Home Grooming Tips

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The first step in grooming your poodle is to give your poodle a bath. You should always start by putting soap around the neck of your pet so if there are any fleas they will not go into its ears. Then soap down the rest of your pet. When done, with a bath towel dry thoroughly then blow dry, do not hold dryer to close for you might burn your pet. You should brush pet thoroughly and now you are ready to start cutting hair. I like the puppy cut because it is easy to do and care for.

Click on photo for a larger picture 1. When clipping the feet, hold the foot firmly with the fingers of your left hand placed underneath the pads for complete control	Click on photo for a larger picture 2. By spreading the toes out with your free hand, it is possible with practice to remove the hair between the toes with the clipper edge or a narrow blade.
Click on photo for a larger picture 3. When clipping from the ear to the outer corner of the eye in a straight line, hold the clipper flat on the surface. Be careful not to clip too close here	Click on photo for a larger picture 4. Hold the jaws firmly together when clipping the muzzle, starting just below the eye. To clip hair on lips, stretch the loose skin with your free thumb for safety.
Click on photo for a larger picture 5. When clipping the throat, hold the head upright; clip upwards for a close cut, downwards for a longer coat.	Click on photo for a larger picture 6. Comb out the hair of the top-knot and the feathering on the ears with care, making sure to remove any tangles or mats.
Click on photo for a larger picture 7. Hold the head with your free hand and cut a line from the corner of the eye back over the top of the ear, and down back of neck.	Click on photo for a larger picture 8. Shape the top-knot by cutting from the right eye over the ear and round back of head. Repeat on left side. Comb and shape to leave the top-knot level with the eyes.
Click on photo for a larger picture 9. When docked correctly, the tail is divided into half pom-pom and half clipped. clip top and sides of tail towards body, but underneath clip away from the body.	Click on photo for a larger picture 10. With the dog facing you, clip down the back of the dog, commencing at the base of the skull. Do not allow the blades of the clippers to get too hot because this can cause clipper rash.
Click on photo for a larger picture 11. Clip along the back of the poodle to the root of the tail. Take care to keep the the length of hair even by using a No 5 Oster blade.	Click on photo for a larger picture 12. When clipping the stomach, remove the side hair by lifting front leg or hold dog upright with your free hand to clip underneath.
Click on photo for a larger picture 13. After combing though the hair on the front and back legs, shape following the natural contours and blend with the body hair.	Click on photo for a larger picture 14. Comb hair down at the ankles and scissor the coat just above the pads making sure to remove all the untidy hair to give the legs a neat and finished look.
Click on photo for a larger picture 15. This shows the finished head. The top-knot is well-shaped and framed by lovely ear frings. Two brightly-coloured hair bows have been tied to the ear feathering.	Click on photo for a larger picture 16. This Miniature Poodle can now rest after its full grooming session. This is the typical 'lamb' look, with a good evenness of coat and attractive head style.