Intelligent, elegant, and most of all incredibly stylish, Poodles are now and forever a hugely popular breed of dog. Being laid-back, and highly trainable, it’s no surprise that Poodles currently rank 7th in the most popular dog breed around the globe.
While their personable nature makes them a great fit for any type of family, Poodles are well known for their thick curly coat, which helps them to stand out amongst the crowd. But with great hair comes great responsibility, and Poodle grooming is no joke.
So, what sort of grooming does your Poodle need? And how much can you expect to pay for your dog’s new trim? Stick around as we break down all things grooming below.
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When Should you Get your Poodle Groomed?
First and foremost, when is it time to take your Poodle to the groomers? If you are a new Poodle parent, you should be looking at booking a trip to the groomers at around 6 months old.
The reason for such a long wait is because these first few months are crucial in allowing your dog to find its place in your family, get comfortable with its surroundings, and learn how to interact with others. To a young dog, the groomers may feel like an uncomfortable and invasive place, so it is important that you hold off a while before taking them for a trim.
You need to allow your dog time to adjust to the sights and smells of grooming, so these first few trips should be focused on getting your dog acquainted with the procedure. Instead of expecting your Poodle to sit through a full session right off the bat, taking it slow will help build trust between the dog and the groomer.
What Does Grooming Consist of?
So, what exactly can you expect to get out of a grooming session? There is no such thing as a typical groom, and the service will vary based on your dog’s needs, but here are some of the key steps:
- Removing Matting: The first thing a groomer will address is any matting or tangles in the Poodles coat. With dense curly hair, Poodles are prone to matts and tangles, so these will be dealt with first using a brush, and then with scissors if further action is required.
- Bathing: Next is wash time. Bathing occurs in a few inches of water, and a shampoo and a rinse helping to remove any dirt before moving on to clipping and styling. Before moving on, your Poodle will be dried from head to toe either with a towel or blow dryer.
- Brushing teeth: Using dog-friendly toothpaste, some groomers will remove any built-up plaque around your dog’s teeth, keeping those pearly whites in good nick.
- Trimming nails: Long nails can be painful for your dog, so groomers will take special care to trim the dog’s nails to the appropriate length, being sure not to cause any pain or bleeding.
- Clipping: Next the hair around the eyes and pads are dealt with. Long hair in these areas can obscure vision, or cause your dog to fall over, so these spots are tackled with a pair of close shave clippers.
- Styling: Last but not least is the fun part. Thanks to their thick curly coat, Poodles can rock a variety of styles, and your groomer will shape and clip your dog into style with a pair of trimming scissors.
Are There Different Types of Grooming?
As mentioned previously, no two grooming sessions are the same. The level of service depends largely on the condition of your dog. You can’t clip what isn’t there, so if you are a fan of frequently visiting the groomers, your dog may not have long nails or tangles, meaning the grooming session will be over and done quicker.
Along with this, you can also go for specific treatments. If your dog is in dire need of a bath, but its coat is fine, you could ring up for a quick wash, or if it has some loose hair blocking its eyes then you might want just a clipping. All groomers have different levels of service, and these specifics should be agreed upon before your visit.
How Much Does it Cost?
There are many factors that affect the cost of groomers; the service needed, the size of your Poodle, and depending on how anxious the dog is, the groomer may charge for extra time, or an assistant to be on hand.
Moreover, each groomer sets their own rates differently, so we can’t tell you for definite how much you will be paying for a session, but we can give you a ballpark figure.
For a Toy Poodle, costs range from $70 – $75 dollars for a full session. With a Miniature, you can expect anywhere from $70 – $100 dollars, and for a full-size Poodle, you’ll be looking at a minimum of $100 on average.
While their intelligence and obedience do make them better behaved around groomers in general, their coat is what most of your money will be going on. It pays to look good and nowhere is this truer than when you are pampering your Poodle.
Are There Budget Groomers and High-End Groomers?
Inevitably, all groomers will charge different rates. This comes down to their level of expertise, their facilities, products, the list goes on. Whether or not you want to spend extra for a premium quality service is up to you, but it is important to note that groomers do come at different price points, and you should keep this in mind when picking which one you want to go to.
At the end of the day, what you are paying for is bells and whistles, and the most important thing when picking a groomer is that they are good with your dog and do a good job taking care of them.
How Often Should you get your Poodle Groomed?
A Poodles coat is a dense and non-shedding coat. For this reason, you can expect to be taking frequent trips to the groomers compared to other low-maintenance breeds.
It is recommended you take a Poodle for grooming on average every 6 weeks. As well as going to the groomers, it is advisable that you brush your Poodles hair every couple of days minimum, to ensure no matting or tangling.
Should you Leave a Tip?
As with any job well done, a tip is a token of gratuity. While not necessary, tipping a groomer is always appreciated, and lets them know that they’ve done a good job. On average groomers receive tips of $10-$20 dollars for a good grooming session, this works out at 10-20% of the cost for the session (depending on where you go!).
Final Thoughts
By now you should be well acquainted with what a groomer is, what they do, how they do it, and how often your Poodle should be paying them a visit. Hygiene upkeep is an essential part of being a dog owner, and after reading this article you should be clued in about what your Poodle requires to stay in top shape.
Want to know more about how to keep your dog clean and healthy? Then you should check out our article ‘Do Dogs have Eyelashes? Are you Supposed to Cut Them?’.