Poodle Grooming – The Teddy Bear Cut

Tired of your Poodle’s current haircut? This is your sign to maybe give your dog a Teddy Bear Clip.

A Poodle should have regular trimming as part of their grooming maintenance needs. There are so many types of Poodle haircuts to choose from, so it can get a bit confusing. This article will talk about the Poodle Teddy Bear Cut, a common choice among Poodle parents!

What is a Poodle Teddy Bear Cut?

The Teddy Bear Cut is trim for Poodles where the hair stays around 1-2 inches in every part of the dog’s face and body. That is compared to traditional Poodle cuts, which have the dog’s face closely shaved to their skin, giving it a more regal, serious, and show-dog-like look.

With the teddy bear cut, the hair on a Poodle’s face remains the same length as the rest of its body. Doing so softens the face and has your beloved poodle appear puppy-like, or as the name suggests, a teddy bear with cuddly cuteness! It’s just the same as the puppy haircut, which keeps the body hair at the same length on the entire body.

A professional groomer can shape the Poodle’s curly coat so that the cut looks smoother and very even, with the dog having rounder features like your favorite stuffed toy. It’s a great hairstyle for owners who want their dogs to look like puppies forever, especially Toy Poodles! Standard Poodles and Miniature Poodles will also look much younger with this type of haircut.

This type of cut isn’t only limited to Poodles, though! It’s a popular trim done in other dog breeds, such as the Maltese, Bichon Frise, Cocker Spaniel, and the Shih Tzu.

We recommend this type of haircut if you want your adult poodle to look younger. It’s also great for cold climates as you leave a certain length throughout your dog’s face and body. 

How to Do an Adorable Teddy Bear Cut

If you can’t take your Poodle to the dog groomer, you can give him the Teddy Bear cut yourself. You will need to prepare:

  • Bristle or slicker dog brush
  • Hypoallergenic dog shampoo and conditioner
  • Towel
  • High-quality clippers (your primary grooming tool) with blade #10 and attachment combs
  • Blow dryer
  • Grooming table 
  • Scissors (only for experienced owners) for trimming the hair around the dog’s eyes

Follow these steps:

Brush and clean your Poodle

Before giving Poodle haircuts, you must brush and clean him first. Trimming dirty coats may cause skin infections, so begin the grooming process with a thorough brushing, ensuring your dog’s free from mats and tangles.

Afterward, bathe your Poodle to remove all the dirt, soften his coat, and have his hair ready for a trim. Dry your dog with a towel, then a blow dryer.

Grooming your Poodle’s body

Begin grooming your dog’s body by cutting from the bottom of the skull, clipping his neck on every side.

After that, cut straight along the back until the center of your dog’s tail. Then clip over your dog’s hindquarters, making sure you clip with the growth of the hair.

Next up is to trim your dog’s abdomen, genitals, and underarms, using blade #10. If you can, use scissors to clean up any messy areas.

Clip his feet and legs

You just need to clip any additional hairs on your dog’s legs and feet in this step. They should have a uniform style with a rounded finish, with the leg hair even with your dog’s body after cutting. You can also trim your dog’s tail hair to achieve exact lengths.

Groom the ears and head

We recommend using scissors when cutting hair around the eyes and ears. First-timers can use clippers to trim it but do not do so in the eye area.

Trim your dog’s hair to a similar length of his body. Don’t rush here; this is a challenging task, and you can’t afford to be careless, as it can cause ear infections, ear matting, or serious injuries.

Lastly, trim your Poodle’s face. We only recommend experienced pet owners to do this. 

When doing this step, use scissors, blending and feathering the hair wherever necessary. The goal is to have everything neat and smooth. As you cut around your Poodle’s nose and eyes, they should be in the center.

Finally, fluff your dog’s coat with a slicker brush and apply dog-safe perfume or deodorant for a professional finish. After that, you’re done! Now, your poodle will be the center of attention, looking like an adorable bear cub.

This trim may appear difficult to achieve, so it’s best to start with a simple, natural-looking trim before trying other types of haircuts. From there, you can move on to practicing different cuts until you can give off a more professional finish! 

How Often Should a Poodle Get a Teddy Bear Cut?

To keep your Poodle appearing well-groomed with shorter hairdos all the time, then you should give your dog a trim once a month. But if you’re okay with a more grown-out look, then a grooming schedule every 6-8 weeks is also acceptable.

Between trims, you must give your dog proper grooming and coat maintenance, too. This means regular brushing of your Poodle 2-3 times per week, or every day if he spends most of his time outside or playing with other people and animals. Doing this will prevent any mats and tangles at bay, ruining your dog’s appearance and health.

At the start of clipping your poodle, do so gradually and clip less. Many owners would cut off too much hair, feeling disappointed as their dog doesn’t look what they expected.

How Much is a Poodle Teddy Bear Haircut?

While you can groom a Poodle yourself, it might be best to leave it up to professional dog groomers to avoid making mistakes that can leave your dog with a bad hair day! Such professionals have studied in a prestige dog grooming school to know oodles of haircut styles and how to do it according to owner preference.

For small to medium-sized dogs, a teddy bear cut can cost between $30 to $50. For larger dogs, the price can go up to $90. However, the rates will ultimately depend on where you live, your dog’s coat and size, along with the pet groomer’s reputation. Also, the more tangled and dirtier the coat is, the more it costs to fix it.