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Question
my friend has a med size  hairy dog which she takes to groomer sometimes but got some grooming tools to do herself to save some $$ during summer. what is clipper size to get real close cut on body. we are thinking 1 or 2 and to go downward on clipping vs starting at lower back and going toward head or head to tail direction? whats your opinion on directing of actually cutting. thanks

Answer
Hi Sam
You NEVER go against the grain unless you are a professional poodle trimmer and know how to without ripping the skin . The problem with most first timers is they cut the hair way to short and risk clipper burn or worse.  Try using  5 or 7 blade - the higher the number the shorter the hair in animal clippers.
Always start at the occiput and go from the bottom of the skull to the base of the tail. After the back is done follow the direction of the hair growth down the side and under.
YouTube has many grooming videos for all breeds look up yours and get  valuable instructions
Good luck - and remember it will go back which makes summertime the best time to experiment :-)