Poodles require regular grooming and haircuts, and some professional groomers prefer to use scissors instead of clippers for the job.If you have the right tools and know how to cut poodles, you can do a scissors-only cut at home.If you want to watch a pro do the job a few times, stick to simple styles.
Step 1: There is a set of dog grooming scissors.
The scissors should be used for cutting dog fur, not human hair.If you need to do poodle haircuts alone, you can use straight grooming shears.It's helpful to have rounded safety tip scissors for sensitive areas like the face, as well as curved scissors that can be shaped around the feet.Straight grooming shears are long.Rub the blades and hinges with scissors oil before each cutting session.You can buy the oil and scissors at pet supply stores.
Step 2: Set up a comfortable workspace.
Pick a table that is comfortable for you to work at, and set it up in a location that will be easy to clean, like a bathroom or a warm garage.You can throw away the plastic or paper tablecloth if you lay a mat on it.The best option for your table is a non-slip rubber mat.You can use a rubber shower mat.A grooming comb, a grooming brush with metal pins, and a slicker brush are all available at pet supply retailers.Don't leave your dog unattended while it's sitting on the table.It can cause injuries, including broken bones, if it jumps down from the table.
Step 3: If you need to reduce your hand strain, start with clippers.
Without the help of electric clippers, it can take 30 minutes or more to cut a poodle.A long time for your poodle to remain calm and still, and a lot of cutting of the scissors.If you want to finish the cut with scissors, you should trim the coat with clippers first.You could use the #1 length guard attached to the clippers to go over the entire coat.This will create a coat length that is close to the norm.The clippers should be run against the direction of hair growth.Most dogs will get used to the sound and feel of clippers over time, even though some may not like it initially.You may have no choice but to use full scissor cutting.
Step 4: Before giving your dog a bath, comb out its tangles.
If your dog has knots in its hair, it will shrink up when it gets wet, making it difficult to comb them out.This problem can be avoided if you comb through your dog's hair.Make sure the coat is tangle-free by moving the comb in the direction of the hair growth.If the comb doesn't work for you, you can use a pin brush.
Step 5: In warm water.
Put around 6 in (15 cm) of warm water in a tub or basin, then wet your poodle with a cup or sprayer attachment.If you want to massage your poodle's fur, be careful around his face.Take out the clean water.Don't use human hair products on dogs.Buy dog wash at a pet supply store.
Step 6: You can dry your poodle's coat with a towel and blow dryer.
After the bath, dry your poodle by pressing a soft towel against its body.If you want to avoid the face, use a blow dryer on the low or medium heat setting.You don't want the coat to be wet when you cut it.Don't rub or brush the towel with the poodle's fur, or you'll create knots and mats.
Step 7: Remove any mats caused by bathing by brushing through the coat.
To brush through your poodle's coat, use the pin brush.Always brushing in the direction of hair growth, from head to tail.If you see matted fur, use the pin brush or grooming comb.The slicker brush will cut through most mats.Use the grooming scissors to cut the mat.
Step 8: For scissor cutting, choose a simple haircut.
It's best to stick to a simple style when cutting poodle hair because there are dozens of recognized styles.The goal with this style is to trim the entire coat to a uniform mid-range length, and the Kennel Clip is the best choice.The Puppy Clip is a good option because it leaves the hair a little longer and more poofy.The Fox and German Clips use the same length, but shave the hair on the neck and tail.
Step 9: Pick up the scissors if you don't know what your cutting strategy is.
It's difficult to give a specific length for a full-scissor Kennel Clip, since it depends on the individual poodle and its coat.Aim to trim the hair by half its length.You can use a ruler or finger to help guide you, but poodle hair is more about visualization, shaping, and adjusting the cut as you work.It's a good idea to watch a professional hairdresser do the job a few times first.In terms of where to start, plan to go from the ankles up on each leg, then from either the backside to the neck or vice versa.Since these are sensitive areas, leave the feet, underside, genitals, and head for last.
Step 10: Before cutting a section of hair, make sure it's against the grain.
Poodle fur is fluffy and densely-curled, which means that it poofs out at all times.Before cutting a section with the scissors, use the comb to further lift and extend that section.To achieve this, use a few short, quick strokes of the comb.If you're working on one of the legs, fluff up all the hair from above the foot to below the shoulder.
Step 11: When cutting hair, point your scissors in a certain direction.
poodle fur is more like trimming hedges than it is like cutting the free-flowing hair of many other dog breeds.The scissors should be used to shape the coat as much as to trim the individual hairs.To do this shaping, use the scissors to follow the coat's shape in the direction of hair growth.You can occasionally cut against the grain to get rid of long patches, then do the bulk of your snipping in that section.
Step 12: Remove small amounts of hair with scissors.
Don't cut large chunks of fur with the scissors, you'll end up with a messy haircut.You can open the scissor blades only about 1 in apart for each snip, and keep them open as you work.Even if you want to trim more, cut off no more than 0.125 in (0.32 cm) at a time.It's easy to trim off more hair as you go, but you can't put more back on.The scissor cutting is tiring for your hand because of the constant movement.You might need to ice it down afterwards.
Step 13: Provide lots of praise and keep the dog calm.
It's difficult for a dog to remain still during grooming, and some poodles can be anxious during haircuts.When the dog moves, stop immediately and offer praise, and resume cutting when they calm down.Ask a friend to keep your dog calm while you do the grooming.Before the bath and haircut, take your poodle for a long walk.They will be calmer and less energetic.You may have to complete the haircut over multiple sessions.
Step 14: Start the trim by working your way down each leg.
To cut away long patches of hair, comb against the grain of the leg hair.After that, using your scissors pointed toward the dog's foot, cut and shape the hair in small amounts.visualization and comparison of what you've cut so far and what needs to be cut is required for scissor trimming a poodle.You want the coat on all 4 legs to have the same shape.Lots of practice is the only way to master this skill.Leave the feet and armpits to be worked on later.
Step 15: Keep trimming from the neck to the hindquarters.
It's up to you to decide.In either case, poof up the coat with the comb, cut against the grain as needed, and then use a comb to trim and shape it.If you accidentally trim a small section too short, try to keep the problem spot to a minimum.The entire coat can be trimmed shorter to match.
Step 16: Either blend the tail into the body or make a pom-pom on it.
The base of the tail is trimmed very short with clippers and a rounded pom-pom is shaped on the end of it.If you want a simpler and scissors-only look, shorten the hair on the tail with the scissors.Go shorter as you move toward the tip of the tail if you match the length of your body at the base.To get the traditional pom-pom look, use electric clippers with the lowest guard setting to trim the base half of the tail, then use the curved and/or straight scissors to round off the hair on the other half.
Step 17: Cut your poodle's feet carefully or use clippers.
Most of the time, poodle feet are shaved below the ankle with clippers.If you want to use scissors on the feet, clip from the ankle downward and shorten the length as you work towards the bottom of the foot.If you want to trim hair between the toes or around the foot pad, use the rounded safety tip scissors.If you decide to use clippers, shave from the ankle downward over the top and back of the foot, then round off the hair with scissors.You can use the straight scissors on the feet, but be careful not to cut the sensitive skin between the toes or the pads.
Step 18: Carefully trim the underside of your poodle.
Most dogs are very sensitive to contact on their undersides and genitalia, so plan to stop and start regularly as you calm and reassure your poodle.The process of cutting the hair is the same as trimming the rest of the body, with the exception of using quick, even snips.You have to raise one leg at a time to get to the armpits.As you work, keep the dog's other feet on the table and offer lots of encouragement and praise.Unless you're very confident with the straight scissors, use the rounded safety tip scissors around the genitalia.
Step 19: The hair on the head and face needs to be trimmed.
There are many different styles for the hair on the head and face, but focus on creating symmetry and even shaping no matter the style you choose.To keep hair out of the eyes, use the curved scissors to create arcs between the outer edge of each eye and the base of their ear.If you want a pom-pom look on top of the head, use the curved scissors to shape that area as well.The rounded safety tip scissors can be used to trim hair around the eyes, nose, and mouth.When your dog moves, work very slowly and carefully.As an amateur dog groomer, the face is the most difficult area to perfect.If you want to do it yourself, ask for advice and tips from a professional.