The poodle is a very elegant, sophisticated and aristocratic member of the dog kingdom. But what makes them so elegant is the grooming they receive. Dog grooming is important and practical for a poodle.
Tools Needed to Groom a Poodle
To groom a poodle you will need a dog brush, a mat brush, anti-itch and anti-flea shampoo, dog clippers with various trim tools and plenty of towels or a hair dryer. Some sharp scissors regular size and small, as well as tweezers.
If your dog is nervous you might want to have a mussel on hand to keep from getting nipped.
Dog Grooming is Easier if You Brush Your Dog First
Brushing your dogs coat will help with bathing and make clipping easier. Make sure to use the mat brush to work out all those tangles and knots.
Resolve yourself to brush your poodle two to three times a week. This will keep the tangles down and make their coat shine.
Now before you begin clipping exam the dogs ears. Hair gets down in a dogs ears and causes itching and infection. Use your tweezers carefully to pull out unwanted and excess hair in the ear canal.
Good Dog Grooming Starts with a Bath
Poodles for the most part are pretty clean animals as they don’t drool, shed or have a strong doggy odor. But they need to be bathed before you start clipping their hair.
Most dog shampoos have conditioner in them to prevent tangles, but make sure you have one that does or buy a separate bottle of conditioner. This will save you time and make the ordeal more pleasant for your dog.
Make sure to use warm water not cold or hot. Start at the head and work back and down. This will drive fleas away from your dogs ears, eyes and nostrils. Be sure to wash the whole dog and rinse well.
How to Clip a Poodle
Clipping with electric clippers sounds and feels funny to your dog. They tend to spook easy. If they nip at you don’t scold but muzzle them to protect yourself, but allows your pooch to communicate anything unpleasant.
Holding your dogs paw firmly with your left hand proceed to clip the hair down below the ankle and between their toes. Poodles don’t seem to like this at first because it tickles but they will adjust quickly. Remember to talk and reassure your dog to help them understand that you will not hurt them.
Hold your dogs muzzle while you proceed next to trim their face and neck area. Remember do not cut off the top knot on their head. If you had a small bowl you could make an imaginary line from above their eyes to the ears all the way around the head.
Be careful not to cut to close or let the clippers get to hot as this leads to skin rash. Remember to use flat part of clippers wherever you can.
With a pair of scissors clip to feather out the top knot and ears.
Trim the tail leaving a pompom on the end. Clip the tail on top towards its root and away when clipping underneath. Now with the clippers cut the top of the body evenly from the tail to the neck.
Clip the belly shorter by lifting and supporting their legs, but be careful not to cut or burn your poodle.
Now shape the legs and hips to the structure of their body ending just above the ankle or pad.
All you have left is tying bows to their ears and paint the toenails.
Thats all there is to grooming your poodle. It takes some practice but with patience and love you can save $55-$75 dollars a month and keep your poodle sharp and elegant. I know I have two.
