# In Pursuit of Well-Groomed Feet - Tips?



## ScoutTheGolden (Apr 14, 2021)

I'm no expert, but MorningSage has a good grooming guide/explanation for Goldens. Morningsage Goldens Grooming


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Do you have a before pic?


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## bitsybama (2 mo ago)

I don’t, but I never let them get too “Grinchy.” I take a crack at it every 2 weeks.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

bitsybama said:


> I don’t, but I never let them get too “Grinchy.” I take a crack at it every 2 weeks.


The reason why I ask is that the more fur on your dog's feet - the easier it is to shape the paw. Then once you get it right, then you just maintain every 2 weeks. It is more difficult when the fur is relatively short on the feet to start with.

When I trim feet - I first focus on cleaning up under the feet, around the pads. This includes poking top fur down between toes and trimming any excess that comes out below. I use my cheap shears when doing this - my $9 6" conairs (which I think have actually gone up in price since I bought them 10-15 years ago LOL). I also close cut directly behind the big pad on each foot.

I also do a "notch" which is trimming very tight behind the back pad... difficult to describe.... 

Then I brush the feet upwards and use my curved shears (6" curved) to trim a "box" cut. <= I'm eating dinner right now (LOL) but if I have time/if I remember I will pop one of my dogs up on the table to demonstrate the angle of my shears when I'm doing this cut. My guys just got groomed (my every other Friday night thing) so there won't be any real show of how to, but you can see the angle of my shears at least. I do this while holding the foot. 

Then I put the foot down and pick up the opposite front foot - which makes the dog keep his to-be-trimmed foot in place. Then I take my curved shears and trim right along the pads. This gives you the shape you want around the foot. 

You can then backbrush and trim anything sticking way out - but feet should be fine at this point.

Rears are pretty much done the same way.


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## bitsybama (2 mo ago)

Excellent tips, Megora, thank you! I also have been my Wahl clippers on the bottom of the feet and right behind the pads to be quick about it, because I want it to always be a positive experience for Bits and she tolerates it, but I wouldn’t say she zones out, takes a nap, or likes it. She allows it. So I try to be speedy and/or do it in phases over a day or two so I don’t burn out our happy-ish time up there. I see what you’re saying about less hair making the cat’s paw more difficult. I would say as a dog Bitsy is not terribly long-haired and has a shorter coat in general, at least at this age (9.5 mos). But also, I’m a noob, so I can’t blame the hair; we can safely blame the amateur wannabe groomer in this scenario, lol. I’m sure I need lost and lots more practice. 

I still vacuum every day and twice a day on holidays, so if she has less hair from a length or volume standpoint, this does not translate to shedding any less!


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

I actually don’t agree with focusing on each toe independently of the foot. You want the whole foot to look round and compact like a cat paw.

I do pretty much what Kate said, so good tips there!


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## Oceanside (Mar 29, 2021)

Megora said:


> Then I put the foot down and pick up the opposite front foot - which makes the dog keep his to-be-trimmed foot in place.


Ha! Now that’s a good trick…


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

You've done a good job. This dog's coat is never going to give her dense fuzzy coat on her feet so there's not much "sculpting" to be done. She also has oval vs. round feet so...what you've done is about as good as it's going to get.
The better the dog's feet are, the easier it is to make them look good.


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