CORRECTIVE GROOMING IN ACTION

"Corrective grooming" is the term applied to sculpting hair in such a way as to minimize or hide anatomical faults or characteristics that are not consistent with the breed standard. Since most pet owners don't know beans from bananas regarding canine anatomy or their breed standard, we don't use the term "fault" in our conversation with the client. Corrective grooming is something you generally just do. In order to do it, however, the groomer must know a little about canine anatomy and the breed standard in order to recognize that something could use a little help.

This is Humphrey. I took a picture of him right out of the tub so that we could see how his back is not straight. This is what is called a "roached back." It is only one of his "faults." He also has a very low set tail, which makes it even worse. Take a look:


He is not standing that way because he is cold and wet. He is standing that way because of how he is built.

After fluff drying, he looks better, but I have been doing corrective grooming. I think this was my fifth time grooming this dog.


Does it look a little better? Well, let's put my finger in his coat and I will show you how much I have built it up over the rear section to make it more straight looking:
Length over withers



Length over hips


YIKES! There is more than an inch difference. Although this was measured before scissoring, the difference remains.

How I go about straightening the top line is to scissor the middle of the back first, to set the length, and then work back. This is backwards from how I would normally set the topline. Usually I work from the rear forwards.

This is not my finest picture, sorry. I scissor on a different table than I photograph. Even with the rear of the back built up, he still drops off too much in the rump, because of the low tail set. Fortunately, the owners husband prefers a tail that is not a pom. This works for less emphasis on the low tail set.

The Finished Product

Well, it doesn't look too bad. The rear legs are a little more full than the front and the topknot is a little lopsided to the left. The head looks better in the close up.
Head Shot


Humphrey also has a rather coarse head, so it is a good thing that his owners like some whiskers left. Whiskers can camoflauge a muzzle that is either too snipey or too coarse.

Humphrey's owners would probably be offended if they heard me talking about his "faults." To them he is the perfect beast. But it is only through my critical eye that I can make some adjustments to make him look so handsome. Let's look again at a before/after:

Humphrey Before


Humphrey After