Poodles are known for their curly coats. Whiskers are tactile hairs, also known as vibrissae, that are more rigid and thicker than other hairs. All Poodles have whiskers. In fact, all dogs and most mammals have them except us humans. Most pet owners may notice the whiskers on their poodles face and think that it is just a strand of hairs without actually knowing that it plays an very important role in terms of helping your poodle navigate the world around them. The whiskers on your poodle face is what allows them to determine the size, shape and speed of objects.

Poodle whiskers can grow up to several inches long, depending on the dog’s genetics and grooming routine. Some Poodle owners even style their dog’s whiskers for special occasions, creating elaborate designs and shapes. Technically these special hairs are called vibrissae. And the main reason for these hairs is to help your dog navigate his surroundings. It’s extremely safe to trim down your poodle’s whiskers if you are trying to give them a more smoother look. While you won’t find a lot of people trimming their poodle whiskers, it’s pretty harmless and definitely won’t cause any pain to your dog.

With that being said, most pet owners doesn’t seem to let their dog’s whiskers be a problem to them. However, when it comes to show dogs, trimming whiskers is very common. Before their big day, all show dog, no matter the size tend to get their whiskers shaved off if they are trying to get a clean, fresh face. Similar to poodles, other short haired show dogs also get their whiskers trimmed so that they can achieve a cleaner look.

You should keep in mind that it’s not necessary to have a show dog to shaved your poodle whiskers. Trimming your poodle’s facial hair and whiskers is base on your personal preference. If you don’t like the fact that your poodle’s muzzle hair is getting a lot of food or dirt attached to it, you may decide that providing your poodle with a facial cut is the best option when it comes to keeping your dog clean and bacteria-free.

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Do Poodles Have Whiskers?

Yes, all poodles have whiskers. In fact, most mammals have whiskers except for humans. Not only does whiskers grows on your poodle muzzle, but you will also find them on your poodle’s cheeks, chin and eyebrows as well. What you can do is take a look at your poodle when you have the chance – you’ll notice how easy it is to spot the whiskers and they are usually longer than the poodles naturally hair. When you think of whiskers, you’re likely picturing thick pieces of hair emerging around your Poodle’s nose and mouth. But did you know that they have four different types of whiskers?

Although most pet owners known it to be called whiskers or vibrissae, when it is located on the muzzle, cheeks, eyebrows and chin, there are several other names:

Superbital whiskers
Mystical whiskers
Interramal tufts

The most common whisker and the one known to be located on your poodle’s muzzle is very well known as Mystical whiskers originating from the word mustache. Superbital whiskers can be found on your poodles eyebrows. Those whiskers that’s located on the chin are called Interramal tufts, while whisker on your poodle’s cheek are generally known to be normal whiskers.

Mystacial whiskers are arranged in four rows on either side of the dog’s snout. These whiskers are more pronounced in larger breeds like the Standard Poodle than in smaller breeds like the Toy poodle. They are the longest and the thickest of all whiskers.

Read: Best Brushes For Poodles

What is the Purpose of Poodle Whiskers?

Have you ever wondered whether Poodles have whiskers? One of the distinctive features of poodles is their whiskers, which are long and bushy and add to their overall charm. Whiskers are essential features for many animals, especially in the animal kingdom. Whiskers are a sensory tool used for spatial awareness. Most pet owners don’t realize that the whiskers on their poodle’s face are more than long hairs, but they serve a purpose. Whiskers serve various functions in dogs and other animals. The primary function of whiskers is to provide sensory information to animals. The long and stiff hairs are rich in nerves connected to the sensory organs, providing information on the environment around them. Similar to other animals, dogs use there whiskers to get a better understanding of their surroundings. These hair are known to be quite different from most of the other hair on the dog’s body. We can say that they are more rigid and embedded far more into the skin. Not only that, but it’s also important to know that the base of each whiskers is high concentration of touch sensitive neurons which allows the whiskers to send a warning signal to let your poodle have an idea if something is near its face.

Poodles have whiskers to help them navigate their surroundings. Apart from not being able to see colors, dogs overall doesn’t have a great sense of sight. This is one of the main reasons why they need assistance when it comes to detecting their surroundings so that they can avoid obstacles in their way or danger around them. As you can see, this is why whiskers plays a very important role in their life.

Without whiskers your poodle will not have the ability to navigate around, which will eventually prevent them from running into people, walls, and other objects. Having whiskers is even more important during the night when they need to navigate through the dark. What the whisker does is help the poodle to understand and sense their environment before they come into contact with an object.

Not only that, but similar to an eyelash, whiskers also instructs your dog when to close their eyes if something make contact with them. These things usually comes to play when your dog is taking a walk so that they can dodge branches and keep things from falling into their eyes. You should keep in mind that your dog whiskers are very sensitive which is why they react when you touch them.

Your poodle’s whiskers also have the ability to signal you about how they are feeling in the exact moment. Whenever there’s a point when your poodle feels in danger, you may notice that their whiskers tends to point out. If there is a case where you notice this, what you can do is remove your poodle from the situation so that they feel a lot more comfortable.

Apart from signaling you about feeling uncomfortable, their whiskers is also able to tell you if they are feeling unwell. At any point, if you notice your poodle whiskers as a split or drop at the end, it could be a sign of health issues. It’s similar to if your poodle whiskers has fallen off and don’t grow back over the course of 4 weeks, then your dog is likely suffering from a vitamin deficiency. If it’s a case where your always getting your poodle whiskers shave during grooming sessions then you won’t know about your dog health problem.

These signals from their whiskers help your poodle navigate through the world, preventing them from running into people, walls, furniture, and other objects. Most pet owners choose to leave their dog’s whiskers intact. Like cats, bears, and seals, dogs use their whiskers to get a better understanding of their surroundings. Like all mammals, Poodles have a few whiskers on their faces. Poodle whiskers, also known as vibrissae, are long, thick hairs on the dog’s muzzle, above the eyes, and on the chin. Here’s a fun fact you likely didn’t know: All mammals except humans and monotremes (a type of platypus) don’t have whiskers. And of the mammals with whiskers, the Arctic Fur Seal boasts the longest.

The main issue that we have with our Poodles, is that it seems to be the breed standard for showing Poodles, to shave their faces. This means it is absolutely impossible to shave a Poodle’s face but leave the whiskers.

Can You Cut a Poodle’s Whiskers During a Grooming Session?

Yes absolutely you can cut your poodle’s whiskers without actually causing any harm to your dog.

Even though a lot groomers avoid cutting poodles whiskers by only trimming the hair around them, you can definitely your poodle’s whiskers without causing any harm to the dog and it is actually very common among long-haired breed.

We all know by now that poodles are known to have long facial hair that attracts a lot of dirt, food and debris that becomes tangled in their muzzles. And because of these debris the groomer may find it necessary to trim your poodle’s facial hair including their whiskers which will eventually keep your dog’s face clean and bacteria free. When grooming a poodle’s snout, it’s important to be very careful and use small, precise scissors to trim around the snout while avoiding the whiskers.

If you are planning on using your dog for show then trimming their whiskers is something that is necessary. But you don’t have to own a show dog in order to give your poodle a clean new look. You can discuss this with your groomer and they will provide your poodle with a clean face which means that they will trim all the facial hair including their whiskers.

What Will Happen If You Trim Your Poodle’s Whiskers?

Unlike a human male’s facial hair, whiskers play a vital role in a Poodle’s ability to explore the world. As I’ve mentioned earlier, whiskers serve as an early warning device that does a good job at alerting the dog that something is approaching which might cause damage to its face or eyes. So if it’s a case where your poodle gets a clean trim with the whiskers removed, there is a high chance that they will collide into more objects around them.

Although whiskers have neurons that signal to your dog about their surroundings, the hairs themselves don’t have a nerve supply (like any other hair!). Apart from being disoriented, it’s unclear what other consequences the poodle will face. But we don’t think trimming your poodle whiskers will cause any serious danger. If somehow your poodle whiskers get cut during their grooming sessions, they will grow back over a period of time.

Does Cutting Your Poodle’s Whiskers Hurt?

The short answer is no. Even though dogs whiskers have neurons that serve as a warning device that something is near your dog’s face, the whiskers don’t have a nerve supply. So cutting your dog whiskers will not cause any harm to the dog, it is pretty much the same as if you were cutting their nails.

However, your poodle’s whiskers should never be pulled out as this can be extremely painful.

Should I Cut My Poodle Whiskers?

This is something that you have to decide on your own since it is base on your personal preference. If you enjoy seeing your dog face clean, then you should get their facial hair including whiskers cut. However, your poodle’s whiskers should never be plucked! whiskers may not cause any harm to your dog, it can affect their sensory perception and ability to interact with their surroundings. This is your personal preference! If you are showing your poodle or prefer a “clean” face, you can choose to have their facial hair (and whiskers) cut.

If you don’t mind, then you should leave your dog whiskers as it help them to navigate around properly without running into objects that may cause harm to them.

When you take your poodle to get groomed, you can speak with the groomer about your personal preference and the haircuts you like. If you must trim your poodle’s whiskers, it’s essential to do it cautiously.