Shaving Feet?(tops of feet not bottoms)

[HoundLover]

okay...in the notes from the grooming table book i have it says you can either trim the feet with scissors or shave the feet...not bald...but it does say you can shave the feet with the clippers. the groomer i used to work for (yes the one i was fired from) said NEVER to do that...that it turns out ******. so now im asking you guys if you've ever done feet this way instead of trimming them down with the scissors? oh yes..and its also mentioned that you can shave the hocks also with a clipper too.
im just curious...
Hound

[Pixie]

I have done both and I really prefer the scissors on the feet. I have also used the clippers on the hocks and I think they look just fine. The groomer that taught me to groom actually taught me to use the clippers on the hocks. I have also used scissors on the hocks, but I like the clipper better.

[furrybestjob]

Oh, yes, I've done in and it comes out very nice in most cases. I've used a 4 in reverse on golden's feet and then tidied up with thining shears. There have been times when I've done shavedowns and the feet/legs don't look smooth and have taken a longer length blade and gone in reverse for a smoother look. I'm really surprised that an experienced groomer would tell you to NEVER do that.

[astrordog]

okay...in the notes from the grooming table book i have it says you can either trim the feet with scissors or shave the feet...not bald...but it does say you can shave the feet with the clippers. the groomer i used to work for (yes the one i was fired from) said NEVER to do that...that it turns out ******. so now im asking you guys if you've ever done feet this way instead of trimming them down with the scissors? oh yes..and its also mentioned that you can shave the hocks also with a clipper too.
im just curious...
Hound

Any particular breed you're speaking of? I use a 7f alot on feet, Gold. R, Shelties,etc. Customers like it since it's easier to keep them clean.

astrordog

[elizo]

Yes you CAN do this and it does work well on some breeds (goldens, springers eg.). You must use the reccomended blade lengths though (I think she says a 4 or 3 3/4) and you go reverse lightly over the tops of the foot just to catch the hair that sticks up between the toes to make the foot neat and cat like. I think what the other groomer might have been talking about is the idea you should never take a 10 blade and shave the top of a foot (unless it's a poodle of course!!) cause it would look silly...she's right!!

[Helly]

I shave feet all the time. It does not turn out ******. You do still have to tidy the edges a bit, but overall I really like the results.

OK, here's one of my pet peeves, and I wish the people who write all these grooming books and make the videos would get it right. The HOCK is the joint. What they're shaving, shaping, trimming or leaving natural is the PASTERN. And yes, you can shave it and it'll look just fine.

[Kim in SD]

Am I missing something? Are you talking about Poodle feet?

[pamelapreib]

I just tried this

I just started doing this last week. I had two newfies and a golden I tried it on, and I thought they turned out great. I actually used a 1/4 inch comb with my clipper vac in reverse. They looked much cleaner and tight then when I scissor (lack of experience). I tried it on one of my shih-tsu regulars yesterday, and took it a little too short and wasn't happy with the results and had to do lots of blending by hand. I say experiment. You can always clean up with the scissors.

[rapuzzled]

Ok, if I am reading you right you mean when you are clipping a leg you stop at the foot, and scissor blend it?
I think that is what you are getting at? If so, sure you can take a clipper on it. I generally always shave the feet the same length as the body unless the owner asks otherwise.
Also, you can shave the hocks too.
I hope I got what you were asking

[DAPER DAWG]

Did the Helly feet post get copied from the old board?

There was page of instructions posted by Helly on the old board about shaving the tops of feet but I cannot find it on this board I am not sure if it got copied over.

Here is what helly wrote about shaving full feet.

Oh, I just knew this was going to happen. And it's one of those "I can show you really easily, but TELLING you is another thing." But I'll give it a try.

First of all, I'd suggest you practice on a few dogs that you intend to shave the foot, so if you don't get it right at first, no harm done.

Second, keep in mind this is a trick for dogs like Cockers with a full leg, where the hair is hanging all the way down on the foot. It doesn't work so well if you shortened the leg with a blade, like a 3 or 4.

First, hold the foot up and scoop the pads, as you normally would. But also make a very narrow cut all the way around the outside of the foot. Very narrow...1/4 inch at the most.

Slide your hand all the way over the front of the foot, and trim any hair sticking out around the foot with scissors...which I'm sure most of you do anyway.

Scissor the BACK of the leg only. Do not scissor the front of the leg yet. Leave more hair on the front than on the back. You need it to cover the top of the foot.

Now, here's the tricky part. Turn the foot over, so the pads are facing downward. Push all the long hair up, and hold it up. Pull up the hair between the toes. Use a #4 blade and shave the tops of the toes only. Don't go all the way up the foot, just shave the toes up to the spot where they are split. If you pull up the hair between the toes, you don't need to shave between the toes, but you can if you want to. I don't bother...it's too hard to work a 4 blade between the toes.

Comb the leg hair back down, put the foot back on the table, and scissor, with your scissors straight down, blending the leg hair, and beveling it into the foot, but no leg hair should extend past the top of the toes. Do it right, and the hair on the front of the leg will just brush the top of the toes, and the tips of the nails will barely peek out.

[shrek]

4 rev. looks great on Goldens. I try it on a lot of my bigger dogs. I still brush back and sissor up the feet. I use a #7 on the pastern with grain. Cleans up nice.

[HoundLover]

no poodle feet lol

nope not talking about poodle feet LOL! helly got it right on the money and others did too. yes she did tell me that you should NEVER do that. personally when it comes to trimming the back of the back feet i got it right on a pom...totally carved up the berners i chopped it ALL off lol...and then the terverun mix i did i left it way too long. so if i can use a clipper on it then ill know exatually how much should be left there lol. yes and she also didnt know the structure of a matt. i do! hah! also she said that there are a couple of haircuts in the book that are wrong. she didnt tell me which ones though! are there any wrong haircuts in this book or no?
and another thing...just because you win grooming awards DOSNT mean that your the GREATEST groomer in the world. and just because you were taught by top groomers still dosnt mean that your the greatest groomer.
sorry just had to throw that in there.
and btw everyone...
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!
hope yall get lotsa chocolates!
Hound

[Helly]

I use a #7 on the pastern with grain. Cleans up nice.

I'm realistic enough to know that "hock" is not going to be replaced by "pastern" in the common vernacular. And in the grand scheme of things, it's not important at all. But thanks, just the same.

[katydid]

Using hock for the mc bugs the tar out of me too but some breeds actually use the term on conformation diagrams in error. <sigh> Since there is dissension, an acceptable compromise is using hock for the joint (as it should be) and leg below the hock for the pastern/mc. Or just use metacarpal.

ex: scissor leg below the hock to show angulation (or strong bone, whatever..)

Using a 7 with the grain makes many dogs look weedy so scissor to size or experiment with longer blades to give the illusion of more bone.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Am I missing something? Are you talking about Poodle feet?

No, I think what she means is sheltie and golden feet. Brush the hair up between the toes and shave/clip off the hair on top. I think Notes states to use a #4, and I believe Melissa Verplank also mentions that it is good for a more experienced groomer, but I could be wrong. Her point was that it might be difficult for a newer groomer.

Personally, I use thinning shears on the hair I brush up between the toes, and I scissor the edges of the toes around the toenails. I don't like hairs all sticking out past the toenails on these breeds.

Also, when clipping down the PASTERN, (LOL), I usually use a #4. Depends on the dog. Definitely don't use a #10---scalped, skinny little ankle---saw that once, and once was enough.

Tammy in Utah