Do I need a haircut?
Haircut or grooming of a Labrador is included in the mandatory range of rules for the care of this breed.
The coat of this dog quickly acquires an unpresentable appearance, so many owners are increasingly inclined to believe that a dog haircut is the most convenient and correct way to preserve the exterior.
A specially trained groomer copes most skillfully with the haircut of a labrador. Before the procedure, he himself produces the necessary set of measures – bathes and combs.
Hair cutting can be a way out if one of the family members is allergic, it also helps to avoid matted hair on the dog’s body and tangles.
Should I cut it myself or entrust it to a professional?
When solving this question, the answer is obvious.
If you have enough skills to cut a dog, then you can do it yourself. But in the case when you have never picked up a typewriter in your life, it is better not to risk it, but to give the dog into the hands of a master.
A groomer is a specialist whose purpose is to give the appearance of a dog a harmonious and aesthetic appearance. The list of his services includes not only shearing of wool, but also its cleaning, styling, even trimming claws.
Remember that the appearance of your pet directly depends on the ability to use the machine.
If you doubt your abilities, leave this matter to a professional, because with careless movement, the dog can be injured.
The main types of haircuts
The haircut of labradors can be of the following types:
- Puppy dog. Haircut is used quite rarely and only in those conditions when excess vegetation on the puppy’s body really interferes with it.
- For boys. Emphasizes the physique so that no one has any doubt that it is a male in front of him. It refers to a kind of exhibition haircut (shown in the photo below).
- For girls. It also belongs to the category of exhibition. Some areas on the body of the Labrador are left long to emphasize the dog’s grace.
- Exhibition. Such a haircut can only be done by a professional groomer. His task is to emphasize the natural lines of the dog, its virtues.
- Hygienic. This type can be done by yourself at home. It consists in trimming the fur on the paws between the fingers, around the genitals and the anus. If necessary, the removal of vegetation is performed on the inner surface of the thigh.
Remember that the best haircut for a Labrador is the one that looks natural and inconspicuous.
For boys
For Labrador males, there is one standard type of haircut.
Remove the feathering on the legs and too long hair on the hips, belly and tail.
This emphasizes the natural advantages of the dog, its strength, and also allows experts to observe the dog’s physique during activity when evaluating.
For girls
This view is slightly different from the previous one. In girls, in addition to physical fitness, it is the grace with which she moves that plays an important role.
To emphasize the natural features of the bitch, groomers leave wool on the belly and chest.
Girls with haircuts “for boys” cause mixed responses from the commission at exhibitions and competitions, which males avoid.
How often to perform the procedure?
The care of Labrador fur depends on the time of year:
- In winter, the Labrador coat does not need a haircut. It is enough just to comb out or trim the tangles in time, if they form.
- In summer, the situation is more complicated. If you have made such a decision, you need to cut the Labrador no more than once a week with the most abundant hair. The best option is once every week and a half. Dogs need to be combed with approximately the same frequency.
Labradors really like procedures with their fur, so you can easily turn this process into a game.
Breed Standard
It is possible to determine purebred and compliance with the standard by the average indicators of weight, height, color and age of the dog:
- weight in males – 30-35 kg, in females – 25-32 kg,
- height at the withers – from 54 to 56 cm,
- coat color: chocolate, fawn and black. It is worth considering that the shades of these standard colors can be very diverse: from light
- chocolate to cream. It all depends on the type of breed,
- the coat is short, stiff, dense,
- the physique is athletic, the musculature is well developed,
- the ears are hanging, the chest is wide, there are webs between the fingers on the paws,
- the tail is short, thick at the base and narrower at the end.
Necessary tools
To provide the dog with minimal grooming, you need to stock up on basic attributes. The most basic thing is a typewriter and scissors. If you are planning just a hygienic haircut, then a typewriter will be enough.
In the case when you have planned a complex haircut that claims to be an exhibition, then professional devices may not be needed, you can do with a hobby-class device.
It will successfully remove all tangles and fluff.
A hair clipper, or a so-called hair cutter, can be of three types:
- Vertical (looks like a comb).
- Horizontal (similar to a knife with 9-12 blades, sharpened on one side and rounded for safety on the other).
- Drop (pocket koltunorez).
You can choose the device that will be more convenient for you to use, they are all good to use.
It will not be superfluous to have a special couch on which it will be convenient to cut the dog. On uneven surfaces, it will be possible to injure the dog and your hands.
How to cut it yourself?
It is much more convenient to cut a dog with a typewriter than with scissors, but these processes are similar in many ways.
The following areas are treated with a short nozzle:
- Chest;
- Paws;
- Intimate area;
- Anal area;
- Belly.
The muzzle of Labradors is not cut.
A long nozzle is used to remove the hair from these parts of the dog’s body:
- Sides;
- Back (if necessary);
- Tail.
Before the haircut, the dog must be bathed and combed. Try to untangle the tangles with your fingers, but if it doesn’t work out, then use a tangle cutter. When cutting, hold them with your fingers and do not pull them off, so as not to cause pain to the animal.
Caution!
The genital area needs to be treated with extra care and care – this is the most problematic area.
In order not to injure the dog’s genitals, hold them with your hand.
Cutting the fur between the pads of the paws usually does not encounter difficulties.
After you remove the wool from the rest of the body, it should be trimmed with scissors, and also perform a milling, if necessary.
You should always remember that grooming a dog at home is a very difficult task. It requires a lot of attention, as well as careful preparation.
Even buying a special car is not cheap. Without such a device, it will not be possible to achieve a good appearance.
How to properly care for wool
- Labrador fur care consists of the following procedures:
- Combing the undercoat with a comb with straight metal teeth;
- Combing with a rigid metal brush with crooked teeth (pukhoderka);
- Combing with a silicone glove or rubber brush;
- A haircut.
Combing with a comb with straight teeth is necessary only during the period of active molting. It is necessary to scratch in the direction of hair growth in the back and tail area.
Combing with a fluffer is performed during the growth of the awn, then against and again after growth.
With special care, this should be done in the area of the lower chest and paws.
Combing with a rubber comb or silicone glove is performed only from the head to the tail. It is necessary to give a gloss to the appearance of the dog.
It is necessary to cut the hairs on the paws, tail and the area between the fingers. A full haircut is suitable for a dog living in an apartment.
Bathing a Labrador with various shampoos is not recommended too often. This is necessary to avoid washing off the protective layer from the hair, which does not allow the dog to get wet. To eliminate the specific smell, use dry shampoos.