Clifford

This Airedale came to me during the Christmas time rush. The family had just rescued him from a shelter and they didn't want him to enter their home without having a good groom and a bath. Although I didn't have time to do him in my busy Christmas schedule, I thought that dog deserved a chance and also, I have to admit that he did represent a huge challenge for me as a groomer. He was so matted that he looked like a corded dog. He also had a purulent wound under the eye and the space in between was all swollen. And that smell! A visit to the vet was already schedule for the next day. Any other breed would have been all shaved with no questions asked, but as a groomer, I know that Airedales hairs are easy to detangle. So I decided to try an Airedale clip. The hair on his back was already short. So I decided to cut the "cords" on his legs and face very short with the scissors (see picture) hoping he would be easier to detangled after a bath. Unfortunately, it didn't work out. But with the velocity dryer I've been able to pull the hair enough from the skin so that I can use the 5/8 blade. That gives the illusion of a longer hair without the inconvenience and pain of dematting. After the groom, he looked so relieved and was wagging his tail like an happy dog!

Groomer: Brigitte Dupuis
Location: Quebec, Canada