# how to fluff up natural tail?



## AmberJez (Jul 5, 2014)

Hello all! ok so i have a question about my mini poo. she has a natural, undocked tail and the hair is very kinky/curly on about the first 1/3 of her tail but past that length it is a lot straighter. which i see in most undocked poodles. so i was wondering, those of you that have poodles with natural tails, how do you go about fluffing up the straighter hair towards the end? i actually trimmed the hair clean up to to the part that gets straighter so whats left is that part. do you use moose? what is your preffered method of fluffing up the tail?


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## brownlikewoah (May 3, 2012)

Do you have a picture of your girls tail? Natural tails can vary a lot depending on if they curl, or how much they curl (like the bone). Technically, if the tail curls, to trim it correctly you'd want to hold it straight up, and trim the "correct" shape from there. Start by combing all the hair down to the top of the tail. Trim (I use curves for this) as close to the tip of the tail as you can. Then, comb everything down to where you've shaved around the base of the tail. Trim off anything that overhangs the base of the tail that you've shaved around. Then go back and use your curves to round off the rest of it. Sometimes I'll hold the tail down straight back, comb the hair to one side, round off, then comb to the other side and round off to get the bulk of the shape in. A lot of it has to do with age too, their coat texture changes a lot. I'd say my girl's tail is the same texture as her body more or less, there's a more course spot on the top. Hope that helps! 
Here's some pictures of Zora's natural tail. The first picture is trimmed how I described. The second picture is with the tail trimmed to look like a ball, with how she naturally holds it (so it is much longer & shorter in spots to create and illusion)


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

Beautiful dog! Also, note that the first inch or so of the tail is shaved short, that would get rid of the curl.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Wow! Nice grooming job. I like her tail in the 2nd picture best. That is one fluffy, poofy ball. What a pretty girl she is.


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## AmberJez (Jul 5, 2014)

brownlikewoah said:


> Do you have a picture of your girls tail? Natural tails can vary a lot depending on if they curl, or how much they curl (like the bone). Technically, if the tail curls, to trim it correctly you'd want to hold it straight up, and trim the "correct" shape from there. Start by combing all the hair down to the top of the tail. Trim (I use curves for this) as close to the tip of the tail as you can. Then, comb everything down to where you've shaved around the base of the tail. Trim off anything that overhangs the base of the tail that you've shaved around. Then go back and use your curves to round off the rest of it. Sometimes I'll hold the tail down straight back, comb the hair to one side, round off, then comb to the other side and round off to get the bulk of the shape in. A lot of it has to do with age too, their coat texture changes a lot. I'd say my girl's tail is the same texture as her body more or less, there's a more course spot on the top. Hope that helps!
> Here's some pictures of Zora's natural tail. The first picture is trimmed how I described. The second picture is with the tail trimmed to look like a ball, with how she naturally holds it (so it is much longer & shorter in spots to create and illusion)


thanks, that actually helps a lot you described it perfectly. btw your girl is absolutely gorgeous! i dont have my good camera anymore but ill try my best to get an ok shot of her tail with my phone. maybe i will do a before and after.


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## AmberJez (Jul 5, 2014)

brownlikewoah said:


> Do you have a picture of your girls tail? Natural tails can vary a lot depending on if they curl, or how much they curl (like the bone). Technically, if the tail curls, to trim it correctly you'd want to hold it straight up, and trim the "correct" shape from there. Start by combing all the hair down to the top of the tail. Trim (I use curves for this) as close to the tip of the tail as you can. Then, comb everything down to where you've shaved around the base of the tail. Trim off anything that overhangs the base of the tail that you've shaved around. Then go back and use your curves to round off the rest of it. Sometimes I'll hold the tail down straight back, comb the hair to one side, round off, then comb to the other side and round off to get the bulk of the shape in. A lot of it has to do with age too, their coat texture changes a lot. I'd say my girl's tail is the same texture as her body more or less, there's a more course spot on the top. Hope that helps!
> Here's some pictures of Zora's natural tail. The first picture is trimmed how I described. The second picture is with the tail trimmed to look like a ball, with how she naturally holds it (so it is much longer & shorter in spots to create and illusion)


thanks, that actually helps a lot you described it perfectly. btw your girl is absolutely gorgeous! i dont have my good camera anymore but ill try my best to get an ok shot of her tail with my phone. maybe i will do a before and after.


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