Hairstyles for Poodle Dogs

Poodles are recognized by the unique hairstyles that normally accompany the breed. The classic poodle hairstyles originated in Germany to keep vital organs warm when the poodle accompanied its master hunting game. If you are planning to show your poodle, there are only a few poodle hairstyles accepted by the American Kennel Club. However, several companion pet hairstyles offer any poodle owner a variety of hairstyles to choose from.

  1. Puppy Clip

    • The American Kennel Club allows poodles 12 months or younger to have a puppy cut. To achieve this cut, the groomer shaves the face, throat, feet and base of the tail close to the skin. A pompon (puff of hair) is left on the tail to balance the overall box shape of the dog. The fur on the body and legs is left long but can be shaped to fit the conformation of the dog. The topknot can be left long against the body or pulled into a rubber band at the top of the skull.

    English Saddle Clip

    • To achieve an English saddle clip, a groomer shaves the face, throat, feet, front legs and base of the tail. Pompons are left on the front legs just above the wrists and on the tip of the tail. The back legs have two shaved bands, leaving pompons on the ankle and knee. The rump and thighs are left with a short, cut blanket that resembles a pair of shorts when viewed from a distance. Between the back of the shoulders and front of the hips is also a shaved band. The rest of the coat can be left long or shaped to fit the conformation of the dog. A topknot is permissible with this hairstyle, as well.

    Continental Clip

    • The Continental clip hairstyle also begins with shaving the face, throat, feet, legs, base of the tail and hips/hindquarters. Puffs are optional on the hips and must be placed over the hip joint. Bracelets on the hindquarters, puffs on the front legs around the wrists and a pompon on the tail are required. The body of the coat is left long, but can be shaped to fit the conformation of the dog. As with other American Kennel Club hairstyles, the feet are visible and a topknot is optional but must be placed only on the top of the skull.

    Sporting Clip

    • Groomers achieve the sporting clip hairstyle by shaving the face, feet, throat and base of the tail. The hair on the skull is trimmed to leave a cap of hair, and a pompon is left on the tip of the tail. The body of the coat and legs are trimmed to match the shape of the dog̵7;s conformation, but the coat is not to exceed 1 inch in length. This hairstyle also allows for the hair on the legs to be somewhat longer than the hair on the body.

    Companion Pet Hairstyles

    • The utility cut includes shaving the face, feet and base of the tail and trimming the rest of the coat body down to about one inch in length. The lamb cut is similar to the utility cut except the coat body is a bit longer. giving a fluffy appearance. The summer cut involves shaving the face, neck, feet and base of the tail, leaving a shortly trimmed coat on the body, legs and head with pompons around all four wrists. The town-and-country cut calls for the coat body to be short and the face, neck, feet and the base of the tail to be shaved. The midsection between hips and chest are shaved closely but not bare.