Dog Grooming Tips for a Pom-Pom Tail

Keeping your dog well groomed is important for his health and well-being. Making him look cute is extra fun for his owners. Poodles are well-known for the pom-pom left on the tips of their tails, and re-creating that look is adorable on several breeds. Kinky coats are best for the pom-pom because they can be made to hold the shape, but even long, flowing coats can use the basic cut to create a "flag" that is adorable.

  1. Preparation

    • Start with a coat that is clean and free of debris. After brushing thoroughly to remove tangles, shampoo your dog. Use a high-powered blow drier on medium setting. A hand-held human blow drier will work, but a free-standing pet hair drier works best so that both of your hands are free to work. For dogs with kinky or harsh coats, use a slicker brush while drying to fluff the coat out from the skin so that it stands up straight. Dogs with long, silky coats that will not stand out away from the body still need to be completely dried off for the next step.

    Clipping

    • Use an electric dog clipper with a number 10 blade to clip the hair down to the skin from the base of the tail at the rump two-thirds of the way to the tip, leaving only one-third of the hair remaining at the end of the tail. If a shorter clip is desired, you can use a number 15 or a number 20. The higher the number on the blade, the less hair it leaves behind. A number 20 blade is the shortest pet blade available. The next blade available is a number 40, which leaves nothing and is usually used for severe clipping, show cuts, or surgical clipping.

    Cutting

    • The best scissors to use are created specifically for grooming round shapes on dogs. These grooming shears are curved to produce the easiest pom-pom clips. Clip the hair in a circular motion around the tail with the curved shears until you have a fluffy round ball. If you do not own a pair of curved grooming shears, you can use a pair of straight-edged barber or dog grooming scissors and follow the steps below.

      For dogs with kinky coats, hold the tail still and carefully clip the top, bottom, and sides of the pompom into a square with a sharp pair of grooming scissors. Once you have a square, round off the corners for a pom-pom.

      For silky coats, hold the tail out away from the body with your fingers at the tip. Use straight-edged grooming scissors to cut the hair starting close to the tip and angled down away from the tail in a straight line, so that the hair is longest next to the rump.

      After a few sessions you will find it easier to achieve the shape you desire. Practice also helps you learn to control the movements of your dog so you do not accidentally cut too much.