# First Visit to Groomer



## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

A "show" puppy cut and "pet" puppy cut are vastly different. I'm assuming she won't be able to do the show cut. Some groomers are not good at or do not enjoy scissor work.

I attached a show pet clip (my dog, not a perfect cut), and a pet pet clip.


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

I think they are attached now.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Puppy coat is usually still too soft to set a pattern (like the Miami, for example) - the basic (not show) puppy clip usually has shaved nose, toes and tail, and tidies up the rest, keeping an overall fluffy look. How long the coat is left is up to you, and how much time you have for brushing and combing.

A pup's first visit to the groomer can be quite tiring - I think I would ask for a quick, minimal trim this time, and see how she looks. It is a lot easier to cut a bit more off than to stick it back on again - although the good thing about hair is it does grow back, eventually.

Do take some before and after photos for us!


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## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

I'm with fjm, keep the first grooming session at a shop fairly short and pleasant, that way your puppy will get a good first experience. 

As far as what to ask for, hmmm...we groomers all have different terms for everything, which makes things so difficult!! What kind of puppy cut are you looking for...did you want the show type or more pet type? A pet type puppy cut is, to me, like an inch on the body with scissored legs. But again, that's MY interpretation of the puppy cut!! Some groomers interpret that as you asking for a shave! I would definitely not recommend asking for the generic "puppy cut"...who knows what you will find when you pick up your dog.  I think the best solution for you would be to find pictures of poodles with haircuts you like and show them to your groomer, along with telling her about how long you want your puppy's hair to be. (very rarely do we groomers mess up the lenth if you tell us that you want 1", 1\2", etc. all over! Although, I've had a few co-workers get chewed out because the owner didn't realize how short an inch actually was...they were visualizing something longer. ) And realize that your groomer probably will not get it "just right" the first time around...it may take a few tries to get the haircut the way you want it. Also, is there any way that you can view the work that the groomer you are considering does? Like a website or something? That way, you can get an idea for her style and decide if you like it or not. Some groomers, while good, don't have a clue when it comes to poodles. Do you know other poodle owners that you could get recomendations from? That's another thing I would do if I wasn't a groomer...I'd find poodles that I liked the haircut on and aks their owners who did it. 

Good luck finding a good groomer!


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## Rowan (May 27, 2011)

mom24doggies said:


> I'm with fjm, keep the first grooming session at a shop fairly short and pleasant, that way your puppy will get a good first experience.
> 
> ... *I think the best solution for you would be to find pictures of poodles with haircuts you like and show them to your groomer, along with telling her about how long you want your puppy's hair to be*. ...
> Good luck finding a good groomer!


This is what I'd recommend as well. I take pictures to my own human stylist so why not the doggie stylist (groomer)?  That way you avoid any confusion and misunderstandings. And I also agree with *fjm*. Keep that first session short, sweet and enjoyable. Good luck!


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## caroline429 (Mar 5, 2012)

Thanks everyone for your replies. 



mom24doggies said:


> As far as what to ask for, hmmm...we groomers all have different terms for everything, which makes things so difficult!!


LOL That is what I suspected which is why I was asking. My idea of a puppy clip is probably more the show type than the pet type. If she came out clipped an inch all over her body, I think I'd cry. 

I do have friends who have poodles but I moved a few years ago so none of their groomers would be anywhere close to me. There are a couple of poodles in the neighbourhood where I live now but I haven't seen any clips I like. I'm kind of flying blind for this first clip. I picked this particular groomer because she used to work out of my vet's building, so the vet knows she interacts well with the dogs which is important. I don't know that my vet would know a good poodle clip from a bad one though. 

I've included a couple of pictures (I hope) of what Cali looks like now. Pretty shaggy but I think you can still sort of see the outline of the last clip. I really liked the way she looked when I got her and that's the look I'm trying to keep but I really couldn't get her to stand still long enough to get a picture back then! I knew poodles were high energy in theory, but I've never lived it 'til now!!! 

My initial thought was to tell the groomer just follow the old clip but I wondered if I needed to be more specific? Do you all think the last clip is still visible enough that it could be easily followed? If I said, "clip everywhere she is clipped now and scissor 1/2 an inch off the rest" that those would be clear instructions? It's not the groomer I'm questioning, it's that I don't want to use the wrong terminology and end up with a look I don't like.

You'll have to forgive me, I know I do tend to be anal retentive....though I prefer to call it "attention to detail". 

Caroline


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think I would ask her to clip where she was clipped before, with a number 10 blade so it is not too close, and to take care not to clip above the feet (a common mistake when people are not used to ppodles!). Then just to tip trim the rest of he coat to even it out. You can always ask her to take a bit more off next time if it is too long. If you look at the length of the fur on Cali's muzzle it will give you an idea of how much growth there has been since his last trim - probably not very much, as it has only been a few weeks.


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

caroline429 said:


> My initial thought was to tell the groomer just follow the old clip but I wondered if I needed to be more specific? Do you all think the last clip is still visible enough that it could be easily followed? If I said, "clip everywhere she is clipped now and scissor 1/2 an inch off the rest" that those would be clear instructions? It's not the groomer I'm questioning, it's that I don't want to use the wrong terminology and end up with a look I don't like.
> 
> You'll have to forgive me, I know I do tend to be anal retentive....though I prefer to call it "attention to detail".
> 
> Caroline


If you do this, the groomer will look at the length on the face, and shave that much off all over. It would be fluffy and cute, but it won't have the pretty hind end of a show puppy cut.

But - it's a good place to start for a first groom. I would say I'll do face and feet and see what happens. Sometimes a puppy gets the complete groom like a pro. Some puppies comepletely flip out about e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. and clipping is way to much to ask of them.

I also wanted to add, don't expect too much out of his coat texture and level of grooming experience yet. It will come. My pup is same age as your as yours, but has been groomed 13 times and he has suprisingly nice texture for a puppy.


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## caroline429 (Mar 5, 2012)

Thanks so much everyone. Now I know exactly what to ask for when I take her for grooming. I'll also let them know that if she gets unduly upset, it's okay to back off and not worry about perfection. 

I'm hoping she'll be okay, I know the breeder clipped her face, feet, etc every couple of weeks. I've already given her a bath and a blow dry and she was fine with that. She gets brushed every day and is good. I think the breeder did a lot with her but she is a puppy and getting everything done all at once might prove a bit much!


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## Arborgale (Dec 11, 2011)

Oh, she's a wooly one!  She looks just like my Rosie (almost 5 months). I do Rosie's FFT myself. I'm not ready to shave her down too much yet, as our mornings are still in the 30's and I don't want her to get too cold on our walks. I have been wanting to shape her up a bit, but am so scared to pick up the scissors or even use clippers to her body yet. I also want to grow out her TK, so that is long and in her eyes if I don't have a clip in. I'll be watching this post to see how Cali turns out. She is a cutie!


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## Ladyscarletthawk (Dec 6, 2011)

Its best to let the groomer know how coat you want left *on* not off less confusion for everyone. Looks like she was in show trim to me.. that would have to be handscissored


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