ABC's of Grooming Poodle Dogs

DIY Care of Poodle Dog Hair

By Cindy Grant, guest blogger

Poodles are one of the most popular breeds in the U.S. Although all dogs require general grooming, the poodle does need more care when it comes to their coats.

Here’s the ABC’s of taking care of poodle hair.

Acclimation for Dogs to Grooming

Ensure that you acclimatize your poodle. From as early as six weeks of age to all the different facets of grooming to prevent fear, aggression, and troublesome sessions later, take time to get your dog comfortable with grooming tools, sights, and sounds. This includes brushing, nail clipping, and even the sound of an electrical clipper. Petfinder “Dog Grooming for Hounds.

Bathing Poodle Dogs

It’s safe to bathe your poodle weekly but no more than that as it will strip their natural oils causing the skin to dry out. Always use shampoos and conditioners that are specifically designed for canines.

When bathing your dog, ensure that your poodle’s coat is fully saturated with water. Bear in mind this can take some time as poodles came from an old breed of hunting dogs with dense coats.

Once done towel dry to remove excess moisture. Being careful not to burn your pet, blow-dry while using a slicker brush to make your dog’s coat tangle free and fluffy.

Beauty from The Inside Out

The diet of your poodle affects the health and shine of his/her coat. Kibble should consist mostly of lean meats. Avoid by-products such as bone, organs, and beaks as well as fillers like corn.

Nutrient-wise, omega-6, and omega-3 fatty acids are great for the skin and also help to reduce inflammation.

Brushing Poodle Hair

The curly coat of the poodle can mat easily. This is because about 80% of poodle coats may consist of secondary hair or an undercoat of dense cottony hair with the outer layer being wiry, wavy, or wooly.

Matting is not only unsightly and makes the coat dull but causes discomfort for the dog because it pulls the hair.

A brushing a day will efficiently keep matting away. A wire-bristled round-head pin brush works best on curly hair. If the coat has already started matting, consider a greyhound comb or a slicker brush which has shorter wire bristles.

Another benefit of regular brushing is that it removes loose hair that tends to get trapped, improves circulation, and releases the natural oils. This helps to keep the skin moisturized as well.

Clipping Poodle Hair

Although poodles are not known to be shedders, their hair grows fast, which increases the matting problem. Your poodle needs to be clipped monthly to remedy this common hair growth challenge,

Don’t despair if a professional groomer exceeds your budget as you can do this at home yourself too.

All you need is an electric clipper with different sized blades to improve clipping while limiting hair pulling and a pair of scissors. The latter is for cutting out heavy matting and more precise trimming around the eyes, ears, and tail.

If you’re a novice, stick to the primary, easier cuts first. There’s the puppy cut where the body gets grown long, while specific areas get shaved or use the lamb clip grooming style.

Go to YouTube and watch this video. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkjda6tdiow) This clipping demonstration features the favored top knot.

You can also grow in skill into the trendier styles like the Continental with the ankle bracelets that look like pom-poms and thicker tufts of hair on the back and chest later.

Coloring Poodle Hair

Poodles come in about ten different shades ranging from silver or white, gold or apricot to café-au-lait and black.

To boost the brightness of their natural coloring and create a uniform shade throughout, use color-enhancing shampoos. Blue or purple shampoo brightens white, red for golden tones, and green for both black and certain shades of gold.

Although taking care of your poodle’s hair is more work than with other breeds, it sure does create a fantastic opportunity to bond with and enjoy with your pet.

About our guest blogger, Cindy Grant:

We thank Cindy Grant for this informative and thought-provoking post. Additional thanks to Grant for the three handsome professional photographs of adorable poodle dogs.

Cindy Grant is a crazy fan of dogs, cats, and all kinds pets. She is a blogger, and the founder of No Wild Longer, a U.S.A. pet lovers community.

Please follow Cindy Grant on Twitter: Cindy Grant @cindypetlover
Find and like her Facebook page: Facebook No Longer Wild

When you share this post on social media or by email, your actions encourage good writing and healthy pet care. Afterall, pet lovers want the best for their pets. Pet bloggers and writers want the best for ALL PETS.

We love our readers. We love your comments, too.

Sources:

Hyperlinks:

Additional menu