If you’re low on cash and want to save money then the best option would be to groom your poodle in the comfort of your home. By doing so you will eventually increased the bond between you and your dog. When you take the risk and bring your poodle to a groomer, no matter how good they seem to be, you don’t have any idea what is taking place while you are away.
Some groomer may be kind and loving to your pet, while others might not be so loving. This is why you should take the time out and groom your poodle at home so that your pet can be in the best care possible.
In this article, you will learn everything you need to know on how to groom a poodle at home.
How to Groom Poodle At Home
1. Prepare Your Supplies
The first thing you need is a space to groom your dog and put together all the tools that’s required to get the job done. For dogs that doesn’t like to stay still what you can do is install a screw a small screw hook under your cupboard so that you have the option to attach a slide collar. Most people enjoy using the countertop as it makes it much easier when it comes to clean up since all the clippings will be in one place. A table is also a good option.
2. Clip Your Poodle’s Face
You can start by clipping around your poodle’s face. Make sure your dog is properly secure even though most poodle should have a few experiences with grooming so you shouldn’t face any difficulties. You should properly hold your poodle’s head in one hand with your fingers on top of his head and thumb under his chin, holding back the opposite ear. In order to achieve the best cut you should clean the area around his cheek and clip back towards his ears. Use your hand and holds his nose upward so that you can clean under his neck as well.
All you have to do now is follow the same procedure on the other side. It’s best to go slow and steady when clipping your dog a d make sure not to go over an area more than once as this can result in clipper burn.
3. Clip Your Poodle’s Feet
Now it’s time to clip your poodle’s feet. You should make sure your poodle is sitting or standing without actually sliding by simply placing a towel or rubber mat under him. Once those are in place you should pick up one foot and run the clippers over the surface of the nails. Use your fingers to separate the toes and clip the hair between them. Also, you can bend the poodle’s leg so that you can see the bottom of the foot. Once done, you should separate the toe pads, clip the hair from between them. Now all you need to do is repeat the same procedure on the other feet.
4. Start Clipping
You can start by simply holding your poodles front feet in one hand, allowing him to stand on his hind legs. Now you can proceed to trim the hair from his belly button back as well as the hair from the inside of his hind legs. What you can do now is hold the poodle’s tail by the end and trim from the base to the point where you are comfortable with. Lastly, you should trim the hair his tail and under his bottom.
5. Bathe Your Poodle
Once you are finished clipping, it’s now time to give your poodle a bath. Depending on your poodle size you can either use the bathtub or the kitchen sink. First you must give him a towel dry then use a hairdryer to properly dry him off. While using the dryer, you can use a pin brush to brush the hair against the growth pattern, this will allow you to fluff his hair. Be careful not to dry one position too long as the dryer can burn your poodle’s skin. The best practice is to keep the dryer moving similar to when doing a human hair.
6. Trim Your Poodle With a Clipper/Scissors
You should use a clipper to trim your poodle’s hair to one length by using the correct attachments. If you don’t have a clipper in your possession then you can use a scissors to get the job done. If your goal is to use a scissors then it’s best to use one that’s sharp enough to cut through the hair properly. Also, when trimming the legs make sure to hold the paw and trim in straight cuts up the leg.
Apart from that make sure the top knot is trimmed by brushing it forward while trimming it into a round circle when looking from the top, then take the time out to brush it all back and do the same to each side. Once you are finished with all four side, your poodle will definitely have a nice smooth top knot. Next you should trim the tail into a ball.
7. Trim Your Poodle’s Nails
Lastly, it’s time to trim your poodle’s nails. Take your time so that you don’t cut into it deeply. If it’s a case where your poodle’s nails are white, you will be able to see this portion where the blood vessels stop. If you see dark colored, you should cut with care. If you nick him, there’s a product called Quick Stop that you can apply to the area.
Read: Best Grooming Tools For PoodlesÂ
How Long Does It Actually Takes to Groom a Poodle On Average?
Base on my personal opinion and the opinion of others, it actually takes on average 1-3 hours to groom a poodle, but the time frame tends to vary depending on several factors. If you are moving at an speed, when it comes to bathing, trimming, and brushing a poodle, it can be typically finished within 2-3 hours. However, if it’s a case where you would like to provide your poodle with the complete process which includes (bath, full cuts, brush, bells and whistles) it can take up to 5 hours to get the job done.
Grooming Show Poodles vs Pets
It doesn’t really matter the reason behind why you’re grooming your poodle because it is basically the same grooming techniques required for the poodle whether they are your pet or your show dog. You might notice a slight difference with the trim required for conformation show dogs. To learn more about the trimming details you can check the guidelines that’s outlined in the breed standard at (Poodle Club of America).
Conclusion
As you can see, learning how to groom poodle at home takes some time and practice, but it’s definitely a skill that you can master within a short amount of time. At first you should take the time out and understand the basic of how to groom a poodle if you are planning on living with one.
Remember that you might make a few mistakes, but the good news is that the hair will eventually grow back. Just keep trying and over time you will perfect your technique with poodle haircut.