Need some help please with clipping

Bought myself a pair of Wahl dog clippers today, and although I've clipped hundreds of horses in my time, never dogs, so I need some help please!

I know you don't clip german shepherds, even though all mine have been longcoats, I've only ever trimmed their feet and trousers, BUT, I currently have a very itchy gsd who suffers terribly with an untreatable skin disease, so I'm going to go in and try to help him out a bit with some serious haircutting! (I don't want any advice thankyou on skin disorders, I'm a guru on skin problems having owned this dog for 4 years now and my vet said there's nothing more they can do for him, so thanks anyway, but I don'tneed any advice on this )

What I would like to know is, am I right in assuming the longer the attachment the longer it will leave the fur? (My Lister horseclippers never had these plastic clip on's!) I want to attack close to the skin around his derriere and thin out his trousers considerably to let the air get to his skin please? Although I got a DVD with the clippers, they're only showing me how to do a poodle clip or a bichon and quite honestly, I don't think Georgie would be very impressed with me if he got one of those!

I'm pretty safe with clippers, I probably wouldn't give him any clipper rash or sores coz I'm used to handling them with a horse, so could I perhaps not use any of the attachments if I want to get very close around his rear end bits? I've got a very steady hand too, I don't think I'd nick him or hurt him Talking of this, am I also right in assuming the close together, i.e. at the top edge, I have the two blades, is this a close cut, so I should bring them back down for a less close shave please?

Any help you can throw at me would be much appreciated, or if you can point me in a direction where I could get some advice on exactly how to go about trimming up a 50kg. gsd would be most appreciated! Many thanks indeed for any help whatsoever (apart from help with his skin, I honestly don't need it, he's got an auto immune disease which cannot be cured).

Hiya, sorry to hear of Georgie's skin problems (I may have to come to you for advice on Seths skin problems )

You are right, the longer the comb attachment the longer the hair thats left, just don't go against the grain of the coat as you may bald him, particularly with no comb attachments! (you probably realise this anyway having clipped horses )
Can't remember if trhe blades cut shorter if you lift the arm up on the side (that long since I used whal clippers)

Failing all else find a good groomer and ask them to do it for you and ask to stay whilst its being done, so you get exactly what you want

I've just been debating stripping Seths coat in an attempt to help ease his itchy skin but decided against it even though he's just had a really bad bout of sores as I didn't want to take the risk of his coat growing back too thick etc cos I eventually want to get him in the show ring, so I opted to shave the barest mimimum and he's been looking like a shaggy scarecrow but his skin has eased up alot. I used to have the Whal clippers but since finishing my grooming course I invested in a pair of Andis

Good Luck and hope George appreciates his mum's help! :smt001

We used to clip my fluffy GSD round the trousers and tummy as she became incontinent and it helped keep her clean and avoid urine burn, my sister did it so I can't help on technicalities but we did learn that too little was better than too much - poor dog wouldn't leave the house for weeks after one haircut as my sister kept trying to "even it up" - BIG MISTAKE!

Yes the comb attachments will leave the coat longer. I would use the longest comb on the blad and clipp in the wrong direction that the coat is growing i.e. against the growth. You will get a better finish like that.
I would also recommend combing the coat through first, or do it bit by bit as you clip, as this will save your blades.
Becky

we used to clip our ckcs every summer - and boy did she appreciate it! She looked as cute as a button and even when she was 11 still looked like a puppy after she had been clipped.

The plastic clips are normally numbered so you could start on the longest (ours was a No. 6) and it that didnt take enough off work down till you are happy - make a note of the number to save you the next time!

without the plastic clips you will do a close shave and yes you can move the blades down to vary the closeness. As you are used to doing the horses it should be no problem for you

I hope it helps with Georgies skin problems and that he gets some relief.

Wow, thanks guys a mind of information you lot!!! Unfortunately, I can't do it today now, coz he decided to chew half his tail away this morning first thing, and it's so sore, it hurts him. I slapped on the Fuciderm which I don't have enough of, so I'm off to the vets again with him at 4.30 She'll probably give me more ab's along with more Fuciderm.

I get what you're saying about the against the grain bit as opposed to with the grain. For horses of course, we always went against the grain to get as close as possible to the skin, coz the whole point of the exercise there is to stop them sweating up. I noticed it did say on the instruction video, when using the attachments to always go against the grain. I will start off as long as poss. then until I get used to the idea. I remember when they shaved him all underneath for his scan, how he stopped chewing himself in that area, and that's what gave me the idea! At the moment, I just want to take all the thickness of the trousers away, get close up to him around his anal area, and thin out his back, which is super duper thick, like a carpet!!! When it gets really hot in the summer, Imight go for a full clip, for one it will make him a darn sight cooler, maybe stop him itching, and quite honestly, I don't care what he looks like as long as he's more comfortable!

Thanks very, very much, you've helped me out more than you realise you guys!

I think I'll stick to mowing my husbands head, I'm not sure Dingo would appreciate a short back and sides.

Well, all I can say is, give me a horse to clip anyday, even a great big shire horse at that!!!

I thought I'd catch him having his afternoon nap, and I must say he was as good as gold, I couldn't have asked for better! I started with the longest attachment, and managed to trim up his trousers nicely and his front leg feathering. Then I got brave and put the smallest one on to tidy up around his derriere, but that was a bit too risky, so I put the longer one back on again, coz I felt safer with that! All in all, I've not done a bad job either, he looks a lot, lot smarter I must say, so I hope the vet is suitably impressed later! I must admit, I did cheat when I did under his feet with no attachment at all, as I decided to use the fine combe to get the hairs through before clipping them off, at least his little pads were safe that way!

I can't send him to the groomers, coz last time they bathed him and groomed and clipped him down his chest, and when I got him home he scratched more than ever, even though I left her his special shampoo!!! I think the problem is, she bathed him as opposed to showering him, and I don't think they got all the shampoo out coz he was a nightmare with his scratching, and that's why I am having to resort to it myself, I just can't risk it again with the groomers, be it them or anyone else! I wish I had you guys nearer and I could call on you, but there's just nobody I could trust around here coz even the last one came highly recommended to me!!!

The more I do with him, the more confident I will be, so when it comes to taking most of it off, it'll be a doddle - I hope! I did thin out a lot of his back fur with the longer attachment, but I went WITH the grain for that, coz I only wanted to thin it out, not shorten it all - that day will come though!

I still say a horse is much easier though! The fur is the same all the way over, you can take longer strokes without taking the clippers off the horse, so no tram lines, and the risk of nicking is minimal because of the sheer size! I'm quite pleased with myself though I must say, thanks to your help!