When it comes to increasing my skill set when it comes to hair cuts, there are three area’s to get better at.
Human Hair trims/cuts
Sheep Shearing/crotching
Dogs Trims/Shaping
If there is one thing that 2020 taught us, we can go for ages without getting our hair cut, we can do our own nails, shape our own brows.. If you didn’t already do it.. bring your trims “in house” for 2021
In this case, I am do not recommend any major hair cut style changes and if you can do so, utube is your friend on this.. or just stay with the most basic trim, do your split ends and go..
I started trimming hubby’s hair year one of our relationship, he wanted a trim and we were way up in the north and he said I will get my hair cut next time I am down south, which had me give him the funny look and while it took me a bit to explain that we did home hair cuts 99 percent of the time in my family.. so I did the smallest trim possable for the first cuts he got.. I have been cutting his hair/beard/eyebrows for the next 20 years lol
2020 was the first time he trimmed mine.. he was very careful.. to careful really I wanted more off but it will come with time. Always better to want more trimmed off then to regret that to much was taken off.
I saw someone say, what are skills that we should be learning and or getting better at, and hair cuts was really on the top of that list.. Dog hair trimming was for sure in the top ten skills to learn.
Makes me wonder how many peaple are sending their dogs out to be groomed.. I do not mind grooming my dogs. My oldest girls are the ones that have the longest hair and need the most thinning/shaping and or shave down depending on the time of year.
I perfer to take the time to thin and shape then shave if I can.. but I have been known to take miss paris right down with the clippers once a year.. Dezzy is very double coated but short haired on her legs and so its a matter of trimming and lots of bush out..
Out of the two new boys, its Uther above that needs the steady daily groom time.. He would shed enough with all that lab blood and that crazy blow the coat twice a year.. but he really shows his Chessie blood all down his back line and he has this crazy course/wire type all over his back and down to his shoulders.. its so thick and water proof that the vet felt the need to warn me twice now that I will need to groom him regular to brush that out, keep the oils moving, and brush it back up after swimming as he says they can get skin infections if its not looked after properly.
So he is learning that he gets a daily brush out and I am always amazed at all the things that come out that you do not see.. little seeds, bits of hay, little sticks and so on..
Then comes the one that I am not fond of but do need to get better at.. shearing.. I am down to 3 ewes that need to be sheared.. and I swear at some point I will get back to only having hair sheep that shed out fully on their own.
Until that day comes, at least once a year I have to tackle shearing the ewes, I promise you they are not more happy to see me coming then I am to do it.. I know that some folks like shearing their sheep, I am not one them.. I wish I was!
So this year, I am going to see if there is any way to learn to be a better at it, to try hard to be safe but just a touch faster at it.. Thank goodness I use the wool in my gardens and I am not shearing for wool..
So when it comes to clippers/scissors use in your house, have you brought them in house, will you be bringing them in house.. Do you do basic grooming but send your dog out for the trim/cut/bath?
When it comes to the sheep, do you have any words of wisdom to make my shearing go better? If so I am all ears? I have power clippers as well as hand shears
One part of me wants to point out that it will save you money and it will in the long run if you keep it up but in truth depending on how much you need to buy in regards to grooming kit (dog) sheers(sheep) and grooming kit (human) it could be a bit spendy to set you up..
Still if push comes shove for peaple at least, you need a straight comb and a pair of straight scissors, if you have to in a pinch, good fabic scissors will get the job done..
Just another Day on the Farm 
Fabric scissors – been using them to cut hubby’s hair for about 20 years as well. I used to have the hair sheep years ago – did not want to be tasked with shearing chore…..I’ve seen it done – it always looks super simple, but never wanted to tackle it myself.
For sure that’s what my mom used on us for so many years.. its a old time skill for a basic trim that does not require a barber or hair dresser.. We always did our own colors and perms as well.. but I also had a aunt and or cousin that were hair dressers and so they would do it as well.
My sister having her husband and three boys to shear bought her own clippers and did her hair herself almost until they were done in high school. They don’t have sheep but have used the clippers on the dog’s belly to help him keep cool during the summer alongside brushing him regularly.
My hair is very long now – In fact I was due to have it cut on the 20th of March so naturally that didn’t happen! It’s below my waist but I go to the hairdresser so rarely that when I go I want to go to a salon to do it.
We have bought hair clippers and a beard trimmer for Husband but as a novice I only set it to the shortest setting and give him a once-over.
I like having most of my hair cut really short but I could never get it cut the way I liked, so about November 2019 I splurged on a good set of electric clippers, and I haven’t paid anyone to cut my hair since then. In the beginning I got a cut I liked about every third one, but these days I’m liking four out of every five. 🙂
thats great widdershin, glad you got your clippers and that you are getting bettr all the time.. makes things so much easier when we can just do it ourselves…