http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/ Basic Trimming & Grooming Techniques If a Pom is moulting, I would start a grooming session by removing the loose undercoat. If dead undercoat is allowed to remain , it can become entangled at the base of the top coat, cause matts, and prevent air getting to the skin. It can also pull at the base of the top coat and cause pain and discomfort to your Pom. Worse of all, the circulation can be affected with serious consequences. It is important for the coat to be kept 'open' in order for the skin to breathe. The picture shows the undercoat which was removed from Celeste in one grooming session. Equipment (front L to R) Scissors - small fine for trimming hair between feet-pads, around feet, ears, etc. Normal hair dressing scissors, thinning scissors. Mason and Pearson bristle and nylon brushes (large and pocket size). I use the small brush most often. Grooming rake, gentle slicker, pin brush. Back row: Misting spray containing water ...a little rose-water added. Baby talc for dry grooming in greasy areas e.g.behind ears, 'armpits', and under the tummies of the boys. Ear cleaner/cotton buds. Eye cleaner/small cleansing pads. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398789 39398789 Firstly, brush the coat back from behind the ear. Feel for the tip of the ear and place the thumb and forefinger either side of the 'point'. I then trim the hair to the outer side of the ear, at a slight angle from just above the point (avoid trimming too far down or at too sharp and angle). http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398794 39398794 Still holding the point of the ear between thumb and forefinger, make a slight (much shorter cut) to the inner side of the apex, the line of the cut should rise slightly (avoid cutting at a downward angle), See picture. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398795 39398795 Left ear before trimming. Hair swept back from behind ear to provide clear view. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398796 39398796 Cut to outer side of apex ... quite short and at a slight angle. Shorter cut to inner side. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398797 39398797 The hair in front of the ears should not be cut away, unless it is obscuring the points of the ears. If this be the case, just trim it down carefully. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398800 39398800 The next stage is to groom the entire body coat , brushing form the base of the coat, outwards to ensure than every hair is separated. In the photo I am lifting the bib-hair to demonstrate how the skin is exposed when the hair is parted. If it doesn't look similar to this, then , in my opinion, more grooming needs to be done before starting to trim. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398790 39398790 Note the fine ends which need trimming off. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398792 39398792 I always start with trimming the chest coat. Beginning at the bottom, I work in semicircles, parting the coat as shown, then trimming around a layer at a time. It is important to use the water spray to mist the coat whiole grooming. It helps to avoid static makes it easier to see the ends of the coat and holds the hair in place while trimming. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398791 39398791 The picture clearly shows the wispy ends of coat being trimmed away, using a thinning scissors. Please not that feet were trimmed after the ears. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398793 39398793 I trim the front of the Pom with the dog facing me, and the rear with the dog facing away (see the division in the picture where front half has been completed and rear has not yet been trimmed). http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398801 39398801 First layer brushed upwards and outwards to expose ends which need to be trimmed off. Please note how the coat has been carefully brushed from the base . http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398802 39398802 Photo shows the light trimming off of the fine ends. If the coat is cut too far down, then it will look cut/sculptored, rather than have a natural finish. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398803 39398803 Firsrly the picture shows the coat brushed outwards from the body in a sunray effect. The right -hand side of the circle has been trimmed (tipped) and the LH side has been left untrimmed for demonstration purposes. I have made a stem at the base of the tail to help produce a more effective fan-tail. This is purely optional. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398804 39398804 Hold the base (stem of the tail) and brush the hair in long sweeping strokes, making a fan from the base outwards. Separate every hair ... no tangles should be present. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398805 39398805 Hold the tail out and twist to the end ... then snip off the fine straggly excess hair as shown in picture. This eventually provides a more natural finish than the result obtained from trimming around a fanned-out tail. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398806 39398806 Guy has a very long tail and the plume fans out over his back as it should do. Personal preference : I like the tips of the tail hair to taper finely in a natural way, rather than 'club' cut it , which tends to make it look like a solid fan stuck onto the dog's back. I have even seen tails laquered in place so heavily that they look like cardboard cut-outs! http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39398807 39398807 Glenvalley Guy Fawkes Playalong, a very willing model. Please note that I always bath my Poms following a major trimming/grooming session, as it helps to eliminate a scissored appearance and exposes any stray ends which might have been missed. Although I give my dogs regular light trims, they would only be bathed about every 6 weeks after a main going over. Hope you have found this information useful. http://pomspirit.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoID=39576675 39576675