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How To Properly Groom A Poodle

from: Kyle Besser

Grooming and trimming a fluffy Poodle with those fancy haircuts we often see can take a lot of practice to have a nice looking effect. We have outlined a step-by-step procedure to guide you through the process of grooming a Poodle.

First you must obtain the necessary supplies. You will only need a few items: electric clippers, a slicker brush, a steal comb and ear powder (preferably medicated).

1. Clean the ears by by dusting the insides with medicated ear powder. Pull out any dead hair with your fingers.

2. Cut the nails with a scissors-type nail clipper. Remove only the tips of the nails so as not to cut the quick.

3. Clip the feet with a #15 blade using an ankle bone as your guideline. Using the corner of the blade, clip up one side and then up the opposite side of each toe. Scoop the hair out from between the pads on the backs of the feet.

4. Clip the face with a #15 blade. Clip from the bottom of the ear up to the corner of the mouth. Using the same blade, clip under the eye and down the sides of the muzzle, and from the stop (between the eyes) to the tip of the nose. Stretch the lips back with your thumb to remove the hair around this area. If a mustache is preferred, leave the hair on the muzzle from just behind the corners of the mouth to the nose, clipping only from the top down the muzzle to the nose using the #15 blade.

5. Clip the tail with the #15 blade going against the grain on the top side and with the grain on the underside.

6. Clip the stomach area from the groin to the navel with the #10 blade. To set the pattern on the body, use either a #10 or a #7 blade. Clip from the base of the skull to the base of the tail. With the same blade, clip down the entire rear leg to 1/4 inch above the hock joint. Clip on the inside of the leg down to the same point. Clip down the sides of the neck using the same blade to the elbow and then to a line on the front leg even with the line at the hock joint on the rear leg. Clip on the inside of the leg down to the same line. Clip the rest of the body with the same blade, back and chest, going with the grain.

7. Brush the remaining hair on the legs with a slicker brush. Comb through the hair to make sure it is mat free.

8. Bathe and dry. Use the fluff dry method on the topknot, ears, tail and leg pom-poms (bracelets).

9. Comb through the coat thoroughly after drying. Scissor around the cuffs on the legs to make them even. Tease the leg pom-poms (bracelets) and scissor them so that they appear round and fluffy. Scissor the front legs the same as the rear legs. Comb the head and ears. Tease the head with your comb. Scissor the tail pom pom so it appears round and fluffy.