Poodle Hair Care

The main decoration of the poodle is its coat. In order for the poodle to always look perfect, you need to carefully care for it. Keep in mind that the coat of this dog has its own characteristics.

In most dogs, dying hairs fall during molting, but the situation is different for poodles: they get entangled in curls and stay there. That is why the dog should be combed regularly, at least twice a week. It is best to use a large comb with frequent teeth or a massage brush.

Scrubbing is done with alternating movements on and against the coat, before the procedure, you should certainly inspect the pet's body for scratches, abrasions, damage, as well as fleas and ticks.

Do not comb dry hair - it is advisable to use a special oil or spray conditioner. Combing is carried out starting from the tips towards the roots so as not to leave a single untreated area. If there are tangles in the wool, then they are disassembled by hand and only after that they are passed with a brush. To facilitate action, you can use a special anti-coltoon.

Poodles are very fond of all washing procedures, while it is important to understand that dirty hair does not grow - this is the main rule for raising dogs with healthy hair. Pets can be washed from the age of three months.

For washing, shampoos of the following types are used: for deep cleansing, bleaching, dyed wool, and there are also special tools for adding volume and structuring hairs, and it is allowed to use several detergents at once in the same wash.

Shampoos are diluted with water and applied in liquid form, you should thoroughly soap your pet and make foam appear. If the coat is very dirty, you can rinse it twice.

After bathing, balm must be applied, it is also pre-bred for convenience.They keep the balm on the wool in strict accordance with the instructions of the procedure time, after which they are thoroughly washed off with water.

After that, the dog is placed in the bathtub and the hairs are wrung out by hand - you do not need to wipe the wool with a towel, it will be enough just to wrap the pet so that the fabric absorbs the remaining moisture.

Important: the head should be washed with great care - the ears should be covered with cotton swabs during the procedure, and after washing, gently wipe them with soft gauze.

It is allowed to dry the dog with a hairdryer - for this, separate strands are pulled out with a brush and a stream of warm air is sent to them. Drying starts from the head, after which they go to the back and sides, finish by processing the tail and paws.

It is best to wash the poodle in the evening, so that after washing the dog remains warm and has managed to completely dry before the morning walk. And one more important rule - no matter what time you wash your pet, after the procedure, the coat must certainly be thoroughly combed.

A poodle is a dog with a unique coat, so it should be cut regularly. Usually they turn to a dog hairdresser for this, to maintain a neat appearance, you should adjust the haircut once every 1.5-2 months.

Among the most popular haircuts for poodles include the following.

• Modern is one of the most common hairstyles. In this case, the hair on the head is made out in the form of a crown so that the eyes are clearly visible. In this case, a straight line with a neck is formed on the sides, on the muzzle the hair is cut to the inner corners of the eyes, as well as under the eyes, after which the lower jaw and neck are “cut off”. The breast is sheared in the direction from the groin to the elbows so that a smooth transition is created from the waist to the sternum. About 1 cm long hairs are left on the back, stomach and croup, “trousers” are formed on the legs, the legs themselves completely protrude near the fingers. The tail is spherical.

• a lion - in this case, the head is also cut in the shape of a crown so that the eyes are visible. Mustaches are usually left on the lips, and the fur on the ears is slightly trimmed. The hair on the chest, neck and torso until the last rib is left elongated, and the croup, hips, lower back and knees are cut very short. Fluffy pompons form on the hocks and carpal joints.

• English saddle - this hairstyle differs from the “lion” in that the hair is cut in semicircles on the sides of the machine, and a narrow strip of hair 3-4 cm long is left near the vertebra. On the hind legs, the hair is aligned so as to obtain “pants”.

• Puppy - as the name implies, this haircut is optimal for young dogs. Usually in the first months only the muzzle of a poodle is sheared, the hair all over the body is left at maximum length, slightly aligned with scissors. By the age of 8–10 months, when the hair is completely changed, the puppies are cut a little differently - the head is cut off as before, and the rest of the hair is shortened to 3-4 cm without emphasizing the waist. The tail is made with a pompom.

Special attention deserves the care of wool on the head. In the period between exhibitions, long sections are usually pulled together in small bundles and fixed with an elastic band: either silicone or soft fabric ones are suitable. Some breeders use papillots.

There are quite a few other haircut options, if the poodle is not an exhibition poodle, then the model is limited only by the breeder’s imagination.

Other tips for grooming a poodle's hair can be found in the video below.