Start brushing at the poodle’s neck and move down toward the tail. Use a slicker brush to gently remove thick tangles and mats.
Because of the way they shed their hair, poodles are prone to matting if they go for long periods without grooming. In extreme cases, matting can cause skin infections that are painful for your pet.
Fill your bathtub with a few inches of water. Remember, it doesn’t need to be full, and your dog will likely splash around quite a bit. You’ll only need the water to be about ankle-deep.
Use a cup or a pitcher to flush water all over your poodle from head to tail. Try to avoid getting water in your poodle’s eyes and ears.
Use a shampoo specifically made for dogs. Not only does dog shampoo have everything your poodle’s coat needs to remain healthy, but it also avoids ingredients in human shampoo that might be harmful to your pet.
Be careful not to get any soapy water into your poodle’s eyes and ears.
Be sure to thoroughly clean and dry your dog’s ears with a towel or clean paper towels. It’s important to clean inside and under your dog’s ears to prevent bacteria, yeast, and parasites from living there.
Brush gently. Remember, your dog may not be used to having its gums rubbed. Brushing too hard or fast can cause pain to your poodle’s sensitive gums. Be consistent with your poodle’s dental care. Brushing your dog’s teeth can help prevent tartar buildup, which causes periodontal disease and can lead to potentially-fatal bacterial infections. [2] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source
You may be able to trim your dog’s nails with a pair of scissors, but you will likely find it easier if you purchase a specialty tool, like a guillotine trimmer. Don’t cut the quick. This is the part of the nail closest to your dog’s “toes,” and it’s very sensitive and can bleed easily. Ask your veterinarian or a professional groomer to help trim your dog’s nails if you have a hard time doing it at home.
Consult a professional groomer on which cuts would be best for your dog. Remember, if you’re doing most of your dog’s grooming at home, you’ll need to commit to a certain amount of time and effort. Some cuts are easier to style and maintain than others. All of the common styles involve trimming or shaving the poodle’s face, feet, and the base of the tail. The style of the poodle’s body fur changes significantly based on the chosen clip.
High-quality clippers such as Laube, Andis, or Oster cost around $125-$175. They should last much longer than their less expensive counterparts. Note that many groomers seem to prefer Andis or Laube over Oster, as Oster clipper blades can heat during trimming. If you do use Oster, you may want to have extra blades of the same size so that you can switch them out if they become heated. Good scissors made for grooming may cost around $50. These scissors should be sharp and comfortable for you to cut with. You may want to try out different models before purchasing them.
If you cannot afford to get many different blades or you’re just starting out, begin with at 10 or 15. Be aware that use of 30 and 40 blades can be quite difficult and should usually be left to experienced or professional groomers. Improper use of these (very short) blades can scrape or burn your poodle’s skin.
You may want to have a professional groomer clip your poodle the first few times so that you do not have to worry about both introducing your dog to the clippers and learning to clip the fur.
A higher blade number (such as 30) is often used by professional or expert groomers to prepare a poodle for showing. However, if you are not planning to show your dog or you are just starting as a groomer, a lower blade number (such as 9 or 10) should be sufficient.
Finish shaving the poodle’s snout by trimming from the nose along the sides of the lips/face back towards the ears. Be aware that you may have to shave in more than one direction (up or down the snout, for example) to allow for differences in the direction in which the dog’s hair grows.
Shave the dog’s neck area, stopping when it reaches the chest. The shape can be in a V or a U from beneath the ears down to where the chest and neck meet. [7] X Research source
Use scissors to cut a “visor” line just above the poodle’s eyes. [9] X Research source Use scissors to trim a small arch above the dog’s ears. Brush the topknot hair down towards the ear and use scissors to trim a straight line from the corner of the eye to the ear opening. (You may need to flip the dog’s ear back to clearly see the opening). [10] X Research source
Brush the topknot hair straight up. Tilt the dog’s nose down and see whether the topknot is in an oval shape. If there are square corners, trim them off with curved scissors. [12] X Research source Look at the top of the topknot and make sure it is not pointy. If there is a peak or a point, trim it with curved scissors so that the dog has a nice, rounded topknot. [13] X Research source
A higher blade number (such as 30 or 40) is often used by professional or expert groomers to prepare a poodle for showing. However, if you are not planning to show your dog or you are just starting as a groomer, a lower blade number (such as a 10 or 15) should be sufficient.
Cut the poodle’s body and leg fur evenly. The puppy clip is generally done with scissors. Brush your poodle’s fur out neatly, then use scissors to trim the fur at a uniform length along the body and legs. [19] X Research source You can do a cut similar to a puppy cut (called a lamb cut) with a very low number clipper blade (such as a 3, 4, or 5). This cut also leaves the fur at a uniform length but may be a bit shorter than a puppy cut due to the use of clippers. [20] X Research source
Trim the face, feet, and base of the tail with a 15 blade. [22] X Research source Trim the body and legs with a 5 or 7 blade. [23] X Research source Trim the topknot, pompoms, and tail pom with scissors. Trim the stomach with a 10 blade. [24] X Research source
Shave the face and feet closely. Shave from the base of the tail to several inches above the base. Shave the front upper legs (from below the “elbow” joint down towards the ankle, but leaving a sizable pompom area over the leg hocks). [25] X Research source Shave the back legs. Leave two “rosettes” or round areas of fur above the dog’s hips in the back, but shave from the rosettes down the dog’s legs to the pom-poms on the rear hocks. Use scissors to trim the dog’s remaining long fur. All of the fur should be trimmed so that it is even and rounded.
