Grooming Table
The Traditional Poodle Cut
The traditional poodle cut can be a functional, attractive alternative to shave downs.
By Anne Francis
A good haircut can make an unattractive dog look a lot better. On the other hand, a bad haircut can make even the best-looking dog very unattractive. Knowing basic clipper patterns can improve a groomer’s pet styles dramatically.
In the last issue of Grooming Business, we illustrated how to perform a nontraditional haircut on poodles, a breed that is commonly brought to grooming shops. This month, we will demonstrate the traditional haircut. First, we’ll talk about the correct settings for clean feet and face, and a poodle pom-pom tail. In the next issue (June) we’ll finish the haircut, demonstrating a functional, attractive alternative to shave downs.
The dog I chose for this demo is Georgia, a six-year-old standard poodle. She visits our shop every six to eight weeks.
Before
Step 1: Nails
Clip the nails. Doing this before the bath will avoid a mess later if you should happen to cut the quick of the dog.
Step 2: Ears
Pluck the dead hair from the ear canal. Then swab out ear with cotton and ear solution.
Step 3: Bathe
I decided to do all of the clipper work after the bath because clean hair doesn’t dull your blades as fast. If the dog is overgrown, you may want to clip the hair before the bath to make washing and drying easier. Bathe the dog. Here I use a Hydrosurge machine. There are many different machines on the market to help with the bathing process. Rinse the dog thoroughly and squeeze off the excess water.
Step 4: Force Drying
I move the dog from the tub to my grooming table for a good towel drying. Next, I force dry her until she is about 90 percent dry.
Step 5: Fluff Drying
I spray a light mist of grooming spray all over the coat. This helps with fluffing her coat out. Use a stand dryer to hand fluff the dog completely. Line brush through the dog while pointing the dryer at the area you are brushing.
Step 6: Clipping of the Feet
At our shop, we use a #30 blade against the grain on a pet’s feet. This may vary on the dog’s needs and sensitivity. There are bumps located on either side of the foot that you can use as a mark that you will not clip past. The clipper line should not go up the leg past the bend of the “ankle.” Otherwise, you will get the “waiting for a flood” look, automatically shrinking the dog and making it look stout. First, clip between the pads, like you would for any dog. Then, clip the hair above the large pad, remembering not passing the bumps on the side. Use your thumb and forefinger as a guide. The front/top of the foot is clipped against the grain, starting at the nails. Clip the entire foot clean; keeping your line in mind. Use your fingers to splay the toes out. Clip between the toes, cleaning one side then the other. Move methodically through all four feet the same way. This will quicken your pace and make it easier to remember proper clipper lines.
Step 7: Tail
At this time, I clip the sanitary area and around the anus with a #10 blade. For the traditional pom-pom tail, I use a #10 blade against the grain. Clip one third of the tail at the base, leaving the top two thirds of hair to be scissored into a round ball. I clip an inverted “V” at the base of the tail. Make sure the point of the “V” lines up with the spine. Not only does this give a fancy finish, it also helps the tail look properly set. Comb all the hair towards you and twist the hair with your fingers. Making sure it is just the hair you are cutting, cut the ends. Hold the tip of the hair, and fluff out the hair. What you just did was start the top of the ball. Continue to scissor the pom-pom round. Unfortunately, there are no tricks I can share with you to get a perfectly scissored tail; but I can tell you that practice makes perfect. Another great rule of thumb to follow is if its not getting any better, just shorter, then stop.
Step 8: Clean Face
I also use a #10 blade against the grain for clipping the face. The lines for a clipped, clean face are from the ear canal to the outer corner of the eye, making sure not to clip too high into the topknot hair. Clip under the eye. Clip from the stop, down the muzzle, to the end of the nose. Clip the bottom jaw, stretching the flews out with your thumb to avoid nicking any of the skin there. Repeat the same actions to the other side of the face. The throat is clipped in a “ V”. The point stops about three fingers above the beast bone. Another way to measure how far to clip down is the length of the muzzle should be the length of the “V.” For dogs that don’t have a long neck, the proper length of the clipped “V” can give the illusion of a longer neck.
After
In conclusion, you don’t have to be the best at scissoring to improve your poodle haircuts. The proper set lines will make your haircut a hundred times better looking than before. In my next column, I will finish off Georgia’s haircut using blades and snap-on combs. GB
Professional groomer Anne Francis is a grooming competitor and speaker. She works at the Village Groomer in Welpole, Mass.