What You Need to Groom Your Pet  

If you think your pet is anti-bath, grooming them can be even more of a challenge. To meet the challenge, you need the right equipment. As usual, some is better than others.

Grooming of your dog or cat generally involves the brushing of the hair as well as the care of teeth and nails. There are certain breeds that require something additional. They will need trimming of hair and styling of their coats. This important grooming function requires the use special scissors called pet shears. Although some pet owners are content to use any type of scissors to accomplish this task, shears are a much better choice. The pet's hair is subject to damage when cut or styled with scissors that are too blunt to make clean and sharp cuts.

There are a wide variety of shears available and they come in several different sizes and price ranges. There are straight, curved, bent shank, blunt ended, and thinners. The sizes range between five and a half to ten inches long with the seven inch size being the most common. Most of the shears are made with hot forged carbon steel which is a material that can take a sharp edge, and also be sharpened again and again.

Proper maintenance of the shears is necessary. Be careful not to drop the shears causing damage to the blade. You should not use them for any purpose other than the cutting of your pet's hair. Do not store it in a damp location or cut anything but dry hair. Rust is the big enemy of any cutting device and it is important to keep your shears dry and lubricated at all times to prevent it.

There are a wide variety of brands, and also a wide variety of prices. The shears might run from a low of around $7.00 to just under $100 for a single pair. The decision on the right size and price depends on the type of dog or cat and the intent of the cutting. If your animal is being styled for show purposes, the more expensive type of shears is recommended. An example of a medium range choice is the C-Mon Cadillac. This is a 7 inch shear made of hot forged carbon steel with nickel plated blades and a rubber silencer. This model has a list price of around $41.

Pet shears are also used for the important and common function of nail cutting. Behavior is a factor in nail clipping and well as the normal grooming of the animal and the cutting and styling of hair. The animal needs to be calm and capable of standing still. Dogs should be training to accept grooming from the time they are puppies.