How often or how you trim your Japanese chin is entirely up to you. A groomed foot is less likely to pick up debris and have problems with ice forming on them in the winter. Long hair is more likely to mat and collects dirt and absorbs moisture more quickly. There is no sense struggling with a long coat that constantly mats and puts both you and your dog in a bad mood at grooming time. You can have a professional groomer trim your dog in a puppy cut or another style. If you want to thin out your dog's hair and cut it yourself you can do that also. Just use moderation and go slowly. The essentials to a good trim are a mars coat king and thinning shears. To trim the dog's feet, brush out the hair so you can see where to trim. Take the thinning shears and cut the hair in the in the shape of the foot. If you cut the hair short you will have less hair on your floors. For the rest of the body use the mars coat king to thin out the hair and it is good for someone who is uncomfortable using shears. Take the mars coat king over the coat in the direction it grows. After 2 or 3 passes stop and look over your work. Periodically take your brush and clean out the hair you cut so you can see where you're going. Use the trimming shears to make the cut more defined and to trim around the eyes and ears. Cut around the anus area also, about a V around it should be good. Grooming your dog will just take practice until you can get the cut you want.

While you are going to take the time to trim your dog you might just as well trim their toenails also. Most times you will only need to clip off the tips of the nail, if you do it regularly that is. If you cut to much off the nail will bleed and infection could possibly set in.