# Confused first poodle owner..



## joshdo7 (Nov 23, 2013)

I'm so confused at poodles' hair..!
My 6 month old puppy's hair is starting to curl-especially around the butt and back legs. I thought they would eventually get super curly and somehow become fluff ball like this:

http://www.dogforums.com/attachment...-grooming-my-standard-poodle-cashdecsmall.jpg

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs13/i/2007/014/0/8/MICKEY_STANDARD_POODLE_by_CRYSTALSPICS.jpg


But I've been seeing adult poodles that are visibly curly like my puppy's butt..
like this:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/White_Standard_Poodle.jpg

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/35900000/Standard-Poodle-standard-poodle-35916427-262-400.jpg



Is it because of hair length (shorter it is, visibly more curly it is)?? Puppy fur not cut? Certain way of grooming? conditioning?
If it is grooming.. Please give me tips on how to keep him cotton-like like the pictures above!

Thank you.


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

That beautiful puffy look is all grooming. That dog was recently washed and blown dry while being brushed out. That is all. Yours could look that way too after having his hair blown out and meticulously groomed.  It won't stay that way though and will shortly start looking more like the second picture again. So no worries your baby is perfectly normal.


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## Lily's-Mom (May 31, 2012)

Yes, it's the blowout. After Lily gets groomed she'll stay sort of puffy like that for a while with lots of brushing, but once she's on the snow or rain and it gets wet, she curls up (just like my hair, LOL). With Lily it is much easier to keep that fluffy look when she is clipped shorter; once it grows out it is much harder to maintain straightness and will look like that second pic.


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## OffTheLeash (May 15, 2013)

They are right-it's all grooming. The best way to keep it that way is to invest in three things. 1) a soft slicker brush 2) a metal toothed comb, 3) some kind of grooming spray. 
Once your dog gets wet, there's not much you can do about the curl unless you learn how to fluff dry your poodle yourself, but before then, and really anytime you brush your dog, the best way to do it is like this:
Gather your tools so everything is handy, and find a relaxing comfortable place to do it. Spritz a fine mist of grooming spray on just the area you're working on ( I like crown royale #3 best but any anti static or shine spray will work). Then use the slicker brush to brush the coat all the way to the skin. It's easiest if you work in sections, for example brush just her head, then move to her neck, the back etc etc. once you've brushed out the area mist it again and then use the comb to check if all the hair is tangle free. Remember to make sure the comb can get all the way to the skin. If it's catching on anything, go back to the slicker brush until the comb strides easily through the coat. Mist frequently, but don't soak the coat, it should be just enough to make the hair manageable and static free. Repeat over entire dog, being sure to pay extra attention to armpits, behind ears, at the bend of the back legs,under collar, and anywhere else there's friction. 

It sounds like a lot, but after the first few times you get faster, and it doesn't take long at all. I can do this to an entire standard poodle in less than 10 mins provided there's no major matting. Good luck, and happy grooming 


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## joshdo7 (Nov 23, 2013)

OffTheLeash said:


> They are right-it's all grooming. The best way to keep it that way is to invest in three things. 1) a soft slicker brush 2) a metal toothed comb, 3) some kind of grooming spray.
> Once your dog gets wet, there's not much you can do about the curl unless you learn how to fluff dry your poodle yourself, but before then, and really anytime you brush your dog, the best way to do it is like this:
> Gather your tools so everything is handy, and find a relaxing comfortable place to do it. Spritz a fine mist of grooming spray on just the area you're working on ( I like crown royale #3 best but any anti static or shine spray will work). Then use the slicker brush to brush the coat all the way to the skin. It's easiest if you work in sections, for example brush just her head, then move to her neck, the back etc etc. once you've brushed out the area mist it again and then use the comb to check if all the hair is tangle free. Remember to make sure the comb can get all the way to the skin. If it's catching on anything, go back to the slicker brush until the comb strides easily through the coat. Mist frequently, but don't soak the coat, it should be just enough to make the hair manageable and static free. Repeat over entire dog, being sure to pay extra attention to armpits, behind ears, at the bend of the back legs,under collar, and anywhere else there's friction.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the detailed grooming technique guide!!
I will get my hands on one of the sprays soon..

how often do you do that in order for him to be fluff everyday?


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## OffTheLeash (May 15, 2013)

Lol it depends on how long your poodle's hair is, but the more often you do it, the fluffier his hair will stay. Ideally you would brush him/her every day, but every couple days at the least. If I wait four days to brush my poodle, he already has begun to matt, so I have to do it every day.

I am both a poodle owner, and and professional groomer.


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