Ways to Clip Your Poodle

The hair of a poodle is malleable and may be clipped in a variety of ways. The most common show styles include the sporting clip, the English saddle clip, the puppy show clip and the continental clip. All implement variations of caps, pompoms, bracelets and puffs clipped and shaven into the coat.

  1. Sporting Clip

    • The sporting clip is very simple. It's highlighted by a scissor cap on the head and a pompom on the end of the tail. The remainder of the poodle's fur is trimmed following the poodle's body shape. The coat should not be thicker than 1 inch all around, though the leg hair, depending on preference, can be cut longer. The tail should be shaved clean from the base to midway up the tail. Shaving the feet, throat and face complete the look, making the scissor cap and pompom pop.

    English Saddle Clip

    • The English saddle clip makes ample use of puffs and pompoms. The coat on the front of the poodle remains full, while the back is kept short. Sometimes the front portion gets shaped to better compliment the hindquarters. The tail features a pompom at the top, and the forelegs sport puffs near the feet. The remainder of each foreleg is shaved. Two bands are also shaven into each hind leg, while the flanks are clipped into a curve.

    Puppy Show Clip

    • Only puppies in their first year should have the puppy show clip. Like the other common clips, the puppy show clip has a pompom at the end of the tail. Although the puppy show clip requires the least work, the coat should be clipped according to body shape. Each foot is entirely shaven, but the leg hair is left long. Shaving also occurs on the face, base of the tail and throat.

    Continental Clip

    • The continental clip is also called the lion clip due to its resemblance to the animal. Except for the detailing, the coat on the front of the poodle's body is left long to be shaped if desired. The hindquarters are shaved short, highlighted by optional hip pompoms. Bracelets also wrap the bases of the hind legs, while puffs wrap the bases of the forelegs. The foot below these puffs and the foreleg above them is shaved as well. The coat is usually trimmed short enough above the forelegs to show them off.