Different Ways to Groom Poodles

Poodle hair grows continually. And, it grows on the entire body except for the bottom of the feet, the tip of the nose and the rims of the eyes. So, whether you plan on showing the dogs in competition or just love the curly haired creatures, grooming is an important part of maintenance.

  1. Puppy Clip

    • For show purposes, up until the age of 1, the poodle may exhibit what is called a puppy clip. After the age of 1, other clips must be used. With the puppy clip, only the dog's face, feet and the bottom of the tail are closely trimmed, with the coat shaped to accent the individual dog's form. A topknot is shaped on the top of the head and pulled into a ponytail.

    Continental Clip

    • One of the accepted grooming methods for standard poodles in show is the continental clip, where the face is shaved along with sections on the front legs between the poms -- ball-shaped trims above the feet -- and the elbows. On the back, the legs are trimmed from the poms all the way up to the hindquarters and the base of the tail. The top of the tail is trimmed into a round shape and other shapes, called rosettes, are left on the hips no more than 1 inch apart. As in the puppy clip, the topknot is ponytailed and left long. The pack, or the front end of the main coat, is also left long and trimmed with scissors. One inch of trim is shaved into place between the end of the pack and the hip rosettes. A modified continental clip, also accepted for show purposes, leaves off the hip rosettes.

    English Saddle Clip

    • The English saddle clip is regarded as a time-consuming task and a difficult cut. Several areas are shaved very closely and require almost daily maintenance, including the face, the front legs between the pom and the pack, a small crescent on the hindquarters, the bottom of the tail and the feet. Also, poms are left on the rear legs with trimmed sections between them.

    Fifth Avenue Clip

    • This uptown cut involves shaving the face and neck as well as a strip around the midsection, the bottom of the tail and the feet. A pom just above the feet on the front legs is left with a small section trimmed as a separator between the pom and the upper leg. The hair on the upper leg may be trimmed as short as the owner desires.