# How to have foamy hair?



## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Foamy?

Auto correct blitzed ya

1-Lucky is a pup, so puppy hair,also a poodle mix so hard telling if he'd go through a typical coat change, or if he'll end up with a curly coat, which if he's approx. 7 months he hasn't gone through the coat change yet that's usually around 9-18 months

2- As far as the grooming goes, these poodles in the photos are more than likely freshly bathed, forced air dried, combed out and freshly trimmed so they have the fluff and the neat look.

Lastly a comb works better first followed by a slicker


----------



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

To get that effect you need to bathe and fluff dry with a brush and hair dryer. It will last about 4-5 days and then it gets more curly like on the first picture. At least for my dog.

In summer I don't even bother doing it anymore, because it takes a lot more time. In winter I will.


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

It only last 4-5 days? [emoji53] There is this woman in my neighborhood that has an immaculate black standard poodle in that continental haircut and it looks like that every time. I thought maybe lucky could look like that one day but the reality sounds rough. 
Twyla Lucky already had his first coat change used to be straight like a Maltese but now it is a lot curlier like a poodle. I brushed him for 30 min yesterday and he looked great for about 20 min before he went outside and rolled in the grass. Maybe the cool foamy look is like a fantasy hehe


----------



## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

This is Beatrice my only toy to have a proper coat

9 months and straight/wavy coat (before she started to clear out to cafe)







Post bath/blow dry/trim







two weeks post bath with combing and brushing








Depends on the coat type toys, more often than not, have improper coats


----------



## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

You do have to start with a good coat for optimal results. With spoos, blacks and whites tend to have the densest, best coats. It's the forced air dryer with brushing that creates that look. With Maizie it lasted from the day she went to the groomer until she got wet. I do my own grooming now and don't own a fancy dryer, so she is au natural. I prefer the fluffy look, though--plus they don't mat as easily when the hair is blown straight.


----------



## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Babykins coat tends to look like your second photo until it gets wet (rains). She has a really thick, nice coat and I think that helps it hold the shape.

I looked back on your first photo after I submitted my response and I realize that her fur never looks as clumpy as that dog, instead each hair gets tight curls but doesn't clump.


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

It's all in the forced air drying! Stays fluffy til dampness brings back the curls! Molly has a very soft (incorrect) dense coat that when I force dry her after a bath she is wonderfully fluffy..but the next day, because she loves to be outside, and we take an evening walk when it is damp,it brings back her curls....here is what she looks like right after I blow dry her and then what she looks like after the dampness gets to her! Her hair kinda separates into soft waves and curls............


P.S. Also, the tighter (shorter) the clip, the plusher it will look after brushing..
.


----------



## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Proper bathing and drying.
Show dogs are bathed and dried about once a week.


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Yes to bathing but only if all little knots or mats are already combed out (otherwise they will get worse in the bathing). Then I use a pin brush while drying with a forced air dryer. That straightens and fluffs the hair. If the dog doesn't get wet and you are diligent in your combing you can extend the life of the fluff to maybe about 10 days. It is a ton of work, but can be a nice way to spend quiet quality time with your dog.


----------



## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Bathing itself won't tighten the matts/tangles. Bathing and then allowing the dog to dry naturally will tighten matts. It's actually better to brush out matts while wet, or during the drying process to cause less damage to the hair.


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Mysticrealm, yes your explanation of that issue is much more accurate than mine.


----------



## Dina (Jan 24, 2016)

Puppy coat & blow drying while combing the coat while wet











After a week










Sent from my HUAWEI G7-L03 using Tapatalk


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Dina That is what Lucky's coat looks a lot like. Oh forced hair dryer looks a little expensive. I just purchased the wahl bravura for about $150. I've seen these at the groomers. Are they worth investing in? I really love the immaculate look. Are they different from human ceramic ionic ones?


----------



## Dina (Jan 24, 2016)

snow0160 said:


> Dina That is what Lucky's coat looks a lot like. Oh forced hair dryer looks like expensive. I just purchased the wahl bravura for about $150. I've seen these at the groomers. Are they worth investing in? I really love the immaculate look. Are they different from human ceramic ionic ones?


I just use a regular hair dryer that cost $30, i just got the wahl bravura as well and clipped him today i will post pics tomorrow 

However no need to go crazy with the equipment, im sure it is faster and easier but our hair dryer works for us. We tag team; My husband combs and i dry 

We use a slicker brush for the combing and we bathe hugo weekly so he is always fluffy 

Sent from my HUAWEI G7-L03 using Tapatalk


----------



## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

At dog shows when we fluff them each morning to re-straighten them we will sometimes use a regular human blow dryer. Last show my stand dryer started on fire and died, so I popped out and bought a human dryer and did his fluffing (and de-hair spraying) with that.
It will take longer to do after a bath than with a force dryer, but it can work.


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I used to dry Lily with a regular handheld dryer. Both of us hated how long it took!


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I too used a human dryer foor the first year......they just take longer! A friend of mine uses her husbands shop vac on the blower function on her Bernie......LOL!


----------



## StormeeK (Aug 3, 2015)

I told my husband last year for my birthday all I wanted was the Chris Christensen Kool forced air dryer ( no spa days or jewelery for me ). It's been really great. However, around here with the humidity and wet grass "the look" doesn't last at all. Once Dewey goes outside in the grass it's gone - curls return. It's worth the time spent if he and I are going to class or to visit someone, and he does look great afterwards. Like many others here I just used a regular hair dryer for a while. Was it really worth the money for someone like me who does not show their dog in any way? I don't know. It is nice to have though and there are cheaper versions if you do the research.


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Stromeek you must really love your dog. Chris Christensen dog products are really nice I thought about buying their slicker brush bc mine is very pokey. CC's kool dryer is very expensive- $330 for the small one. [emoji51]My human hair dryer was $140 and I thought it was pricey hehe. I used to use a $30 Conair but I have noticed this drys your hair much faster and doesn't damage my hair as much. Molly's poodle photo looks magnificent. 

Update: I just called my groomer and asked about the continental cut and they told me that is a show groom and they don't do that because it would take too much time from their groomers day. Then I called another groom shop and they told me flat out they don't take any poodles or doodles. She also mentioned she was booked until Christmas. These two shops came highly recommended by my vet and neighbors but a bit snooty. 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Stormeek my CC dryer was also a Christmas present!

snow you can sometimes find sales. Check showdogstore.com or maybe look on Craig's list to see if you can find a gently used one at off price.

I would be wildly surprised to find a regular groomer who would do a conti, but find it odd that a groomer would make you feel sort of like you were wasting their time by calling to ask questions. Although they may not need your business, why respond by telling you no poodles or doodles and btw I couldn't take you anyway until after Christmas. It doesn't sound like a good business plan to be snotty/snobby in sending away potential customers.


----------



## oshagcj914 (Jun 12, 2016)

lily cd re said:


> Stormeek my CC dryer was also a Christmas present!
> 
> snow you can sometimes find sales. Check showdogstore.com or maybe look on Craig's list to see if you can find a gently used one at off price.
> 
> I would be wildly surprised to find a regular groomer who would do a conti, but find it odd that a groomer would make you feel sort of like you were wasting their time by calling to ask questions. Although they may not need your business, why respond by telling you no poodles or doodles and btw I couldn't take you anyway until after Christmas. It doesn't sound like a good business plan to be snotty/snobby in sending away potential customers.


I can't believe a groomer wouldn't take poodles or doodles at all...surely that's half a groomer's clientele?


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

The Wahl Bravura just arrived from amazon and it broke within 5 min of using it. This thing is made from all plastic components and is no easier to use than the other cheaper wahl cordless I already have. I'm gonna get the Andis 2 speed wth ceramic combs. 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

snow0160 said:


> The Wahl Bravura just arrived from amazon and it broke within 5 min of using it. This thing is made from all plastic components and is no easier to use than the other cheaper wahl cordless I already have. I'm gonna get the Andis 2 speed wth ceramic combs.
> 
> Do all comb attachments just not work? Or is just the plastic ones that they come with really bad?
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro







Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## Dina (Jan 24, 2016)

snow0160 said:


> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


Oh no thats not good. I hot mine on tuesday and gave hugo a full body groom with no issues at all, and they fell on concrete but still work great. Maube contact wahl and see what they say 

Sent from my HUAWEI G7-L03 using Tapatalk


----------



## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Huh. I've been using my wahl bravura for a couple years now and I use it for full body clipping in addition to face feet and tail. Wouldn't groom my dogs without it!


----------



## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

I have had my wahl berreto(pretty well the exact same thing as the bravura just different loook mainly) for probably 9 months and use it at least for groins and pads but often the whole dog at my grooming salon. (5-7 dogs a day)Been dropped a couple times and still works fine.


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I have the Chromado which is also like the Bravura, just a different outside casing and I love it! Got it over a year ago and have not had a single problem with it! Use mine 1-2 times a week..... but of course I only have 1 dog!!! LOL!


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

I went with the Bravura because everyone on this forum uses it and love it. The whole head of the Bravura fell off and kept coming off as I was grooming Lucky. I looked inside and the plastic component is broken. It seems to have a lot less power than my corded clipper that I use on my bf's head lol. 

I did order a few things last night hehe. I got:
1. Chris Christensen big K Large long pin slicker brush. Well reviewed by standard poodle owners.
2. Flying Simple Pig Force Dryer 3.0 HP. No one on craiglist or even ebay is giving up their Chris Christensen force hair dryer so I ordered a more economic one from amazon. 
3. Also got a 7" conair with safety tip scissors. I've seen a few youtube videos and noticed everyone using this for trimming like what the gardeners do for my topiaries hehe. 

hm... I'll update once everything arrives. I'm eager to groom my dog myself ...after all I've had years of practice on my bf...hehe.


----------



## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

Hans seemed to take forever to get a nice coat. I swear he was close to 2.5yrs old before he finished his coat change. 

I'm in FL and it is humid here much of the time, so the plush, force dried look doesn't last long. I use a Flying Pig dryer, the 4.0 hp one. I got it for my birthday but I think it was around $160-170. I used a human hair dryer on Hans for a while but I bathe him once a week at least so the time saved with the force dryer is huge. If he gets curly again but I don't want to bathe him I just spray with water or brushing spray and re dry/brush if I need him to look nice. I also use the dryer to blow sand and grass out of his coat if he gets dirty but not wet. He's in a HCC with a banded topknot right now. 

I have the Wahl Bravura, and I've knocked mine off the table a few times onto the wood floor and it still works perfectly. Personally I'd contact Wahl if you are having problems right out of the box. I use mine for the whole body. I did buy the stainless comb set for it from Cherrybrook. I do like that so much better than the plastic combs. The plastic combs are useless on pretty much any clipper IMO.

Have you asked the woman with the Spoo in the conti who grooms her dog? I ran into issues here because most groomers won't take Spoos, only toys and minis. That's why I groom Hans myself. I'm guessing the average groomer who grooms pets has never done a conti, and it does take a fair amount of time I think. I'm also not sure how it will look if Lucky has a soft coat. It might not hold the shape as well as a coarse poodle coat.


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

FireStorm I'm also in FL! Yep the humidity is rough...although south FL is a lot worse. I go to miami beach to vacation and unwind every now and then. 

The plastic combs on the Bravura is terrible. Ah too late already the Wahl is on its way back to amazon lol. I haven't seen the spoo in a while. I wonder if they moved. That dog is immaculate and it is quite a sight to see. It is a black poodle with the conti clip and it is so majestic the way it moves. It is interesting that your grommer wont take any spoos either. I wonder if it is their size and the amount of hair. Since Lucky isn't 100% poodle, he might not be able to pull of the poodle cut...although his body shape is all poodle. After the Halloween contest, I'm gonna shave him. I'll post the photos next week and hopefully it wont be a disaster.


----------



## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

That " foamy" look is achieved by proper bathing and straightening of coat through hv and fluff drying. The longer the hair, the easier it is to grab and pull straight versus short hair( think about trying to use roller brush on very short hair). Also frequency of bathing. My pups get bathed/ blow-dried every week. It's rare they don't. They never dry naturally. So their hair gets trained to straighten and stay that way longer. i see this the time when taking new grooming clients. plus It's dry here, so my dogs do not get very curly clumpy looking verses humid locations. In pic, silver has had his weekly bath, white girl was due









Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


----------



## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

Oh and if you have a great scissor finish, really even and plush. It will look great even longer than an uneven trim

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

ItzaClip said:


> That " foamy" look is achieved by proper bathing and straightening of coat through hv and fluff drying. The longer the hair, the easier it is to grab and pull straight versus short hair( think about trying to use roller brush on very short hair). Also frequency of bathing. My pups get bathed/ blow-dried every week. It's rare they don't. They never dry naturally. So their hair gets trained to straighten and stay that way longer. i see this the time when taking new grooming clients. plus It's dry here, so my dogs do not get very curly clumpy looking verses humid locations. In pic, silver has had his weekly bath, white girl was due
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Omg that is such a cool haircut! I love the pink!


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Wow Amazon works fast. There is a typo on the box saying it is 4.0 hp when it is 3.0x Flying pig is pretty strong and Lucky ran away immediately lol. This thing seems pretty loud.


----------



## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

snow0160 said:


> Wow Amazon works fast. There is a typo on the box saying it is 4.0 hp when it is 3.0x Flying pig is pretty strong and Lucky ran away immediately lol. This thing seems pretty loud.


Us professional groomers often use " happy hoodies" or mutt muffs on our dogs to block that noise. I prefer variable speed dryers and always wear ear protection myself. Take off nozzle to reduce noise, also if this is your dogs first intro to hv dryer, never point at him from front or make big deal. Did don't even like camera pointed at them sometimes if they are sensitive. I intro dryers on lowest setting, they are facing away from me and I use on back, rear leg area first. Try not to stop at first sign of minor stress, but don't push too far. Read your dog. 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


----------



## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

snow0160 said:


> Wow Amazon works fast. There is a typo on the box saying it is 4.0 hp when it is 3.0x Flying pig is pretty strong and Lucky ran away immediately lol. This thing seems pretty loud.


Are you sure they didn't send you the 4hp one by mistake? 

I put cotton in Hans's ears now when I dry him. I start off drying him in the tub because it blasts water everywhere, and the sound of the air hitting the tub is really loud (louder than the motor I think). Other than that, it's just a matter of starting out on low and getting the dog used to it. I use it turned all the way up for most of his body now, and usually turn it down for his head and ears. Mine has a dial for air speed, but if you have the 3hp I think it only has high and low?


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Hi, Firestorm. Wow, you are up early too. It is 6am. Most of my friends don't get up until noon unless they have kids. I don't have kids but just an early morning riser. I am a morning person...exactly opposite my fiance who is not. I wake up at 5am no matter when I go to sleep and I aim to sleep before midnight typically. 
I am pretty certain this is the 3hp one because it doesn't have the variable speed knob. There is only high and low so I do think it is a misprint on the box. Do you think I should get the 4HP one so I can have more control? The weird thing is that the reviews say this is quiet. I don't have a perspective of what is "loud" I guess. I can say this, it is A LOT louder than my ceramic human hair dryer. 

I will be using ear low freq ear plug I use for concerts as I have no hearing in one ear and have damaged hearing in the other. Itza, I just looked up "happy hoodies" and it is so cute. Protect canine ears in the exact same way. I love it! Thank you!


----------



## King Louie (May 27, 2016)

I hope you do try the cont. it's a lot easier than what most people think. I put Adonis in a modified cont. it took me less than an hour. Later today I'm giving him a Scandinavian clip and Harmony will be clipped in a modified cont. shouldn't take me longer than 2 1/2 hours but I'm a speedy groomer it usually takes me half the time other people need.


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

I like the Scandinavian clip. Looks a bit easier than the continental. I found a 7" scissors online and can't wait to use it.


----------



## PoodleDreaming (Jun 10, 2015)

oshagcj914 said:


> I can't believe a groomer wouldn't take poodles or doodles at all...surely that's half a groomer's clientele?


I can. Poodles and doodles take so much time to do. As a business person, it's hard to justify doing trims for 75$ or so on a dog that takes 3 hours to do and is much harder on your hands and back vs doing 3 shih tzus or whatever in the same amount of time for nearly double the money. 

Poodles and doodles are a labor of love. I will probably be limiting the number that I do in my new salon once we get a steady clientele. The numbers just don't add up profitably.


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

PoodleDreaming said:


> I can. Poodles and doodles take so much time to do. As a business person, it's hard to justify doing trims for 75$ or so on a dog that takes 3 hours to do and is much harder on your hands and back vs doing 3 shih tzus or whatever in the same amount of time for nearly double the money.
> 
> Poodles and doodles are a labor of love. I will probably be limiting the number that I do in my new salon once we get a steady clientele. The numbers just don't add up profitably.




Your explanation is what my bf said actually. He talked about it in terms of profitability from the perspective of the groomer. Then again he is a finance guy so that would make sense. I'm just gonna have to groom the dog myself and my bf is gonna have to help against his will. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## oshagcj914 (Jun 12, 2016)

PoodleDreaming said:


> I can. Poodles and doodles take so much time to do. As a business person, it's hard to justify doing trims for 75$ or so on a dog that takes 3 hours to do and is much harder on your hands and back vs doing 3 shih tzus or whatever in the same amount of time for nearly double the money.
> 
> Poodles and doodles are a labor of love. I will probably be limiting the number that I do in my new salon once we get a steady clientele. The numbers just don't add up profitably.


Oh, that makes sense. I hope I will be able to find a groomer around here who does spoos :/ I haven't looked into it much yet. I want to do my own for the most part but if I want to show I'll need a show groomer too, because I'm sure I'm not capable of that!


----------



## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

PoodleDreaming said:


> I can. Poodles and doodles take so much time to do. As a business person, it's hard to justify doing trims for 75$ or so on a dog that takes 3 hours to do and is much harder on your hands and back vs doing 3 shih tzus or whatever in the same amount of time for nearly double the money.
> 
> Poodles and doodles are a labor of love. I will probably be limiting the number that I do in my new salon once we get a steady clientele. The numbers just don't add up profitably.


Wow, I never gave it any thought but it certainly makes sense. The place we go now allows me to stay the whole time to feed Babykins treats to help ease her through the process. I can see that even with my mpoo it takes close to 3 hours. It's constant work - no breaks whatsoever. It's hard work too - I have a great appreciation for groomers who do a good job.

I had thought about doing Babykins myself - I groomed my tpoo for 18 years, she never went to a groomer. I love how a good professional can scissor in a gorgeous shape in her fur that I was never able to accomplish at home. I hope I'm not in your spot Snowy where there are no good groomers taking poodles or doodles.


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

*Detailed Update*

Post Halloween Haircut: Lucky is no longer Uncle Sam since Halloween is over. So I decided to clip him after all the new grooming gizmos arrived. 

This is my first attempt at grooming a dog that does not shed. Prior to this I've only groomed my parent's Maltese and my previous dog Sahara who was like a Pyrenees. Man this is a lot of hair! It is so much harder grooming a large nonshedding dog. Kudos for those who groom and show their poodles :adore: I can now see why they charge so much at the groomers or not taking spoos or standard doodles. It took me three hours and an hour for the bath and two hours for clipping/trim/ brushing. 

So here is my grooming setup. I ordered the force dryer, 7" shears, andis 2 speed clippers, won a free pin brush, and ordered a super indulgent Chris Christensen big K slicker brush. * I must say this brush is like magic!* I can see what the big fuss about CC product is all about. It destroys my petsmart slicker brush! CC slicker brush is my new fav product. 

My bf is not a fan of the poodle conti cut so we only trimmed him this time. I was also a bit afraid of clippers in general because I didn't know if it would cut him. I took some photos documenting my attempt. The last photo is the after and the best photo I could manage because he was unhappy. 

Questions: 
1. Lucky really hates the force dryer even on low. Do you let their face dry naturally? I didn't blow on his face at all because it seemed unpleasant. 
2. He is very good about everything on his torso and limbs but not about clippers or scissors around close to his face. Any advice to get him to sit still for the face?


----------



## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

He's such a cutie!

I don't have any experience getting an older dog used to grooming, only a puppy. You don't want to push him too far, but at the same time, he can't learn that he can avoid the aspects of grooming that he doesn't like. Hans had already had his face shaved twice by the time he came home at 8 weeks, and then we did face/feet/tail/sanitary really often from that point on to make sure he stayed used to it. The best trick I found was that every time Hans wiggled or tried to sit while he was on the table, I quickly lifted him up so all 4 feet were off the table then set him back down as soon as he quit wiggling. I'm not sure how to accomplish that with a big dog though.

Will Lucky let you put clippers near his face while they are off? If not, I'd start there, with treats for having the clippers near/touching his face. Then once he's ok with that, do the same thing with the clippers on but not actually shaving. Then do the actual shaving. I'd suggest a little clipping every day or every few days if you can...it's kind of a pain and he might have an odd haircut for a bit but it's easier to get them used to it in frequent small doses, rather than having to cooperate for all the clipping at once. Shave one foot one day, then another foot a different day, etc. 

Hans has a shaved face, normally with a 30 blade, so I don't really have to dry his muzzle, but other than that I blow dry all of him. He doesn't love it, but he tolerates it. If you plan to keep Lucky with a furry face, you'll probably want to get him used to having his face blown dry. 

I try to alternate grooming areas Hans likes with areas he doesn't like as much. He's not a huge fan of having his ears and tail done, so I'll do one ear, then something else, then the other ear, etc.

Also, if you don't have a grooming table, you might want to invest in one at some point. It saves your back, plus I find that Hans behaves much better on the table. He can't really wiggle as much/try to sit/lay down. At this point he pretty well knows that the table is for standing still and I don't even need the noose anymore.


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Lucky will let me use the clippers if they are off and close to his face. He listens to touch when i command him to touch the clippers. He just doesn't like anything near his face and turned on. 


I had been grooming him since 16 weeks but the groomer told me not to clip him until 7 months. He is now 7 months and he hates the force dryer and anything close to his face. The face thing was an issue since 16 weeks. I fixed it by taking him to the groom shop and for some reason all of my dogs are much better behaved there. Must be fear?
Ahh my back was killing me last night! I got into a car accident in 2012 and have a herniated disc and had to do rehabilitation for a while but still have pack pain. I'm thinking the grooming table is a good idea but what if he escapes? Wouldn't he hang himself? I've always wondered that. 

Did I already mention CC product is magical? My bf thought I had gone mad when I purchased a $60 dog brush bc my human brushes all cost less than $20. What other products from them are amazing? I'm so in love. Where have you been Chris Christensen? Would have gotten this stuff long ago.

And what a great idea shave him a little each day. That is how I got him used to the car actually. I'll post photo updates. 

Quick question: my bf got mad at me for blow drying his face yesterday. He said do it to yourself and so I did and found it impossible to breathe so I skipped his face and let it dry naturally.


----------



## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

For the table, if the noose is adjusted properly and you don't leave him unattended he won't hang himself. It was explained to me that the noose should be high on the neck, right behind the ears, and adjusted so there isn't slack in it. If it has slack and they fall off the table they can get hurt because of the force. If it's already tight, there's no snatch force on their neck if they step off the table. And since you are right there, you just put them back on. Hans stepped off the table once, just missed the edge with his back feet when he was being a brat. He dangled for the split second it took for me to put him back on (for Spoos and other big dogs, their back feet will touch the ground) and he held still after that. IMO it was a good learning experience for him, and he wasn't hurt at all. I bought a table off Amazon, and I think it was around $90.

I think ItzaClip has done an Asian style groom on one of her Spoos, which leaves long hair on the face. Maybe she can help with tips for drying the face...I'm sure she does. I mean, you probably shouldn't blow the air straight into the end of his nose, but he should be able to breathe while you dry his face if you aim the dryer from the sides or underneath. I can breathe fine in freefall, and that's 120mph-200mph wind.

I'll admit, my grooming philosophy includes a little tough love...I think for a poodle they have to learn to tolerate grooming even if they don't like it. They'll be more comfortable in the long run, and it makes everyone's life easier.


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Ok I was inspired by your post and took a work break (nice to work from home) and tried shaving Lucky. He let me shave his face but not his beard so he looks really hilarious. Might try again later and if not I'll take him to the groomers for an emergency trip. Haha


----------



## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

I actually think he looks pretty cute with the beard. You could probably trim it up a bit and make it look intentional if he let you. He could rock a beard for a bit while he gets used to having his face groomed.


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Ahh too late we just did his other side at the groomers. They were sad I clipped him I think. He had a fro and they made it a lot shorter. When we got back there was a woman with her white Goldendoodle walking by my building and could not believe he isn't a poodle. I think Lucky's hair is a lot flatter. My pug was weirded out by the new hair. Kept sniffing him. Lol  I like the shaved face. No more eye issues


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

So what do you think? Could he pass for a poodle


----------



## Asta's Mom (Aug 20, 2014)

Snow, he looks marvelous - and very much a poodle to me (I think that shaved face really helps the poodle look)


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

You know I've become really good friends with Lucky's breeder and apparently she used to have a champion apricot spoo. She keeps all her doodles clipped too. I'm glad she is supportive because I think doodle community don't like the shaved look. I'm gonna have to update my profile photo


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

THAT is a nice poodle face!!! You are going to have to let the rest of him either grow out and then let a groomer even him out, or have a groomer do a nice short groom on him so that you can learn to follow the lines..........Molly goes to the groomer every 10-12 weeks cuz I KNOW I am not talented enough to do more than maintain what my groomer does!
Have you bought Shirlee Kalstone's book 'Poodle Clipping and Grooming: The International Reference'.........it is considered thhe 'Bible' of poodle grooming and gives you the info you need about grooming your poodle! 
If you decide to take him back to the groomer..........take a picture with you to show them EXACTLY what you want his clip to look like, or you will risk them shaving him bald! Hahaha!!!! Never say "I want a short clip" without being VERY specific!!!
Good Luck on your learning curve.....we've all been there! LOL!


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Thanks Molly for the info on Poodle Clipping and Grooming. It does look very helpful. This is my first real experience with clipper. I've only previously used them to trim feet on my Persian cats and previous dog. Thank you for the grooming tip. My parent's Maltese has definitely come back really bald. Lol


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I think you should be able to get him groomed like this, with the length of hair he is now.....and then be able to pretty much maintain it in the future (you'll learn!)


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

I wish Lucky had a fro like that


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

You'd be amazed at what a correct haircut and fluff drying can do!!! LOL!


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

I just ordered the book on Amazon


----------



## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Even with his new clipping, he still has that cute puppy look.


----------



## ashcash (Aug 30, 2016)

ItzaClip said:


> That " foamy" look is achieved by proper bathing and straightening of coat through hv and fluff drying. The longer the hair, the easier it is to grab and pull straight versus short hair( think about trying to use roller brush on very short hair). Also frequency of bathing. My pups get bathed/ blow-dried every week. It's rare they don't. They never dry naturally. So their hair gets trained to straighten and stay that way longer. i see this the time when taking new grooming clients. plus It's dry here, so my dogs do not get very curly clumpy looking verses humid locations. In pic, silver has had his weekly bath, white girl was due
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I AM SMITTEN ! Your spoos are gorgeous!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

I just saw the continental cut for the first time since getting Lucky. I took so many photos lol. I asked the owner how does she do her dog's hair? she said 1. she was a professional groomer :adore: 2. dog gets touch up between full grooms, 
which happens every three weeks :adore:3. She uses Chris Christensen for that immaculate coat. :adore:
She said that poodle puppies will go through coat changes to be able to have that coarser hair to look like this.


----------



## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

snow0160 said:


> I just saw the continental cut for the first time since getting Lucky. I took so many photos lol. I asked the owner how does she do her dog's hair? she said 1. she was a professional groomer :adore: 2. dog gets touch up between full grooms,
> which happens every three weeks :adore:3. She uses Chris Christensen for that immaculate coat. :adore:
> She said that poodle puppies will go through coat changes to be able to have that coarser hair to look like this.


Looks like you found yourself a groomer, though!


----------



## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

CharismaticMillie said:


> Looks like you found yourself a groomer, though!



I saw her on the last day of our pet tricks class. Novice doesn't begin until Jan 2017. She was in conformation class. Maybe if I get lucky I'd run into her


----------

