How to Puppy Clip a Miniature Poodle

There are several styles and options available for grooming a poodle. These various styles are combinations of long and short hair that create a specific image for your dog based on shape and facial accents. One of the most common styles is called a Puppy Clip.

Things You'll Need

  • Clippers
  • Grooming scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      First ensure safety for your dog. Obtain properly functioning clippers and scissors that will be easy to use on the miniature size of your dog. Pick a good safe nonslip spot and ensure that your poodle is comfortable.

    • 2

      Start with the face of the dog. Pin back your poodle's ears with your free hand and shave from under the ears to the corner of the eye. Keep the clippers flat so that no rash will form on the dog and do not use force when shaving. Use the top edge of the clippers to shave under the eyes for safety purposes. If the middle section is used, there will be potential to harm the dog. Start from under the eye and follow through the whole length of the muzzle.

    • 3

      Use the scissors to trim down the hair on the poodles feet. Once the hair is at an appropriate length, meaning a length at which the clippers won't jam, begin shaving the feet gently starting from the toes and working your way up. Follow the same procedure for the tail, trimming first then shaving. A small puff of hair or "pom-pom" is left on the very end of the tail.

    • 4

      Leave the rest of the coat long but begin tapering the hair on the chest, legs and hindquarters. Taper the hair so that there is a gradual change in the length of the hair and no lines appear that show the difference in length. Step back and ensure that there are no uneven areas and trim up anything that you may have missed.