How to Groom a Show Poodle
Grooming is one of the major considerations when keeping a show poodle. Only three trims are allowed in the conformation show ring and it takes time and practice to learn to do them well. The puppy clip is accepted for dogs under one year old. All others must have the continental or English saddle clip. The clip specifics originated from the time poodles were used as retrievers and the fur on the leg joints and neck was left long for warmth, while the body fur at the rump was removed to aid in swimming.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
The Puppy Clip
-
1
Bathe your poodle, and rinse it well to ensure that all the soap residue is removed. Dry the fur with a hair dryer on low heat. Brush the fur well.
-
2
Clip only the base of the tail, the entire face, and around the feet with a number ten blade. This blade cuts close to the skin but not so close that the clipper blades can burn. Round the long hair on the tail into a pompom with scissors.
-
-
3
Leave the hair long on the remainder of the body for the puppy cut. Use scissors to clean up and remove any straggly hairs. The puppy clip is only permitted in the show ring for dogs under one year old.
The Continental Clip
-
4
Bathe your poodle, and rinse well. Dry well and brush the fur to make it stand up and out away from the skin, which will help you get the clipper blades level.
-
5
Use scissors to create rounded "bracelets" on the hind legs and "puffs" on the fore legs. These are the "balls" of long hair left at the bottom of the legs, about an inch above the feet (depending on the size of the poodle) and below the knees and hocks. Trim the fur around the entire length of the tail into a large pompom.
-
6
Create pompoms or rosettes on each hip. Leave the hair long directly over the hip bone and round the long hair with scissors. These hip rosettes are optional and the hips can be shaved clean if preferred.
-
7
Clip the upper legs, the feet below the bracelets and puffs, plus the face and rump behind the "mane" with a number fifteen blade, which will shave the fur very close to the skin. Leave the hair long over the shoulders and neck for the mane and topknot and take care to clip around the hip rosettes.
-
8
Shape the topknot. This must be left as long as possible and simply rounded and cleaned up with the scissors and tied into a pony tail. Blend the long fur on the neck by trimming with rounded shears to graduate the length down to the shaved face and behind the ears.
-
9
Round and trim straggly hairs on the remainder of the body with the scissors, but do not cut the coat short.
The English Saddle Clip
-
10
Bathe and dry your poodle as you would for the other cuts. Dry the fur well and brush the fur so it fluffs out.
-
11
Create bracelets on the hind legs and puffs on the fore legs as you would for the continental cut. Make another extra rounded pompom about one and a half inches above the hock on both hind legs.
-
12
Trim the fur on the hips and flank with scissors. It should be like a thick, smooth blanket, shorter than the mane and topknot or "pack" with no hip rosettes.
-
13
Use a number fifteen blade to clip the the feet below the bracelets and puffs. Shave a one-and-a-half inch circle between the pompoms and bracelets and above the pompoms on the hind legs. Shave the fore legs above the puffs to the elbow. Clip the face, and the base of the tail as in a puppy clip. Round the remaining fur on the tail into a pompom.
-
14
Leave the hair long for the "mane" and topknot and tie it into a pony tail. Blend the long fur on the neck by trimming with rounded shears to graduate the length down to the shaved face and behind the ears. Trim stray hairs but do not cut or clip the "pack".
-
1
Tips & Warnings
The scissors should have rounded tips to prevent you jabbing the poodle by mistake with them.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
