If you own a poodle, you will find that one of the expenses that will start eating away at your pocket book is grooming them! Many people are finding that grooming poodles themselves can both help them save their money and help them get to know their pet a little bit better as well. While the art of poodle grooming might seem a little esoteric, the truth is, anyone who has a bit of patience and a willingness to help their pet look the best that it can can do a fairly accomplished job.

Grooming standard poodles completely takes about three hours, once you get good at it. While you’re still learning, you might have to spread the job out over a few days. This is both to give you a break, and for your poodle. If you’re not willing to learn poodle grooming on your own, or are worried about the time it takes, you’ll have to choose a professional to do it. Remember to pick this person out carefully. Talking to other poodle owners is a good way to find a good groomer.

You’ll have to decide which trim you prefer. Poodles have coats that lend themselves to plenty of different looks. However, your choice will in part be dictated on how much time and effort you’re willing to put into keeping your dog’s coat in shape. Why you keep your poodle will make a difference too. Show poodles have a very limited range of acceptable trims.

If you have a show poodle, remember that it will have a lion cut of some sort. A lion cut has three standard variations, including a puppy cut, an English saddle cut and a continental cut. You’ll find that these all have ths ame standard look and they all come from a time when poodles were used to retrieve birds that had been shot into the water, as the long ruff of fur on the chest would protect the lungs and the fur on the legs would protect the bones.

If you are not going to show your dog, you’ll find that you have quite a few more options when it comes to making sure that your dog looks tidy. You can do an all-around short trim, which is ideal when you are considering how to make a good grooming job last, but if you are looking for something more flashy, consider looking at pictures online and in books to get some ideas.

Most people choose to clip the fur at the base of the tail and on the feet and face very short. It works better for the dog’s hygiene, since long hair can trap food. Short clipped feet don’t pick up grass seeds, and mean that your dog won’t track in as much dirt. Remember that shorter coats are easier to wash and dry, and they don’t need as much brushing as a fluffy, long coat. Always wash your poodle before grooming to keep your clippers and scissors in good shape. Use high quality equipment, too. While it’s more expensive to start with, it’ll make poodle grooming much easier.

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