Trimming Ears
You will need: Thinning shears
This is only done if the cars are excessively long. Take very little off at a time using the crisscross pattern.

Trimming Skirts
You will need: Thinning" shears
Start by honestly evaluating your dog. A dog slightly longer in the back will appear even more so with full trailing skirts behind him. While some very short-backed dogs can get away with full trailing skirts, the majority of dogs look much neater with their skins slightly trimmed. The rule of thumb is to keep the bottom of the skirt even with the table level. The trimming is done with thinning shears, again using the crisscross pattern. Use this also to trim the elbow fringe.

Tail Trimming
This is only necessary when the tail comes up past the top of the head Or, if you wish to make the tail appear thicker and fuller, a slight trim will give it this appearance.