Wet Shaving

Wet Shaving can really come in handy for groomers that don't like clipping a dirty dog before the bath.

Wet Shaving? What is that you ask?

Wet Shaving is exactly what it sounds like, you shave a dog while it is wet.

In my case, I have found that the blade glides through the coat if I shave the dog after the first wash, with the shampoo still on the dog.

I have tried both ways.

With the shampoo rinsed off, and with the shampoo still on.

I prefer, the shampoo still on the dog.

What kind of dogs do I Wet Shave you ask?

Well, to be honest I don't Wet Shave all that often. A lot of my customers are regulars. 

When I do have one of the dogs listed below come in, it's GREAT.

Wet Shaving is great for:

Once-a-year clip downs

Matted dogs

Pelted dogs

Really dirty dogs

I groomed 'Joey' the other day.

He is a Standard Poodle.

It has been a little over a year since I last groomed 'Joey'.

He was a perfect candidate for a Wet Shave.

Over grown, matted, and very dirty.

I am sorry that I did not think to take a picture of 'Joey' before the bath.

Just picture a big, giant, hairy bear.

I soaped up 'Joey' very well all over, working the shampoo in well to the skin.

I noticed that the matting was not tight to the skin, so I started with a #4F blade.

(I would work my way down till I found a blade that would glide through the coat easily and safely.)

The #4F worked great. It glided right through the coat.

I keep the dogs in the tub.

I have a tub grate that they stand on so that they are not standing in any water.

My clipper is plugged into a grounded outlet, outside of the bathing room.

My cord is also kept outside of the tub.

The clipper glides through the soapy, wet, matted hair very easily.

The blade stays nice and cool.

There is no fighting to cut through dirty hair.

It took me a little over 10 minutes to clip the hair off of his body.

As you can see, the hair came off in one piece on this dog.

The hair will not always come off in one piece on every dog.

After clipping his body, I gave him one more quick shampooing. 

Now, here is where any groomer reading this blog would yell at me.

I did not Wet Shave the legs on this dog.

Why??

I have a sickness...

I can't help it.

I've tried.

Really!

I like to leave the legs a little longer then the body whenever possible.

I know, I know.

'Joey' has not been groomed in a YEAR.

The owners don't deserve it.

I know!

But..'Joey's legs, believe it or not, were not very matted.

I knew that I could get a 3/4 blade through the legs without dematting them.

I HV dried 'Joey' straight from the bath.

I ran the #4F over his body again.

I clipped his legs with the 3/4 blade and then scissored them.

I did not do it for the owners, I did it for my own sickness.

I have a thing for shaved, stick legs.

I hate them.

'Joey's' legs are still too short for me, but I think they are a good length for a owner that does not regularly groom their dog.

One more thing about Wet Shaving... 

It is very important to CLEAN and DRY your blade(s) and clipper RIGHT after you finish Wet Shaving.

 I first spray my blade, all over, while it is still running, with Cool Lube.

I have found that the trick to using Cool Lube, is to shake off, and blow the excess Cool Lube off the blade.

I pull the blade completely apart and wipe it dry all over.

I use a flat head screw driver to slide the cutting blade back into place.

I also wipe down and clean out my clipper.

The clipper and blade work fine after Wet Shaving.

(The one time that I did not clean my blade right away, it became dull.)

I am pleased with 'Joey's' Wet Shave grooming.

He came out velvety soft.

Oh...I know the ears are uneven.

I fixed them after the picture was taken. :)

Joey's Groom:

Body: Wet Shave with #4F blade, follow up after the bath with #4F again.

Legs: 3/4 blade after the bath and scissor.

Face: #15 setting on the cordless Wahl Chromado

Feet: # 40 setting on the cordless Wahl Chromado

Head: scissor topknot

Ears: Even up

Happy Grooming, MFF