Hi,

My 13 week Lhasa Apso pup is starting to become a giant fluff ball now :) and we are thinking of taking him to the groomers.  How much would it cost to get his haircut?  I'm gunna ring around this week and see how much it costs but what is the general price to groom a Lhasa?

Thanks.

i got quoted £ 17 to put my mini dacs in the grooming parlor. :) not sure if that cheap or expencive.but for your breed i wouldnt of thought the price would be much differnt. :)

Don't use the price as the deciding factor, ask for references or get recommendations. You want to see some of the trims that people do and call them professional.

The rate for your breed especially if it needs a good trim is £20-£25  probably around the £20.    

Depends on what you mean by a hair cut????  Lhasa's should never be clipped.   I presume that you like the breed not only for temperament, friendliness but also because of the way that it looks?

Please don't have it clipped off.  They should just be tidied up and the coat should really not be changed much at all.

I don't want to get at you but I do sometimes wonder why people get coated breeds when all they want to do is change the total look of the breed.

When I said haircut I didn't really mean like a number 1 all over. :)  I'm just really looking for a quick trim, especially around Cookies head and face as the hair is getting to his eyes.

:d  Make sure that wherever you take your dog to that they realise that, because I can tell you now if you're not careful you'll end up coming out of the parlour with a dog with no fur :d :d

Put it in writing so that there's no mistaking what you want.

Not meaning to put down groomers, but I've seen so many dogs come out of a grooming parlour looking nothing like what they are supposed to be.

Make sure then you go to a good groomer.  If you don't know someone whose dog is cut nice then tell them exactly what you want a trim with scissors,a dn no clipping.  Hopefully they will ahve a book with photos of the dogs they ahve trimmed in various ways as a guide.

If you see another in your breed in the park /walking somewhere  that looks nice  dont be shy go ask them where they have there dogs groomed .Thats what people do to me :P

I agree Spanishwaterdog.  I am forever being asked why I don't have my shelties clipped.  One of the reasons I chose the breed was for their beautiful coats.  Yes, they do take a bit of looking after but a good groom every day (normally sit them on my lap while watching the news or some program I don't have to actually watch) keeps coats mat free and looking lovely.

Yeah and the rubbish that ooh, they are too hot with their coat, when most of the coated breeds come from hot countries and they are there with full coats and live longer lives than many of the breeds seem to here!  Their coat is there to protect them from the heat.

My OH gets fed up with me when I see an OES or cocker or Shih Tzu etc clipped right off because I say 'why buy a breed and then change the ways it's coat should be'?  I understand people like to get the hair out of the eyes or tidy up feet / under belly's etc but I love the look of them with the full coat - not that I would own one because I know all to well (Grooming) how difficult it is to take care of the coat properly ;)

I agree with you that shi-tzu and other breed look excellent with long coats as you see them when they are shown. But the other side is that if you have them as companions (I don't  like the word pets) the length of the coat is not important as long as they are comfortable. When my dogs are due a haircut it grows long around the backside and I am always cleaning her .I keep mine a bit longer in the winter but the summer would be unbearable with long coats. Its takes a long time to groom them. They quickly become knotted if they are not groomed everyday. Some dogs may like this. Mine enjoy a quick brush and comb but they don't like sitting there for hours. Each to his own though.

Hi Maggi.  As a groomer, I would reply

When my dogs are due a haircut it grows long around the backside and I am always cleaning her
Under the tail is trimmed for hygiene with a full coated dog, as is under the arms, genitals etc

the summer would be unbearable with long coats.
A well groomed coat insulates against the heat in the same way as it insulates against the cold.  Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.  In hot countries, residents wear lots of thin layers to keep cool, not strip off and sit in it like us mad English do!! :)

Its takes a long time to groom them. They quickly become knotted if they are not groomed everyday
Just 5 minutes, every other day, with the right technique and correct brush and comb, will keep a full coated Shih Tzu or Lhasa in good condition and having a good doggy life.

well thats told me then lol

It maybe better if you get a mobile groomer to come out to you and then you can at least tell them when to stop trimming!!

I'm the opposite I'm afraid I got my dog for his temprament and size not his coat and I prefer my dog clipped in a puppy trim, not too short just how he looked when I first got him at 9 weeks old.

In answer to your question John I paid £15 for his first puppy cut and it will rise to £25 when he is an adult dog. Oscar is a Shih Tzu so similiar to yours in size and coat. Take into account that if you want to keep it fairly short it will need doing every 6 - 8 weeks. Oscar has better grip with his paws (we have laminate flooring) when he has been trimmed and the eyes are kept alot clearer.

Thanks for that caz3536.  I think I'm thinking on the same wave length as you are.  Prefer my dog with not too short but not too long hair, just like he was at 9wks old! :)

Sorry but I have a breed with a long coat, fur over it's eyes and as long as I trim around the paws and in-between the pads they have no problems whatsoever on gripping onto laminate floors.  As they say each to their own and I'm definitely not condeming anyone for doing it!  :d :d

THere are many breeds with the same temperament and friendliness as mine but their look was also what appealed to me.

i pay $40 bucks each and get a discount if i bring all my dogs , probably 3 or 4 times a year they get a nice trim.

When looking for a groomer ask if they will have any other dogs on the premises whilst yours is there. My groomer only has 1 dog at a time or 2 if you have 2 dogs who get on etc.. on my first visit to a groomer i was not impressed i was instructed to leave my dog with them and return in an hour, which i didnt mind as i thought this was normal and he was the only one there. But when i went back there was a dog in a undershelf kennel barking like mad with a towel over so he couldnt see and several other kennels the same some with dogs in. The barking dog seemed familier and i was sure it was my dog but he sounded frightened and different and the groomers were talking to me trying to tell me how good my dog had been how nasty the dog covered up was and i know my dog is not nasty. when the groomer said heres your dog and proceeded to tell me of a growth on his leg i was shocked as he didnt have a growth, then pulled out a different dog i said " thats not my dog" i then looked underneath the towel and said thats my dog there! It was only a minute or so i was there untill i realised and i was angry that they didnt telephone me to ask for my return to sort my dog out, they had my number. The worst of it they hadnt even groomed him so he had been shut up in that kennel for an hour waiting. Well i got him out and said he was not going in that kennel again and i would hold him and they said ok as i would of walked out of the door. i did get a reduction in the price and i have never gone back to them.  They were kind people but they had too many dogs in at once to cope.

Hi John

I am taking coco to the groomers tomorrow just to have her eye area trimmed as the poor thing has sleep in her fur right next to her eyes and she won't let me near them. But I did ask how much a trim would cost from them (they were reccommeded by a few people -  and they do a lovely cut on a shih-tzu) and they quoted me £17 for a puppy trim. I am also going to keep Coco's coat in the "Puppy length" look as well.

Tracey

Not my breed but It also depends on the state of the dog your grooming and how long its going to take you to groom that dog . It would be so easy to get the clippers out but doing it properly can take a long time and you will probably find the coat being groomed in the right way is far easyier to manage and will need to go to the groomers less then a clippted dog so the price will be higher but hopefuly you wont need to go as often .

When I took Oscar he had the works, bath, trim, nails and ears done (it took about 2 Hours) its lovely to see them and he loves his groomer, when I went to collect him she looked a bit flushed because she had been rolling round on the floor playing with him LOL and he came out tail held high looking very proud of himself.

Everyone has different ideas of what they want from dog ownership and as far as I'm concerned as long as a dogs coat is well cared for (long or short) that's all that matters.

Now I like the puppy length for pet long haired breeds, but not the scalping most seem to have, it is horid and generally you can't tell what the breed is.

Saw some Shitzu or Llhasas yesterday that looked like Dandie Dinmont Terriers.  There were four of them.

If your dog is well groomed and needed a good trim, teeth cleaned, nails cut, bath and dried, I would charge £25. 
Please don't think that cheap is always best when you are looking for a groomer.  Avoid one that can fit you in this week - they don't have enough clients coming back! ;)  A good groomer wants to work with the owner to help keep the dog in good condition.  A regular 8 week trim will do this and a good groomer can save their charges in veterinary fees with helpful advice and by spotting problems early.:)

Ours charges 27pounds 50p and we have 2 shi-tzus. Thats 55 pounds every 8 weeks. This includes nail cutting and whatever else needs doing. It started out at 18pounds that was 6 yrs ago but I tried someone cheaper who came to the house but my dog took an instant dislike to her  so as the other reader says its not just the price you have to consider. They look really good when they come back. I'm sure yours will too.

I pay £30 to have my Akita inu brushed out bathed and nails clipped....well worth the money.

I am afraid that rather naively I thought that Westies had short fluffy curly hair when in fact left naturally they have a longer layer over the fluff. Having seen so many westies clipped and thinking thats how they were I actually prefer that to the long coat. I now have a 14 week westie and will probably in the future have him clipped unless any westie owners out there can persuede me otherwise.

Not a westie owner, but please PLEASE dont have him clipped.

Ok, the reasons why you like them short, im guessing...

Keeps him tidy, keeps him cool, cuts down on grooming/filth collected by coat.

Clipping will simply shorten the coat.

It will also. Cause the naturally harsh coat of the westie to soften, go curly and matt easily. It can trigger skin conditions. It doesnt THIN the coat so doesnt let the coat breathe, nor will it cool the dog down, unless you clip him bare.

Instead, have him hand stripped the way he should be. This removes the dead undercoat and dead top coat, leaving a nice harsh short coat. He should really be left longer underneath and on the legs but that is purely traditional, as long as you dont SHAVE it off, but mebbes scissor or strip it shorter taht will be fine.

Stripped coats look tidier, dont soften the coat or let it matt, let the skin breathe which helps prevent skin conditions, keeps your dog cool in summer, warm in winter and looks WAY nicer.

It will be harder to find a decent groomer to do this, many are quite happy to baldify your dog. It will be slightly more expensive too.

The good news is it needs doing LESS frequently, and you can learn to do it yourself without buying expensive tools.

Have i persuaded you??
Em

hi Juneh

i have a six month old westie and I hand strip as my daughter wants to show him personally I think a hand stripped coat looks nicer and there are plenty of books and videos to help you I have never done it but i am having a go at it and so far pleased with the result .I have to agree with theemx clipping will only soften the coat and will make it go curly you could always hand strip and use a stripping knife at the same time until you get used to hand stripping the coat its always worth trying ringing around local groomers to see if they do hand strip and you go along to watch ,I was lucky I have found a lady who hand strips and has given me lots of advice,where abouts do you live? it might be worth posting a post asking for advice if you do decide to hand strip.

Good luck with what ever you decide please feel free to pm if you need advice.

John

Thanks, I had heard of stripping but cannot actually visualise what it looks like. I will look for some pics on the internet. I looked after my friends westie before I got mine and I found its coat quite harsh to touch and difficult to brush, but she doesnt hand strip it. My daughter also got a rash from the coat. However stripping may be a compromise. I will think about it. I live in a village near Ringwood/Bournemouth in Dorset.

A Westies coat isn't or shouldn't difficult to brush.  It could be if not cared for properly but a quick brush every other day keeps it tug and tangle free.

They should have nice harsh coats and not known to cause allergies. They are often suitable for allergy sufferers infact but there are always exceptions to the rule.

Coats can be stripped quite short also to acheive the same desired look you are talking about.

Westies coats should NEVER be curly that is a major fault if it is.

You could ask someone who shows or is a good groomer around you to show you how to hand strip. I can tell you how to do it but I think it is something best shown first before tried for the poor dog.When done properly it is pain free infact the tend to go to sleep :-)

My groomers do clip my Scottie, and my OH prefers them to do that - we have been arguing over it for about a year now as I have been pushing for letting her hair grow long, and he does agree to this in Winter under duress and then in summer he pushes to have her clipped short again.  My reasons for opposing was because someone told me she would lose points in the ring (true enough) but at local summer companian informal dog shows I shouldn't have been letting this worry me really and I've lost the interest in the shows anyway now!  I had to agree that hand-stripping wasn't really practical for us busy-bees (and is expensive, and we're never going to learn to do it ourselves) and although she is clipped on the back, she still has long skirts, long beard etc. and still looks like a Scottie - just with a short-haired back!
Anyway due to busy-business (wedding, honeymoon) we hadn't taken her to the groomers for ages and when I did they said "shall we do the same as last time?" - i couldn't remember so I said yes.

It turns out the groomers discovered a hot spot and okay so this was on her face which would have been discovered anyway, but following the online reasearch I've consequently done on hot spots, its recommended that keeping the hair short in summer months can help to prevent this and it made me think - I was insisting I wanted Millie's coat to grow and be hand-stripped for my own satisfaction so that I could gain points in shows and now realising that it isn't necessarily the best for her and that the stupid shows I go to anyway aren't worth bothering about (had already decided this year I had lost interest in shows, I had been growing her coat through the Winter ready for summer shows but by the time summer had come along I couldn't be bothered with them anymore) and that from now on I won't worry and will agree to let her be clipped at the salon.  She's a pet dog who goes for a walk in the local park and gets more than enough attention for being a Scottie that I'm not going to worry if people see her and think "shock horror! she's been clipped! the ultimate sin!".

Sorry I've been waffling, but basically the point I'm trying to make is you have to work out what's best for you and your dog.  If you are really into showing or heavily into the 'perfect look' of your breed, then obviously you want to have keep your dog's coat as it should be and handstrip or trim as necessary but if you have a pet dog who trots round your neighbourhood and keeps you company you shouldn't necessarily have to be so focused on the perfect look and if clipping suits you and the dog then so be it.  Obviously there will be some long-haired breeds that would look totally bizarre being clipped and even I would probably give a quizzical look when passed by one, but at the end of the day - if that's what suits the owner then each to their own! They're not hurting the dog!

And my sister's Westie has been clipped for 10 years now without problem!

PS in the interest of the original question I pay £30.50.

Hi Jess, Do you know what caused the hotspots? I was reading an article by a dermatologist a while back and he was recommending handstripping as a treatment/cure for hotspots and infections caused by blocked hair follicles. Now I can't remember exactly what he said, but he had ran a series of tests on westies (I think) and the results were very good. I imagine that you wouldn't be able to strip while she still has the sores though, but it might be worth a try to prevent them in future - even if it means just stripping the part of her coat that seems suseptible to them. 

PS. congrats on the wedding :)

Hi olivetor, no I've no idea what caused the hotspot - the groomers said that no one really knows for sure (and I've looked it up on the net), it could be a flea or tick bite, it could be an allergy to something but its definately prevalent in summer months so it could be a heat rash type thing, rubbing on a mat (Millie uses the doormat to wipe her face on after dinner), there's so many things it could be that we will probably never know.  We have been a big neglectful of brushing her lately due to wedding and her being in kennels/staying with relatives and matted fur is also thought to be a cause but I wouldn't have thought we were THAT neglectful, and it was on her cheeck so unlikely to be that anyway.  But its very interesting what you say about handstripping as a treatment, certainly turns my argument above on its head ha ha, that will give me something to think about! :-D

Hi June, I am a great advocate of handstripping for pet dogs.  Many terriers, including Westies, require stripping to maintain a healthy "proper" coat, because their coats do not shed (or shed very little) the hair just keeps growing and growing while getting thinner and thinner - ending up like silk thread. When you clip the coat all you are left with is a very thin dead coat, that is difficult to keep clean. A good hard terriers coat is great protection against the elements, it is easy to keep clean and it helps insulate the dog against both heat and cold (many dogs that are clipped find it difficult to regulate their body temperature). By handstripping our dogs we are basically shedding their coats for them, because they are unable to do it themselves.  The dead hair is taken straight from the folicle letting the folicle rest before it has to start growing another hair (just as would happen in shedding breeds), this is very important in maintaining health skin and the skin has time to refresh, "breathe", helping to keep skin problems like hot spots and seborreah at bay.  I can honestly say that I have never seen a clipped Westie that does not have a skin "issue" to some degree (this is just in my experience though and there could be other factors affecting the skin other than clipping)- on the other hand most of the handstripped Westies I meet have lovely coats and healthy skin. Stripping also helps keep doggy smells at bay because the coat is kept new and fresh, rather than old and dead. Handstripping a Westie shouldn't take too long and if you keep on top of it doing a little every week it really is the easiest way to keep your dog looking and feeling good.  If you bought your dog off of a reputable breeder I am sure that they would be more than happy to give you a few lessons on stripping.  Good terrier breeders are delighted when new owners wants to learn the art of handstripping. Once you learn how to do it, handstripping is easy and IMO totally therapuetic - I sometimes do it while watching TV without even knowing :).

PS. I have very bad allergies to dogs that causes terrible eczema, but handstripping my terrier helps alleviate most of the symptoms, as during handstripping I am taking out all the dead skin, loose hair and debris from the coat (the dander) that cause my allergies.

Hi,
With regards to the original topic question my answer is -
I have a shih tzu 18 weeks old. I  do have him trimmed as it is my personal prefence regardless of what other people think. I pay £16 to a highly recommended groomer who works from her home. My puppy loves her and is as good as gold. She insisted that for the first visit I allowed a little more time so she could spend some play time with his on and off the grooming table so he could get used to the enviroment. During this time she left the clippers on and the blower going.If he seemed distressed in any way she would not trim him or charge me for her time. Only if he was comfortable with her and seemed settled would she attempt to trim him. He was fine. Do what you feel is best for your puppy john, it's your choice at the end of the day. No one needs to know your reasoning for doing so. I whole heartly agree with Tracey & Caz's comments. Personal recommendations are always the best to go with. Godd luck in sourcing a groomer.

I usually only see hotspots on dogs that are clipped I'm sorry to say.

I have a cheek really because my breed are clipped once a year, but that is how they are supposed to be looked after.  Other breeds that I do now and then are hand stripped as it looks so much better and is better for their coat and skin condition, well in my eyes it is.

That's one thing I've not understood during Scottie ownership, I always read/hear that terriers like Westies do not shed their coats, or shed very little and the hair just keeps growing.  Well what I don't understand is why my house is full of dog hair!

Clipping doesn't remove the dead coat jessthepest.  It just cuts off the good coat that's showing! :)  So when the dead coat is ready to come out, everytime that the dog brushes past a piece of furniture or is stroked at home, it falls out on the floor.  Much better for owner and dog if it is handstripped and the dead coat stays on the grooming parlour floor! ;)
Also by clipping the top coat, the soft undercoat and the top coat grow together and make grooming more difficult.  A handstripped terrier is much easier for its owner to look after.  5 minutes with a comb after the daily walk will keep a handstripped terrier (or a full coated Lhasa or Shih Tzu ;) ) in a comfortable and well groomed condition.  Because clipping short is so much easier for an unskilled groomer, they wouldn't dream of explaining to the owners that it will actually be easier for the owner AND better for the dog to keep their dogs' coat the way it was bred to be!  Of course, if any of these breeds have been bred by pet producers with incorrect coats, then it can be a different story. :(

Hi Val, funny you say that about unskilled groomers.  When I first got Olive I spoke to a number of groomers about how much they would charge to handstrip her and they looked at me as though I had lost my head - a couple of them really pushed me to have Olive clipped, a couple of them turned me away saying they don't handstrip.  Some of them didn't even know what an Irish Terrier looked like. I couldn't find any groomer local that I felt confident about letting them strip Olive, so I taught myself how to do it.  We had a few "baldy" trial and error experiences but I have never looked back :) .

Your experience is typical olivetor. :(  Many groomers, to be fair, have no understanding of why there are correct ways to handle specific coats and therefore aren't in a position to advise their clients accordingly.  Their abilities are limited to be able to fire off everything with clippers and so that's what they will suggest.  The fact that the dog will no longer have a weatherproof coat, will be soft, hold dirt and debris and will come in from the garden looking like a compost heap, will not be mentioned! ;)
When I was training to groom, I was told that this is one profession where the customer isn't always right, and part of my job is to educate the owner to make their life easier and the dog more comfortable.  But if the owner doesn't know just how easy it is to keep their dog in good condition and looking good with minimum time and minimum but right tools, then they'll think that a shaved dog is convenient, easy and OK! :(
Well done to you for trimming Olive yourself! :)  I always give my time to teach owners the right (and easy) way to groom their dogs, after all, it makes my life easier when they come in to be trimmed! ;)

To be fair I don't think hand stripping is the sort of job you can give to a professional groomer, for most breeds it is a long job best done over several sessions therefore, for the dogs sake, I think it best, if going that route, for the owner to learn to do it themselves.  It is often a lot less difficult than it would first appear the tricky bits being usually the head and face which I suppose you could get a, suitably competent ;), groomer to complete for you.  Most breeders would be happy to do the trickier first puppy coat removal and set you off with tips on how to do it in the future and there are some good videos about not to mention the occasional breed club seminar.  I think if people want well stripped coats they are going to have to be pretty good about regular grooming anyway so adding some stripping skills to the art of getting you dog to stand nicely on the grooming table seems not too much to add on :)

I saw handstrips every 6-8 weeks Isabel, just like I saw other breeds.  I rolled the coats, which took out maybe 20-25% (I don't count the hairs!) of the coat, depending on how much was dead at the time.  The dogs always looked tidy, not horrendously long one minute and shaved back to the skin the next!!  I was always happy to help owners to learn to groom /trim their own dogs - all my dogs came in on a regular 8 week trim.  I had a waiting list and more dogs than hours in the day! :(

As Val says, terriers shed but they shed very slowly. What you may be finding is that the clipped hair is so weak and fine that it is not actually shedding, but breaking off.  If you handstrip you are in control of when and where the blown hair comes out (in the grooming area preferably :) ).  I imagine it would not take you more than 1/2 an hour each week to keep a pet scottie handstripped and in good coat. I have never rolled a scotties coat, I own an Irish Terrier that requires far more stripping, but 45mins each week rolling Olive's coat keeps her looking and feeling great. (Rolling the coat means taking out only the longest hair each session, and is a great way to keep a pet coat in good order).  Once you get the knack of stripping it is fairly easy and quick to do - I imagine a pet strip on a scottie would be quite easy to learn particularly if you find someone to take you through the basics. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

I'd definately get someone else to do it, that's what I'd decide  ;-)
Especially as we're talking a double coat here!

I'll have a think.  I know my groomers do do it as I've seen it on their new price list and I do trust them to do a good job, the owner appears as one of the experts at All About Dogs so they must know what they're doing there, although I've never seen any dogs that they've handstripped (but then I wouldn't take any notice, I just collect mine and leave).

I'm not sure OH could cope with growing her hair in the first place you see, however as we tend to do this over winter for warmth it could be something we start then.

That's if I decide to do it, I was so adamant earlier, sticking up for my rights for clipping that now I have no idea whether I want her stripped or clipped :-D.

But you and Val have raised some very thought-provoking points and I will sit down tomorrow, have a further read through and a think, thank you!

If you have any questions jessthepest, do ask! :)  I will say that it will take patience and expertise to recover a clipped coat.  But if the dog was bred with a correct coat then a good groomer will be able to do it.
I'm really not being awkward when I say that I was taught never to put clippers on a puppy less than 12 months old, so that you can see if the pup has been bred with a correct coat.  Others who've not been taught the same way, are happy to ruin a good coat by clipping a 6 month old puppy! :(

I saw two Yorkshire Terriers this evening - quite separately - and both of them had their hair clipped off right to the skin :(  They looked absolutely awful.  If we hadn't been driving at the time I would have needed to ask their owners what on earth made them do it (or rather have it done) :rolleyes:  

Hi

Hope you don't mind me mailing you but you said in your post that you suffer from bad eczema, do you actually have westies yourself and have them handstripped? Only i have got a westie whom i have had clipped ever since he was a puppy, i suffer from asthma,eczema and get nasal polyps due to the dander that comes off of his coat, i have been told by my specialist that the best thing is to rehome him because all the time he is around my problems will not improve, i just wondered whether you have found that you are better with handstripping, are your allergies very bad, and do you also suffer from ezcema, hope you don't mind me asking all these questions but i am just interested to see if there may be an answer to this without having to rehome him?
If they are handstripped does this remove all of the dander? I was told to keep him coat as short as possible by handstripping so that this would help things but have done this now for nearly 9 months with no improvement.

Thanks
Helen