Styles of Trims for Poodles

First bred in Germany, the poodle was used by hunters as a water retriever. While the recognizable coat style is associated with elegance, it originally helped the dog tolerate the cold and swim better. Unlike that of most mammals, the poodle's coat does not stop growing at a specific length. Thus, frequent grooming and trims are a must for the poodle. There are many styling options for poodles, but only three are permitted for dogs who compete in show competitions. A good groomer will know the American Kennel Club/United Kennel club (AKC/UKC) specifications for hair length and styling.

  1. Puppy Clip

    • The puppy clip is acceptable in the show ring for puppies younger than a year. With the puppy clip, a groomer closely shaves the face, feet and the base of the tail. The top of the tail is left long and shaved into a ball. The top knot --- the hair on the top of the dog's head --- is pulled into a ponytail. The hair that covers the rest of the puppy's body is kept long and and trimmed in places to show the dog's form.

    Continental Clip

    • To give your poodle a continental clip style, a groomer will closely shave the dog's face, front legs from the poms (the balls of hair styled just above the feet) to the elbows, the hind quarter down to the poms, the base of the tail and feet. The hip rosettes are left long, and the topknot is pulled into a ponytail. The groomer will use scissors to hand-shape the pack area, the top of the tail and the poms on the legs into balls. A modified continental clip, which does not have hip rosettes, is also accepted by the AKC/UKC.

    English Saddle Trim

    • When trimming a poodle to meet the AKC/UKC's guidelines for the English saddle trim, a groomer will closely shave the dog's face, the front legs from the pom and pack, the flank's crescent, the base of the tail and the spaces between the poms on the rear legs and the feet. Scissors are used to trim and shape the pack, the hips and the flank area. The poms and ponytail are all shaped into balls and trimmed evenly. The top knot is left long and pulled into a ponytail, as with the previous styles. What makes the English saddle trim stand out from the continental is that the hair on the hind legs is left longer and separated into three different sections. Standard Poodles USA explains, "The poms on back legs are shaped round and spaced evenly. The bottom is started just above the hock and ends above the feet. The other starts at the knee area and ends just 1 1/2 inch (depending upon size of poodle) above the bottom pom."

    Utility Clip, for Companion Poodles

    • Even if your poodle is not a show dog, it is important to have it groomed regularly. The utility clip is common trim style for companion poodles. With the utility clip, the dog's face, feet and base of tail are shaved closely. The hair on the dog's torso is cut short and shaped with scissors. The hair on the top knot and tail is left longer than the hair on the body.