Welcome to the Oster Pet Grooming Video.
For more than 60 years, Oster has offered a complete line of quality pet care products,
including clipper sets, trimmers, blades, combs, shampoos, and conditioners.
At Oster, we believe the good health of your pet goes hand in hand with good grooming.
That's the reason we created this video, so you can keep your dog looking good between
visits to a professional groomer.
This video will teach you, step by step, the basic clipping techniques for the Poodle,
the American Cocker Spaniel, the Mixed Breed, and the Schnauzer.
We will also teach you how to properly groom your dog, as well as simple maintenance procedures.
Soon you'll be able to trim your dog in the convenience and privacy of your own home,
saving you time and money.
For any dog, routine grooming is essential to good health and happiness.
It's not just for show dogs or for making your pet look pretty.
Regular grooming gives your dog a clean, healthy coat, preventing the matted hair that can
cause serious skin irritation and big veterinarian bills.
It's also the perfect opportunity to spend precious moments with your pet and carefully
check the ears, eyes, teeth, nails, coat, and skin for potential health problems.
This kind of routine checkup gives notice to potential health or grooming problems so
you can report them to your veterinarian or professional groomer before they become serious.
With just a little practice using your Oster Pet Trimming Set, you'll soon have a well-groomed
dog who is happier, more comfortable, and has greater self-esteem.
Every dog needs to be brushed and bathed routinely, from once a week to once a month, depending
on the breed.
Begin by placing your pet on a raised, non-slip surface.
If you do not have a grooming table, then a rubber bath mat on a washer, dryer, or countertop
works well.
When grooming, be sure to keep a hand on the pet at all times.
Start with a slicker brush at the rear leg.
Part the hair and brush from the skin out in layers.
Slowly work your way to the dog's head.
The bent wire bristles of the slicker brush are designed to remove the undercoat before
it sheds on your carpet or furniture.
Use the comb to test what you've brushed.
Place the comb parallel to the skin and gently pull out.
Use your fingers to gently pull apart any tangles or mats.
Now your pet is ready to be bathed.
All Oster shampoos are concentrated to give you a better value, so be sure to dilute the
shampoo according to the label directions.
You will also need a towel, cotton balls, and spray nozzle.
Place cotton in each ear to prevent water from entering the ear canal.
Make sure the water temperature is comfortable, then hold the nozzle against the skin so your
pet isn't frightened by spraying water.
Now apply the shampoo.
Lather well, being careful to keep the suds away from the eyes.
Pay special attention to hard to reach areas, such as under the legs and belly.
Rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear.
If your pet was especially dirty, then a second lathering might be needed.
Gently squeeze out any excess water and apply an Oster cream rinse, which has already been
diluted to help keep the coat soft and manageable.
Rinse thoroughly and again, squeeze out any excess water.
With a bath towel, gently squeeze the water from the coat until it is slightly damp.
Brush the dog thoroughly during drying to bring out the full beauty of the coat.
Learning to cut and style your dog's coat takes just a little practice.
First, let's become familiar with the equipment you'll be using.
Your Oster dog clipper features an adjustable blade.
To adjust the length, simply turn the lever on the side of the clipper.
Your dog trimmer set also comes with an assortment of guide combs that make clipping safe and
easy.
To install a guide comb, just slide it down over the blade.
Make sure it's securely fastened.
The guide combs allow you to cut the hair at a specific uniform length and guard against
cutting the hair too short.
Just remember, the smaller the guide comb, the shorter the cut.
Your Oster dog trimmer set also includes a pair of scissors for finishing touches.
Before you begin, it's important to make sure the dog is relaxed and comfortable.
Turn the clipper on and let your pet become accustomed to the hum of the motor.
Place your hand against the pet so he can feel the vibration.
Here are a few tips that will make styling and shaping the coat easier.
First, always make sure that your dog's coat is clean and tangle free before you trim.
This makes the job much easier.
As you clip the coat, remember to follow the growth of the hair and the contour of the
dog's body.
Be sure to pull the skin taut with your free hand before clipping and use long, scooping
motions.
Brush the coat often.
Brushing regularly allows you to check what you've cut and make sure that the hair is
straight and even.
And finally, it's very important that you read and understand all the safety information
in your Oster instruction booklet.
The thick, wooly coat of the poodle can be trimmed in a variety of styles, such as the
lamb trim, an especially popular shortcut that's easy to maintain.
We recommend you view this section of the video because many of the techniques described
here can be used for all breeds.
First, adjust your clipper to the shortest setting and hold the clipper in your palm
with the teeth of the clipper blade facing up.
Gently, lift the ear while holding your dog's muzzle on the opposite side.
Carefully clip a straight line from the top of the ear canal to the outside corner of
the eye.
Then using a scooping motion, clip toward the end of the nose from under the eye.
Clip a lip tight so the muzzle is very smooth and clip the top of the muzzle toward the
end of the nose.
Now, clip a straight line from the ear opening to one inch below the Adam's apple.
Clip both sides to form a V. Run the clipper under the chin and follow the same step for
the other side of the dog's face.
You may need to repeat these steps to achieve the finished look you want.
Approximately one-third of the tail is clipped to create the pom-pom effect.
Clip against the grain on the top of the tail and with the grain on the underside of the
tail.
To trim the feet, hold one foot between your thumb and forefinger.
Clip to the narrowing of the foot, but do not expose it.
For the toes, use the corner of the blade to scoop one side and then the other side
of each toe.
Then clip between the pads using the same scooping motion.
Finally, lift the poodle on his hind legs and clip the underbelly.
To clip the poodle's body or any other dog with a coarse, curly coat, use the quarter-inch
guide comb.
Begin at the base of the neck.
Follow the contours of the dog's body using a long, even motion.
Always keep the skin taut.
Brush up and repeat for the best results.
With the dog facing you, trim the legs with the longest guide comb.
Hold his front paw in your hand and clip down the front leg.
Now, clip the outside of the rear legs following the contour.
Then, clip the inside of the rear legs.
Now you're ready to shape the top knot, the tail, and to clean up any stray hairs with
the scissors supplied with your Oster Pet Trimming Set.
For a nice, round top knot on the head, first comb all the hair over the dog's eyes and
trim.
Repeat this procedure over each ear and the base of the skull.
Then comb the hair up and shape.
For the tail, comb the hair past the tip of the tail and trim to the desired length.
Then comb the hair down over the already clipped section and trim along the clipped line.
Comb up the hair and shape.
Trim any stray hairs with the scissors and your poodle is ready to go.
Caring for the beautiful, thick coat of the American Cocker Spaniel is much easier with
this attractive trim.
With the adjustable blade at its shortest setting, begin by clipping the muzzle and
neck clean.
Now picture two imaginary lines that begin at the outside corners of each eye and cross
at the center top of the head.
This headpiece section will be shaped later.
Clip the rest of the head with the grain.
Trim the top one-third of each ear.
Then clip the ear opening clean.
Now install the shortest guide comb to trim the body, blending it with an imaginary line
at the shoulder.
Then trim up the tail.
With the same guide comb, clip the headpiece toward the base of the skull
and then against the grain at the blending line.
Use the longest guide comb to clip the legs.
With the dog standing, finish up around the feet and along the edges of the ears.
What a handsome looking Cocker Spaniel.
The Benji look is an adorable style for mixed breeds with typically shaggy coats.
Choose a guide comb for the length you want.
Begin at the base of the neck and clip the body, legs, and underbelly.
Run the clippers down the cheek area and under the neck to help shape the head.
Now clip the top of the head toward the base of the skull.
Remove the guide comb and adjust the trimmer to the shortest setting to clip out the pads
and trim the belly.
Now comb the headpiece and facial hair forward.
Trim over the eyes and in front of the muzzle.
Finish up by trimming around the feet with the scissors.
Benji never looks so good.
Here's a trim that's easy and practical for your schnauzer and many other terriers.
Begin with the head by combing the eyebrows forward.
With the clipper on its shortest setting, clip the top of the head smooth from the top
of the eye socket.
Now hold the dog's ear flat and clip from the center out on both sides.
Use the corners of the blade to clean out the area between the eyes to highlight the
eyebrows.
Place your clipper at the outside corner of the eye and clip to the cowlick at the side
of the dog's neck.
Now clip a smooth line from the outside corner of the dog's eye to the V in the dog's
chin.
Continue clipping down the neck to the breastbone.
Clip the pads and the belly area.
Install the shortest guide comb to trim your terrier's body.
Start at the base of the neck, clipping with the grain and contour of the body.
Let your clippers flow off the sides.
Be sure to brush often and finish up by trimming the tail.
To shape the eyebrows into triangles, place your scissors against the side of the head
angled in toward the nose and trim the brows.
Finally, trim the edges of the ears, the legs, and around the feet.
Now your terrier has a great new look and a healthy coat that's comfortable and easy
to maintain.
Maintenance of your Oster Clipper is quick and easy.
Before using your Oster Clipper for the first time, apply a few drops of oil across the
blade and turn the clipper on to remove the factory coating.
Then, turn the clipper off and wipe away any excess oil with a clean, dry cloth.
After each use, clean the hair from the blade using the clipper brush and spread a few drops
of oil over the blade.
Then, reinstall the blade guard.
We hope this video has helped you become more comfortable and skilled with your Oster Pet
Grooming equipment.
We encourage you to view this video often and practice the techniques shown here.
And remember, for all your pet grooming needs, you can choose from the complete line of Oster
Pet Grooming products.
Oster, for more than 60 years, the leader in pet grooming.