The Scottish Terrier Haircut

By Three C’s Kennel

A short guide to Grooming the Scottish Terrier using the “pet quality”

technique.

Three C’s “Maxine” before and after grooming

Equipment You Will Need

Clippers

Blade #10

Blades, #7F, #5F, #4 (depending on the

length you prefer)

Scissors or Shears

Comb (medium tooth)

Slicker Brush

Thinning Shears

Important Note: The step by step grooming process is illustrated

with a Wheaton Scottish Terrier so that the pattern and details of the

cut can be easily seen. It is recommended to use a blade no shorter

than a #5 blade on the backs of Wheaton Scotties. Otherwise, the

blade goes too deeply, destroying the Scottie’s undercoat. A blade

that cuts too closely on the back will leave tracks and unsightly gaps

in the coat. You want the coat to appear smooth and even. The

shaven/clipped areas should taper smoothly into the unclipped areas.

It is best to do a “rough” cut before the bath and then a more thorough

cut after the bath and after the Scottie is completely dried. Otherwise,

the hair doesn’t lie well for the finishing touches.

Wheaten Scottie after being groomed

1) Brush the entire coat with the slicker brush. Follow up with the comb to make certain there are no

tangles. It is important to get all tangles out of the coat before you begin clipping to ensure a smooth,

even cut. Tangles cause the clippers to gap the coat.

Figure 1-2

Clip in the direction of the arrows.

2) Using the #10 or #7F blade, clip the top of the head. Start at the base of the eyebrows and cut backward

along the base of the skull and between the ears. Careful, not to cut too close the sides of the

ears. Cut the eyebrow with the edge of the clipper so that it’s squared off.

3) See figure (2) With the clippers using a #10 blade holding it

just below the eye line, taper into the jaw area. Leave the hair in front of the ear for now.

Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5

4) Clip the jaw area using a #7F or #10 blade. As shown in Figure 2-3. Shave down from the outer

corners of the eyes to within ¾” of the corners of the mouth, by trimming the jaw up to the whisker line

(defined by the large whisker dimple on the bottom edge of the jaw).

5) With the #10 blade, shave diagonally from the back edges of the ears to a point at the base of the throat.

This will form a “V” shape, starting from the outer corner of the eye, down the sides just beside the

beard, with the point of the “V” at the lower neck and going back up to the base of the ear. See Figure

2.

Figure 6

Cut with the

clipper in the

direction of the

blue arrow. Don’t

go above this line;

leave the hair in

front of the ear

full. With a #10 or

#7F. The black

lines indicate

where the shaved

area (pattern line)

begins.

Use the edge of the

clipper to square

off the eyebrow.

See Figure 3

Figure 3

The Neck shape

6) Taper the hair into the area just below the eye line. Depending on how full you want the coat to be,

you can do this with a #5F blade to leave the face more full. You can also use a #10 blade to blend the

lines and smooth the hair around the lower jaw up to the eye line. The #10 blade is to be used very

lightly, just enough to blend the hair lines together.

7) See Figure 7. Leave a triangle shaped “tuft” of hair on the front edges of each ear, from half way along

the base on the outside. You can cut the hair inside the ear being careful not to get into the “tuft” area

with a #10 blade. I like to leave hair on the back of the ear and it can be trimmed with the scissors.

Using the scissors or shears, carefully cut the hair around the outside of the ear, front and back. On the

front side of the ear, cut from about one inch up from the base of the ear to the tip of the ear making a

smooth cut.

8) See Figures 7-8. Fold the ear in half from the tip to the base. Comb the tuft hair in front of the ear out

smooth. Make a triangle cut from the base to the tip of the ear. The cut, using the scissors, is about ¾”

to 1” from the base of the ear to the tip of the ear. Comb out several times and continue trimming until

it forms a straight, smooth line to the tip. Scissor the edges of the ears to neaten them up. Clean up any

other remaining hair not part of the ear tuft. Repeat the same procedure for the other ear.)

Figure 4

Ears before being trimmed

Figure 5

Tipped ear and “tuft” of hairs left shown

unclipped with the ear folded, cut from the

base of the tuft of the ear to the tip of the

ear.

Figure 6

Taper the hair up3/4” from the tip

Figure 7

Folding the ear in half, making a triangle

Cut from the base to the tip of the ear.

Comb out and do it again.

Figure 8 Comb out several times and continue trimming until it forms a straight, smooth line to the tip

9) Comb the eyebrows forward. With the #10 blade, very gently and carefully go over the top of the

eyebrows, removing any curl. Be certain not to cut deeply into the eyebrows. Next, fold the eyebrows

back exposing the eyes and cut the “natural” eyebrows that may impair a dog’s vision. The “natural”

eyebrows are the extra line of hair just under the full eyebrows.

10) Scissor the inner corners of the eyes. When cutting the inner corners of the eyes, cut directly with the

grain of the hair instead of cutting across the hair. It will blend more evenly, and not show a gap in the

hair on the bridge of the nose and corner of the eye. Cut between the eyebrow and the inner corner of

the eye in a 45 degree angle on both sides of the eye, forming an upside down “V.”

Figure 9

Eyebrows combed forward

Figure 10

Trimming the “natural” eyebrows

Figure 11

Trimming the inner corners of the eyes

using the scissors / shears

11) After all the wild hair has been cut around the eye, comb the eyebrow down and straight. Use the

scissors to cut alongside the side of the head and eyebrow into the lower edge of the ear. This should

be a smooth line. Bring the scissors up to meet the eyebrow when cutting.

Figure 12

12) Scissor-trim, starting at the end of the eyebrow closest to the edge of the nose, to the corners near the

outside of the eye. This will form a sharp point by the base of the nose to the outside corner of the eye.

Figure 13

13) When properly cut, the eyebrow, from the side view, will appear to have a curl up over the eye, and

will not obstruct the dog’s forward vision. With the #7F or #10 blades, finish the head by clipping the

outside of the eyebrows and blending them smoothly into the head.

Figure 14

14) Lightly scissor any straggly or stray hairs around the edges and sides of the beard. The beard should

appear long and straight. You can also use thinning shears to make the beard long and straight. Often

times it’s more effective to trim the beard fairly short to prevent tangles later.

Figure 15-16

Finished head front and side view

15) With the #8½, #7 or #5 blade (depending on the length you prefer), start at the base of the skull and clip

down the back and over the top of the tail.

Figure 17

16) With the same blade, clip down the sides of the neck to the tops of the shoulders and stopping

approximately 2 ½ -3” above the elbow. You can trim over the back into the upper thigh and trim this

area fairly short blending into the skirts.

Sides of neck Shoulders Elbow

Figure 18

17) Clip down the chest to about 1” above the breast bone.

Figure 19

This should be your pattern line at this point

18) From the clip you have already made on the back, clip down the sides, blending as you go. Continue

trimming over the rear of the rump, going down the upper thigh in a line that blends into the pattern

line of the sides, leaving skirt across the body. When viewed from the side, the pattern should be a

straight, blended line that runs from the shoulders, all the way across the body, to the hips-rear.

Thinning shears may also be used to help blend the shaven/unshaven areas.

Figure 20

19) With the same blade, continue around and under the tail, making sure both pattern lines meet on either

side on the rump/rear area.

Figure 21

The pattern line on each side should flow with the rest of the pattern line on the sides of the body and meet each

other evenly under the tail.

20) Clip down the top half of the tail and blend down either side of the bottom fringe. Comb the fringe of

hair downward and scissor the lower edge, making it wide at the base and taper it to a point all the way

to the tip. You want the tail to look like a big fat carrot shape. The base of the carrot should be full

and taper smoothly into the rear area.

Figure 23-24

Tail before and after being trimmed

21) Brush the hair around the feet down and out, and scissor around them in a circle to give a neat

appearance. Do not cut the feet too short. The hair should cover the toenails.

Figure 25

Photo illustrates rear foot

22) Scissors-trim ½” to 1” off the rear legs slightly trimming an angle on the front side of the rear leg so

that it tapers into the skirt. The bottom of the rear legs should slightly taper into the feet. Refer to

Figure 21. The angle should give each leg definition so that it does not completely blend into the skirt.

Trim the front legs straight down all the way around the leg, approximately ½” to 1” off. The cut you

make on the front legs should also give definition to the front legs and not completely blend into the

skirt. Comb the chest hair downward and scissor the lower edge straight and even. Comb the belly

fringe (skirt) downward and scissor the lower edge evenly, following the contour of the body. Refer to

figure 21-22.The belly and chest fringe should hang the same length underneath and then taper to the

flanks at the rear.

See photos on sides and legs

Figure 26-27

Trimming the legs

Trimming the side skirts

The Side skirts should be cut at a slight angle. Beginning at the rear bottom of the front

foot, cut toward the rear leg. Make the angle of the cut as shown in the illustration. It will

require a couple cuts, combing the side skirt out then cutting along the same line until its

smooth.

Finishing legs & skirt and chest

Figure 29

Figure 30

Take the dog outside and let them shake and run around a bit. Look at your grooming job and notice any area’s

that need a little touch up.

Congratulations……you did it!