Regardless of where and when you saw a Poodle dog, the one thing you will notice about the dog is its lovely Poodle haircuts courtesy of its owner or a professional dog stylist. A Poodle’s coat that is trim, stylish, and neat is beautiful to look at. If the Poodle is a regular in dog shows, its coat-style adheres to the requirements of the American Kennel Club (AKC). If it’s just a pet companion, simple trim and clip along with little styling are good enough for the dog. Here is a list of Poodle clips and haircuts. You can choose which of these coat styles is best for your Poodle.
Puppy Clip
The face, throat, paws, and tail base of the Poodle are all shaven neatly. A pompom of the base of the tail is optional. This Poodle cut allows full coverage of the dog’s body without skin exposure sans the paws. This style is an excellent choice for Poodles that are 1-year-old or under and many Poodle owners favor this cut.
MUST-READ: DIFFERENT SIZES OF POODLE DOGS
Dutch Clip
It is one of the most interesting Poodle clips on a Poodle. A shave is done on the face, neck area, belly band, feet and tail base of the Poodle. The belly band can be shaved into wide or thin. Between the withers, the spine and areas between the dog’s hips, the lines must be cut in an excellent form. The only fluffy parts of the dog are the head, legs, and tail.
Bikini Clip
Summer or Miami Clip is some of the alternate names for this haircut. Like any other Poodle haircut, the Bikini clip is another way of making your Poodle aesthetically pleasing. As usual, the dog’s shaved parts are the face, feet, and base of the tail. The body hair is cut using scissors, but enough hair is left to make it look fluffy. There are poms just above the dog’s leg wrist and the feet’s hock ending. Hair length depends on the owner’s preference, though the majority opts for a very short hair clip.
Kennel Clip
This clip is the easiest of Poodle clips; however, AKC rules do not permit this hairstyle in a show ring; thus is not usable. Again the face, feet, and tail of the Poodle are shaved closely while the body hair is short and shaped by scissors. The dog’s topknot and tail are longer in length, unlike its body hair. The overall length of the dog’s body hair depends on its owner’s choice. However, try to opt for short hair during hot months and long hair during cold seasons.
Continental Clip
Parts of the dog’s front legs between the poms and elbow and hindquarters are all shaven thoroughly. Only the hip rosettes, feet and tail base are left unshaven. The poms in the leg start above the dog’s wrist as well as hock joints. It ends up just above the Poodle’s feet. The very long top knot is pulled into a ponytail. The tail’s pompon is big in size. This cut is one of the Poodle haircuts that are suited for Poodles 1-year-old or lower.
MUST-READ: BEST POODLE CROSS BREEDS
Lamb Clip
Same as the Kennel clip. However, like the Continental Clip and Modified Continental Clip, there is still a difference. In the Lamb clip, the Poodle’s coat is longer and not touched by scissors or shave.
Otherwise known as “Second Puppy Clip,” this is one Poodle haircut that is not acceptable for AKC standards. However, despite such a status, the hairstyle is popular in Europe’s countries like Germany, France, Sweden, and Italy. The beautiful thing about this style is that it does not expose the dog’s skin while its coat presents an attractive shape. The top hair is either puffy from the outside or made into a top knot. Be careful of letting the coat grow for too long since it will cause a loss in the clip’s shape. you might like our review on medicated dog shampoos.
Modified Continental Clip
Similar to the Continental Clip, but with some small modifications to the dog’s hairstyle. The hip rosettes in the Continental Clip are shaved in this clip. The AKC won’t allow this clip as one of the Poodle clips in dog shows if the hip rosette modifications are not minor.
The Sporting Clip
The face, throat, feet, and tail base are all shaved close with a scissored cap on the dog’s head. The dog’s body and legs are scissored or clipped in a way that follows the dog’s outline. The result is a 1 inch long blanket of coat that is soft to one’s touch. The hairs on the Poodle’s legs are slightly longer than the body hairs. Finally, the tail of the Poodle ends with a fluffy pompom.
Corded Coat
This coat style is the most complex of them all. This coat was famous among Poodle owners a long time ago, but due to its complexity, the style’s popularity waned. The hairs of the dog’s coat are grown at a certain length. Then the hair is braided and allowed to hang in cords. Keeping this kind of style clean is difficult. You need to unbear each section first and wait for an extended period for the hair to dry and re-braid the hair again.
MUST-READ: BEST CORDED AND CORDLESS DOG CLIPPERS
English Saddle
The face and front legs are all closed, shaved with several poms separated from each other. The dog’s topknot is extended and made into a ponytail. The front legs have poms above the wrist joints and the feet’s ends. The hair around the flanks and hips are cut shorter, giving it the appearance of a smooth blanket. The pom of the dog’s tail is ball-shaped yet long. Hind legs poms have all evenly spaced apart and rounded off from each other. The pom at the bottom is set above the hocks and ends above the dog’s feet.
Poodle haircuts, along with Poodle clips, are all fun to do. You can enjoy shaping your dog’s coat, and it can be useful in giving your Poodle a lovely look. Just remember that if your Poodle is just a pet companion or a show dog contender, you will have to choose the best haircut and clips depending on the circumstances. Have fun styling your Poodle’s coat hair.
MORE GUIDE
So very useful and helpful thank you. I have miniature poodle with a “jacket & trousers” cut. Could you tell me the best trimmer and what size cutters I should get if I want to do it myself? Thank you.
Need to add the Riviera (T n C with full chest), Desi Clip and Englsh puppy lion from the infamous, Liz Paul.