Miniature Poodle haircuts, and the grooming in between

Why does a Miniature Poodle need regular grooming?

Because the hair never stops growing. A Poodle's curly coat grows all the time and doesn't shed out on a yearly cycle, and a curly coat takes real work to keep neat. Left uncut, a Poodle's hair would simply keep growing.

The payoff is a dog that leaves very little hair around the house. A Poodle has a curly, naturally harsh and dense coat, and that kind of coat needs brushing right down to the skin. Left alone, the tangles settle near the roots, and a coat matted there has to be shaved off so it can grow back from the start.

Do Miniature Poodles shed?

Very little, though no Mini is completely free of loose hair. Poodles are about as low shedding as dogs get. Shedding is a normal part of how every pet's hair grows, and you can manage it but never stop it altogether, so low shedding means less hair on the sofa rather than none.

The difference lies in how long each hair keeps growing. Every hair grows, pauses, rests and then falls out, and in dogs whose hair keeps growing, like Poodles, the growing stage can last for years. Dogs with a shorter growing stage lose their hair more often. That long growing stage is why a Poodle's coat keeps getting longer and has to be groomed on a schedule.

Genes play their part as well. Low-shedding breeds like the Poodle carry two copies of the coat gene that also grows the longer mustache and eyebrows called furnishings. Nobody can say exactly how much one particular Mini will shed, and do Goldendoodles shed traces the same gene through a cross.

What haircuts do pet Miniature Poodles wear?

Mostly short ones. Most pet owners choose a shorter trim, and a Poodle can be clipped anywhere from nearly shaved down to the full show look. The clip rules only matter for dogs being shown, so a family Mini can wear whatever suits your household.

The shortest show clip is the sporting clip. The face, throat, feet and base of the tail are shaved, a scissored cap stays on top of the head with a pompon on the tail, and the rest of the coat follows the dog's outline at no more than an inch long. Pets and show dogs take the same grooming techniques, and what sets show dogs apart is the trims they have to wear. A Poodle doesn't mind what clip it's in, as long as it gets to be with you.

What is a teddy bear cut?

It's a name groomers use for a pet trim, with no official version to point to, so one salon's teddy bear may not match the next. Bring a photo of the look you like and ask how much length the groomer plans to leave on the body, the legs and the face.

Puppy cut is a slippery name too. The show puppy clip is for Poodles under a year old, worn with the coat long, while many salons use puppy cut for a short trim. Whatever the menu calls it, the length sets the upkeep. A Poodle kept in a short trim can do without daily brushing and a long coat can't, so a fluffier cut means more time with the brush between visits. We think a Mini looks sweet either way, and it's your morning schedule that gets the final vote.

What are the show clips?

There are four, and a Poodle shown in anything else can't win. A Poodle under a year old may be shown in the puppy clip, with its long coat shaped into a neat outline. From 12 months on, grown Poodles are shown in the English Saddle or the Continental, and the sporting clip is kept for a few special classes.

Both grown-up clips shave the face, throat, feet and base of the tail, and leave puffs on the front legs and a pompon at the end of the tail. The English Saddle keeps a short blanket of hair over the hindquarters, broken by a curved shaved patch on each flank and shaved bands on the hind legs. The Continental shaves the hindquarters instead, with optional pompons on the hips and bracelets of hair on the hind legs.

The look began as work wear. Poodles were water retrievers, shaved so they could move freely, with hair left over the chest and joints for warmth. Those grown-up show clips need much more coat care than a pet trim.

How often does a Mini need the groomer?

About every four to six weeks, for owners who leave the clipping to a professional. That comes to roughly nine to thirteen appointments a year, and since most grooming shops book ahead, a standing appointment is the easy way to keep up.

A full groom covers more than the haircut. The groomer works out any mats before the bath, then bathes and dries the dog, cleans and checks the ears, clips the coat and trims the nails. To find one, ask friends whose dogs are well kept or your vet, and choose someone used to Poodles and to puppies.

You can also learn to clip at home. A handy owner can learn to groom a Poodle, and a crooked first try grows out. Either way, find out what a groomer near you charges for a Mini before your puppy comes home.

What should you do between grooming visits?

Brush, mostly. A slicker brush, the kind with short, stiff wire bristles, works best, all the way down to the skin without scraping it, with the puppy up on a table for better control. How often depends on the length. A Mini in a short trim needs it less, and a longer coat needs a brush every day.

Nails, ears and teeth finish the routine. Nails are too long once you can hear them clicking on the floor, and they can be clipped, ground down or both. Poodles grow hair inside their ears, and their floppy ears tend to collect wax, so that hair is plucked or trimmed to let air in, along with an ear cleaner. Ask your groomer or your vet to show you how before you try it yourself. Brush the teeth regularly with a toothpaste made for dogs.

Grooming time is also when you'll notice cuts, lumps, fleas or ticks, and anything new on the skin is a question for your vet.

When should a Mini Poodle puppy have its first groom?

Around 16 to 18 weeks, once the puppy shots are far enough along. A Poodle can see a professional groomer once it has had at least its 16-week shot, about when it's safe to start an obedience class too. Your vet sets the exact dates, with the core puppy shots spaced 2 to 4 weeks apart up to 16 weeks of age.

Ours go home at 9 weeks, which leaves several weeks to get your puppy ready. Handle the feet and nails with treats in hand, and run an electric toothbrush over the coat of a dog that will be clipped, so the buzz is old news when real clippers come out. Keep the lessons short, a few brush strokes and a treat, and stop while it's going well. Then let a professional handle that first real haircut, since a groomer knows which trims suit a Poodle and how to shape the head and tail.

For the rest of the picture, read how big a Mini gets and how long it lives, our Mini Poodle colors guide and what a Mini Poodle costs, or meet our Mini Poodle puppies.