Hiring a groomer for your poodle can easily be the most expensive part of poodle ownership. Experts recommend professional grooming once every six weeks or so. But the somewhat complicated hairstyle associated with this breed can easily cost you $80-$190, depending on the size of your dog. Rather than investing a thousand dollars or more a year in grooming, why not do it yourself? Not only will you save money, but it will provide bonding time for you and your pup. We take you step-by-step through what it takes to groom your own poodle in two different styles, with just 10 steps each. Don’t worry: if you mess up, you’ll get a do-over six weeks later!
A Little About the Breed
Poodles work as water dogs, retrieving game birds from ponds and lakes for hunters.
Poodles likely originated in Germany in the Middle Ages. There, the breed worked as water dogs: retrievers that would swim out into ponds to bring back game birds shot by their owners. They were also popular circus performers who took well to training and performed astonishing acrobatic feats. Unsurprisingly, today they are one of the most popular family breeds, valued for their high intelligence, good temperament, and hypo-allergenic coats. Additionally, they come in four sizes: standard, medium, miniature, and toy. All of them have wooly, curly hair that comes in a variety of patterns and colors.
What Equipment Will You Need?
Dogs are easier to control while grooming if you place them on a tabletop.
Regardless of the size of your pup, here is the minimum equipment you’ll need to groom them at home:
Clippers
The most expensive up-front cost of grooming is a set of clippers. Two highly rated brands to consider are Andis and Oster. Expect to spend $150-$300. Cheaper clippers will more quickly overheat, dull, and snag on your dog’s fur.
Shears
Professional grooming shears can also be pricey. In fact, some brands go to nearly a thousand dollars! However, contrary to the advice we just gave you about clippers, we don’t advise going for the top-line shears. These make sense if you’re grooming dozens of dogs a week, but if that’s not your situation, a cheaper pair ($17-$25) will do fine.
Combs and Brushes
A slicker brush like this will help work out mats in your poodle’s hair.
With fur as thick and woolly as a poodle’s, you need a comb with long teeth that can penetrate all the way down to the dog’s skin. The closer the teeth of the comb are, the better able they will be to straighten out mats. Moreover, a steel comb will not bend or break the way plastic might with repeated use in thick hair. Resco is a recommended brand for poodle combs. They will set you back $20-$50. You also need a slicker brush, typically for $10-$30. Let’s see how you can use these tools on two of the most popular poodle cuts: the puppy cut and the continental cut.
The Puppy Cut
The puppy cut will make a poodle of any size or age look like a puppy.
The puppy cut or teddy bear cut is a mostly uniform-length haircut over a dog’s whole body. You can leave the facial hair a little longer but trim it into a rounded look. A dog of any age will look more puppy-like or teddy bear-like with this cut. It’s the most popular cut for poodle hybrids, like labradoodles or goldendoodles. It’s also the easiest cut for a beginner to master and you can use it on any dog with longer hair.
The Puppy Cut in 10 Steps
Step
Tools
Instructions: Puppy Cut
1
Wash and brush
Comb, slicker brush
Wash, blow dry, and brush with a slicker brush to detangle.
2
Control
Collar and leash
Put on the dog’s collar and leash to help with control. Use a short lead attached to something higher than the dog to help hold him still. This is not only for excitable dogs; it can help any dog feel more secure.
3
Breaks
Clippers
You, your dog, and the clippers all need frequent breaks. The sound can be loud and annoying to sensitive ears. The dog’s hair may pull painfully at times. And the clippers will overheat. Take a break every six minutes or so and give your good dog a treat.
4
Paws
Clippers
Use a short blade setting to trim between the paw pads.
5
Buttocks
Clippers
Keeping the same short blade setting and a short comb guard, trim the dog’s buttocks carefully to keep things sanitary.
6
Torso and Legs
Slicker brush, clippers
Gently back-brush the hair to make it stand up and easier to trim. Switching to a longer blade setting and comb guard, start at the back of the neck and trim from the spine down the sides toward the stomach. Continue down and trim the dog’s legs.
7
Neck
Clippers
Starting from the front of the neck, clip upward toward the chin. Lifting the dog’s muzzle may give you better precision and control.
8
Face
Clippers, shears
If you prefer all of your dog’s hair to be uniform, use the same clipper settings on the dog’s face. if you like longer hair on the face, use longer clipper settings or just trim with shears. For a classic puppy cut, the facial hair should have a circular shape when viewed head-on. Some people trim the outer ear hair short; others leave it longer and fluff it.
9
Chest and Belly
Clippers
Starting from the front of the neck, shave down toward the chest and up under the belly. Be especially careful around the genitals. You can tidy up this area carefully with shears, using your other hand as a guide to protect sensitive areas.
10
Touch up
Shears
Brush your dog’s fur in the correct direction all over and check for any stray strands or unevenness. Touch up with shears.
The Continental Cut
The Continental cut protects the poodle’s joints and vital organs while making the dog streamlined.
Some people immediately associate poodles with the elaborate continental cut, with shaved areas and large fluffy pompoms on various parts of the body. It might suggest a “pampered rich dog,” but in fact it helps poodles be better water retrievers. Patches of fluffy fur protect the joints and vital organs from cold water, while shaved areas reduce the dog’s weight and make them a more streamlined swimmer. The official explanation of this show-quality haircut is available at The Poodle Club of America. If you’d like some simplified steps, though, see the chart below.
The Continental Cut in 10 Steps
Step
Tools
Instructions: Continental Cut
1
Wash and brush
Comb, slicker brush
Wash, blow dry, and detangle with a slicker brush.
2
Control
Collar and leash
Put on the dog’s collar and leash to help with control. You can use a short lead attached to something higher than the dog to help hold him still. This is not only for excitable dogs; it can help any dog feel more secure.
3
Breaks
Clippers
You, your dog, and the clippers all need frequent breaks. The sound can be loud and annoying for sensitive ears. The dog’s hair may be pulling painfully at times. And the clippers will overheat. Take a break every six minutes or so and give your good dog a treat.
4
Part the hair
Comb, veterinary bandaging
Separate the dog’s hair in a complete circle around its torso dividing the front half, which will stay long, from the back half, which will be shaved. The place to do this is just behind the last rib. Refer to photos of the Continental cut to help you place the part correctly. You can use veterinary bandaging tape to hold down the hair in front of the part.
5
Clip legs and paws
Clippers, comb
Use a short blade setting to trim between the paw pads. Shave the hair on the inside and outside of the legs, starting 1/2-1 inch above the hock joint, clipping upwards toward the body. The hair left at the bottom will form the pom poms for the feet. Comb it down, scissor it in to make the ends even, then comb it up and repeat. Fluff the hair out and cut it into a spherical shape. Curved shears can make this part easier.
6
Clip hindquarters and make hip rosettes
Clippers, comb
You can shave all of the hindquarters up to the mane or optionally leave a rosette above each hip. Clip a narrow strip from the base of the tail up to the mid-body part line. The rosettes will go 1/4-1 inch apart above the middle of each hipbone. On smaller breeds, rosettes are about 1.5 inches in diameter, and on larger breeds 3.5-4 inches. The easiest way to make them circular is to clip around a plastic cup or jar with the right width. After shaving the rest of the hindquarters, comb up each rosette and shape it with scissors to give it a half-spherical look. Shave the rest of the hindquarters. Using a short blade setting, carefully shave the dog’s buttocks to keep the area sanitary.
7
Clip the tail and belly
Clippers, comb
Shave the bottom of the tail, about 1/3 the way toward the end. Fluff up the remaining hair and shape it into a spherical pompom Starting just above the reproductive organs, shave the belly forward to the mid-torso part line.
8
Clip mane
Clippers, comb
Remove the bandaging tape and comb the mane up and out around the neck. Comb the sides of the body and the hair under the body out and forward. The chest should be combed out and downward. Start underneath and use shears to shape the mane into a ball. Trim the mane shorter under the ears so they will lay flat.
9
Shape the face
Clippers, comb
Comb up the hair on top of the head to make a topknot. Use shears to shape it to the desired length and a round shape. Brush the ears downward and trim the ends to a uniform length with shears.
10
Touch up
Comb, brush, shears
Brush your dog’s fur in the correct direction all over and check for any places you’ve missed, any stray strands, or unevenness. Touch these up with your shears.
You Did It!
With enough practice, you can make your dog look like the glamorous diva you always knew they were.
You did it: you groomed a poodle! So, what do you think of the results? No worries if it looks a little wonky. After all, you can always transform a botched continental cut into a puppy cut. However, don’t be afraid to try the continental cut again if you like it. After all, practice makes perfect.
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Drew Wood is a writer at A-Z Animals focusing on mammals, geography, and world cultures. Drew has worked in research and writing for over 20 years and holds a Masters in Foreign Affairs (1992) and a Doctorate in Religion (2009). A resident of Nebraska, Drew enjoys Brazilian jiu-jitsu, movies, and being an emotional support human to four dogs.
