# confused first poodle owner..



## Spicoli's Mom (Jan 25, 2014)

I just answered this in the other thread but I will put it here too.  Those pictures of the dogs with cotton like fur are of dogs that have recently been meticulously groomed. Their hair was blow dried and brushed at the same time causing it to get really poofy after which they were most likely hand scissored by a well trained groomer. They look good but it won't last forever and soon enough they will be looking like the poodles in the second pictures again. It is all in grooming. Some dogs have a better coat or what not but most of what you are asking about is in the grooming.


----------



## 3dogs (Nov 3, 2010)

As stated above plus your pup still has loses of puppy coat. Make sure you a putting a Comb through your dogs coat. That first dog is a freshly groomed dog. The first in your curly shot is a poodle that is not freshly groomed.

I go 7-10 days between grooms so my dogs do not look like the "curly" photos. I like mine fluffed.


----------



## joshdo7 (Nov 23, 2013)

thank you for the responses!
what do you mean by "better coat"? does that mean thick hair?

Can this style be done at home..? With just regular hair dryer and comb? :/


----------



## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

On a standard poodle it would take a VERY long time to use a regular blow dryer to dry the dog and would be very difficult to straighten the hair enough to get the look. You really need a force air or stand dryer. 

A better coat is dense, coarse, springy, curly when allowed to air dry. As opposed to sparse, soft and floppy.


----------



## Minnie (Apr 25, 2011)

I don't even want to use my hair dryer on my 10" 4 pound toy - I simply can't imagine this with a standard - possible yes but oh my it would take ages!


----------



## SilverSpoo (Jan 15, 2014)

I can't even imagine with a Standard, you would probably be sitting there for 6 hours, and parts would be curling before you ever got to them with a hair dryer.

Also with a hair dryer you have to be super careful not to overheat/burn them, which is all too easy to do if you are actually trying to dry the hair and not just leave it damp-dry.

If you are really committed to grooming and getting that appearance, you need to invest in the proper tools. They will pay for themselves easily compared to paying a professional every few weeks.

I am sure that you will also soon learn to love that you have the cotton-ball appearance for a week, and then the shaggy do until the next groom - regardless of if you are doing it yourself, or going to a "pro".


----------



## Joelly (May 8, 2012)

I like my poodle to look like the 3rd picture. The first two is too formal for my taste. But its just me.


----------



## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

Joelly said:


> I like my poodle to look like the 3rd picture. The first two is too formal for my taste. But its just me.


I like the last one too. Mine only looks like the first ones for one or two days. Too much work to keep that way. The next really curly close to the head etc looks dirty to me, but maybe it is just the cut and no blow drying at all. I keep mine like the last one pretty much all the time, except for the first couple of days.

But hey - it's my spoo I love, not the cut. I would love him any way.


----------



## joshdo7 (Nov 23, 2013)

oh boy,
and here I thought a clipper and a comb will do everything. haha
Well i guess it means eating less sushi's to save up for a dryer now!! lol

So that fluffiness lasts about a week before it gets curly again?

I do love my Spoo very much,
but for some reason the touch of SUPER curly hair feels weird to me..lol


----------



## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

joshdo7 said:


> oh boy,
> I do love my Spoo very much,
> but for some reason the touch of SUPER curly hair feels weird to me..lol


I know the first year I had my Spoo I seemed to be constantly brushing him to make him fluffy. Well that got old and my arthritis got worse, so the brushing lessened and I got used to curly and it now feels lovely I do keep his head and ears brushed out so now I have both the fluffy texture, and the curly texture to see and feel. Yup - I still need a bit of fluff! Sometimes just before he gets groomed I think he looks pretty ratty - but am always amazed that strangers still come up and tell me what a gorgeous dog I have.


----------



## jlf45764 (Oct 6, 2013)

We had Trixie groomed yesterday, I think she looks so cute! I had the groomer clip the hair shorter on her face too. When we got her from the breeder, she had clipped her face. This is the first time I have had it done that way. I will take pics when I have hubby to help me, she doesn't like to hold still for very long.


----------



## hunny518 (Jun 5, 2012)

If you want your dogs hair straight like the pictures you must fluff dry them. As a professional groomer, I have a k-9 2 high velocity dryer that blows the hair straight, as well as brushing with a pin brush during the drying process. I also use a professional stand up dryer that I use to get an even straighter finish. Every poodle with a quality coat will curl or kink up shortly after their blow out, especially if they go out in the rain, one way to prolong the straight fluffy looks would be to brush them out daily after a fluff dry. That is a must of you want a longer coat anyways, plus it is great bonding experience. My situation is extreme because I'm showing my standard poodle, but I bathe her 1-2 times a week and I brush her out every single night, she never is curly because of this process, but she does begin to look a little kinky by her next bath.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Rabbit (Mar 26, 2012)

Just FYI good conditioner is important regardless of whether you are keeping them curly or blowing them out. Both after shampooing and spray on for in between I find is very helpful with keeping the coat healthy and easier to brush through. I am sure your groomers or other PF folks can recommend some good ones, I do not have any particularly outstanding favorites right now. Our spoo has an extremely dense, full, curly coat but the texture is very silky and soft, not at all coarse (even without conditioner). When he is "blown out" he looks like a giant plush toy, otherwise he is just big muppet. Either way we are entertained.


----------



## joshdo7 (Nov 23, 2013)

hunny518 said:


> If you want your dogs hair straight like the pictures you must fluff dry them. As a professional groomer, I have a k-9 2 high velocity dryer that blows the hair straight, as well as brushing with a pin brush during the drying process. I also use a professional stand up dryer that I use to get an even straighter finish. Every poodle with a quality coat will curl or kink up shortly after their blow out, especially if they go out in the rain, one way to prolong the straight fluffy looks would be to brush them out daily after a fluff dry. That is a must of you want a longer coat anyways, plus it is great bonding experience. My situation is extreme because I'm showing my standard poodle, but I bathe her 1-2 times a week and I brush her out every single night, she never is curly because of this process, but she does begin to look a little kinky by her next bath.
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thank you!
I want to do a german trim cut during cold days, i don't know if that's considered as a long hair..
I do brush him every other day, but I do it with slicker brush and comb.
is there a difference in using slicker vs pin brush?


----------



## joshdo7 (Nov 23, 2013)

Rabbit said:


> Just FYI good conditioner is important regardless of whether you are keeping them curly or blowing them out. Both after shampooing and spray on for in between I find is very helpful with keeping the coat healthy and easier to brush through. I am sure your groomers or other PF folks can recommend some good ones, I do not have any particularly outstanding favorites right now. Our spoo has an extremely dense, full, curly coat but the texture is very silky and soft, not at all coarse (even without conditioner). When he is "blown out" he looks like a giant plush toy, otherwise he is just big muppet. Either way we are entertained.


I've heard that Bio-Groom Super Cream Coat Conditioner is good..
I haven't tried it yet though.


----------



## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

I have curly hair, and I blow dry and straighten it sometimes. But I like my curly hair 
Same for my poodles! 

But as other poodleforum members have already mentioned, it's possible to keep them that way, you just need some equipment 

This is a blown dry freshly groomed photo








And this is how I keep them (I prefer the au naturale look  )
Ps. I still have to brush and comb everyday etc, but I don't blow dry often
























Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## 3dogs (Nov 3, 2010)

I am a freshly groomed fluff person myself. 7-10 days is long enough for me & then bath & fluff. Curly for me just looks unkempt.


----------



## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

Freshly bathed and blown dry. Takes about an hour 15 at 10 months old. She is done weekly. I spray and brush her topknot daily, body every few days.


----------



## hunny518 (Jun 5, 2012)

With a slicker brush you will get a fluffier finish, but it is harsher on your dogs coat and can cause breakage. A pin brush is softer but still get the job done with way less breakage. My girl is a show dog, so I only use a pin brush and comb, except on her feet and rosettes.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------

