mixed breed grooming

Question
I have a Great Pyrenees/Komondor cross that is impossible to keep properly groomed. She HATES people other than family and our vet so taking to a groomer is out of the question. She will let us brush and clip her from her head to her waist but then gets really upset with everything from the waist back. Komondors get those dreadlock/ringlets and her fur tends to clump with even a little growth but she does not want us messing with her long enough to fix them into proper ringlets. She absolutely LOVES it when we get her clipped short as she gets way to hot in the summer with any growth of fur at all. We tend to clip her several times from spring to fall then let  her grow back for winter (live in midwest so gets very cold). By spring she has huge mats on her rear because she will not let us work there easily. We have tried to use clippers on her but have two major problems, the first being she HATES the sound and completely panics and gets semi-aggresive at just the sight of them. The second is every kind of clippers we have tried fails to cut her fur. The clippers immediately get clogged and/or fail to cut. We have hand clipped her with scissors for past couple years. This is usually spread out over three or more days with up to three people working on alternately clipping and keeping her calm and entertained. Are there clippers that are near-to-silent? Are there clippers that will actually cut this impossible to cut undercoat? Is there something that I can give her to calm her enough to get this job done without the HUGE production number we have to go through? HELP please. I am just starting the second cutting of the year and worked for hour and barely got one hip done.

Answer
Hi Kathy,
What an ordeal! I'm a bit confused, you write that you get her clipped several times a year, but she is afraid of clippers so you use scissors.

Please clarify:

1) Do you clip her or have her clipped?

2) Do you partly clip her then scissor her hip area?

3) How old is she?

If she hates to have her fur formed into ringlets from the waist back, ask yourself how important is it for her to have ringlets? Sure, it's the AKC standard for Komondors to sport long white ringlets, but that same standard doesn't list a "Plan B" for the dogs that fight it or become aggressive with their owners.

If you are set on her having ringlets, and you don't mind her fighting as long as you and the family are safe, you can: 1) Have her wear an Elizabethan Collar for the grooming process, you know, the "lampshade-type-collar", so she can't reach around and bite you. 2) Give her a few drops of herbal Rescue remedy. It will help calm her. 3) Make sure she is tired out from exercise BEFORE you groom her.  4) Then make it a family "bonding" time where each person takes turns holding her down and the other forms ringlets -- no really because ringlets are important and the whole family can see how important they are.

There exists clippers that will get the job done quickly, however, none are quiet or even mostly quiet. To get through the dense fur, it takes a fast clipper mechanism and electricity, which unfortunately equals loud. I would never buy a clipper sold from Petco or most other pet supply stores as they only sale the cheaper clippers; ideal only for tidying up a hairless dog.

I don't know what the problems were with the clippers you used before, nor the brand you used but it could be a combination of the wrong clipper and wrong blade or the right clipper and a dull blade or any combination of things. I can suggest a good clipper if you are prepared to deal with the noise.

However, I would suggest you take her to your vet a couple times a year and have them anesthetise or sedate her and clip her short all over. She can keep her long matted fur during the winter if she does not allow you to brush and comb her out, then have the vet shave her in the spring.

Her aggression toward the family when she is groomed is not a good sign. If she shows dominance or aggression in other areas with your family, it would make sense to consult a trainer.

Good-Luck!
Becca