Just booked in a PBGV, he wants her clipped fairly short (yes, I know they should be handstripped but she's apparently a bit matted). Any tips for how to make her look reasonable, specially around the head, and then how often to encourage him to bring her back and how to do a proper pet trim on her for the future if I can educate them to bring her before she gets matted would be welcome! I used to have a friend with this breed but have never done one myself.

I had one in recently who was a rescue and was very matted, I used thinning scissors on the head and ears, to try and get the shape, also had a clear picture of how its head should look like. The people were happy with the way she turned out, and now shes a regular!

Thanks! It should certainly be easy enough to find a picture of a nice looking PBGV at the moment..... ;-)  But it won't ruin her coat forever if she's clipped off for matts? Or will I just clip her on a 5F forever after this? I've never handstripped a hound anyway, the only w/h daxie I ever had for grooming had been clipped all her life before she came to me and there was no saving that coat. I can do a great handstrip on various terrier breeds, but find with spaniels that the coat doesn't strip like that, and I'm not sure which way a hound coat will go!

> a nice looking PBGV

I can't work the breed out.  Would be ablr to cut upwards into the matts to break them up. 

Yes, I was wondering about that, but as she won't be used to me, depending on how bad the matting is and how calm a temperament she has, it might be kinder to clip off the first time so that she doesn't remember her new groomer as someone who made her stand on a table for hours tugging at painful knots. We shall see on Thursday....

Agree not nice to make them endure that.  Maybe a good dose of conditioner might work.  Why does it ruin the coat from a clip.  sorry don't much other breed coats but interested.  Does it not renew or is it a permenent coat.

>> a nice looking PBGV
>I can't work the breed out.

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen.

Thanks

Done her! She was a bit snappy with the knots of which there were many, and as the husband had said 'pretty short' I did her on a 5F. Coat has clearly been clipped all her life so not worth trying to salvage to handstrip quality as I doubt they would put the effort in to brush as it grew. I got the impression that the wife who picked her up thought it was too short, so I made a point of saying I knew they should be shaggier (I'd shown her a pic of the Crufts RBIS PBGV too) and that if they worked on the brushing and brought her every 2-3 months, I'd be able to do her longer next time. We'll see!