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7 Standard Poodle Grooming Styles

Standard white poodle standing under a small tree outdoors.

Poodles come in different shapes, sizes, and colors and are very popular due to the hypoallergenic quality of their coats. They look gracious, elegant, and extremely cute in their soft and curly fur. However, you need to groom and maintain your poodle regularly to ensure it is beautiful and healthy. Read on to know some of the best poodle grooming styles that can help you maintain your pup properly.

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Poodle Grooming Style #1: Lion Cut

Poodle with a Lion Cut standing on a brick paved sidewalk next to a grass yard

This is undoubtedly the most popular poodle haircut.  In this style of haircut, all the hairs of your poodle’s body part are shaved except some of the hair is left on the stomach, head, chest, and tail. You also leave some hair on the legs of your poodle that are used to creates pompoms around the front and back paws.

Lion cut is mostly used in dog shows and is officially known as “Continental Cut”. This hairstyle is usually seen in standard-sized poodles as opposed to other variants (like miniature and toy). Learning this hairstyle requires a lot of effort and time.

Therefore, It is recommended that you should only hire the services of an experienced person (professional groomer) to give this cut to your poodle.

Poodle Grooming Style #2: English Saddle Cut

It is one of those poodle grooming styles that were quite popular from 1950 to 1969. However, its popularity has decreased since then due to several claims of groomers. They say that it is difficult to see the line of the poodles with this haircut which causes problems to the people in recognizing them. 

English saddle cut is quite similar to the Lion Cut but it has a major difference. In this style, we leave the extended fur (or pompom) on the spinal end of the poodle legs. Similarly, the hair of the same length is left behind the chest and pelvic area in this cut. Other than the Loin cut, this is the only hairstyle for standard-size poodles in dog shows.

Poodle Grooming Style #3: Summer Cut

Poodle on a beach with a summer cut

When it comes to dog haircuts in summer, this is just the right style for your pooch. It doesn’t only provide a perfect look to your poodle, but it also makes him/her different from other breeds. This is because this cut is not for all breeds.

During the summer, your adorable pooches get a lot of dirt especially if he/she involved in outdoor activities. In this hairstyle, we trim the dense and warm coat apart from on the head and the tail of your poodles to provide them some relief during outdoor action. This hairstyle is mostly known as the kennel cut by the groomers and it is one of the most useful and popular with this breed. This hairstyle can be used for poodles of all sizes.

Poodle Grooming Style #4: Dutch Cut

It is one of the most simpler poodle grooming styles. It provides a shorter as well as uniform hair length on the body with a pompom on the tail. This is why, the owners who want to stick to one hairstyle, tend to use this haircut for their dog. It is highly recommended to consult a professional groomer to give your poodle a supporting look for its dog.

Note: You can maintain the look of your poodle at home (by trimming a little) but only after getting some experience.

This canine haircut is quite popular in dog sport competitions. This is why it is named the Sporting Cut by the British Kennel Club. This cut can also be used for all three variants of Poodle (including the standard, miniature, and toy).

Poodle Grooming Style #5: Town and Country

Cut

Poodle standing on brick pavement with a town and country cut

In this grooming style, your poodle has hairy legs and it looks like a cylinder. The hair on the body is cut short to emphasize the intensity of the leg hairs. Furthermore, the top of the head and ears of your poodle are rounded in this cut to provide a natural appearance to the coat.

It is one of the more modern-day cutting styles and it is gaining a lot of popularity in the United States of America. Although, it can be applied or it can be used for every poodle. Town and country cut is mainly used for Standard or Miniature Poodles.

Poodle Grooming Style #6: Short Cut

It is quite rare to find a short-haired poodle but this poodle grooming style is still an anesthetic option. It can be quite useful, especially for busy owners who can’t take their dog to the groomer, to avoid bumps, snacks, and dirt on your dog’s coat. The Short cut is quite easy to learn as you just need to trim the entire body of your pooch.

This hairstyle can also be a great option for those owners who live in warmer countries. This is because in cold climates there are chances that your poodle may catch a little cold after this cut. But if you still prefer this hairstyle, it is highly advisable to use a doggie jacket to protect your canine friend. This hairstyle can work quite well with Toy and Standard Poodles.

Poodle Grooming Style #7: Modern Cut

Woman hugging poodles with a modern cut

This Poodle grooming style is the best fit for those owners who love to follow recent trends. It follows the shape of the body, accentuating the ears and tail as far as the head. The name of this hairstyle also reflects that it is designed to highlight the natural features of your poodle. Other than that it is also helpful for the owners because this hairstyle is easy to maintain.

This Poodle grooming style is also known as the European cut in some parts of the world, especially in the United States. Although it is easy to maintain, you must opt for a professional groomer to get a professional finish. It will also ensure a safe experience as you don’t want your pooch to get hurt.

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