How to groom a Poodle- Popular haircuts(with Photos)

Welcome to our Poodle grooming styles guide, where we will look at the basics of how you can groom a Poodle.

Over history, Poodles have been groomed differently depending on their main functions.

Am sure most of us have seen some of the more traditional Poodle grooming styles because who does not love these pooches?

Keeping the coat well-groomed is essential if you want your Poodle to be healthy. They must stay free of mats and tangles to keep them looking great and this will require some sort of commitment from you as the owner.

In this guide, we are going to look at the steps that you need to take to groom this dog breed.

So, why don’t we get right into it? 

How to Groom a Poodle
Grooming a Poodle is easier than you think.

5 reasons why you need to groom your poodle

One of the biggest reasons why we groom our canine friends is because of their appearance. Dogs too feel good when they look great.

 When you groom your furry friend, he gets used to being touched and even relaxes. This acts as a great time for you and your dog to have some quality time where you can socialize and build a better bond.

Grooming helps to control shedding by a great amount but shedding cannot be completely avoided.

 Some of the grooming processes can help you avoid some of the dog-related medical problems such as eye, ear, and teeth infections.

You will be able to save some money by not incurring some of the vet and grooming-related costs.

The basics of the Poodle’s coat

Poodles are people dogs that are agile, active, eager to learn, and easy to train.

They have also developed the reputation among dog lovers fro being hypoallergenic which makes them great pets even for allergy sufferers.

But not everyone owns this pooch and the main reason is that he is high maintenance.

They are notoriously high intensive grooming dogs and this is even for those that are not going for those show-dog looks. You still need to frequently brush and trim their coats to a manageable size.

Failure to take care of their grooming needs will see you incur high vet costs as you try to treat skin, ear, and dental infections.

Furcut-Styles-for-Poodles

Poodle grooming styles tips

The Poodles coat is constantly growing and it is soft, softer than most of the dog breeds.

They are prone to tangling and matting and brushing is one of the best ways that you can remove these tangles and mats.

But how exactly can you brush this doggo’s coat? 

How to brush the poodle’s coat

The most effective way to brush this canine’s hair is by a technique that is known as “line Brushing.”

This technique works wonders for dense areas such as the hips, shoulders, and topknot.

Without using line brushing it is almost impossible to brush thoroughly and reach the skin.

First condition the hair before brushing

Use a spray conditioner to lightly mist the coat.

You do not have to do this but it comes highly recommended because it;

  • Helps during detangling.
  • Eliminates static.
  • Re-hydrates the Poodles coat.
  • Restores the sheen of the dog’s fur.

Line Brushing

Line-Brushing-a Poodle

This technique is quite a time consuming but not difficult to carry out as it involves brushing small amounts of hair at a time.

It does not need to be done often, however, it can be more intensive if your Poodle’s coat has not been brushing for quite some time.

The key is to make sure that you reach the dog’s skin and remove any mats and tangles that he may have.

Did you know that dog mats can be breeding grounds for fleas and can be extremely uncomfortable for your pooch?

You need a high-quality slicker brush and a greyhound comb to carry out this process. Beware that low-quality brushes can cause burns on the dog’s skin.

Another thing that you should do is brush the coat gently and run over the whole body then use a slicker brush to work on the areas that need the most attention.

I think(am not a professional groomer) that it would make sense to start brushing from the lowest point of the doggo’s body. This would set a path for brushing so that you do not make your dog uncomfortable through the whole process.

So, what this means is that you would start from the legs or the butt and work your way up to the head.

Take a small chunk of hair and separate it from the rest then brush the hair beneath using the slicker brush that you choose.

Be sure that your comb can run smoothly when you are done brushing. Do this until you re done with the whole body, chunk after chunk.

poodle coat brushing

Removing mats

Some areas may have some solid mats that need to be cut. 

Do not spend so much time trying to remove a hard mat as it could be painful and uncomfortable for the pooch.

But if you can remove the mat make sure that you do it lightly and gently in a way that does not cause discomfort to your Poodle. 

Finally, brush the whole coat with a bristle brush to grab all those hair that you may have missed.

It also redistributes natural oils and removes debris and dust.

Clipping a Poodle as part of Poodle Grooming

When you look at Poodles in dog shows, you begin to wonder what all these styles have to help the dog with.

Is it really necessary?

It is necessary because these pompoms look great on Poodles and it also makes the coat easier to maintain.

Poodle cut styles did not begin today, they have been around for some time now.

French noblemen loved to trim their Poodles to make them look great when they were bored. It also helped to stop the dog from being soaked as they swam to fetch prey.

These trims slowly got their way to the dog fashion rings from being primarily working-dog styles.

Here are some of the most popular Poodle Haircuts.

1. The modern Poodle haircut

modern-cut for poodles

This Poodle grooming style was designed to bring out the dog’s beauty and features. It also makes it easy for the owner to manage.

If you have no prior experience with cutting a dog’s hair it may not be advisable to try this style by yourself.

2. The Scandinavian Cut or the T-cut

T-Cut for Poodles

This is a common European Poodle grooming style but it is not so popular in America.

You can easily spot this style from a distance and is one of the grandest and most regal Poodle haircuts.

This hairstyle can be identified for being fluffy with a short-trimmed face, base of the tail, and feet.

It is sometimes also referred to as the Scandinavian Puppy cut.

3. The corded coat

Corded-Poodle-Coat

For one to achieve this style, the Poodles hair needs to be dreadlocks the same way human hair would be dreadlocked.

It should be done with care because allowing the coat to naturally may is uncomfortable.

This is a rare hairstyle that was super popular in the 1950s and 60s. It can be difficult to bath Poodles with the corded hairstyle and if you choose this style, be prepared for more dog odor.

4. Miami Poodle grooming style

Bikini-Clip for Poodles

This style is also known as the “Bikini cut.”

It is great for dog owners that want to have a simple and manageable appearance while at the same time giving the dog some style.

This allows the pooch to have a short coat making it easier to clean the dog. It is great for dogs that have skin sensitivities as it becomes easier to apply medication and give medicate baths.

5. Town and country cut

Town-and-Country-Clip

This style has been growing in popularity with its origin not being very known.

In this style, the dog has trimmings on the legs that look like cylinders and the top of the ears and the head are rounded. The rest of the coat should appear natural.

Contrary to what many people call it is incorrect to refer this style as the pom-pom cut.

6. Continental or Lion cut

Poodle Continental-Clip

When most people think about Poodle grooming styles, this is the cut that comes to mind.

The Poodles’ coat is trimmed everywhere apart from the ears, faces, tails, shoulders, and the paws. This creates fur “pompoms.”

This is one of the two acceptable show-line Poodles haircuts.

It can also be modified by removing the circles at the rare end of the dog to be known as the Modified Continental Clip.

Modified-Continental-Clip

This style is not seen in Toy and Miniature Poodles as much as it is in Standard Poodles.

It takes a lot of effort and time to get this style right and you must let a professional groomer do it.

7. English Saddle Cut

English saddle cut poodles

For show line Poodles over the age of 1 year, this is the other acceptable hairstyle.

It is very similar to the Lion cut.

However, the main difference between the two is the extra stylized pompoms and the longer hair at the dog’s back end.

8. Teddy bear or Puppy cut

Puppy-Cut poodles

Just as it sounds, this style makes your Poodle look like a puppy.

This appearance keeps the fur tidy, clean, and of the same length all over the coat.

You can visit the groomer for the first cuts if you have never done it before as you gain more experience you can then carry out the clip by yourself.

This style is acceptable for Poodles under the age of 1 in dog shows.

9. Summer cut

Summer-Cut for poodles

This style is one of the functional Poodle styles and is also known as the Utility or Kennel cut.

It removes the warm and dense coat of the Poodle during the warmer summer months, allowing them to be cooler outdoors.

The coat should be short all over apart from the tail and the head.

10. Sporting/Dutch cut

dutch_cut_poodles

With this appearance, your Poodle is going to have a pompom on the tail and shorter body hair.

This hairstyle is known for having a uniform length and is popular for all Poodle sizes.

It is possible to clip your pooch all on your own at home but it may also be recommended to visit a groomer.

11. The Poodle Lamb Cut

Poodle Lamb cut

Poodles that have this hairstyle have a smooth coat with no harsh lines.

This is a more modern cut that is increasingly becoming popular because it is simple and easy to maintain.

12. The Cupcake Cut

the Poodle cupcake Poodle

This is a rare style that aims at sculpting the ear and the head to make them look more like delicious cupcakes.

It is sometimes confused for the Teddy Bear Cut which we have talked about above. However, this style has rounding at the ears that are distinguishable.

If you are not experienced in cutting a dog’s hair, it may be difficult for you to achieve this look.

Other Poodle Grooming requirements

Apart from trimming and brushing the Poodle’s coat, you can carry out other grooming processes to keep him healthy and looking great.

Bathing a Poodle

You should first bath a Poodle puppy when he is about 3 months old. This is once he has been fully vaccinated.

These dogs should not be excessively bathed as they have an oil layer that protects their skin and overdoing it could get rid of this layer causing the skin to dry.

You should only barth your Poodle after between 30 to 35 days. It allows the skin to regain its oils and to regenerate.

However, if you doggo gets dirty in between these days you can do the following;

  • Dry-bathing your canine is also possible with the help of a dry foam that can be found in your local pet store.
  • A wet sponge or wet wipes can also be used to clean specific areas that are dirty or smelly.

A step by step process of how to clean your Poodle

You first need to choose a mild shampoo with a pleasant fragrance. Unless your dog needs flea treatment do not use a shampoo that is meant to remove fleas.

The shampoo should have moisturizing properties to make the curls easier to manage.

You should then mix the shampoo with the required amount of water according to the instructions.

Make sure that you thoroughly brush the coat before you begin bathing.

Place some buds inside the dog’s ears to protect them from water then place him into the tub or any other place where you are planning to bath him. Just make sure that it is not on the ground.

You can now pour the shampoo mixture on the Poodle’s neck working it up to the top o the head. All the neck areas and the lower jaw area should be worked upon thoroughly without it getting close to the eyes.

Pour more of the shampoo mixture to the other parts of the coat and massage it in.

Make sure that you get all the areas including the chest area, armpit, the belly, and the tail and leg areas.

Massage the shampoo in thoroughly then rinse the dog with water. Start by rinsing from the head then work your way down making sure that no shampoo gets into the eyes.

You should note that any soap or shampoo that is left of the coat may irritate the skin.

After thorough rinsing, use a dry towel to dry the coat. Remove all the water from the coat and you may be required to use several towels then use a blow-dry to dry the coat completely.

Taking care of a Poodle’s ear

Cleaning a pooch’s ears is essential regardless of the breed and it is also part of the Poodle’s grooming.

However, Poodles have drooping ears and they accumulate lots of hair in this area, and cleaning them will greatly reduce the risk of infections.

How to clean the ears: step by step

For you to clean a Poodle’s ears you have to make sure that it is a pleasant process for him. You will need to begin this process when the poodle is still a puppy.

However, you can still begin this process when the canine is matured by giving him treats and lots of praises.

First thing first, you need to remove all sea hair that may be at the dog’s ear canals using your fingers. Do this softly while avoiding harming the dog’s ear canal.

Cleaning the ear duct is the most delicate process and you may need the following things;

  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Saline
  • Commercial preparations

Use a clean gauze and dampen it with the product and wind it around your finger then carefully put it into the outer part of the duct.

You should lift the Poodle’s ear to make it easier to clean.

Gently remove any dirt that exists in the duct using careful dragging movements. Make sure that no gauze is left in the ear, then change the gauze.

Any wrong or sudden movement could easily injure the duct although ear cleaning does not pose a great risk for the dog. The gauze should not go beyond 1 inch of the dog’s ear and even less for puppies.

Visit the vet if;

The Poodle’s ears give off an odor.

On pressing the ear canal, it makes a small noise.

You cannot perform the process by yourself let the vet do it for and you can also get more tips on how to do it by yourself.

In case there are any signs of otitis such as if your Poodle constantly scratches his ear and an askew head.

Poodle Grooming(Dental hygiene

Dental hygiene should never be overlooked during Poodle grooming as it is an integral part of the dog’s wellness.

Brushing the teeth is the most effective way to clean a Poodle’s teeth but it is, however, not the easiest to partake.

It can be uncomfortable for them and maybe difficult if it is your first time doing it. Brushing your doggo’s teeth should be started when he is young so that he can get used to it.

Use a proper toothbrush and the right dog toothpaste(should be vet-recommended).

Never use a toothpaste that is formulated for hoomans as the ingredients can be quite toxic to a dog.

This will remove tartar and plaque that may be on the pooch’s teeth to make sure that the Poodle has the best dental hygiene.

Using dental chews and quality food to clean the teeth

Quality dental chews can also help you maintain the Poodle’s teeth and are as effective as using a toothbrush and toothpaste.

As they chew tartar and plaque is scraped off and the dog’s teeth remain fresh.

Dental chews are completely easy to use and dogs love them because of delicious they are. This is the best way that you can take care of your Poodle’s well-being and dental hygiene.

You can also keep the doggie’s oral health in check by using healthy and high-quality food.

Poodle Grooming summary

Grooming a Poodle is not easy and it shouldn’t be overlooked. This not only helps keep your four-legged friend looking great but also makes sure that he is healthy.

It can be quite a challenge for novice dog owners but as you get used to it, it gets easier.

We have also looked at some Poodle grooming styles that you can choose from and that can express both your personality and that of your Poodle.

Grooming your Poodles is also a great time to build a better relationship between the two of you.

So, what this Poodle grooming guide helpful to you?

Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

There you go, WOOF!