beige coated dog

Poodle Puppy Haircut

Poodle puppies are so adorable, looking like teddy bears you want to cuddle all day long! 

Like an adult poodle, puppies require grooming and regular trimming to prevent their hair from mats and tangles. Plus, the proper trim will give an aesthetic finish. 

A pet owner can have a professional groomer perform the Puppy Cut. Learn to see what this type of haircut is all about!

What is the Puppy Cut?

The puppy trim is a popular haircut among small dog breeds, including the Poodle. As the name suggests, Poodles look like puppies again, with the added elaborate style! It’s also a low-maintenance trim for active poodle puppies who love moving around. 

It’s a simple cut that brings out your dog’s natural features. Your Poodle’s entire body will have an evenly cut length, about 1-2 inches long. There are no defined or sharp angles, with the fur appearing fresh.

It’s a good trim by the American Kennel Club, though the organization says that Poodles should have a pompom at the end of their tails. 

The puppy trim isn’t only for young Poodles. You can get this Poodle haircut regardless of your dog’s age or Poodle variety. It fits the Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle, and especially the adorable Toy Poodle, having them look like fur babies again.

Plus, this trim is highly modifiable, so Poodle owners or professional groomers can customize the length best fitting one’s preference and lifestyle. 

How to Give Your Poodle a Puppy Haircut

The puppy trim is fresh and reasonably easy to do. While you can head to a professional groomer to get the job done, you can do it yourself with high-quality dog clippers and shears. 

You don’t need fancy grooming tools, nor do you have to be a grooming expert. But if you’re not familiar with using clippers or doing this type of trim, have a poodle groomer do it instead.

Here are the steps on how to give your Poodle a puppy cut:

Bathe your Poodle

Bathe your Poodle’s body hair with high-quality dog shampoo and conditioner. Thoroughly rinse his curly hair to ensure no more soap suds or residue.

After that, dry your dog using a blow dryer and towel, making sure he’s completely dry. If you skip the drying process, then your dog will most likely have uneven hair, as if you clipped him using a lawnmower! 

It’s important to bathe, dry, and brush your dog before trimming his fur to make the entire process easier.

What clipper blade should you use?

Try using a #10 blade for your clippers, which are quite good for your dog’s face, tail, and feet. This leaves about 1-2 inches of hair on your Poodle’s coat. 

However, if your Poodle has sensitive skin, try a #15 blade to keep his hair coat a little longer while lessening the risk of clipper burn and irritated skin.

Clip your dog’s face and muzzle

Cut your dog’s hair from the ears to the nose. Then continue cutting between your dog’s eyes and around the under area of the chin. Remove hair under your dog’s ears and around the neck until right below Adam’s apple. 

Trim his tail and sanitary areas

When trimming your dog’s tail and sanitary areas, note that these are very sensitive areas. You need to be careful and gentle, ensuring that you don’t clip your dog’s skin. 

Trim the tail by removing hair around the base, leaving only a pompom at the end. Fluff out your dog’s pompom, using scissors to shape the tail into a nice ball. Don’t make your dog’s pompom too small, as this would give off a more balanced appearance.

Shave the feet

Don’t shave your dog’s legs, only his feet. Make sure you also trim the hair between your dog’s toes and paw pads.

Groom your dog’s ears

Comb your dog’s ears carefully, using scissors to trim the bottom of his ears. You have the choice to cut the ear hair straight across, or you can give it a rounded finish to encourage a more natural and uniform style.

Fix the topknot

Brush your Poodle’s hair on the topknot, the little puff of hair you find on most Poodle’s heads. Let it puff out and use scissors for a rounded finish.

Cut the hair shorter by the ears for a neater blend, leaving the hair longer on the top of your dog’s head. 

Brush the entire body

Brush your dog’s entire body, checking for any uneven areas you need to fix. The cut should leave your Poodle’s body coat long but trimmed enough for it to look neat. Cut off the odd bits of hair sticking out and give your dog a fluffy appearance and professional finish! 

You and your beloved Poodle can enjoy his trim for 4-6 weeks before it’s time for another trip to professional dog groomers. 

When it’s time for your adorable Poodle’s regular grooming session, you can choose among various haircut styles other than the Poodle cut, such as the Continental Clip or Teddy Bear Cuts!.