Grooming the Maltese Adult Safely

Question
Hi Lori:
I am the owner of two wonderful Maltese boys who are nine years old.  They are both good size, and out of breed standard, one 8 pounds the other 11 pounds.  We love every ounce of them.  They have been professionally groomed since puppy-hood and we have gone through one groomer after another with problems.  The 'boys' have come back from the groomer we have been working with for several years with scrapes on their bodies, sores around their neck as if the grooming loop was too tight and one of my dogs seems to have a terrible reaction with skin lesions developing and persisting for over two weeks.  The groomer adamantly denies any responsibility for what is happening to the dogs.  The vet says the trouble is the groomer's fault.  In trying to work this out we have tried everything we can think of, even washing them ourselves and taking them over wet, providing our shampoos and treats etc., and still have problems.  The groomers we have worked with all say the dogs are exemplary in their behavior when being groomed and the dogs are trained and good natured.  Our dogs have mild medical problems which may be resulting in violent reactions to grooming.  I am not trying to figure out who is right and wrong here.  I am not in any way fighting with the groomers just trying to give you a complete picture of what has happened.  Thus said, I have had it.  I no longer want to end up with $100 grooming bills and an expensive visit to the vet on top of it with each 8-10 week grooming.  The expense for us and pain the dogs are going through is not a match for me.  The dogs do fine with bathing at home and are washed every other week without reaction.  Now we are ready to try the grooming as well.  I have taken to heart what you have already written about the need for professional equipment and tools.  No problem.  How do I learn how to do this safely and gently.  I don't need them super short as they are cared for well so what other blade than the #10 might be advised.  Can you recommend a particular grooming video for the small dog, Maltese puppy cut that is straight forward and clearly taught?  Also grooming table recommendations?  I saw one that spins for small dogs like a lazy susan at progroomer supplies website.  I appreciate your best advice on how to move forward to protect and care for our precious little ones.  I thank you in advance for your reply.  TLC happy owner of Willie and Tucker in Mill Valley CA.

Answer
I have never heard of such a problem with grooming. There is no reason for your dogs to come back with ANYTHING other than maybe dryness, itching or blotchy skin from the shampoo and tiny hair pieces that may make them itchy since they have sensitivities.  I understand your problems and why you want to try it yourself.
I cannot recommend a particular video, as I do not feel videos adequately show what you need to know.  Also, since I am already a master groomer, I have no need to watch videos, I apologize, but I am not up on that.

You will need an
A-5 clipper, which comes with a 10 blade.
Use the 10 on the stomach, under the arms and legs, under the tail, along the lip line, corners of the eyes and down the nose, if you want to go down the nose.

Get a #40 for the ear openings and bottoms of the feet.

Get a #2 clip on comb, or get a set of clip on combs, (blade guards). Use these over the #40 for the length of hair.

My best advice here is for you to go with the hair at all times. Go lightly at first until you get a feel for what you are doing.

Any table is fine, but I do not like the spinning tables, they scare the dogs, and the dog should be given the opportunity to move around and turn to keep him happy, who wants to stand perfectly still and not move for 30 minutes and be spun around?
So get any used or low cost grooming table.

Be sure to comb the dog out completely before you bathe it and remove any mats before the dog is wetted down. I recommend a cream rinse for Maltese.  Use an oatmeal shampoo or something from your vet since your dogs are sensitive. RINSE AND RINSE AND RINSE AGAIN.
Towel the dog from top to bottom, (dont' scrub) and squeeze the water out.
Put the dog down to fluff up and shake and let him roll on a towel.
Then blow him dry while brushing him out. This can be on your lap on or the table. Make sure the dryer is either a dog dryer or if it is a person dryer, do not stay in one area very long, or your dogs skin will get too hot and become irritated.

For the style, just go with the hair using your clip on comb or blade guard, and keep going over it. Use your scissors to go around the feet and trim up anything that sticks out.

Your best bet would be to go to adult night school and try to take a course in grooming, or search for a trade show and see what you can find.  

Books from the library are very helpful with grooming, as the pictures can be studied carefully and the wording will answer many of your questions on details that are too lengthy to answer on this venue.  You can also request books and videos from the library to borrow before you buy, so try that.
I am sorry for your grooming problems. It really surprised me that you cannot get this resolved with a professional groomer.
Do you inspect the dogs when you get them back BEFORE you leave the groomers? Do you go over the dog WITH the groomer BEFORE you leave, showing that there are no marks or problems?
I just cannot imagine this problem...
Good luck
Lori