Insurance Articles


Grooming Poodles Can Be Fun

by Melinda Smith

Poodles are expensive primarily due to the grooming costs, so learning to do this yourself will save money and offer time to bond with your pet. Grooming poodles might seem hard, but it's actually a task that just about anyone can learn to do. You just need patience and the willingness to practise your skills.

It takes about three hours to groom a standard poodle once the skill is mastered, but you may need to divide the task over multiple days during the learning process. This is both to give you a break, and for your poodle. If you're not willing to learn poodle grooming on your own, or are worried about the time it takes, you'll have to choose a professional to do it, but remember to pick this person out carefully. The best way to find a good groomer is by talking to other peoples who owns poodle.

We can look at some books and I can suggest some cuts, but you'll have to decide which trim you prefer. Poodle fur works well with many different styles, but your choice will depend on your willingness to devote time to the dog's grooming. Show poodles have a limited range of acceptable cuts and trims, so why you own your poodle will make a difference in the cut you choose.

Show poodles wear variations on the standard lion cut, which comes in three variations: continental, puppy, and English saddle. However, they're all related to the traditional "poodle" cut that we know so well. This cut originally was designed to help dogs swim better when fetching birds in the water -- the long fur on the chest protected the heart and lungs, while the extra fur on the legs protected the joints.

For non-competing poodles, there's a lot more to choose from. If you opt for a shorter trim, you'll find maintenance easier, especially during the winter months when it's easier to dry. Longer trims are showier, but they'll require more maintenance, so check some grooming books, or take a look at a few poodles to figure out what you prefer.

Most people like to keep the base of the tail, legs and face trimmed close, since long hair can trap food particles and this keeps the dog cleaner. Short clipped feet don't pick up grass seeds, and mean that your dog won't track in as much dirt, and remember that shorter coats are easier to wash and dry, and they don't need as much brushing as a fluffy, long coat. Always wash your poodle before grooming to keep your clippers and scissors in good shape, and use high quality equipment, too. Since it is quite expensive to start with, but it will help in making poodle grooming much easier.

Poodle grooming is an important part of owning a poodle. Find out how grooming poodles properly can really be a fun thing for you to do with your dog.

Published June 19th, 2008

Filed in Pets