# Miami Clip - How did I do?



## BambiDog (Apr 24, 2011)

Hey, I'm new but I've been researching the miami cut on this forum for a while, absorbing all the tips I could before I had a go myself!

This is the first time I've ever done this on Bambi, I've only ever done a lamb clip before. She is 8 months old and the first poodle I've ever had, so I'm a proper noob. 

I'm pretty pleased with this overall. I keep finding the odd straggly hair on her body but that's ok, it's easily blended. I just left her tail because it's a bit wispy and short haired to do anything with at the mo..

In hindsight, I wouldn't have trimmed her ears as much.. I did one right and then the other too short so i evened up. It'll grow back!

Any tips on doing feet? She's really fidgety when it comes to shaving her feet, so I've yet to get a really clean finish on them. I just do as much as we can both cope with and leave it... Luckily you can't see her feet here =P


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Oh my gosh, she's darling! And so inky black! I think you did a fine job with the haircut; the head is very cute. 

--Q


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## BambiDog (Apr 24, 2011)

Thank you! She is paralyzingly adorable...

She does look really black at first glance but she has dark brown lips and a less than jet black nose! I thought she was going to go blue when she was really little because she has a bit of a brown tint in the sun, but I think maybe her hair is bleached by the sun? I dunno... but thanks for telling her she looked really black =)


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## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

She looks great! There's nothing like watching those poms bop along on a walk. So cute!


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## Rowan (May 27, 2011)

I use a really small, quiet clipper on my shy guy's feet. It's the Oster MiniMax. I do one paw, praise and feed chicken. Do another paw, praise and feed chicken. Repeat. Repeat.  

She's adorable!  You did a great job.

ETA: Should note that the cordless also works (smaller Oster one) as it's _quiet_.


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## sandooch (Jan 20, 2011)

Great tip, Rowan!

I absolutely hate doing Gigi's feet, probably even more than she hates getting them done. She always tries to chew my hands and pulls her paws away as I do them, so I usually don't even try.

But today, as I was grooming her, I had an idea. I don't have a grooming table with an arm, just my good ol' kitchen counter. So I put on her collar, clipped on the leash and wrapped the leash around both knobs on the cupboard door above where I groom her (think figure 8). Instant grooming table! LOL Well, grooming counter, but you get the picture.

Now she couldn't squirm as much and chew at my hands as I clipped her paws and trimmed her nails. She still tried to pull away, but I was determined to finally get those paws clean, even as the sweat dripped into my eyes and down my back. lol It still doesn't look like a professional groomer clipped them, but this was the best her paws ever looked with me doing them.

Here they are after today's groom (she is also in a Miami clip):


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## Rowan (May 27, 2011)

*Sandooch*:

Is Gigi still mad at you?


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## sandooch (Jan 20, 2011)

LOL! You mean from her buzzed Miami? Nah, she's forgiven me finally. It's actually perfect now.


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## BambiDog (Apr 24, 2011)

I followed a thread of yours when I was researching! Thankfully I avoided skinning my dog! 

I don't have a real table and arm either.. I tend to go in the bathroom with her coz it's quiet there, but then I have to sit on the floor which is awkward and I tie her to the basin pipe thing above her.. (sounds precarious, I know..). But she still wiggles and tries to hang herself by lying down and stupid stuff...

I think I will definitely buy some smaller clippers for her feet like Rowan suggested. You know those wilkinson sword lady razor things with the razor blade one end and the bikini trimmer thing the other end? I used the tiny, quiet bikini trimmer end once on her feet and it just choked and died.. Other than that it caused no problems!


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## 2719 (Feb 8, 2011)

She is quite lovely. You did a bang up job. I love how in the second photo her tail is wagging so quickly it is a blur but the rest of her is clear.


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## Fond of Poodles (Feb 1, 2011)

Oh, she's cute as a button, you did a fabulous job on her trim! I love her tail in the 2nd picture, wag, wag!


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## catsaqqara (May 20, 2011)

when I do paws I have them lay down, for me this cuts down on twitching a lot. And with fussy dogs, like they were in the beginning, I hold the paw steady if they are pulling a little and if they pull harder I let them move their paw around while still holding it. Letting go or loosing hold rewards the behavior but letting them move their paw around will allow them to feel better about the situation in the long run. And its a gentle hold, no squeezing.

Your miami looks good!


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## grab (Jun 1, 2010)

She looks great! And she's spritely and adorable!


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## Rowan (May 27, 2011)

That's what I LOVE about Poodles. The toys, miniatures and standards all have their "unique" facial expressions. That's why I can't say I prefer one size over the other. I love them all, even though I have three minis (one oversized).


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