of
deshedding tool.

Stripping Comb
Hand stripping is a dying art form, and the traditional groom-
ing technique for all wire-coated breeds is to hand strip with
a stripping comb, or stripping knife. With this technique, you
pluck out small amounts of hair at the root of the hair at one
time from the dogs coat. Its very similar to a person plucking
his or her eyebrows. You do small amounts with a quick pull,
with the lay of the coat, keeping your wrist locked, to avoid
cutting the hair. This process may sound harsh; however, a
wire coat is designed to work this way. It will also help the
dogs coat to stay harsh and wiry. In addition, it helps the
color stay rich. Stripping combs come in fine, medium, and
coarse styles. Theyre rarely used except on show dogs.

Wood-Handled Utility Comb

Used for pulling out the undercoat, wood-handled utility combs
are easy on your hands and are for long-coated dogs, such as
the Collie. These combs are used in the same fashion as the
Greyhound-style comb. These are preliminary combs, meaning
that they wont remove all final tangles or shedding. You must
use a fine-tooth comb to complete the grooming process.

Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance 9

 Poodle Comb
A Poodle comb is a Greyhound-style comb with very long
teeth. Typically, the teeth are two to three inches long. These
larger combs are very useful in the fluffing and scissoring of
the Poodle and other large breeds.

Flea Comb
A flea comb is a metal or plastic comb with very fine short
teeth. Its used for the removal of fleas from the coat. This
fine-tooth comb can also be used to remove debris around
the eyes and anus or warts that may drain and develop
crusts around them.

Rat-Tail Comb
This comb is typically plastic with a very long thin handle.
The thin handle is used to make parts in the coat. These
parts may be down the spine or along the head to make a top
knot (the hair on the top of the head thats pulled up into a
ponytail or bow).

Nail Care Equipment

FIGURE 8Nail clippers can be shaped like
small pliers, or can be guillotine-type.
Nail Clippers
Two types of nail clippers are available:
pliers-type clippers and guillotine-type
clippers (Figure 8). The pliers-type clipper
basically works like a pair of scissors with
two sharp-edged blades. This type of nail
clipper works by cutting both sides of the
nail at the same time. On guillotine-type
nail clippers, one cutting edge is a sharp-
ened loop through which you insert the
nail. As you squeeze the handles, a second
sharpened blade slides forward to cut the
nail. Pliers-type nail clippers are usually
easier to control and safer to use. However,
one advantage of guillotine type nail clip-
pers is that you can replace the blades.

10 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance

Styptic Powder and Styptic Pencils
Sometimes you may cut a nail and within seconds the nail
will begin to bleed. Anytime youre cutting nails, you should
have styptic powder or a styptic pencil nearby to stop the
bleeding if you nick or chip the quick, which is the blood
vessel inside the nail. Styptic powder quickly stops the
bleeding of small nicks by coagulating the blood. You can
use styptic products on both dogs and cats. If youre out of
styptic powder, a bit of flour or cornstarch will do the trick
until you can restock. Its also helpful to tell owners about
any nicks in case the nail starts to bleed again after the
client has taken the dog home.

Electric Nail Grinders

Electric nail grinders are small electric grinders with a sand-
paper disk that grinds a nail to the desired length. Because
they grind the nail, theres no chance of splintering the nail.
With an electric nail grinder, you can grind a nail to a length
thats much shorter than if you were cutting with scissors.
A grinders spinning wheel cauterizes an exposed quick.
Grinders give closer cuts and neater looking nails than
manual clippers. However, its easy to catch long hair in
the spinning wheel of the grinder, so you must be very care-
ful with using a grinder. Additionally, the sound of electric
nail grinders may frighten some animals. You can purchase
grinders specifically designed for pet grooming or you can
purchased a dremmel tool at your local hardware store. The
ones from the hardware store are going to have a little more
power, which on a pet like a Bassett Hound will make it eas-
ier for you to do the nails quickly. The other added benefit to
grinding nails is that it leaves the nail smoother than when
using cutters. This is an added benefit for elderly clients or
those with small children, because the pets freshly cut nails
arent as sharp and are less likely to scratch.

Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance 11

 Ear Care Equipment

Ear Powder
For the breeds that have ear hair that must be plucked out,
ear powder will help you to remove the hair. Typically, the
hair growing inside the ear canal is greasy and hard to hold
on to. Ear powder is a resin-based powder that makes it
easier to hold onto the hair and remove it. This is a very light
powder; note that a little goes a long way.

Ear Cleaner
Several different types of ear cleaners are on the market. You
can try several and use the one that works best for you. An
ear cleaner is used to remove debris that has built up inside
of the ear canal. Ear cleaners that contain eucalyptus and/or
aloe are soothing to an irritated ear canal.

Hemostats
Hemostats, or forceps, look like a pair of tweezers with
handles (Figure 9). You can use them to help you hold onto
and pull out ear hair. Hemostats are also useful in removing
ticks, thorns, or grass seeds that may be stuck in the
animals skin. Theyre also useful in making and placing
bows in the pets hair.

12 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance

 FIGURE 9Hemostats are useful for
removing ear hair.

Hair-Cutting Equipment

Scissors and Shears

Grooming scissors. Grooming scissors, or shears as theyre
more commonly called, are available in a variety of shapes
and sizes (Figure 10). They can be curved or straight, and
theyre made of stainless or carbon steel. Prices range from
$6 to $900. However, quality scissors are available at
reasonable prices. For the most part, it doesnt matter how
expensive your scissors are as long as you keep your scissors
sharp and use them only for cutting hair. Never use grooming
scissors to cut ribbon, paper, or anything other than hair.
Scissors range in length from 4 to 12 inches from the tip of
the blade to the finger rings. The most common length of
grooming shears is 7 to 8 1/2 inches. If you use stainless
steel scissors, they wont rust when youre cutting a dog
thats slightly damp or if the grooming shop builds up
humidity. These shears are used for making either straight or
curved cuts, depending on where on the pet youre working
on. Both right-handed and left-handed scissors are available.
The parts of a pair of shears are listed in Figure 11.

Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance 13

FIGURE 10Many types of
grooming scissors can be
bought at reasonable
prices.

FIGURE 11Shears
Set Screw
Cutting
Edge

Finger
Rest
Finger Rings
Blades

Pivot Point Shank

Starting from the tip of the shear, you have the following parts:
The blades, which cut the hair

The cutting edge, which is the inside part of the shear

where the blades come together

The set screw or pivot point, which holds the two blades
together and allows you to adjust the tension of the shears
to move either freely or more stiffly

14 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance

 The shankthe straight part between the set screw and
the finger ringswhich determines if a pair of shears fits
your hand correctly

The finger rings, where you put your fingers

The finger rest, which looks like a tail or post extending

off one or both of the finger rings

Thinning shears. Thinning shears are for thinning thick

hair or blending areas. Youll use them to get the coat to lie
smooth or to blend one section of the coat with another (for
example, from the back of a Cocker Spaniel to the leg and
skirt section of the dog). What these shears actually do is cut
some hairs short while leaving other hairs long. The number
of teeth in a pair of thinning shears ranges from approxi-
mately 20 to 60. If you have thinning shears with 60 teeth,
youll remove more hair than if you use a pair with 20 teeth.
The more teeth on the blade, the more hair youll remove
(Figure 12). Thinning shears dont come in as wide a variety
of sizes as the straights or curves do. As long as you have the
correct number of teeth for the job youre trying to do, and
they feel comfortable to you, you should do OK with them.

FIGURE 12Thinning
shears with more teeth
remove more hair.

Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance 15

 Sizing shears. When sizing shears to your hand, its best to
have a variety of different scissors available so you can see
how they differ. So take a moment and gather as many differ-
ent types and sizes of shears as you can. Test the fit of the
shears by laying a pair in the palm of your hand. The finger
rings should be touching the base of the palm of your hand,
just above your wrist. When holding your hand flat, the set
screw should fall in the palm of your hand, not up into your
fingers. What this allows you to do is to open and close your
scissors more widely and with a more fluid motion. Over a
period of time, this will lessen your possibility of developing
carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a repetitive motion injury
of the hand and wrist. Figure 13 shows the correct way to
measure a pair of shears to fit your hand.

FIGURE 13This pair of

shears fits properly into
the groomers hand.

Note that if the shank is too long, you wont be able to use
the shears efficiently. Remember, were trying to learn to
groom a dog, not how to scissor with shears that are too big.
Look at Figure 14. Can you see from this photo how the
shears with the shorter shank can be opened more fully, even
though its a shorter pair of shears? This will make scissoring
easier for the groomer.

16 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance

 FIGURE 14A shear with
a shorter shank can be
opened more fully than
one with a longer shank.

Holding shears. We all learned how to cut with scissors in

kindergarten. However, most of us dont hold grooming
shears correctly when we first pick them up. The correct
technique for holding the shears is for your thumb to go into
the finger ring that doesnt have the finger rest (Figure 15).
Your ring finger goes through the hole with the finger rest.
Your index and middle finger are used to support the shank
of the shears. Dont push your fingers through the holes.
Your thumb shouldnt go beyond the first knuckle, and on
your ring finger the finger ring should sit between the first
and second knuckle.
When youre using scissors, the correct movement is to move
only your thumb. You shouldnt move your fingers. Youll
learn more about this in a later study unit.
FIGURE 15This is the
correct way to hold
shears.

Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance 17

 Clippers
Electric clippers. Groomers use electric clippers to cut hair
faster and more uniformly than scissors. Clippers are avail-
able in a variety of styles, and you can use them in many
situations (Figure 16). For instance, you can use a large-
animal clipper for heavy-duty clipping, such as for a Saint
Bernard thats severely matted. Most situations, however,
dont require anything more than a standard pair of grooming
clippers. A few of the most popular manufacturers of electric
clippers are Andis, Oster, Laube, and Wahl. A commonly used
clipper is the two-speed Ag Plus by Andis.

FIGURE 16Electric clip-

pers are available in a
variety of styles and cut
hair faster and more
uniformly than scissors.

Cordless clippers. Cordless clippers are also available from

most manufactures. Some clippers have a round body and
some are square. A few clippers on the market are lighted
to help you see under the dogs. However, theres very little dif-
ference between the different styles of clippers, so choose the
one that feels the best in your hand. No matter what style you
choose, when you receive your clippers, read the instruction
manual to determine how to properly maintain them. If you
take care of your equipment, it can last for a very long time.

18 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance

Clipper blades. A variety of blades (Figure 17) are available
for most clippers. Most clipper blades are interchangeable
between brands of clippers. As long as youre using a quality
blade, youll have good results. Most blades are made of
metal; however, several companies now offer ceramic blades.
That means that the cutting blade is ceramic. The purpose of
using ceramic is to help keep the blades cooler a little longer.
Blades come in several sizes, and well review them all so
youre familiar with them. Before we start, however, you
should know a few things about blades. All blades have three
basic parts: the base of the blade, which is the part that
touches the dog; the hinge, which holds the two blades
together; and the cutting blade, which is what moves back
and forth to cut the hair.
All blades are labeled on the base. The industry has made
the numbering and sizing of blades fairly universal, so a #10
Andis blade will leave the same amount of coat on the dog as
a #10 Oster blade. All metal clipper blades are given a size
number. The blade size is typically stamped on the blade so
that it is easy to find. The higher the number, the shorter
amount of coat left on the dog; conversely, the smaller the

FIGURE 17A wide variety of blades are available for most types of clippers.

Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance 19

 number, the longer amount of coat left on the dog. Also, on
some of the blades youll notice the letters FC or F after the
number, so it may look like 7FC. The FC is short for finish
cut. This means that there is a #7 blade and a #7FC blade.
The #7 has teeth on the blade that are of alternating length.
This means the openings between the teeth of the blade are
wider, so it makes it easier to nick or cut a dog while using
this blade. On the FC blades, all the teeth are the same
length, which makes them safer for use on the pet. In the
beginning of your grooming career, concentrate on using only
F or FC blades; its so much safer for the pet, and less worry
for you.
Table 1 lists the most commonly used clipper blades. Other
blades are available, but they should be used only by highly
experienced groomers. This list focuses on the most common
and safest blades. The blades are listed in order form short-
est (#40) to longest (#3/4), with a description of the most
common uses of each type of blade. Youll have to be able to
identify your blades in order from shortest to longest, so
study this list well.

Table 1

COMMON BLADE SIZES

Size of Length of Coat

Typical Uses
Blade Left on Pet
#40 Under snap-on combs, surgical uses, pads of feet

50
1/
#30 Under snap-on comb, pads of feet

64
3/
#15 Ears, faces, in front of eyes
This is the safest blade. Sanitary trim, ears, faces, body work,
16
1/
#10
cats, dematting

15
1/
#9 Body work, faces

8
1/
#7FC Body work, skimming, dematting, faces

4
1/
#5FC Body work, faces

8
3/
#4FC Body work, faces
#33/ 2
1/
4FC Body work, faces
#5/ 8
5/
8 Body work, faces
#3/ 4
3/
4 Body work, faces

20 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance

Caring for clippers and blades. If you dont take care of
your clipper blades, theyll be short-lived and youll end up
replacing them more frequently than you have to. The follow-
ing are the two best cleaning methods for your blades.
1. The first and most preferred method for cleaning blades
is to use a solution of 50% antiseptic cleaner and 50%
water. Put the blade on your clipper and run the blade
in the solution for 10 to 15 seconds, and then remove
it and use a toothbrush to scrub the blade clean.
Completely dry the blade with either a towel or the
forced-air dryer. The final step is to oil the blade well.
2. The second way to clean a blade is to use 70% isopropyl
alcohol as your cleaning solution. This alcohol is flam-
mable, so never run your clipper blade in the alcohol.
Remove the blade from the clipper and let the blade soak
for 10 to 30 seconds. Remove the blade and scrub it with
a toothbrush. Dry the blade thoroughly with a towel or
the forced-air dryer and oil well. This method is the
preferred method for blades that have been used on a
pet with severe dandruff or a skin condition.
Premade blade cleaners are available; however, do your
research, because some of these are kerosene and nothing
more. Not only is kerosene highly flammable, but if you dont
get all of it off the blade, youll expose the pets sensitive skin
to kerosene, which will result in irritation.
Proper care of your clipper blades will make them last much
longer. Remember to keep your blade oiled, because this
helps to prevent the blade from getting too hot.
Clogged teeth in a blade will cause streaking of the coat so
check your blades periodically.
Blades that wont cut any more will probably need to be
sharpened by a professional sharpener. Dont try to sharpen
your blades yourself. Youll more than likely ruin your blade
or hurt yourself. Always check your blades after sharpening
to make sure that theyre adjusted correctly. If your blade
still wont cut, inform the sharpener.
Blades do need to be replaced from time to time. After a
number of sharpenings, there might not be much metal left
to work with. Dont always blame the sharpener!

Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance 21

 Another thing to watch for when using clipper blades is to
check the temperature of the blade. To do this, hold the
blade on the inside of your wrist. If its hot to touch, its too
hot to use on a dog. You must either change blades or cool
your blade off. A variety of products are available to cool
blades, such as Mr. Cool, Cool Lube, Clippercide, and many
others. However, there are a few other methods to cool a hot
blade. First, remove the blade from the clipper and let the
blade rest on another piece of metal or stone. The cool stone
or metal will pull the heat out of a hot blade. A good way to
cool a blade is to cup your hand around the blade and grab
the end of the vacuum and let the vacuum suck air over the
blade to cool it rapidly. Too keep your blades cool, make sure
that you oil them frequently; just like a car, a clipper blade
needs oil to run smoothly.
Snap-on combs. Sometimes called clip-on combs, snap-on
combs attach onto the clipper blade (typically a #30 or #40
blade) and leave the hair longer than if you were to use only
the blade itself. A snap-on comb gives a more natural-looking
cut and allows you to leave a greater length of coat without
having to do all the work by hand with your shears. Snap-on
combs (Figure 18) come in different sizes. The numbered
sizes often range from #5 (the shortest) to #0. There are
longer snap-ons than the #0, but there arent any lower
numbers. After #0, the system jumps to letters and goes in
alphabetical order from shortest to longest: A, B, C, D, E, and
F. F is the longest snap-on comb available. Depending on the
manufacturer, most snap-on combs are labeled with the let-
ters; however, some use the length to determine the size
(such as a 1/2 comb). Some groomers prefer the letter combs
to the size-labeled combs. Table 2 offers a list of the snap-
on combs and the lengths they leave on the pet. All snap-on
combs can be used for body or face work. Theyre not very
good at dematting, and theyre not short enough to make a
tight clip, so well assume that all snap-on combs are used
for body and face work.

22 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance

 FIGURE 18Snap-on
combs are used to achieve
longer lengths.

Table 2

SNAP-ON COMB BLADE SIZE AND COAT LENGTH LEFT ON

Blade Size Length Left Blade Size Length Left

8 4
3/ 3/
#5 #A

4 16
1/ 13/
#4 #B

16 8
5/ 7/
#3 #C

8 16
3/ 15/
#2 #D

#1 1/2 16
7/
#E 1

2 1 1/4
1/
#1 #F

#1/2 16
9/

8
5/
#0

Generally, if youre looking for a shorter, tidier, and smoother

clip, youll use a metal blade, size 5 or lower. Blades #4
through #3/4 will leave a short, but fuzzy, coat. Using the
snap-on combs will generally leave the coat looking a bit
more natural and fluffy. Note that these are guidelines only.
Several different factors must be considered. For instance, if
youre clipping down a Maltese with a #7 blade, it will look
like you scalped the dog. His pink skin will show through,
and it will appear much shorter than you thought it would.
However, using the same blade on a Cocker Spaniel will leave
a nice finish, and youll not see any of the skin. Why, you
may ask? Well, a Cocker Spaniel typically has a much thicker

Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance 23

 coat than a Maltese. Also, the white coat color on the Maltese
lets the skin pigment come through more. Remember that
even if you use the same blade, different coat types or colors
may look longer or shorter. If in doubt, always start longer
than you think. You can always take more off, but you cant
put it back on. Another example is if you use a #4 blade on
Shih Tzus. It will leave them short but fuzzy, enough that if
you pet them against the lay of the coat it will have some
length to it. However, if you use a #4 on a Golden Retriever,
its hair will lay very smooth and look very short, almost like
that of a Labrador Retriever. Why? The Golden Retriever is a
bigger dog, and that short of a blade will appear shorter on
a larger dog than on a smaller dog. So, size also matters.

Miscellaneous Grooming Supplies

The following are some miscellaneous grooming supplies that
will be useful in your career as a pet groomer.

Chamois Cloth
A chamois cloth, more commonly known as a shammy cloth,
is a piece of soft leather elk hide thats used to polish and
shine the coats of shorthaired dogs such as Dobermans and
Boxers. Synthetic chamois cloths are available at automotive
stores and are more economical than leather chamois cloths.
Synthetic chamois cloths are also equally effective for polish-
ing the coats of dogs.

Safety Goggles
A pair of safety glasses or goggles is a useful tool. They can
help to keep hair from blowing into your eyes when drying
dogs and protect your eyes from dust when grinding toenails.

24 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance

Hearing Protection
The high-velocity or forced-air dryers are quite loud. Prolonged
exposure to these dryers can cause hearing loss. You should
use ear plugs or a headset while drying dogs to help protect
your hearing.

Tool Box
Youll need some way of keeping your tools safe and organized.
A portable tool box or a rolling one will work well. You could
really use anything that will help you to keep your tools safe
and organized, so get creative!
Before reading on about large equipment, take a few moments
to complete Self-Check 1.

Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance 25

 Self-Check 1
At the end of each section of Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance, youll be asked
to pause and check your understanding of what youve just read by completing a Self-
Check exercise. Answering these questions will help you review what youve studied so
far. Please complete Self-Check 1 now.

1. True or False? When buying a pair of grooming shears, its important to buy the highest-
priced pair.

2. With which blades can you use a snap-on comb?

__________________________________________________________

3. How many different sizes of snap-on combs are there?

__________________________________________________________

4. List the sizes of metal blades in order from shortest to longest.

__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

5. How many different styles of brushes are there?

__________________________________________________________

6. What is the safest blade?

__________________________________________________________

Check your answers with those on page 47.

26 Equipment Selection, Use, and Maintenance