Cutting blades

Question
I have a cocker spaniel/spitz. Her hair is like sheep hair. What blade do I use to cut the fastest, cuz she has had hip surgery and I don't want her to have to take too long to cut her hair? Her hair is white. Shortest time is best.

Answer
Hi Shirley,
I need a little more information before I can recommend the proper grooming tools.

1) What color is her fur? If she is pure white, her skin is likely pink, which means she will sunburn easily if you shave her with the length of blade that will get the job done quickly.

2) What is the texture of her fur? Your query reads that it is "like sheep hair." This could mean it's thickly matted so it appears that it is a solid pelt or that it is very tightly curled like a sheep -- which I don't expect is the case as neither of the breeds she is mixed with have tightly curled fur. If it is tightly matted to her skin, giving the impression that when shaved, it will come off in one big mat, you will need to shave her very short.

I will assume she has thickly matted, dense fur (from the Spitz) and that her skin is pink. To shave her quickly based on this kind of fur and her health problem, I would suggest shaving her down completely with a #7F blade, although I have used #10 and #15 blades on dogs that are matted to the skin and whose coats are full of debris. Note that if she has a double-coat and you shave her down, her fur will never grow back the way it is now. Shaving a double-coated breed will result in the coat coming back patchy and even more profuse. If it were my dog -- based on her health issues -- I would opt to shave her a couple times a year with a #7F. You may find that a #7F will not get between the mats and her skin. The next length shorter is a #10.

For the first couple weeks after her haircut, apply sunscreen to pink areas and limit her exposure to the sun.

You can also purchase a sling that will hold her up in the air while you groom her. The best scenario is to not have her stand while being groomed. You can teach her to lie on her side while you clip each side.

Good luck Shirley