Thinking about giving home grooming a go? There are many reasons why dog owners choose to clip their dogs at home rather than taking them to a professional groomer – and it’s more common than you might think!
Whether you're trying to save on regular grooming fees or have a dog that simply feels more at ease being groomed in familiar surroundings, home grooming can be a rewarding and practical option. It also allows you to spend quality time with your dog while keeping them looking and feeling their best.
You might choose to groom your dog at home if:
- You have a highly nervous or anxious dog
- You’d prefer to avoid the ongoing cost of professional grooming
- Your dog is elderly and needs extra time, care and patience
- You’ve got a puppy and want to gently introduce them to being trimmed
- You just want a simple, tidy trim that’s easy to maintain
- You like to style your dog in a certain way
- You want to keep their coat in good condition between professional grooms
No matter your reason for picking up the clippers, we’re here to guide you through the process with helpful tips and easy-to-follow advice. Grooming at home isn’t just practical – it’s also a great way to bond with your dog and gives you the chance to check for any lumps, bumps, grass seeds or parasites that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Which Dog Clippers Are Best?
When it comes to body clipping your dog, an A5 clipper is your best option – either mains powered or cordless depending on your preference. These are the same types of clippers used in professional grooming salons, so you can be confident in their performance and reliability.
A5 clippers are compatible with a wide range of detachable blades, making them suitable for many different coat types and breeds. You can also use comb guides for a longer, plush finish – with options up to 32mm (1¼ inches) in length – perfect for maintaining a fluffy look while keeping the coat manageable.
At Masterclip, we offer easy-to-use clipping sets for a variety of dog breeds, so you’ll have everything you need to get started. If you’re looking for something more tailored, our Grooming by Breed sets are specially designed for your dog’s specific coat type. You can choose between our mains powered Pedigree Pro A5 dog clipper or the cordless A5 MD Roamer dog clipper which comes with two long-lasting batteries – ideal for flexibility and freedom while you clip (handy for wriggly dogs too!)
Steps To Clip Your Dog At Home
1. Preparation Is Key
Before you get started with the clippers, it’s really important to prepare your dog’s coat properly. This not only makes the grooming process smoother and more comfortable for your dog, but it also helps protect your clipper blades from unnecessary wear and tear.
Make sure your dog is relaxed and settled before you begin. A non-slip mat on your grooming table or floor helps keep them comfortable and steady. Start by gently running your hands through your dog’s coat to check for any knots, tangles or matted areas. Pay close attention to common trouble spots like behind the ears, under the legs, around the neck and along the flanks. If you feel any matting, start by using your fingers to tease them loose then use a slicker brush and a metal comb to carefully work through these areas before bathing. A mat splitting tool is a handy grooming gadget for breaking up larger knots.
Brushing out tangles beforehand is essential. Any knots left in the coat will only tighten during the bathing and drying process, making them much harder to remove. If you come across any large or stubborn mats that can’t be brushed out, you can use your clippers with a close-cutting blade such as a 10F to carefully trim underneath the mat, close to the skin. Always be gentle and take your time, especially when working near sensitive areas.
TOP TIP: Never try to clip a dirty or tangled coat – it can blunt your blades and make clipping more difficult. Clean, dry and brushed-through coats are always best for an even, smooth finish.
2. Bath Your Dog Before Grooming
Bathing your dog before clipping is one of the most important steps in the grooming process – and one that’s often overlooked. A clean coat is much easier to clip, gives a smoother and neater finish, and helps protect your clipper blades from unnecessary damage.Washing removes dirt, grease, and loose hair, which can otherwise clog your blades and cause them to go blunt more quickly. A clean coat also makes the grooming experience more comfortable for your dog.
When choosing a shampoo, opt for a natural, dog shampoo. Avoid conditioning shampoos or ones that contain fillers as these can leave a film on the coat that builds up on clipper blades over time. This not only affects cutting performance but also leads to more frequent blade sharpening or replacements.
We love the WildWash range of shampoos created by a professional dog grooming company based in London and are packed with natural ingredients. These shampoos are gentle on your dog’s skin, kind to the environment, and leave no residue behind, making them ideal for pre-clip baths.
3. Time To Get Dry
Next towel dry your dog as much as possible. You may want to use a hairdryer on a low, cool setting to make sure your dog is completely dry or wait until they naturally air dry, although this can take some time! Brush the coat through to prevent it from tangling Use a slicker brush and combination comb.
4. Clipping The Nails and Trimming The Paws
Lift each paw and check your dog’s nails and pads. If the nails are a little long, use safety dog nail clippers to trim the very ends of each nail. For light nails it's usually easily to see the red vein called the quick. Make sure you trim the nail above this line. For dark nails, just take off the very end of the nail. You could finish by rounding the rough edges of the nail with a file. Watch our nail trimming guide with @Lauren Emily Dog Grooming here.
Next take bull nose scissors, small cordless trimmers such as our Showmate dog trimmer or your clipper with a 10F or toe blade and trim the hair carefully around the pads, taking care not to trim between the toes as you may catch the thin web of skin.
5. Ready For Clipping
Now it's time to get clipping your dog.
- Take a short cutting blade such as a 10F or 7F and trim the underside of the lower belly for a sanitary a trim. You will need to lift the rear legs to keep the skin taught and to help you see where the clippers need to go.
- Next, decide how short you would like the coat to be with either a clipper blade or comb of your choosing and test it on the underside of the dog first. This way you can check you are happy with the length and if it’s a little short, it won’t be obvious that this patch is a little shorter!
- If you’re happy with the length of the clip, start clipping from the back of the neck and clip along the body and down each leg. You may need to lift the fore legs to reach under the armpits and keep the skin taught. Clip down the length of each leg.
- Use Andis cool care spray to keep your clipper blade lubricated and cool, and save time from swapping blades.
- Clip the head and muzzle if desired and don’t forget to clip under the jaw and down the neck. Our Showmate trimmer is ideal for clipping these delicate areas too.
- Use a comb and slicker brush to fluff up the coat and check there are no uneven areas.
Watch professional dog groomer Lauren Emily clip this area here.
Top Clipping Tips
- Remember to run some clipper oil along the teeth and into the sides of the clipper blade before clipping and every 5 minutes during the clip.
- Each time you need to oil the blades, check the blade temperature is comfortable for your dog by testing it on the back of your hand.
- Clip in the direction of the lay of the coat.
- Rest the clipper blade onto the dog so that it’s lying flat rather than pointing down which could dig into the skin and leave an uneven clip.
6. Trimming For A Tidy Finish
Once the main body clip is complete, it’s time to add those finishing touches that really elevate your dog’s groom. Trimming areas like the face, feet, ears and feathering helps give your dog a neat, well-balanced look – and it’s a great opportunity to check them over and keep everything clean and tidy.
Depending on your dog’s breed and coat style, you can use a mix of straight, curved, and thinning scissors to achieve a soft, natural finish or a cute round look.
- Ears and face: Carefully trim the hair in front of the eyes so your dog can see clearly, and neaten up the edges of the ears. Use your fingers to feel where the ear ends and make sure to trim below this point to avoid any accidental nicks. A small trimmer can also be handy for precision work around the face and ears.
- Ear care: While you're there, take a moment to check the inside of the ears. Use a cotton wool pad and a specialist dog ear cleaner to gently wipe away any dirt or wax – but never poke anything deep into the ear canal.
- Beards and rounded faces: For dogs with fluffy faces or beards, use curved or thinning scissors to shape the hair into a soft, rounded style that frames the face nicely.
- Paws and feet: Trim the hair around the paws using curved scissors to give them a neat, rounded look. This not only looks smart but also helps prevent dirt and debris from collecting between the pads.
- Belly and skirt: If you’re leaving a skirt of hair along the belly, comb it out and tidy it up using curved or straight scissors to keep the lines clean and even.
- Leg feathering: Comb through the feathers on each leg and use thinning or straight scissors to trim and shape them. Aim to taper the hair gradually towards the paws for a more polished finish.
- Tail: Brush out the tail and use straight scissors to trim the hair and trim around the rear end to help keep this area clean.
7. The Final Touches
Now that you have completed the clip, you can use coat conditioning sprays or fragrance sprays. We love this bug spray too from Wildwash for keeping your dog super fresh.
When you’ve finished clipping, take time to remove the clipper blades from your handset and give them a deep clean and apply some clipper oil ready for the next use.
Top Grooming Tips
Don’t forget, clipping takes time to get used to and you’ll likely get better an better with practice and so will your dog.
Remember to praise your dog and use treat rewards and they will soon enjoy the grooming experience.
Take your time. When you have your very own clipper, you don’t need to do a full groom all at once so you can work at your own pace and take a break between the different stages if needed.
For more hits and tips, take a look at our YouTube channel and watch clipper tutorials and full grooms for a range of dog breeds by professional dog groomer @Lauren Emily Dog Grooming.
Have a query? Give us a call on 0116 2796900 for free, bespoke advice or drop us a message below. You can also find us on Facebook or Instagram for more expert grooming tips, exciting new product releases and giveaways.
Can I use a dog trimmer to clip my dog?
Dog trimmers are designed for light trimming work and are typically best suited for tidying up smaller, more delicate areas such as the face, feet, and hygiene areas. They generally aren’t powerful enough to cope with the thicker, denser texture of most dogs’ body hair, and using a trimmer for full-body clipping could result in an uneven finish or strain the motor.
However, our Showmate dog trimmer is a little different – it’s a high-performance trimmer that may be suitable for body clipping on small breeds with finer coats , such as Yorkies or Chihuahuas. It's lightweight, quiet and gentle, making it ideal for nervous or young dogs too.
For most dogs, particularly those with thicker or double coats, we recommend using a more powerful clipper – such as our Pedigree Pro or cordless MD Roamer – to ensure a smoother, more efficient groom and a better all-over finish.
If you're unsure which product would be best for your dog, contact our knowledgeable team for free bespoke advice.
