# Low Maintanence Clips



## gharrissc

I will be having my Standard clipped next week for easier maintanence.I wanted to know if any of you had pics of some of the lower maintanence clips? She is in full coat now,and it has been quite the ordeal to keep her from getting matted.


----------



## cdnchick

What about something like this? 

This isn't my spoo but this is likely how I'll be clipping her all summer. Short and cool. And very low maintenance!


----------



## petitpie

Love the "retriever" clip!


----------



## Leooonie

If you want something quirky.. could always try for a Bedlington clip like Leroy's owner on here has clipped him into..?

or else a retriever with mohawk like my little man  (dyeing optional!)


----------



## RileysMommy

Or you could try the Miami!


----------



## cdnchick

Speaking of cool retriever clip mods... I saw an awesome cut on a doodle (that was quite poodley) a while back. Full retriever clip except for a mohawk that went from head, right down his back to the end of his tail. Looked like quite the rock star!

I may have to try that with Finley one of these days. :biggrin:


----------



## tokipoke

You can get her hair trimmed to a close shave or to an inch, depending on her hair. I absolutely loved it when Leroy's hair was shaved. SO much easier to bathe and dry. Even in the Bedlington trim (which he is still growing into), it takes me 2 hours to bathe, dry, and brush. Brushing for me = dematting because his coat is still changing. 

Here's some pics of Leroy in various haircuts. You can get shaved feet on any of the clips or leave natural feet. The first couple of pictures are him in a short "German" style. The body is about an inch long. First pic has natural feet, second pic has shaved feet. The topknot is full with shaved ears. You can tell the groomer what type of topknot you want (how short or full) and if you want the ears shaved, how short to go on it. I think in the pics I shaved with a #10. Keep in mind that if you request a short body, the groomer will make the topknot shorter to balance with the body, if you do not specify the length of your topknot. I included a photo of a different type of head (4th and 6th pics) - shorter topknot with blended trimmed ears. You can do any of these heads with full poodle ears - but you don't get more low maintenance than shaved/trimmed ears! I hate brushing and drying them so my preference is short ears. Last pic is shows a mohawk with short ears, but you can nix the mohawk.

The easiest haircut is what cdnchick posted.


----------



## NightTrainsLace

i keep my little girl in a modified Miami. i keep her about an inch a.o and i grew her pompoms out to look like clydsdale feet. very cute and easy all the way around


----------



## cdnchick

I just clipped Finley down yesterday for the summer... I'll need to trim her in a couple of weeks before we go on vacation but it's already getting so hot these days that I thought a short clip would be more comfortable for her.

I posted some photos here: http://www.poodleforum.com/3-poodle-pictures/19807-finleys-summer-cut.html#post241830


----------



## Ladywolfe

I have a very, very old Kalstone book on poodle grooming. I pulled it out, thinking I might try the lamb clip on my youngster. Well, according to the directions, it said not to use clippers, but to hand scissor the body. I don't have good scissors, and I am still trying to even learn how to scissor, so that was out.

So, since he was looking like a Yeti, or a grizzly bear and I wanted a lower maintenance cut; I just grabbed the clippers with the longest comb guide I had and began. I LOVE it so far. I am having huge difficulties getting his legs done, but I like him shaved down. Oh, the comb guide was a 9/16th length. I am just "trying" to do an all over short cut, no "poms"/bracelets or anything. I trimmed his topknot and am leaving his tail. I'll post pics later, if I ever get him done.  This should work out very well for all the time he wants to spend in the water.


----------



## Carley's Mom

Carley's no fuss clip.


----------



## McKay

Below is Little Anderson in his summer clip. Come to think of it, it was his winter clip too!  I'm all about the low maintenance poodle.


----------



## Ladywolfe

Okay; rather dumb question here: would this retriever type cut be okay during cold weather for my spoo? I totally love this look. I want and need a total ultra low-maintenance look for him right now, and he is scheduled with a great groomer tomorrow. 

I really love this picture, and my boy is going/about to go through coat change and I am beyond busy with work and some outside projects right now.


----------



## sophiebonita

I know this is too frou frou for some people, but I like Miami year round so I can put sweaters on my dog 


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## Jdcollins

sophiebonita said:


> I know this is too frou frou for some people, but I like Miami year round so I can put sweaters on my dog
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


I'm with you! I love froo froo all year. Here in FL it doesn't get very cold or for very long so it's not much of an issue...i do miami all year and in oct i trim their jackets in  I did shave both my spoos this summer except for heads and tails because we were either in the pool on a boat or at the beach ...so much it was just easier.. But i really missed their boots. Last week I groomed them and started giving jackets and boots for "fall/winter" YAY!


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## McKay

I keep Little Anderson in this cut year round. We live in Washington state and I will just put a sweater on him if it gets too cold.


----------



## neVar

Miami, retriever, sporting, kennel clip, German (in a shorter length) are all pretty low key- Bella is a #4 on her body wtih a #1SOC on her legs- with that length i just need to run a brush over her once a week to prevent pin matts. Last winter she was in a longer version of the above- about 1" all over- it required not much more work. the big jacket in the CC i had her in this spring? required a few hours a week to keep her matt free


----------



## Jdcollins

neVar said:


> Miami, retriever, sporting, kennel clip, German (in a shorter length) are all pretty low key- Bella is a #4 on her body wtih a #1SOC on her legs- with that length i just need to run a brush over her once a week to prevent pin matts. Last winter she was in a longer version of the above- about 1" all over- it required not much more work. the big jacket in the CC i had her in this spring? required a few hours a week to keep her matt free


Just a question about your 4 blade... I just got one this summer Bc before I clipped them short I thought I'd try what u just described... I don't know if my blade is not a good one or what but it just looked bad....I ended up clipping them down all the way with a 10 (minus heads and tails)

Here is a pic of the blade....oster 4f super steels 




Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## fantastic poodle

I always prefered andis blades over oster but if your looking for short and smooth try a #7. Leaves a bit more hair yhan a #10


----------



## mom24doggies

I also prefer Andis, but you also have to understand that if your dog's coat is at all soft, the 4 will not cut well. I'm of the belief that 4s were invented for poodles with good coats and that is almost it. They almost never look very good on anything else. Sometimes if you back brush a lot, you can get it to look decent. Also, make sure you do a great job of bathing and fluffing the coat, that helps. 

You might want to check your blade drive as well. Was the blade pulling/ dragging at the coat instead of cutting? If so, you probably need your blade drive changed out. Also, when you pulled the blade out of the package did you use blade wash on it? They come out of the package with a sticky coating and I've heard it can cause problems, what I'm not sure though. Also, try oiling your blade. 

Hope that helps!


----------



## Carley's Mom

I alway use a #4 blade with my Andis and it looks fine.


----------



## neVar

Yes if your drive needs to be replaced the longer blades do not work. 

As well- your coat has to be VERY VERY well prepped for using a #4 vs a 10 you can ummmm get away with a lot of not prepping. Not meaning just to get a good finish- i mean for it to CLIP at all


----------



## fantastic poodle

A #4f is not my favorite blade. Unless the coat is clean and perfectly fluff dried I find a #4 just leaves a mess to rescissor. A #4skip tooth is slightly easier but usually I either go up to a #2 snap on comb or down to a #5. Honestly, as hard as this is to do in a grooming shop where everything is tailored to make this as easy as possible....I have great respect and admiration for those of you doing it at home!


----------



## neVar

Yes- if i was going to buy just ONE blade- for that longer length id probably choose a 5- over a 4- it goes through coats just that bit easier. No matter what length blade i go over each section three times clip clip clip- brush clip clip clip brush clip clip clip. Just how i was taught 

I have both though  and find my 5 rarely gets used.


----------



## Jdcollins

Thanks!! So funny.. You guys were right on track!

Neither spoo was very clean ... idk y I thought I'd clipper just their bodies before I bathed and blew them out... I don't usually do that. It's a brand new blade... it worked fairly well (but not great) on Lola (black with awesome hair) and not at all on rusty (apricot with soft wimpy hair) 

I'll try again... I also prefer andis... I had an oster clipper and bought andis a couple months ago but still using my oster blades for now.... The other blades have been fine.... Just that darned 4f ! 


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## tortoise

I use my 4F blade about... never. (You can tell I hate it because I only have one, :lol: I have 3 - 6 of each of the blades I use often!) I use 5S and 3S daily. They're not very safe for the home groomer, IMO. It is possible to do some serious damage with a skip tooth blade.


----------



## Jdcollins

Since we r talking grooming... I'm looking for a grooming course because I've been in medical/corporate work for about 20 years and I just don't want to do it anymore....I have always been a huge animal lover and I really love grooming my spoos. I've also groomed my mom's Maltese and Pekingese and my neighbors all say if I start grooming they will use me. 

Anyway.... do any of you groomers have input on the "fun in the sun trade show" in Kissimmee fl at the end of oct? would this be a good event? Or would the workshops be too advanced ? It's only 30 minutes from me...


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## tortoise

Jdcollins said:


> Since we r talking grooming... I'm looking for a grooming course because I've been in medical/corporate work for about 20 years and I just don't want to do it anymore....I have always been a huge animal lover and I really love grooming my spoos. I've also groomed my mom's Maltese and Pekingese and my neighbors all say if I start grooming they will use me.
> 
> Anyway.... do any of you groomers have input on the "fun in the sun trade show" in Kissimmee fl at the end of oct? would this be a good event? Or would the workshops be too advanced ? It's only 30 minutes from me...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


30 minutes away?!


*GO!*

That's an awesome opportunity most people can't afford at the beginning! Take lots of notes and ask a lot of questions Groomers tend to be nice people - someone will help you out if you get confused.


----------



## Jdcollins

tortoise said:


> 30 minutes away?!
> 
> 
> *GO!*
> 
> That's an awesome opportunity most people can't afford at the beginning! Take lots of notes and ask a lot of questions Groomers tend to be nice people - someone will help you out if you get confused.


so good to know! 

I don't know any groomers personally so I felt unsure

it's only $155 for the entire weekend fri-sun.... since I won't have travel expenses i thought that was really reasonable!

Do you know if any other PF people going?


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## tortoise

Maybe I'll see you at GroomFest then.


----------



## Jdcollins

Maybe so . Hoping some poodle forums folks will be at fun in the sun
;-)


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------

