Mauja and Atka often suffer from something which we affectionately call, “grinch feet”. Don’t worry, their feet don’t turn green, but the fur around their feet grows and grows until you really don’t have a distinguishable paw: grinch feet.
(Center photo: The Grinch (Jim Carrey) in “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”)
Now, I have no delusions about my grooming ability. I can bathe, brush, and remove tangles/mats from the fluffies. I can clean their ears, brush their teeth, and trim their nails. This saves us a LOT of money on professional grooming since it allows us to only get them groomed a few times per year. The groomer handles the grinch feet for me. I avoid clumsily poking their toes with scissors. Score.
The problem is that their feet need to be trimmed more frequently than they have grooming appointments. Their long paw fur looks silly, but it also makes it a bit uncomfortable for them. They require adequate amounts of fur between their toes to protect them from the elements, but they need to be trimmed enough so that they aren’t slipping around on wood floors. Trimmed paws also helps to prevent snowballs from forming in their fur when they stubbornly stay outside in the cold.
It was time for me to learn some basic paw trimming techniques.
Start with High-Quality Scissors
I’ll admit – I had no idea where to even begin in the search for trimming scissors, which is partially why I have put off learning for so long. I knew I couldn’t use the scissors I had in my kitchen, but I wasn’t sure what to look for. When I was given the opportunity to try the Micio Micia Dog Grooming Scissors, I couldn’t pass it up.
Why Micio Micia?
These grooming scissors have a lot of features that aren’t easily found combined in other brands.
- Safety Rounded Tip – No worries about poking them if you slip (super important for a novice “groomer”, such as myself).
- Non-Slip Ergonomic Wave Handle – Adds extra comfort when trimming and helps to avoid slip ups.
- Non-Slip Rubber Padded Eye Rings – The padded rings also helped to add extra comfort when trimming their feet.
- Finger Rest – I thought this was kind of silly until I started using the scissors. Makes handling so much more comfortable and is the perfect place for your pinky!
- Micro-Serrated Stainless Steel Blades – These blades are absolutely amazing. They cut the fur so perfectly and without error.
- Easy to Handle Size – The scissors are a total of 6 inches long with the blades being 2 inches. Long enough to make a clean cut but short enough to allow for control.
I’m really pleased with the quality of the scissors and how easy and safe they are to use. Mauja and Atka will still go to their groomer several times a year for a better grooming, but I’m glad to be able to keep their paws trimmed on my own.
Interested in trying the Micio Micia Grooming Scissors on your dog (or cat)? Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win. Three (3) winners will be selected!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Giveaway:
No purchase necessary. Giveaway is open to those 18 and over. It’s Dog or Nothing is not responsible for issues with or delays in prize fulfillment. Void where prohibited. Odds of winning depends on the number of entries received. Giveaway will run from Wednesday, December 30, 2015 through Sunday, January 10, 2016 at 11:59pm MT. Three (3) winners will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter and notified via email. Winners will have 48 hours to claim their prize; failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the prize. Participants must read and agree to It’s Dog or Nothing’s and Rafflecopter’s Privacy Policy before entering and participating in this promotion. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram do not sponsor, administer, or endorse this promotion. By entering this contest, participants grant permission for their email address to be added to It’s Dog or Nothing’s newsletter list.
Erin Ellis says
December 30, 2015 at 7:45 amMy biggest grooming problem are clipping his nails. He runs as soon as he sees me coming! LOL
Sarah De says
December 30, 2015 at 2:31 pmMy biggest grooming struggle is my dog’s fluffy tail! It catches EVERYTHING and gets matted REALLY fast!
Ruth Epstein says
December 30, 2015 at 2:35 pmMy problem is keeping her still for any type of grooming LOL excluding the brush which she loves and dances for
Erin says
December 30, 2015 at 5:32 pmUgh, grinch feet and Kramer hair, little curly sprigs sticking up where they don’t belong – drives me BONKERS!
Carol says
December 30, 2015 at 6:37 pmYou did a great job!!! Our Border Collie, Jack, gets Grinch feet too!! I need to try to trim them myself, but I’m chicken!! LOL
Carrie Harris says
December 30, 2015 at 6:54 pmOooooo I would love to win these!! The scissors I use for my Pyr and Dachshunds are so dull 🙁
zoephee says
December 30, 2015 at 7:21 pmThose shears sound awesome! Just be careful using shears near the paw pads. They should only be used for the top part of the paw and never underneath. In between the pads should be clippered only (paw pads are easily sliced with shears). 🙂
Rita B says
April 10, 2019 at 7:11 pmThank you for sharing that!
Sweet Purrfections says
December 30, 2015 at 9:03 pmmats in our cottony soft fur
sandy weinstein says
December 31, 2015 at 12:14 ami have 3 mini schnauzers. i would have loved to have stripped them, but it is so time consuming and since i dont show them, it is hard on them as well. the hardest part i have is their feathers and beards, keeping them clean and no tangles.
Jan K says
December 31, 2015 at 6:02 amWe get those same grinch feet with our golden retriever. I also try to keep them trimmed in between grooming appointments. We have these scissors now too and they make the job so much easier!
ellie says
December 31, 2015 at 6:05 ammy biggest issue is that her hair gets really long and covers her eyes before the rest of her body needs a haircut! this would be great to have so I can do a quick touch up in between real haircuts!
cheryl s says
December 31, 2015 at 12:36 pmspringer spaniels and their long ears
Kristen says
January 3, 2016 at 5:48 pmMy biggest grooming challenge is the knots that form in the long hair behind my dog’s ears.
Chris says
January 3, 2016 at 8:47 pmClipping his nails.is a challenge…we where just talking about how we need to find some good clippers!
Mallory Grace Huff says
January 4, 2016 at 8:33 pmKeeping up with brushing!
Daniel Scott says
January 5, 2016 at 7:23 pmMy dog’s biggest challenge is his long hair. We have to keep it brushed or it will knot and tangle.
April says
March 7, 2016 at 1:10 pmGrinch feet, lmao. I’m thankful Bain doesn’t have the long fur, it gets stuck in clothes bad enough!
MyDogLikes says
March 22, 2016 at 9:27 amThis is a common issue in our house too – in fact we just trimmed the boys grinch feet over the weekend. They can get so out of control it’s unbelievable!
Melissa says
March 30, 2016 at 10:23 pmI love the grinch feet although in my house we call it Seussical feet. My Pyr is not a huge fan of the trimming but when it is raining and muddy they have to go. I will have to look into these scissors they sound great.