How to shave your dog at home
Pheonix after her shave
Learning how to shave your dog at home can save you money on grooming while helping keep your dog cool, comfortable and free from mats. Whether you're grooming a Cavoodle, Groodle, Labradoodle, Spoodle, Schnoodle or another long-haired breed, using the right clipper blade and technique is the key to achieving a smooth, even finish.
In this guide, I'll cover the basics of shaving your dog's coat and share a few professional tips. Then, if you'd like to see every step in action, you can watch my complete YouTube tutorial where I demonstrate the full groom from start to finish.
Before you start
Before clipping your dog's coat, make sure it is:
Fully brushed and free from knots and mats
Freshly washed
Completely dry
Blow-dried straight using a pet dryer
Clipping a dirty or tangled coat can cause your clippers to snag, pull on your dog's skin and leave an uneven finish.
Related guides:
What you'll need
Before you begin, you'll need:
A pair of dog grooming clippers, I use Heinigar cordless clippers
A clipper blade suited to your desired coat length (I use a 7F blade for this groom)
Mini trimmers (for paws, armpits and hygiene areas)
Belly sling (helpful for dogs that like to sit during grooming)
Choosing the right clipper blade
For this tutorial, I use a 7F blade, which leaves the coat approximately 3.2 mm (1/8 inch) long.
It's one of my favourite blades for:
Summer haircuts
Dogs with heavily matted coats
Low-maintenance trims
If you'd prefer a slightly longer finish, a 5F blade leaves the coat around 6.4 mm (1/4 inch) long.
Not sure which blade to choose? Check out my guide comparing dog clipper blade lengths to see exactly how each blade looks on the coat.
How to shave your dog
I like to groom in a consistent order, working from the largest areas first before moving onto the finer detail work.
During the groom I'll show you how I shave:
Back
Sides
Belly
Back legs
Front legs
Tail
Hygiene area
Armpits
Neck
Face
Ears
Fringe
Muzzle
Paws
Along the way I'll also share professional grooming tips, including how to safely work around loose skin, fatty lumps, sensitive areas and mats, while explaining when to switch from clippers to mini trimmers or scissors.
Helpful dog grooming tips
A few simple habits can make clipping much easier:
Brush the coat with a slicker brush before every pass with the clippers for an even finish.
Let the clipper blade glide over the coat, don't press it into the skin.
Keep your clipper blades cool by checking them regularly against the inside of your wrist.
Work with the direction of hair growth for the smoothest finish.
Stretch loose skin with your free hand when clipping delicate areas.
Give your dog regular breaks and reward them throughout the groom.
Related guides
Once you've mastered shaving the body, these step-by-step guides will help you perfect the finer details:
Watch my step-by-step video
Want to see exactly how to shave your dog at home?
In the video below, I'll take you through an entire full-body groom from start to finish, showing you exactly how I clip each part of the body, which blades and tools I use, and the professional techniques I've learnt as a dog groomer to achieve a smooth, even finish while keeping your dog safe and comfortable.
Watch the full step-by-step tutorial and groom along with me >
I’m a qualified dog groomer and fur-mum to two cavoodles; Soda and Poppy. I’m passionate about the health and wellbeing of dogs, as well as helping dog parents groom their dogs at home. I’ll teach you the basics, however if you don’t feel comfortable or confident at any time that’s completely fine, book your dog in for a regular groom and pamper session at the salon. Please never leave your dog unattended on a grooming table.
Disclosure: Healthy Happy Paws is a reader supported website. If you purchase products through links on this website we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.