[PMac OES]

PLEASE HELP!

I could really use some advice / recommendations from experienced, professional dog groomers who have actual experience with Old English Sheepdogs and use either Oster or Andis clippers. We have two adult Old English Sheepdogs of our own. I am not a professional groomer, but I have always groomed and trimmed our dogs, and our vet has offered positive praise. I have also helped with OES rescues, as well as other large breed dog rescues where I have removed thickly (solidly) matted coats from ungroomed dogs.

I have always used the clippers I first bought for our two OESs nine years ago – Wahl Kennel Pro clippers, which were apparently a mistake, in view of their blade set design (and resharpening limits). The Wahl Kennel Pro clippers are very solid mechanically, but have NEVER done fast work on mats, even using their surgical blade set; so I recently requested recommendations from a clipper supplier about replacing the Wahl with an Oster or Andis clipper. Their recommendations were based on sells statistics, and they recommended either the Oster Golden A5 Single Speed or the Andis Pro Pet clippers.

I have been on-line searching user reviews and have found little or none on the Andis clippers, but the Oster A5 series (Golden A5, Turbo A5 etc.) seem to have 55 / 45 positive and negative reviews. I have looked at other models, including Oster’s PowerPro Ultra cordless and the Andis AGR+ cordless clippers. All I want to know is this: have you used / are you using an Andis or Oster clipper that has PROVEN to make fast, or steady and smooth work of super-dense, tightly woven, skin-tight thick mats? (I cannot exaggerate how thick, dense, and tight-to-the-skin these matted coats are.)

I have spent many payless hours becoming highly proficient at removing solid, whole-dog matted coats that are tight to the skin, leaving at least an inch depth of free hair and mats to work out later; and it takes forever! The area where I feel I could save time is along the back, sides and rear haunches of the dog. I have observed and learned how to angle the blade to move along a baseline so I am lifting the mat up and leaving as much fur on the skin as possible; but the Kennel Pro bogs down every half-inch or so in tight mat areas. Maybe what I am doing is the only way to get it done safely; but if there is ANY slightly faster way – i.e. an Oster or Andis clipper and blade set – that can actually ride along the cut line and lift off a matted coat at a steady pace I would LOVE to hear about it.

THANKS for your feedback!

[poodleholic]

I have the Andis UltraEdge 2 speed clipper, and often work on badly matted coats of (rescue) Poodles that I foster. I quit putting myself and the dog through he** and went to a technique I learned about on Groomer's BBS board.

Go to the following site, and click on wet clipping under Articles. Believe me, it works, and it's amazingly fast, simple, and saves a lot of hair that would otherwise be shaved off. I use a #4F or #5F blade, and have no problem, even with pelted coats.

http://groomingsmarter.com

[acanoffleas]

I second the Andis Ultra Edge 2 speed. I am personally a fan of Andis all the way. I've found Osters to be more awkward to handle and louder than other clippers. My second choice would be Wahl. I'd like to try the Wahl Switchblade which has variable speeds, a plus for working through dense, matted coats. I also can't go without my Wahl Arco clipper. Granted, it's best for doing pads and sanitary clips versus over all over length, as the blade adjusts to a 9, 10, 15, 30, & 40 blade length ( very, VERY close cut), but it also comes with snap-on combs (I haven't actually used them, though). Also, a good quality, sharp blade will make all the difference as well. Andis, Oster, Wahl and Geib/Buttercut are all great-quality blades. I'd avoid the cheaper ones.

Wet shaving is a great tool to try for matted coats as well. You can typically get a longer blade beneath a mat when it's wet as opposed to when it's dry.

You can also dry dematting sprays and conditioners. I've found the Quadruped Pet Care's All-In-One works miracles on mats.

[PMac OES]

THANKS MUCH for your replies and pointers! I'm taking stock and counting any forthcoming votes for clippers . . .

[justagirl21]

Ok, here is Australia, cause were all the way around thew other side of the US and down the bottom somewhere (and often forgotton lol) we have about ONE THIRD of the clippers that are avalible in the US as I have recently found when I too went searching for a set of clippers. I have -and love- my Andis ACG2 clippers, they run cool, quiet, no fans, air filter, powerful, lightweight and ergonomic design. I've heard that the Ultraedge is even better, and I believe it, If only I could get them here (grrr)! The Wahl KMSS-2 are great and quite powerful but very noisy, hair gets stuck in the air filter and heat up, and on the topic of heating up, the Oster A5's.. I have seen people with blistered and peeling/cracked skin from them!! For really really thick coats Laube clippers are THE clippers but get VERY hot because of this so breaks are needed during clipping. So to sum it all up I'm prob not much help because there are so many brands you have access to that I don't (haha) but if anything I'd go Andis as I've been really happy with my ACG's and the Ultraedge's are prob even better...