Does anyone ever use say a #2 or #3 snap on comb to help do ears of dogs who may be wiggly or nervous? Like in place of a #10. (For scotties etc.) Would this help lessen the risk of making cuts or could an ear still get pulled under the comb into the blade??
Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
Anyone use snap ons on ears??
Collapse
X
-
Personally I feel safest using a 10 blade even on the most squirmy dogs. I would be afraid that a snapon's teeth would puncture if the dog zigged when I zagged. I will sometimes use a different blade (3f, 4f, etc) IF the dog is well behaved and the owner wants a longer look, or if they have a "skinny" coat and I don't want to bald them. JMOSheilaB from SC
-
trimming ears
I have used any length snap-on on the ears depending upon the look the owner wants. I even use a 3 blade on my own terrier mix. You can still cut the ears if you don't come off the ear flat as the leather could still go up between the teeth of the snap-on. On any westie-type heads(including yorkies in puppy cuts) I always use whatever snap-on I'm using on the body to help set length, before trimming into the round face shape. For wiggly dogs I do like using the small anvil curved shears with the ball tip(they have blue plastic handles) Just be sure to always, no matter what, to be holding the ear leather and only trim the hair that sticks out, slowly moving around the whole ear, and never pointing down towards the base, always out at the tip. It takes a lot longer, but safety is the number one priority. I love those cheap little scissors for all kinds of wiggly dogs--faces, feet, etc.
Comment
-
I only use snap-ons on Golden Retrievers and other dogs with fluffy ears like that.
If you use a #10 you'd probably be safer. If the dog is wiggly, I will hold the ear in my hand and let the dog move around, but not the ear. Eventually I can usually wear down the dog---they give in. Sometimes it's frustrating because you don't have time to chase a dog around the table. Of course I use my Groomers Helper and this does help with the table dancing a bit, so usually it's not a problem.
Tammy in UtahGroomers Helper Affiliate
Comment
-
Originally posted by DAPER DAWG View PostI guess I mean more for the ones who absolutely hate the clippers by the head and fling their heads and buck around even in the groomers helper. Do you shave the ears at all or just tell them for safety reasons it can't done?
Comment
-
I think I've probably used just about anything on just about every part of the dog, including snap ons on ears. I think you'd want to go with a 4 or 5 for a smooth, short ear, a 1 or 2 for something like a golden ear.
It's not really that dangerous, certainly no more dangerous than using a 10. Think about it for a minute. What's doing the cutting, the comb or the blade you're using under it? The ear leather not only has to get between the teeth of the comb (easy), but also between the teeth of the blade that's doing the cutting. Under a snap on, that should be a 30 or 40. It's harder for the ear leather to get between the teeth of a 30 blade than it is for it to get between the teeth of a 10. It's not impossible, just a lot less likely.
You can also use a smaller clipper, like a TidBit, with one of the snap ons that comes with it. Being smaller, it makes less noise, and is easier to control for things like little ears.
Comment
-
DAPER- Do you have a quieter, smaller set of clippers you can try on the dogs you are describing? If that doesn't work and the dogs seem to be thrashing too much to make neatening the ears up with scissors too risky, I would just leave them rather than risk injury to the dogs or yourself.
That said, I have used snap-on combs and many different blade sizes on ears and haven't had a problem!
Comment
Comment