If you’re choosing among many amazing clips for your Standard Poodle, you might have considered the Kennel clip for a bit of style without the high-maintenance needs. It resembles the AKS Poodle clip, accentuating the poofy tail and head, but with a shorter coat to make the coat easier to handle. Please look at this clip and how it works with the popular breed like a Poodle!
What is the Poodle Kennel Clip?
The Poodle Kennel Clip is a pet clip many pet owners choose. The clip is not accepted in the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club show ring, but it’s great for easy customization and low-maintenance grooming. It’s one of the most functional Poodle haircuts you can see among the different Poodle varieties.
A professional groomer will shave the face, feet, and tail base closely with this clip. The rest of the body and legs remain short and scissored into shape, about 1/2 inch long or less. However, the tail and topknot are scissored and left longer than your dog’s body coat. Depending on the owner’s personal taste, the Poodle’s ears may either be full, shortened, or even clipped completely.
You have the chance to customize your Poodle’s coat style with this clip. Some pet owners would opt for a shorter length during summer, while others choose longer when it becomes colder. Shortening your dog’s coat can make it easier to maintain, especially for active breeds like the Poodle. That’s why the Kennel clip is also sometimes referred to as sporting and utility clips.
You can also make the topknot and tail shorter for easier maintenance. An experienced groomer would balance the topknot and tail’s poofy-ness to balance the overall style of your Poodle’s curly coat.
With all this in mind, we believe the Kennel clip is a popular choice for pet owners who want an active style for their Poodles without compromising the fancy Poodle appearance. With the closely shaved body parts and shorter body coat length, the Poodle cut lasts longer, is easier to brush, and keeps your dog clean even when you have a pet who loves playing around.
There is no breed standard for this particular clip, as most breeds can rock the look. It also works for all types of Poodles, whether Standard Poodle or Toy Poodle. That said, it’s a personal choice, so talk with your groomer to see if the clip works with your Standard Poodle or other dog breeds.
How to Do the Kennel Clip
Since the Kennel clip is reasonably easy to do, owners can do it themselves, using their preferred grooming styles. However, owners who don’t have the proper grooming tools are not familiar with trimming their dog should head to a professional groomer to get the job done.
If you want to achieve this look, you could try using a #5 clipping blade for hotter months and a #4 for colder months. For Poodles with a thick coat, you can use a #10 blade and go with the growth of your dog’s body hair.
Follow these steps:
- Before you trim your dog, regardless of the cut, do bathe him. Give your Poodle a thorough bath using the appropriate dog shampoo and conditioner. Afterward, dry your dog using a blow dryer and towel, brushing his coat until he’s completely dry. Doing this ensures that you’re starting with a “clean slate” and that you’ll have more consistent hair as you cut.
- Clip your dog’s neck starting from the base of his head. Then, go over his shoulders and down his back to the tail. Finish along the rib cage and under his groin, stomach, and chest.
- Clip your dog’s hind legs inside and out, about an inch above his hock joints. When using the eyeline for balance, clip in and out of your dog’s front legs to the same level. As for the outline, check where the clip marks of your dog’s hind legs end, drawing an imaginary line across to your dog’s front legs.
- Scissor your dog’s topknot, giving it a rounded finish, as you would with a Lamb clip.
- Comb your dog’s leg hair outward, scissoring the bracelets and creating an oval shape.
- Trim your dog’s tail and give it a poofy and rounded finish, again as to how you’d do with the Lamb cut.
- And you’re done! Your Poodle will need another trim after a month or two, depending on how long his hair grows. You can do the kennel clip again or try other haircut styles like the Continental clip, Scandinavian clip, or the Miami clip, whether you want a modern style or traditional clips. There are also more acceptable grooming styles like the Lion cut or Bikini cut; check out our other blogs on the website!