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Thinning Shears are the Pet Stylist’s Eraser

Are you thinking about upgrading any of your pet grooming tools? For many dog groomers, The Groom Expo in Hershey, PA that is coming up later this month is a perfect time to see and test new items for your tool kit. If you are saving your tip money to buy new thinning shears, this blog is for you!

Thinning shears (or blending shears) are the best-kept secrets in the grooming world. Used properly, they can make mistakes much less noticeable. For a new stylist, this is one of the first shears I always recommend upgrading in your toolbox.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been grooming or how talented you are as a pet stylist – sometimes you just need a little help. An “oops” can occur at any time. Mistakes happen.

Maybe there is a spot on the coat that you just can’t get smooth. Maybe there is tracking in the coat from the clippers or guard comb. You may have left scissor marks in the coat – or a hole in the coat you accidentally made with clippers or scissors. You might even be working with a dog that will not hold still long enough to work safely with clippers or scissors – leaving the coat rough and jagged.

Thinning shears can be your savior. They erase rough spots. They blend out jagged edges. They smooth out transition areas. They fix mistakes.

The difference between a good stylist and a great stylist can be determined by how much value they place on their blending shears.

Stylists that understand the value of this type of shear will invest in multiple pairs. Just like straight edge shears, there are wide varieties from which to choose. Some are for more general use while others have more specific usage. The key is to know how you want to use the shear. Do you need it for light wispy coats? Drop coats? Terrier styling? Working around the head or eye area or dealing with large surface areas? There is a blender to fit every single one of these needs.

I always suggest you personally try out thinning shears before you purchase them. Just like Colin Taylor says, shears are like shoes. You need to find the ones that fit you! They have to fit properly as well as cut smoothly and run effortlessly in your hands.

So how do you narrow down your choices? Ask. Find out what other groomers and stylists are using. Determine which thinning shears they rely on every day in their salons. Believe me, they have opinions! There are lots of fabulous thinning shears out there – but there’s also a lot of junk.

Most high quality blending shears will have an average cost of $150 – $350. Of course, you can spend more if you like. Your equipment is an investment in your career. You may not need the Rolls-Royce when you first start out – but you do need something that is reliable and dependable. Luckily, there are many styles and varieties from which to choose.

The difference between a good stylist and a great stylist is that they know how to fix mistakes. Every one of us makes them. Having a nice collection of thinning and blending shears will be the erasers you need when that “oops!” happens.

What are your favorite shears? What do you look forward to shopping for when you go to Hershey? Jump over to the Learn2GroomDogs Facebook page and tell us about it!

Happy trimming!

~ Melissa

Nine Seconds to Make a First Impression

You meet someone for the first time – it could be a new client walking through your doors, someone at a grooming trade show or a new team member.

The moment that stranger sees you, their brain makes a thousand assumptions. It might be a new client or someone you meet anywhere else. You are giving off clues about yourself before you ever begin to speak. They are gathering a wealth of nonverbal clues about you.

What are nonverbal clues?

Nonverbal clues include all the ways you present and express yourself, apart from the actual words you speak. Things like eye contact, gestures, posture, body movements, and tone of voice. All of these signals can convey important information that isn’t put into words. They are extremely important at work and in business. Perception is reality.

If you are dealing with a prospective customer – the following items will instantly fly through their head upon your first meeting:

Are you trustworthy?
Will you be kind to their pet?
Do you have the skills required to groom their dog or cat?
Are you likable?
Are you confident?
Will you charge a fair price for your services?

These impressions form at lightning speed. Making major decisions about another person happens within seconds of meeting them.

In business, first impressions are crucial. You can’t stop people from making snap decisions – the human brain is hardwired this way as prehistoric survival mechanism. However, you can understand how to make those decisions work in your favor.

First impressions are more heavily influenced by nonverbal clues than verbal clues. In fact, studies have found that nonverbal clues have over four times the impact on the impression you make than anything you say.

Here are nine nonverbal ways to make a positive first impression with a grooming client, a new team member or a new business associate.

Present yourself professionally. Blue jeans, sweatshirts, T-shirts and a baseball cap are not professional. If you are in your shop or van, wear fresh garments that repel dirt, grime and hair. At a trade show? Dress in ‘professional casual.’

Pay attention to details. Hair style, light make-up (for women) and your nails all give strong visual cues. Having fun with personal style is fine – as long as it stays a little more on the conservative side. Over-the-top piercings, tattoos and gauges will not instantly form a positive impression on most people you meet – especially prospective clients.

Attitude – attitude – attitude. People pick up on your attitude instantly. Before you turn to greet someone, or address a team member, or walk into a trade show, think about the situation. Make a conscious choice about the attitude you want to project.

Fine-tune your posture. Position and authority are non-verbally conveyed by height and space. Standing tall, pulling your shoulders back, and holding your head high are all signs of confidence and competence.

Facial expression. Human faces are incredibly expressive including the eyes, eyebrows, mouth, and any other movement. Open your eyes slightly more than normal to simulate the ‘eyebrow flash’. This is the universal signal of recognition and acknowledgment. Emotions such as anger, happiness, hurt, and boredom are all easily expressed with facial movements.

Smile more. A smile is an invitation, a sign of welcome. It says you are friendly and approachable. Smile at the pooch too. Owners love that!

Make eye contact. To transmit energy look at someone’s eyes. Looking into someone’s eyes indicate interest and openness. And if that person has a pet in tow, make sure you look into the pets eyes as well.

The handshake. This is the quickest way to establish a connection. It’s also the most effective. Here’s an interesting fact. On average it takes about three hours of continuous interaction to develop the same level a rapport that you get with a single handshake. A firm handshake indicates a strong personality. But don’t crush someone else’s hand – as groomers, our hands are typically really strong! A weak handshake is taken as a lack of strength.

Lean forward slightly. Leaning forward shows you’re engaged and attentive. But be respectful of the other person space. That normally means staying about two feet away.

Every encounter from chatting with new clients, going to trade shows or attending training sessions presents an opportunity to meet people. It’s a great way to network, expanding your professional contacts. Making a positive first impression counts. You’ve got nine seconds – but if you handle it well, those nine seconds are all you need.

~Happy trimming,

Melissa

PS.

You should check out our videos on Learn2GroomDogs.com. Here is a featured video clip from our channel on YouTube:

Creating the Round Head with a Clipper – Drop Coated Head Styling

There are a number of different ways to create a round head style on a dog.

Here are two clipper options that will help you be more consistent from trim to trim.

Setting the Pattern

Use this hold to define sections of the head that are to be clipped or to be hand scissored:

Standing in front of the dog, place your hands just behind the eyes so both thumbs touch under the jaw and both first fingers touch just above the eyes.

Anything behind your hands is considered the skull and should be clipped.
Anything in front of your fingers is considered the eye area and muzzle and should be shaped by hand.

Using a similar hold, place your fingers around the neck of the dog. Slide your hands up until they rest at the base of the ears. This is your dividing line between the neck and headpiece.

The length will vary based on client preference and length of body coat. The shorter the body length, the shorter the head should be. Longer trims look balanced with longer head styles as long as they are not extreme. In both cases, it’s most important that the head be in balance with the body.

Style Option #1:

Take the same blade used to trim the body and use it again for the top of the head and down the sides of the cheeks.
If a #4F, #5F, #7F or #2 guard was used on the body, follow the natural lay of the coat, working out from the center of the skull.
Feather the coat over the tops of the ears and at the transition line just behind the eyes separating the head with the muzzle area. There will be an imaginary line just behind the eyes where you can feel the eye socket rims. The hair over the eyes in this area should be left to hand scissor, framing the eyes in the final stages of the trim.
Lift the ears out of the way and come down the sides of the face, in the cheek/jowl area. Follow the lay of the coat and blend into the clipped neck. Leave just enough hair at the back corners of the eyes to complete the framework for the eyes in the finished trim.

Style Option #2

Use a medium to medium-long guard comb for small – to medium-sized pets; longer combs can be used on larger dogs. The key is the head should ‘balance’ the trim and compliment the dog in size and shape.
Due to the length of coat these combs leave, they are most effective when pulled forward from the occiput to the eye area. Your goal is to feather to coat at the transition point, softly framing the eyes. The outer edge of the guard comb should ride right at the junction point of where the ear meets the skull.
The cheeks and jowl areas are handled the same way as outlined above.

Common Styling Techniques with Both Round Head Styles

The stop area should be trimmed for both options. Personally, I like to catch this area when I do my close sanitation work just before I do the full haircut. Don’t remove too much coat between the eyes – less will be better than more. Focus on the area just in front of the eyes and the stop area. Use thinning shears or clip the area with a close blade, such as a #10 or a #15. This will clear the area of long fur and accentuate a nice, deep-set eye.

With both head styles, the framed area over the eyes should be scissored by hand. Comb the coat forward over the eyes, making sure to get the hair in the stop area, too.

Scissor off the longer hair at a 45-degree angle, starting at the stop area. The fur will be super short right above the eye and taper out slightly over the eye, framing it.

Use straight or curved shears in reverse, framing the eyes trimming up and over the eyes. The beveled edge creates a ledge for the longer coat to sit on, keeping it out of the eyes. It also creates a desirable “soft expression.” A deep-set eye adds dignity and character to the facial expression, too. There should be just enough depth to this frame to accomplish the look, but not so much as to give a heavy “visor” look.

Double-check and triple check this line framing the eyes. It is the most important part of the entire trim. Pay close attention to the stop area – this is an area that long strays love to hide. The last thing you want is to have random hairs pop out once the dog gets home!

Once you are satisfied that the frame is even, the line will still be sharp. Soften the framed area with thinning shears.

Double-check the line just behind the eyes where the clipper work feathers off. It should be smooth and even at the transition point.

Check the transition lines over and around the ears and neck. Use thinning shears to neaten these areas. Make sure to look behind and under the ears too. Follow the line under the jaw, too. Everything should be even, neat and tidy.

The muzzle on many round head styles is trimmed by hand, keeping the eyes and nose at the center. However, there are multiple style options. Many stylists like to continue their longer guard comb work on the muzzle as well. Or you can scissor it by hand.

When using a guard come on the muzzle, you can work either with the grain of the coat or against the coat growth with longer combs. Once you are close to a consistent length – stop and finish the area by hand with thinner or blending shears.

For hand scissoring the muzzle coat, comb the coat down. Use the jawbone as your guide. Trim parallel to the jawbone adjusting the length as needed. Once the length is established, finish trimming the area with thinning shears for a soft and even look.

Many owners appreciate removing the longer hair right under the nose, at the end of the muzzle. On round-headed dogs, this is extra fur that gets messy at feeding time – collecting water and picking up all sorts of nasty things as the dog is outdoors sniffing around. There are two basic ways to deal with this area:

Simply hold the dog’s mouth firmly closed and quickly remove the extra hair with a close blade – anything from a #30 #15 or #10 blade will work. Just watch that tongue!
Hand scissoring works, too. Use either thinners or a smaller pair of shears to trim the hair away from this area. Comb the coat forward at the end of the muzzle. Trim off the excess. You can also taper the area back towards the neck. This will help prevent dirt and debris from collecting in this area and provide a neat and tidy appearance to the overall head.

To finish the head style, soften all lines with thinning or blending shears. Look for stray hair or anything that is out of place. There should be no sharp lines anywhere on the head. From side-to-side you are looking for symmetry, both in length and density.

In the end, the expression should be soft and kind. The eyes will be the key feature you want to highlight. Framing the eyes, you bring out the pet’s expression – something every pet owner loves to see!

If you liked this lesson, you’ll love this video. You’ll find it on Learn2GroomDogs.com.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/NzLWtaBFAoc[/youtube]

Not a member? It’s easy to join – click here!

Happy trimming!

~Melissa

Thinning Shears are the Pet Stylist’s Eraser

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been grooming or how talented you are as a pet stylist – sometimes you just need a little help. An “oops” can occur at any time. Mistakes happen.

Thinning shears can be your savior. They erase rough spots. They blend out jagged edges. They smooth out transition areas. They fix mistakes.

The difference between a good stylist and a great stylist can be determined by how much value they place on their blending shears.

I always suggest you personally try out thinning shears before you purchase them. Just like Colin Taylor says, shears are like shoes. You need to find the ones that fit… you! They have to fit properly as well as cut smoothly and run effortlessly in your hands.

Most high quality blending shears will have an average cost of $150 – $350. Of course, you can spend more if you like. Your equipment is an investment in your career. You may not need the Rolls-Royce when you first start out — but you do need something that is reliable and dependable. Luckily, there are many styles and varieties from which to choose.

Happy trimming!

-Melissa

How to Get Velvet Scissor Finish

Is scissoring becoming a lost art? I’m all for speed and efficiency but if you are proficient with your shears, you can trim a dog almost as fast without the shortcut aids of clippers and guard combs .

If you are serious about creating quality in your finished trims, you need to master the art of scissoring.

How do you do it? How to you get a coat that is plush like velvet?
When you comb through it, no stray hairs stick out. There are no rough spots in the coat. The dog looks great when it leaves the shop. Not only that, the trim holds together for 2 days, 2 weeks or even up to 6 weeks after the grooming.

Here are the 3 Elements of Great Scissoring.

# 1. Core Skills
No matter how capable you are as a scissorer, if the foundation of a groom isn’t sound, you never get that velvet finish. The dog needs to be clean, really clean – squeaky clean. The coat blown is blown dry so EVERY hair is straight. No waves. No curls. When you sink a comb deep into the coat, it pulls through smoothly. There cannot be a mat or tangle in the coat. Every hair shaft is separated, light and airy.

These items are ‘core skills’ – skills that need to be mastered to perfection in order to accomplish gorgeous scissor work. Your core skills of the grooming process must be solid.

If the foundation of a building were not sound, would you feel comfortable spending time there?

#2. Tools
You’ll need a variety of tools and products to get a beautiful result. You’ll need few pairs of straight, curved, and blending shears in a combination of lengths, curvatures and tooth configurations. The higher the quality of the shear, the better of a cut you will get.

This doesn’t mean you need a hundred pairs of scissors in your collection – but you do need more than two.

Generally, the quality of a shear is directly related to cost – like everything else, you get what you pay for. Don’t be afraid to spend a few hundred dollars on a good pair of shears. If you take care of them, they will last for most of your career.

Build your collection over time. You don’t need to do it in one swoop. Before you invest, try them. Talk to leading stylists and find out what shears they like. Don’t forget, one of the most important items when buying scissors, make sure they fit YOUR hand and feel comfortable as you run them. Trade shows are one of the best places to shop for shears. You’ll find hundreds of choices.

#3. Running the Shears
You must hold and run the shears correctly. Holding them correctly will balance the shear in your hand minimizing stress. You will have the most control over your shears if you run them with your thumb and ring finger. TO get that velvet finish, you’ll need to scissor with your body, not just your hand or arm.

You need to move – following over the dog’s body in a fluid motion. Depending on the shear, sometimes you need to keep you hand dead steady as you run the shears. Many times with thinners and blenders, you’ll need to give the shear a slight bounce. If you look, there are books, videos, exercises and seminars on this topic alone.

There is nothing more gratifying than seeing an exquisitely scissored dog. It could be in the contest ring, at a certification test site or simply walking out of your salon on a daily basis. It represents top quality work. Consistently producing top quality grooms represents success to any pet groomer or stylist. Mastering the art of a velvet scissor finish on a dog is a testament to a true artist.

There are many scissoring lessons from champion groomers in the training library at learn2groomdogs.com. One of my favorites is from Colin Taylor. According to Colin, “Scissors are like shoes.” Start your collection and you’ll see what he means!

Click here to watch a sneak peek of
Colin Taylor: Basic Shear Control for a Velvet Finish

Click here to watch a sneak peek of
Kendra Otto: Confessions of a Shears Junkie