The Best Way for Grooming Poodles

If you own a poodle, you will shortly discover that grooming them can take up a lot of money.  This is why many poodle owners have decided to go ahead and try grooming their dogs themselves, and they are discovering that this is something that is much more straightforward than they might have thought.  You'll find that all you need to make sure that you are competent when it comes to grooming poodles is the ability to be patient and show a little bit of manual dexterity.

When you are looking to groom a standard poodle, you will find that the job takes about three hours once you have mastered it.  You may find that when you are getting started that it is best to let the job proceed at intervals over the space of a few days, and this will give you and your poodle a bit of a break.  If you feel that the trouble and the time investment are not worth it, remember to find a professional that you trust and take the time to network with other poodle owners to help you figure out what you need to know.

When considering grooming poodles, you'll find that you should think about what kind of trim that you prefer.  Your poodle's coat can be shaped into a number of different looks, all of them attractive, but remember that the longer and more shaped that your dog's coat needs to be, the more maintenance that it will need.  Similarly, if your dog is a show dog, you'll also find that you need to have some sort of variation on the lion cut, which does require a fair amount of upkeep.

When you are looking at the lion cut, you'll find that there are three different variations on it.  These variations will include the continental style, the English saddle style and the puppy cut.  All three of these styles will involve longer fur in the areas of the chest and legs, and this can give the poodle the distinctive poodle cut  that you might easily recognize.  For dogs who were originally bred to be swimmers, it is worth noticing that this cut, with it's extra shaped fur around the chest and the legs, could keep the chest warmer and the protect the joints in cold water.

If you are not going to compete your poodle in the ring, you'll find that you can choose a shorter trim, which is excellent for easy maintenance and drying, especially in the colder months.  You can get a longer furred look, too, but remember that it will take more time to keep up.  You'll find that there are many pictures and books that can help you out.

Most people choose to clip the fur at the base of the tail and on the feet and face very short.  It works better for the dog's hygiene, since long hair can trap food.  Short clipped feet don't pick up grass seeds, and mean that your dog won't track in as much dirt.  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.  Use high quality equipment, too.  While it's more expensive to start with, it'll make poodle grooming much easier.