With their dense, curly coats, poodles are truly beautiful. Let
a poodle go ungroomed, however, and it can turn into a disgraceful,
shaggy mess. One of the first important decisions in poodle care
is deciding which clip you want your poodle to sport.
Puppy Clip
For the first year, your dog will probably wear an easy to care
for puppy clip. In a puppy clip the base face, feet, and base
of the tail are clipped. The rest of the fur is left long. Puppy
clips, like every other poodle clip, do require some home care.
The dense fur must be brushed every day to remove dirt, mats,
and tangles. If you can't afford to take your puppy to a groomer
every few weeks, you can easily spruce up a puppy clip yourself.
Continental Clip
If you are going to show your dog, the AKC (American Kennel Club)
requires that a poodle over a year old be shown in either a Continental
Clip or an English Saddle Clip. A Continental Clip involves shaving
the hindquarters (leaving optional pompoms on the hips). The face,
feet, legs, and tail are also clipped. Fur remaining includes
a thick coat on the animals chest and upper back, a "bracelet"
of fur on each hind leg, a puff on each foreleg, and a pompom
on the tail. Since poodle fur grows quickly, a poodle with a Continental
Clip will require professional grooming about every six to eight
weeks.
English Saddle Clip
The second clip allowed by the AKC, the English Saddle Clip involves
leaving the hindquarters covered with short hair, aside from a
shaved curved area along the flank (making the dog look as if
it is wearing a saddle, hence the name). The hind legs each sport
two shaved bands. The face, tail, and forelegs are shaved, leaving
puffs on each foreleg and a pompom at the end of the tail. The
rest of the body (e.g., chest and upper back) is left with a long,
curly coat.
Kennel or Sporting Clip
If you will not be showing your poodle, there is another option
available: The Kennel or Sporting Clip. This resembles a puppy
clip, except the fur is trimmed closer to the body and the fur
around the neck and legs is thinned out some. This clip not only
looks appealing, but it requires far less brushing and maintenance
than the Continental Clip or the English Saddle Clip.
No matter how you have your poodle's fur clipped, however, you
will have to take responsibility for grooming your dog at home.
The next article examines what
you need to groom your poodle.
Attention: To discover how
YOU can have the Happiest, Healthiest and Best Behaved Poodle,
get a copy of this Poodle Guide
NOW!
