Cute Shih Tzu Trim: Grooming by the Numbers (Part 1 of 2)

Here’s the key to a successful pet stylist.

They to create consistent haircuts on each pet. Every. Time.

Want to know the secret? Guard combs. Jen calls it “grooming by the numbers.”

Jennifer Hecker is an award-winning Certified Master Groomer. She also shows multiple breeds in the AKC conformation world.

However, during the week she grooms at a large, busy pet resort. Jennifer grooms pets every day just like most of you. Jennifer has been working at the same salon since 2008. She has a dedicated following of regular clients.

Today there are such a wide variety of guard combs. They make our job easy to produce the same look each time. On each dog. Combining different guard combs on different parts of the body helps establish the length of coat left on the dog.

Sure, you will still need to pull out your shears and blends to even out the look. However, guard combs are the secret to consistent pet haircuts everywhere.

As a bonus, they also help speed up the entire trimming process!

Even on impossible coats to get smooth. Jennifer selected this cute little Shih Tzu for this video lesson for that reason. It’s tough. She shows you even seasoned pros have challenging coat types they really struggle with. This is THAT dog for Jennifer!

If you struggle with getting soft, drop coated breeds smooth – you will want to watch this video!

In this video you will learn:

• How not to overthink a trim
• Ways to tackle the tough to reach areas effectively
• How to create flair on the rear legs easily
• How not to get stuck in one spot
• How to create a soft teddy bear ear style

Approximate total running time: 48 minutes

• Part 1: Grooming the Body and Legs
• Part 2: Styling the Head and Ears