How to Groom a Toy Poodle With a Kennel Cut

Poodles come in three sizes ̵2; standard, miniature and toy ̵2; and their grooming cuts differ depending on the size of the dog and whether it is a show dog or a pet. Poodles in dog shows typically use Continental or English Saddle clips, for example. The Kennel cut is more frequently used for pet standard poodles, but it can be employed to clip toy poodle companions as well. Understanding the characteristics of Poodles' coats is key to an effective finish.

Things You'll Need

  • Clippers
  • No. 5 and No. 7 blades
  • Nail clippers
  • Styptic powder
  • Conditioning spray
  • Thinning shears
  • Ear powder
  • Cotton balls
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Instructions

    • 1

      Bathe your poodle before trimming. Be sure to rinse the dog several times in the process. Poodle fur is dense, making it sometimes a challenge to remove all the shampoo. Doing so is crucial, though, as dried shampoo in the fur can make it difficult to trim. What̵7;s more, it can cause irritation to your poodle's skin.

    • 2

      Dry the poodle thoroughly before clipping. You can either air dry, or you can you a professional canine dryer, which will blow the water off the coat in sheets, quickly drying the poodle.

    • 3

      Comb out your poodle's fur before grooming. You can also spray a slight amount of conditioner onto the hair, but not too much.

    • 4

      Trim the poodle. Attach either a No. 5 or No. 7 blade to your clippers. Trim the hair all over its body to between 1/2 and 1/4 inches, depending on how short or long you'd like the coat to be.

    • 5

      Shave the feet, muzzle and base of the tail very close to the skin. Be very gentle with the clippers here, as clipping too hard can cause your poodle pain. Refrain from trimming the puff on your poodle's tail, the top knot on the top of its head and the hair on its ears.

    • 6

      Shape the coat. Use thinning shears to finish the hair on your poodle's body; it should be uniform in length and neat. The shears can also help add a round shape to the poodle's tail, and neaten the ears and top knot.

    • 7

      Clip your poodle's nails. Use proper canine nail clippers, and have stypic powder on hand, in case you clip the nails too close to the quick.

    • 8

      Clean your poodle's ears. Lightly moisten a cotton ball and gently pass it over the inside of the dog's ears, not touching the inner ear. Ear powder can also be used to protect the ears' inner canals.