Below is a grooming chart, and instructions for clippering your Irish Terriers.

 1. Trim the neck very closely and evenly into the back.
2. Trim the back evenly, but not as closely as the neck.
3. The front part of the neck and brisket are to be trimmed closely, with just a shade more hair left on, as you work down to where the front legs join the body.
4. The front shoulders are to be trimmed evenly and closely.
5. The front legs should be slightly trimmed to straighten the lines. Trim mostly on the back line; trim superfluous hair from the edges of the feet, and between the toes, shaping to roundness.
6.  Shape the ribs to follow the body conformation from a finely trimmed back to a fuller coat on the under part of the ribs and chest. Do not leave any hair on the sides or under the chest that is in any way shaggy.
7.  Trim the loin, but do not emphasize tuck up.
8.  Trim the belly.
Trim the thighs from the back line to the hock, taking off sufficient hair to show a definite outline of the leg.
10.  Straighten the back line of the hock, and trim superfluous hair from the edges of the feet and between the toes. Shape them to roundness.
11.  Trim the inside of the hind legs, and dwn to the hock joint.
12.  Trim the tail evenly, but not too a tip towards the head.
13.  Trim the stern closely and evenly.
14.  Trim the skull very closely. Leave slightly more over the inside corner of the eye than the outside corner.
15.  Trim the cheeks back from the corner of the mouth.
16.  Trim under the eyes to emphasize expression.
17.  Clean under the jaw from the corner of the mouth, back to the neck. Leave some chin whiskers, and brush them forward.
18.  Clean off the ears, inside and out. Straighten the edges with scissors.


Care of the Nails

Figure 1. Shows the average nail before cutting...showing the extension of the nail beyond the quick.

Figure 2. Shows how closely the nail should be cut to the quick. If the nail is left like this, it will wear down evenly in a few days.

Figure 3. Shows the nail after filing, with just a thin layer of protecting shell left to shield the tender quick.

When using a file, it should be drawn only in one direction, i.e., from the top of the nail downward in a round stroke to the end of the nail or underneath. Considerable pressure is needed for the first few strokes in order to break through the hard polished surface of the nail. After the first few strokes, the filing is easy.


Grooming Section I :
Introduction and Show Grooming