Schnauzer beards

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Sometimes the clients want me to shorten up the beards on their schnauzers but to be honest, I don't know how to keep it looking "right" while making it shorter. It seems to change the entire look of the beard.

Could anyone give me some pointers on trimming the beard without making it look stupid and "scissored." I like the more natural look, but how can I do that when taking off 1/2" to 1" in length?

Tammy in Utah
PS: Any PHOTOS would be GREAT!

[Bearmtn]

Sometimes the clients want me to shorten up the beards on their schnauzers but to be honest, I don't know how to keep it looking "right" while making it shorter. It seems to change the entire look of the beard.

Could anyone give me some pointers on trimming the beard without making it look stupid and "scissored." I like the more natural look, but how can I do that when taking off 1/2" to 1" in length?

Tammy in Utah
PS: Any PHOTOS would be GREAT!

Here is one picture that I found on a dog I do that gets matted all the time, so I try to not let him get too long anywhere.

[plushpuppy]

Good question Spikey, I look forward to all the great answers because I have a couple that also like the shorter beard. I have cut and blended and it must be ok because no one has complained and they have all been back

[sparkle]

tammy, one way i do it that works great, is to take one side of the beard, and comb it straight back toward the eye, do not angle your shears, cut a straight line from chin to eye, in front of the eye, will make it shorter, do the same on the other side , and neaten up the bottom, hope this helps, gives a nice line, and is natural looking.

[CountryCanines]

Bear I love that schnauzer - what do you use on his legs?

[PAWS]

I do it similar to Sparkle...I hold it out straight, and cut like a hairdresser cuts for layers. I do this on all my dogs with beards, except those with curly hair and ones that are way to wiggly! Also, sometimes I trim ONLY the chin and neaten stragglies to keep it from looking poofed out on the sides....make sense?

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Hi and thanks for the responses.

I'm having a hard time picturing combing the hair BACK and trimming. You said not to angle the scissors, but from eye to chin, that's an angle. Am I missing something?

Tammy in Utah

[Poodlefluff]

When I do a short beard first I trim off the lip hair so that the pet can't lick any hair into it's mouth and then I fluff it all out like a donnut moustache on a poodle and trim it with thinning shears so it is short but layered. I will also shave the beard to the mole under the jaw as a marker. I can leave just a little tuft about an inch long and it still looks cute.

[ejmj30]

I thinning shear the lower sides to give the beard more of a V shape vs. a U or LI shape. I don't think I have any pics. The only other way I do it is with a comb attatchment in reverse, but that's for more of a puppy looking beard, not adult.

[Bearmtn]

Bear I love that schnauzer - what do you use on his legs?

Scissors! I scissor them up kind of like doing poodle legs.

[Bearmtn]

Sometimes the clients want me to shorten up the beards on their schnauzers but to be honest, I don't know how to keep it looking "right" while making it shorter. It seems to change the entire look of the beard.

Could anyone give me some pointers on trimming the beard without making it look stupid and "scissored." I like the more natural look, but how can I do that when taking off 1/2" to 1" in length?

Tammy in Utah
PS: Any PHOTOS would be GREAT!

I think in trying to make it look natural you would have to thin it out some and in doing that you throw off the balance of the head, as the nose itself would be narrow. Seems like it would have a go-tee look. Not to mention that I don't like little short hairs that may start sticking out, which may cause matting to start, as that I something I have always felt having been a hairdresser for a while, in getting hair to backcomb, you had to thin the hair some as it was those short little hairs that were used in the backcombing. That's just my theory.

I comb the beard back and angle the scissors straight down from about the center of the eye and cut what goes past the beard line much, depending on how much you want off. I use a stripping comb on top of the nose, trim the lip hair, and use and upside down 7f blade and comb out the thickness under the eyes. I trim around the front of the beard and angle the beard some from the side. If I need more hair from the beard I strip it under eyes some.

[eddieeeee]

I have some clients that like a shorter, more rounded beard for Schnauzers. It's not the "correct" look, but gives a cute little expression anyway.

If the trimming is needed to prevent matting, you can try clipping a bit farther on the flews (lower half of the jaw, not the upper lip). Less hair there means less mess and less matting. And it will be covered most of the time by the hair falling from the muzzle.

eddie

[stacie-gotg]

Your all going to frown on me. I use a #1 guard then thinners and shears to get a U or V shape. I do like the ideas here.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Your all going to frown on me. I use a #1 guard then thinners and shears to get a U or V shape. I do like the ideas here.

I wont frown on you, it's a pet, you can do what Helly does by sticking a rubber glove on its head and call it a squid if you want.

I just wanted it to look like it "should" only "shorter."

Thanks all!

Tammy in Utah

[hairdevil]

stacie! I do the same!! and I certainly am not frowning lol I usually use a 1/2 comb...it works, its faster and you get pretty much the same look...cute