Types of Haircuts for Dogs

According to "Dog Grooming" an article on the VPI Pet Insurance website, more and more Americans are tuning in to dog shows on TV and want their dogs to look like the show dogs too. The most common doggy cuts are the puppy cut and the teddy bear cut but there are several other styles to choose from.

  1. The Puppy Cut

    • The puppy haircut is an all-over trim to help the dog get used to going to the groomer.

      The puppy haircut is used to acclimate dogs to going to the groomer. This cut style is a standard trimmed style. About half of the hair is trimmed all over the dog's body with clippers so that it is even. Groomers may also trim the hair on the face to help the dog see better and you can always specify if you would like more or less hair removed.

    The Continental

    • The continental haircut is a common cut for poodles. The hind legs, rear, face, feet, legs and tail are shaved while leaving pompoms on the tail, and around the bottom joints of the legs which are called bracelets. The remaining fur on the chest and around the head is not cut, although it can be trimmed to even it out. This haircut shows of the back legs.

    The Retriever

    • The retriever hairstyle is used for long and curly haired dogs. All of the fur is cut to about an inch in length and then the fur on the tail on the face is cut even shorter. The style got its name because it resembles the natural hair of the golden retriever. This cut is also used to help keep long-haired dogs cool in warmer climates.

    The Lion

    • The lion cut is often seen on a pomeranian. The fur on the back of the body and legs is shaved down as short as possible with only poms left around the tip of the tail and feet while the fur on the front half of the body is left long to resemble a mane.

    The Teddy Bear

    • The teddy bear cut is a blend of the retriever cut and the puppy cut. It is an overall trim of all the fur on the dog's body, but it is cut shorter then the puppy cut and longer then the retriever cut. Like the retriever cut, the face and tail fur is cut shorter than the rest of the fur on the body. This cut is mostly used as a maintenance cut to keep dogs from getting mats and to keep the fur even in length.