Electric clippers for long hair dog - Westie

[Jerry_NJ]

Sorry if my question looks familiar, I have asked on this subject one way or another in the past, but now I have some experience to reflect on.

First:  I want to trim my West Highland White Terrier. He has been groomed a few times and I'd like to trim some and maybe even try some of my own style ideas.  I want to be able to remove more hair than would be easy with just scissors.   I'd like to try both maintaining the traditional Westie cut (he has the center part not the balloon head). For starters I'd like to raise and maybe remove somewhat the traditional apron of long hair going around his body.

I have two sets of electric human hair trimmers and have used them to cut my own hair for the last 50 years, yes I still have hair.  I tried these on my Westie working on his rear end where I have cut hair with scissors in the past keep the poop off.  I used the plastic comb on my existing trimmer to prevent cutting too deeply and to act as a comb as my other had was busy keeping the dog on the table.  This worked okay, but cut very slowly and when I moved to closer cutting guards it didn't help much.

I know my technique is next to zero, I will watch more on Youtube and will carefully read any instructions I will obtain if I purchase a special electric set for trimming dogs, these seem to have DVD instructions included.

I wonder if trimmers made specifically for dogs have a more aggressive cutting head, than that provided on clippers designed for use on humans.  I notice, for example, some trimmers offer both plastic guards/combs and two or more cutting heads.

Here's a list:
12 Piece Kit includes:

    Clipper with Size 10 blade
    2 extra interchangeable blades: Sizes 7FC and 4FC
    4 Safeguard combs: 1/4", 1/2", 3/4", 1" (for use with Size 10 blade)
    Step-by-step DVD
    Stainless-steel shears
    Clipper oil
    Blade brush
    Soft zippered case

Can I expect this type of clipper package to cut a lot better and faster, more aggressively, than my human clippers?
Is one of the blade sizes 10, 7FC, or 4FC much the same as used on human hair, or are all different.  Just looking at the pictures the most I can pick up is the dog trimmers look a lot like human trimmers, but some appear to have a wider "bite", say fewer cutting tips per inch.  This would, I think, make the blade better able to get into thick hair... hopefully not so much so it can get caught and jammed in the hair.

[Margot49]

Have no idea.  She has been a domestic and show groomer fir many years and just said a 5 blade.  
Actually, good scissors, etc can be expensive and different ones used fir different grooming. The ones with the rounded ends I only used on cleaning up the foot pad hairs and between the toes.  Thinning sheers. On the Shelties, were used on the tops if the ears and to get out excess undercoat fir a better lay of the coat.  Regular scissors were used on longer hair and fir trimming and shaping.
Haven't seen the video but any face trimming I have seen done on on Westies used the straight shears.  It can be time consuming and really becomes a talent.  Better to do a little at a time cause once you lop it off, it's off!  Lol
Why not set up fir one grooming session fir the dog and ask your groomer if you can watch, assuming the dog will behave with you there.
I do have a grooming table with an arm and noose for grooming but most if my dogs were trained from puppies so were used to it.
You can use a table or the top of your washer or dryer and put a rubber bath mat on top so it won't slip.  That is a pretty good level to groom at.  Be careful, of course, the dog does not jump off.  Maybe you could get a second person to help.

[Jerry_NJ]

Thanks for your help.

I have scissors (I use a set with the points ground off to rounded ends) including thinning.  On youtube it appeared to me a lot of cutting around the face was done with thinning scissors, using many, many chops.  

I was looking for a fast way to shape the longer hair around his "waist" and use scissors only to level.

The set I am looking at has a 4FC, I wonder if this is anything near a 5.

[Margot49]

Hi Jerry,
Checked with a groomer friend of mine and she uses a 5 blade on the Westies.
I haven't looked but she said they have a good clipper on sale for $99 on the Pet Edge web site.

[Margot49]

Jerry, I have done a LOT if grooming and trimming over the years but mostly with scissors and thinning sheers.  I used to use a human trimmer I had hear to trim down the wiry coat of my aunt's  dog.

You want a nice Westie trim, ask your groomer, or a groomer, to tell you what they use and what blade.  I know Westie's take some scissor trimming too.  

Have a Westie show breeder around there?  Some will be helpful in helping.