# Direction to run clippers, head to back?



## jackidevaney (Oct 6, 2008)

I am a new member. I have a little Yorkie and have started clipping her myself (no groomer available). Which direction should I clip her? From her head to her rear or from her rear towards her head? Thanks.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

jackidevaney said:


> I am a new member. I have a little Yorkie and have started clipping her myself (no groomer available). Which direction should I clip her? From her head to her rear or from her rear towards her head? Thanks.



DON'T go from rear to head! LOL Clip WITH the grain of the hair, doing the back first, from shoulder straight back toward the tail. Then, you'll need to go with the grain down the sides (toward the tummy/chest). Well, difficult to describe, easy to show you! Get an instructional DVD that shows everything from how to use the clipper, which blade to use for what, and shows/tells step by step what to do. I know of an excellent one for Poodles, but not for Yorkies. Maybe someone here can recommend one to you.

Which blade to use is also important. What kind of clipper are you using? They usually come with a #10 blade, which would clip way too close. Did you get additional blades?


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## jackidevaney (Oct 6, 2008)

poodleholic said:


> DON'T go from rear to head! LOL Clip WITH the grain of the hair, doing the back first, from shoulder straight back toward the tail. Then, you'll need to go with the grain down the sides (toward the tummy/chest). Well, difficult to describe, easy to show you! Get an instructional DVD that shows everything from how to use the clipper, which blade to use for what, and shows/tells step by step what to do. I know of an excellent one for Poodles, but not for Yorkies. Maybe someone here can recommend one to you.
> 
> Which blade to use is also important. What kind of clipper are you using? They usually come with a #10 blade, which would clip way too close. Did you get additional blades?


Thank you for your reply.  And your advice. I just ordered an Andis AG one-speed that comes with a #10 blade. I also ordered a #4 blade. I like her to have a shorter cut but with a short skirt and rounded face with some hair sticking up between her ears but the tips of the ears short. I have clipped my little half maltese half schnauzer for 14 years and I found that with him, going against the grain with a #5 worked best although it was very short. (I just did that on his back.) Almost skinned him. He looked neat as a pin though. Whereas, if I went with the growth of the hair it left ridges. Maybe the #5 blade I have is a skip tooth. I didn't know such a thing existed until I started researching to order blades. I think I will look online and see if I can find a video for clipping yorkies. Thank you very much for your help. I really appreciate your input. 

Jacki


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

You can go either way, with the growth, or against the growth. It will be shorter if you go against the growth. If you are using a clip/snap on attachment (for longer lengths) you will get a nicer finish if you go against the growth. If you are doing short on the back, with a "skirt" I would not recommend going against the growth, as it will be very hard to blend. I would not recommend using a skip tooth blade against the growth though, as you could easily catch skin and cut the dog. I find a nice look for yorkies with a skirt is a #2 snap on attachment over a #30 blade for the back. Its nice and natural, easy to blend, yet short enough for easy maintenance. I would scissor the legs and skirt, and the face.


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## jackidevaney (Oct 6, 2008)

Graco22 said:


> You can go either way, with the growth, or against the growth. It will be shorter if you go against the growth. If you are using a clip/snap on attachment (for longer lengths) you will get a nicer finish if you go against the growth. If you are doing short on the back, with a "skirt" I would not recommend going against the growth, as it will be very hard to blend. I would not recommend using a skip tooth blade against the growth though, as you could easily catch skin and cut the dog. I find a nice look for yorkies with a skirt is a #2 snap on attachment over a #30 blade for the back. Its nice and natural, easy to blend, yet short enough for easy maintenance. I would scissor the legs and skirt, and the face.


The clippers I have had for years are Oster that came with #10 and #5. Maybe they wouldn't have put a #5 skip tooth with the package like that. I have never cut my little maltese schnauzer mix with them in the 14 years I have clipped him. So maybe the #5 isn't a skip tooth. Anyway, I really appreciate all the advice I am getting from this forum.  I do like Sara Jane's hairdo short on her back with a short skirt. I hope the #4F will work for that because that is what I have coming in the mail any day now. Maybe if I hate the outcome I will have to order a #30 blade and a #2 snap attachment as you suggested.
Thanks again.

Jacki


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

A skip tooth blade has wider teeth, and there are short teeth, then long teeth, etc. A 5F (full teeth) will have the feeder teeth all the same length. You can use a 5 skip no problems, as long as you are careful. Its easy for skin to slip in them though, as well as small areas like hocks, elbows, etc. If you don't like the length the 4 blade leaves, you can use it in reverse. A reverse 4 will leave the length a 7 blade does with the growth. Depending on your yorkies coat texture, the 4 with the grain will leave it anywhere from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch long. If you do go reverse with it, you will have to work harder to blend the skirt/legs.


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## jackidevaney (Oct 6, 2008)

Graco22 said:


> A skip tooth blade has wider teeth, and there are short teeth, then long teeth, etc. A 5F (full teeth) will have the feeder teeth all the same length. You can use a 5 skip no problems, as long as you are careful. Its easy for skin to slip in them though, as well as small areas like hocks, elbows, etc. If you don't like the length the 4 blade leaves, you can use it in reverse. A reverse 4 will leave the length a 7 blade does with the growth. Depending on your yorkies coat texture, the 4 with the grain will leave it anywhere from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch long. If you do go reverse with it, you will have to work harder to blend the skirt/legs.


Well for crying out loud! I have a #5 skip tooth that I have used for years on my little guy. No wonder it looked smoother when I went against the grain! I find it interesting that they would send that in a package though. I didn't know the difference. I just used what I had. I will try going with the grain with the #4F. I think that will be the length that we like. Thank you very much for your help. 

Jacki


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## musicmom116 (Jul 8, 2008)

Oh dear, I was actually thinnking of trying to groom Dallas myself. But this thread is starting to sound like one of those horrible/confusing math problems from high school LOL. I'm thinking maybe I'm not ready to groom her myself. It would be awesome if I could learn though.


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## jackidevaney (Oct 6, 2008)

musicmom116 said:


> Oh dear, I was actually thinnking of trying to groom Dallas myself. But this thread is starting to sound like one of those horrible/confusing math problems from high school LOL. I'm thinking maybe I'm not ready to groom her myself. It would be awesome if I could learn though.


Funny! My husband is always telling me that it will grow out! So I'm game.


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## 0hmyd0g (Aug 18, 2008)

WOW! My world is turned around after reading this thread! I read this article a week ago and thought "clipping AGAINST the grain?! NO WAY" .... So I tried it.... 
I used a plastic 1/2 inch clip on comb with a # 30 on a Labradoodle. At first it was VERY awkward to go from tail to head! And then I realized that I actually can do a smooth groom with a clip on comb! I'm so happy because I've been grooming for 2 years and this is so good to know that it can look so smooth with a plastic clip on.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Ohmydog, there are many great ways to use reverse clipping. Those dogs that have "yucky" coats that never look even and nice...try reverse. And those dreaded lab shavedowns that look terrible with a 7F ( I won't go shorter than a 7) try a 4F in reverse...smooth, even and the length of a 7. Keep experimenting with it..start longer if you aren't sure, and go shorter from there if you want. I agree, it still feels awkward for me to go backwards..LOL Very wierd feeling when you are so used to going with the grain.


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## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

Well, you can go either way actually; Yorkies notoriously do not come off evenly with the normal 'front to back' type clipping, so when I have to clip them off shorter than usual, I run the clipper backwards, which results in a lovely smooth appearance; the only thing to be aware of with backwards clipping is that the blade you use will come off shorter, so if you want a #4 blade appearance, you'll want to invest in a 3 3\4 blade. 

It was about 2 years ago, when I kept getting lots of Lab shave offs (I know, weird...short haired dogs shortened even more!), and I HATED the appearance of the 7 or 9 blades that I was using...I could get them smooth, but not as smooth as I liked; so one day, I decided to 'go against the grain of normal groomer's thinking' and shaved that dog of backwards with a 7...and he looked GREAT! I think that only resulted in me getting even more of these types of shave offs, but oh well... Now I use the reverse clip on alot of dogs.


If you want a 7 blade appearance, go with either a #4 or #5 blade...


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## JRT_Rattie_Mom (Sep 13, 2008)

musicmom116 said:


> Oh dear, I was actually thinnking of trying to groom Dallas myself. But this thread is starting to sound like one of those horrible/confusing math problems from high school LOL. I'm thinking maybe I'm not ready to groom her myself. It would be awesome if I could learn though.


I'm a groomer... and one of my favorite "toys" is a Laube Speed Feed Trimmer. It's cordless, but comes with 2 batteries, plus a charger for rapid charging and another slot for longer term charging. The adjustable blade can change sizes with the turn of a switch. Blade sizes; 40, 30, 15, 10 and 9. It also comes with 4 comb attachments that can be used for longer cuts up to 1/2 inch. One of my favorite groomers to get product reviews from has a lot of info on the Speed Feed on her grooming blog here so will post her link: http://groomblog.blogspot.com/2006/03/loving-laube-speed-feed.html 

This trimmer makes a GREAT clipper for smaller dogs, is light weight and SO easy to use... awesome for non-groomers that want to groom their own dogs!


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## echo8287 (Jul 5, 2007)

I was fixing to pose this same question, so I'll just add my question to the mix. I'm using an Andis 2 speed on some Mini Schnauzers. I've got a 10, a 7F and 5F blades. When I cut their backs with the 7F going with the grain they are a tad lumpy. One of em has a more curly coat and it usually shows, they are sisters. I usually let them grow out a bit when it gets cold. I haven't tried going against the grain with the 7F or 5F, but was about to ask if that would work ok? when I saw this post. I use the 10 with the grain on their backs and ears in the summer and clipper their chest,legs and front chest. I considered buying either a 8-1/2 or 9 for their backs anyone use one of those? I also trim my daughter's Yorkie. Thanks for any suggestions, David


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Hello David,

If you use the 7 backwards, it will leave the same length as the #10. The 5 backwards will leave the length of the 7, maybe a tad shorter. If you want the length of the 7, but dont' like the finish you get going with the grain using a 7, then you want a 4F or a 3 3/4F blade, used in reverse. You will get a better, smoother, more even finish going in reverse. It is also very important to blow dry the dogs after bathing them. You need to brush and blow dry RIGHT before clipping them. By doing that, you will get the coat fluffy and separated, as well as straighter. That in itself is going to give you a much better finish.


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## echo8287 (Jul 5, 2007)

Thank you for that reply. That was the info I was looking for. I was about to order another blade, now I'll know which one to get. I usually let their hair grow out some when it starts to get cold. Its so hot here in the summer(Ga.) I keep them shaved down. I usually brush them before a cut. The get a bath about every 2 or 3 weeks and I do blow dry them. They are still pretty good about taking a bath and both of them like to go swimming. Kinda funny to see a little Schnauzer jumping wide open off the dock. David


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## echo8287 (Jul 5, 2007)

Hey Graco22, I washed and clipped my 2 Schnauzer girls today. I cut one with a 7F against the grain and the other with a 5F with the grain. The one cut against the grain is a lot smoother looking. I think the hair is about the same length on both dogs. Thanks for the tips, David


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Glad you tried the reverse clipping. I dont' know if you mixed up what you did or not, but a 7F against the grain will be ALOT shorter than a 5 with the grain. However, a 5 against the grain will be pretty darn close to a 7 with the grain. Is that actually what you did? A 7F against would be the length of a #10 blade, which is pretty short. Either way, I am glad that it worked well for you, and that the cut was smoother.


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