CPS Advanced Styling Techniques 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When styling a dog with a double coat such as a Samoyed, which finishing technique helps maximize coat volume and stand-off?
- Blow-dry with a concentrator nozzle pointed at the skin while brushing outward (Correct answer)
- Towel-dry vigorously and air-dry flat
- Use a high-velocity dryer only on the topcoat
- Apply coat spray and let the dog air-dry without brushing
Correct answer: Blow-dry with a concentrator nozzle pointed at the skin while brushing outward
A concentrator nozzle directed at the skin while brushing outward lifts the undercoat and encourages the guard hairs to stand away from the body.
Question 2: A groomer is finishing a West Highland White Terrier. What scissoring technique creates the characteristic round head shape?
- Flat-top scissoring with straight shears
- Circular scissoring around the skull with curved shears (Correct answer)
- Blending with thinning shears only
- Clipper-finishing with a #4 blade
Correct answer: Circular scissoring around the skull with curved shears
Curved shears used in a circular motion around the skull create the round chrysanthemum-shaped head characteristic of the Westie.
Question 3: Which of the following correctly describes the 'roll' technique used in maintaining a wire-haired breed's coat between full hand-strips?
- Clipping small sections with a skip-tooth blade on alternate visits
- Pulling only the longest, most mature guard hairs in small sections regularly (Correct answer)
- Using a slicker brush to break dead coat loose
- Applying conditioner to soften the coat before scissoring
Correct answer: Pulling only the longest, most mature guard hairs in small sections regularly
Rolling involves selectively stripping only the longest mature hairs at regular intervals, keeping the coat in continuous cycle rather than doing a full strip all at once.
Question 4: When trimming a Poodle's feet, what is the correct boundary for the clean-feet trim?
- Shave up to and including the ankle joint
- Shave only the bottom pad surface
- Shave to the base of the foot at the ankle, creating a clean bracelet line above (Correct answer)
- Shave halfway up the leg for a show look
Correct answer: Shave to the base of the foot at the ankle, creating a clean bracelet line above
The Poodle clean-foot trim removes all hair from the foot to a defined line at the ankle, with the bracelet beginning just above that line.
Question 5: During a scissor finish on an Afghan Hound's saddle, which approach best preserves the natural flowing coat texture?
- Use thinning shears to texturize the entire saddle area
- Scissor only stray hairs with straight shears while following the coat's natural fall (Correct answer)
- Clip the saddle with a #5F blade and blend
- Backbrush before scissoring to create volume
Correct answer: Scissor only stray hairs with straight shears while following the coat's natural fall
The Afghan saddle should look natural and flowing, so only stray hairs are removed with straight shears following the coat's natural direction.
Question 6: A stylist wants to create soft feathering on a Cocker Spaniel's ears using thinning shears. What is the correct technique?
- Point-cut straight into the edge of the ear leather at a 90-degree angle
- Hold the ear flat and cut straight across the bottom edge
- Insert thinning shears parallel to the hair growth direction from midpoint to tip (Correct answer)
- Clip the ear edges with a #10 blade then feather with thinning shears
Correct answer: Insert thinning shears parallel to the hair growth direction from midpoint to tip
Inserting thinning shears parallel to the hair growth from midpoint to tip removes bulk while preserving the feathered, layered appearance.
Question 7: What is the primary function of a stripping knife with a fine tooth pattern compared to a coarse tooth pattern?
- Fine tooth removes more coat per stroke; coarse tooth is for finishing
- Fine tooth is for finishing and detailing shorter coat; coarse tooth removes bulk from longer coat (Correct answer)
- Fine tooth is exclusively for undercoat removal; coarse tooth is for guard hairs
- Fine and coarse teeth perform identical functions on different coat types
Correct answer: Fine tooth is for finishing and detailing shorter coat; coarse tooth removes bulk from longer coat
Coarse-toothed stripping knives grab and remove more bulk coat efficiently, while fine-toothed knives are used for finishing detail work on shorter, finer areas.
CPS Advanced Styling Techniques 3
When styling a dog with a double coat such as a Samoyed, which finishing technique helps maximize coat volume and stand-off?