# Questions about show cuts.



## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

The continental cut reflects back to the poodles water retrieving days.
The hair cuts were designed to allow the poodle to swim in the water and to stay warm...one reason the coat is the way it is...it's water resistant....so when the dog shakes the water off after getting out of the water....the water stays away from the skin. The legs and feet are shaved so the poodle could swim better. The hair left on the ankles (pom poms) and hip bones were to keep the boney areas warm and to protect major organs from the cold. The bows in the head were originally used for the owners to be able to identify their dogs when in the water by the color of ribbon in their hair. The pom pom on the tail was for a similiar purpose....being able to see your dog while in the water. After understanding why poodles are given these types of haircuts, it doesn't seem so ridiculous.

In the UKC the hair doesn't have to be as long as its prefered by the AKC. Id say the AKC cut is much more formal and the UKC casual. The UKC wants to see dogs in recognized show cuts but in a natural state. So no products allowed. (meaning dye, hairspray, chalking, etc) 

About the rosette's....they are optional. However, in UKC I don't think it matter's as much and you would have an equal chance rosettes or not. In AKC I believe the rosettes are definately prefered. AKC presentation is a huge deal ....both handler and dog. If you as the handler (owner or pro handler), mess up and don't due exactly what they ask, you will get dumped because of it. Just a little misunderstanding will cost you a win in the AKC. lol They don't mess around!


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## Harley_chik (Nov 7, 2008)

Thank you so much for the reply. I do understand the history of the cuts, but are they required just b/c of the history? Do they add anything to the conformation? I'm more familiar with Maltese and I would say that being able to grow a long coat is a sign of overall health and hair quality. Would the same thing apply to poodles? I used to think the show cuts were quite ridiculous, but they have grown on me. I honestly find them quite artistic now. Except for the "rosettes," LOL. Is that the proper term?


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## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

Harley_chik said:


> Thank you so much for the reply. I do understand the history of the cuts, but are they required just b/c of the history? Do they add anything to the conformation? I'm more familiar with Maltese and I would say that being able to grow a long coat is a sign of overall health and hair quality. Would the same thing apply to poodles? I used to think the show cuts were quite ridiculous, but they have grown on me. I honestly find them quite artistic now. Except for the "rosettes," LOL. Is that the proper term?




LOL ...YEA THEY ARE CALLED ROSETTES ON THE BACK AREA. I DON'T BELIEVE THEY ADD MUCH TO THE CONFORMATION BUT IM A NEWBY IN THE STANDARD POODLES BREED (14 MONTHS NOW). MY HUSBAND AND I SHOWED AMSTAFF AND PITBULLS IN THE PAST AND NOW I'VE FOCUSED MY ATTENTION TO POODLES. I WASN'T SURE ABOUT THE SHOW CUTS AT FIRST BUT WHEN YOU SEE THEM I PERSON, ITS JUST STUNNING. I HAVE FOUND THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE VERSATALITY IN POODLES AS WELL. ITS JUST AMAZING HOW MANY OPTIONS YOU HAVE FOR GROOMING AND THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES POODLES EXCEL IN IS WONDERFUL. POODLES ARE MY DEFINITION OF A TOTAL BREED. 

YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL WHEN YOU OWN A POODLE!


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## Purple Poodle (May 5, 2008)

Huh never heard of the ribbon thing, I understood that the banding of the top knot was purely a show thing. 

Anyway the coat you see in today's show ring is extremely exaggerated, Jehn is correct about the Continental cut. The English Saddle cut serves the same purpose but the English preferred this cut hints its name. The Puppy cut is self explanatory  

The AKC says in its standard that "The hair is only of sufficient length to present a smooth outline." so they never say just how long that should be. Also banding the top knot in not required.

The UKC allows the Sporting to be shown in breed classes and they are much more relaxed about how long the coat should be.

Poodles should have a dense, harsh, curly coat. So I don't totally understand why people want to have a straight coat for show. But the coat is a main staple of the breed and when you have a bad coat it won't grow as long or be as full so yeah the coat is a major factor of the breed.

FYI they are called pompon not pom pom


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## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

Purple Poodle said:


> Huh never heard of the ribbon thing, I understood that the banding of the top knot was purely a show thing.
> 
> Anyway the coat you see in today's show ring is extremely exaggerated, Jehn is correct about the Continental cut. The English Saddle cut serves the same purpose but the English preferred this cut hints its name. The Puppy cut is self explanatory
> 
> ...




hehe...about the ribbon thing, I took that article from another website. It explained it better then I was doing but I wasn't sure about the ribbon thing either. I thought hum....maybe thats something I didn't know. lol

So it's Pompon. I didn't realize that. Thanks for the correction though.


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## Purple Poodle (May 5, 2008)

SECRETO said:


> hehe...about the ribbon thing, I took that article from another website. It explained it better then I was doing but I wasn't sure about the ribbon thing either. I thought hum....maybe thats something I didn't know. lol
> 
> So it's Pompon. I didn't realize that. Thanks for the correction though.


Huh it they could be right I just never heard of it before. Yesh your welcome, it gets kind of annoying when people say or type pom pom :lol: I never knew how it was spelled until I started grooming and reading the Poodle standards.


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## Harley_chik (Nov 7, 2008)

Thanks again! Okay, pompon and rosettes, I will remember that. I knew that was how the things cheerleeders use were spelled but wasn't sure about poodles, LOL.,


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

Just popping in to be a pain 

Ummmmm Aren't the "pom poms" on the ankles really called bracelets? The pom pom is on the tail if I am not mistaken.

Of course my clients call them puffs no matter where they are lol.They come in and say they want, "You know that poodle cut where the dog has a puff on the head, a puff on the feet, and a puff on the tail and the body is shaved. *eye roll* " Yes ma'am I can do that one for you." Incidently that is actualy what a client asked for on the last week and the dog's name was, you'll never believe me... Puff!


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## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

WonderPup said:


> Just popping in to be a pain
> 
> Ummmmm Aren't the "pom poms" on the ankles really called bracelets? The pom pom is on the tail if I am not mistaken.
> 
> Of course my clients call them puffs no matter where they are lol.They come in and say they want, "You know that poodle cut where the dog has a puff on the head, a puff on the feet, and a puff on the tail and the body is shaved. *eye roll* " Yes ma'am I can do that one for you." Incidently that is actualy what a client asked for on the last week and the dog's name was, you'll never believe me... Puff!


From what I know that is right. Im bad about calling the leg puffs pompons. They really are called bracelets.

Ok ....rosettes in the hips, pompons on the tail and bracelet's around the ancles/lower legs. Ok, that better? lol


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

Much better


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## Purple Poodle (May 5, 2008)

Well according to the AKC/UKC breed standard they have puffs on the front legs, pompon on the tail, pompon on the hips and on the back legs are bracelets. In Europe they call then cuffs so I guess it depends on who you ask!


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

ROFL, aren't we all so picky  So I guess Puff's mom was right on at least part of her request. Wonder why they are only bracelets on the back legs? Why aren't they called ankelets? 
We call it a cuff when there are clean feet but there is no pom/bracelet/puff on the legs. In the poodle book, you know the awsome with the really long name they call it a have a whole little section on shaping cuffs in refference to a leg that has no bracelet. Re-reading that sentance I'm not sure it makes sense, but maybe somebody will know what I'm talking about.


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