POODLE

BLADES & TOOLS

COAT & GROOM TIPS

The art of styling Poodles, from various breed standard styling to a myriad of owner derived styling desires, is so vast that you must get training and use additional sources listed below.

Regular brushing and combing is essential in order to remove substantial wooly hair shed from the dense undercoat, and not only the outer coarse guard coat which protects the undercoat. The density of the hair coat can be misleading to novice groomers or owners of this breed; it is dense and mats.

Daily grooming is very helpful with a full coated Poodle, and less for Poodles styled with shorter maintenance cuts. Soft and cottony, and often curly, the coat can easily become matted especially when exposed to moisture. Some pet owners not concerned about maintaining a show quality coat and appearance will have the hair coat clipped shorter for easier maintenance. No one wants to remove the coat of a Poodle but when it gets severely matted it is not fair on the animal to undergo excessive de-matting. Groomers enjoy the breed as it allows them to express their level of artistic ability in styling the many available Poodle cuts and styles.

As the owner of a non-shown Poodle you need to decide what type of trim pleases you and looks best on your pet. Poodles are active and like to be involved in all family activities. If you do participate in regular outdoor activities, a shorter maintenance cut may be appropriate for you. If your Poodle is mostly indoors and you want something "fancy" (yet not a formal show trim), your stylist can offer you many styling suggestions. Most professional grooming businesses will have pictures of various styles to help you choose one. Keep in mind that the same style on a black Poodle versus a white Poodle often looks different. The more full-coated and long-haired your style selection is, the more maintenance grooming will be required between professional grooming appointments.

Like many other long coated breeds hair shed can and often does remain in the under coat until it is removed by proper brushing and combing. Hair shed not removed will, with time or immediately upon getting damp or wet, begin to "tangle" and "matt" whereby the hair shed both wraps and compresses around the existing hair coat. Mats simply ruin the beauty of the Poodle coat, and severe matting causes any pet discomfort and even poor skin health.

Remember well, the same trim style will look different on a black, chocolate, apricot or white Poodle.

Create a photo album of the various Poodle styles you offer to show owners asking for recommendations. Because the same trim style can look different on Poodles of various coat colors, your pictures of say a "Royal Dutch" should illustrate the style on at least a black Poodle and a white Poodle.

Beware! All across the U.S. and the world the name of a trim style varies. For example, a "Kennel Clip" often implies full body coat removal to most groomers of the West Coast (U.S.), but to the East Coast it means nothing of the sort.

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