# How much work is grooming, really?



## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

I truly hate it. Others love it.

We've resorted to the shortest clip possible without giving Peggy razor burn, and I'm counting the days until she's back in our beloved groomer's care.

With this extremely short clip, she's not seemed to need any brushing. Others may disagree with me on this, but I imagine it might vary by coat type. 

Before we cut her right down, she had _horrible_ mats, which took some effort. But since that first big cleanup we've been clipping her in 5-minute sessions every few days. I still can't get her face properly shaved and I've not even attempted to do between her toes.

Before lockdown, Peggy was going to the groomer every 4-6 weeks for about 2 hours. This will be the routine for the rest of her life.

All that said: I'd still take this over a shedding coat any day!


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## bluegirl1997 (Aug 10, 2019)

I used to have two standard poodles, sisters, until sadly one recently passed away (I couldn't really talk about it for weeks--i miss her so much!). Now I have one. Anyway for 12 years I did some grooming every weekend and brushed them every day. I tried out a lot of different clips! I have learned this: one is a LOT easier to groom than two! But of course I don't regret a minute of that, they enjoyed the grooming process and it's kind of a bonding time. Now that I have one standard poodle, it's a lot less grooming but I still bathe her every 2nd week, clip her about every 3 weeks and brush her often. It's good to go over them often to keep mats at bay and also to look for burrs, prickles and ticks. 

Sent from my VOG-L04 using Tapatalk


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

I have a mini and I home groom. I personally really enjoy it. It's more of a hobby for me because I enjoy trying different cuts. I was watching groomers on youtube for many years prior to getting a poodle. Daily maintenance is cleaning any eye residue, apply dental gel, and sometimes a brush out. During coat change it will require a daily brush out. Not more than 10 minutes, though brushing a standard is longer.

Weekly maintenance for me is bath, blow dry, and brushing out. I also do clean feet and face touch ups weekly because I like a clean look. Also nail clipping, ear cleaning, and touch up sanitary trim. Total for these weekly things probably comes out to 2 hours, but many people only do these every two weeks.

Once a month I do a full body trim. It's an hour for bath and blow dry and then probably two hours for the clipping. I always do maybe 30 minutes of touch up the next day after I've observed how the fur settles.

I do more than the bare minimum. There are some points where you can cut time out if you are not picky about appearance, but I would bet for a standard you are looking at these times or more because it's a bigger dog. I kept Misha clipped down with a 10 blade for a little while, and that did make things easier because baths were fast, there was no blow drying, and no brushing needed. But then your dog will look like a pointer... and you will miss the fluff after some time!


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Hi, there's a thread with a similar question with additional replies here:








Standard poodle owners who keep their dog in a simple...


I'm alright with dedicating an hour every 6-8 weeks but I'm just wondering if it takes longer/or is it very difficult? My ideal cut if I had a poodle would be this : https://i.pinimg.com/564x/fb/c9/d7/fbc9d70e64da40e783ee664533d14f23.jpg Is that type of cut difficult to achieve and does it...




www.poodleforum.com


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

For 2 toy poodles, it takes me about 3 hours per month just for the grooming (face, feet and tail + body). Then bathing and nail trimming is another 1-2 hours. I don’t dry them though.

So in total, I would say 5 hours per 4-6 weeks for both my dogs. I suppose a standard takes around the same time as 2 toys, but I’m not a groomer.

I pluck the ears every 2-3 months, so add another 45 minutes for that once in a while. And emptying Beckies’s glands every 3-4 weeks takes 5 minutes.

I enjoy doing it most of the time (except the glands, lol).


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

I have groomed my own poodles for 15 years. It is more difficult if you do not have the right tools, I only got better tools over three years ago. I bathe my three toys every other week, doing a sanitary trim every week. Doing a full groom once a month. A bath, dry and tidy roughly an hour and half. Full groom can be an hour each, that being with a longer coat, summer trims infinitely less trim as every one is clipped short.
I have it down to a science now


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## scooterscout99 (Dec 3, 2015)

I planned on grooming my 4 yo spoo from the start. I piecemeal the different grooming tasks, mostly due to limited time but also out of kindness to my dog. I’ve learned to not be bothered by a half groomed dog. Most non-poodle owners don’t even notice.


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## themissingpen (Jan 24, 2019)

Rose n Poos said:


> Hi, there's a thread with a similar question with additional replies here:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I won't lie, my favorite look is what I call the "pony", with a full mohawk and ankle cuffs









Someone please educate me on whether this look has a name!

I can only imagine that this will take way more work than a normal groom, especially on a daily basis (especially on the ankles... I can only imagine the mats those cuffs get...)


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## themissingpen (Jan 24, 2019)

PeggyTheParti said:


> I truly hate it. Others love it.
> 
> We've resorted to the shortest clip possible without giving Peggy razor burn, and I'm counting the days until she's back in our beloved groomer's care.
> 
> ...


Wow, I guess I'll only know how I really feel about grooming when I get my poodle! I hope I fall in with the owners who love it, but good to know that poodles are worth it no matter what 

If I can ask, before lockdown, what did your at-home grooming routine look like? Or were those trips to the groomer enough to keep things under control?


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

Haha that one is literally just called a pony clip. I think the grooming for that is intermediate on a daily basis but intensive for the full body trim because of the scissoring involved. I love watching YouTube videos of grooming. But I found out that the "demo" dogs are typically unusually calm. My dog is not! It is different when your model has no patience. Takes more time. And you have to break it up.


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

themissingpen said:


> If I can ask, before lockdown, what did your at-home grooming routine look like? Or were those trips to the groomer enough to keep things under control?


I've pretty much always done the baths, those about every two weeks. We'd go to the pro groomers about every 2-3 months and could put that off that long since we kept them fully combed and brushed out every few days. I'd trim around the eyes, the topknot, feet, and sani areas as needed between groomings using round tip scissors.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

I have always groomed my own poodles so no change, I have cut my own hair since I was a teenager have I given a bad haircut yup, it's just hair.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

If you don’t mind the longer hair on the face (which I can’t tolerate, I find it un-hygienic because food sticks and it smells), you can easily go 2 months without having a full groom. 

But you will need to brush regularly so your dog doesn’t get matted. I think it’s a pity some owners don’t brush well enough between grooms and the dogs have to suffer. People should get a lab if they don’t intend to brush, not a poodle...

Poodles are among the highest maintenance dogs in the world without a doubt, and probably at the top of the chart. Grooming costs a lot of money, and doing it at home takes a lot of patience and time. This is something to really think about before getting one.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

My response to people when they asked me about getting a Standard Poodle is that they should like to groom, or be able to afford to pay someone else to do it.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

I will also say that if you home groom, you'll start to get very frustrated with any incompetent poodle and doodle owners you run into. You'll fight back the urge to lecture them about how their dog's face is a gross matted mess from eye drainage, and how their dog's hair is full of web matting. How the toenails are so overgrown that their dog can't walk properly. How their dog desperately needs a sanitary trim because their butt is covered in feces. How the overlong hair on their dogs mustache is constantly getting sucked into its mouth, causing dental decay and smelling like a sewer... I could go on and on. Makes me cringe to see it.

People who meet Misha are constantly talking about how amazingly fluffy he is, and how he "must have just come from the groomer." I'm always like haha... no I just brush him frequently. They laugh and say they hate brushing, while their matted dog stands there with them. Oh, yes, I can tell. 😢


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## themissingpen (Jan 24, 2019)

Raindrops said:


> I will also say that if you home groom, you'll start to get very frustrated with any incompetent poodle and doodle owners you run into. You'll fight back the urge to lecture them about how their dog's face is a gross matted mess from eye drainage, and how their dog's hair is full of web matting. How the toenails are so overgrown that their dog can't walk properly. How their dog desperately needs a sanitary trim because their butt is covered in feces. How the overlong hair on their dogs mustache is constantly getting sucked into its mouth, causing dental decay and smelling like a sewer... I could go on and on. Makes me cringe to see it.
> 
> People who meet Misha are constantly talking about how amazingly fluffy he is, and how he "must have just come from the groomer." I'm always like haha... no I just brush him frequently. They laugh and say they hate brushing, while their matted dog stands there with them. Oh, yes, I can tell. 😢


Oh dear... I'm already so frustrated with doodle owners for owning a doodle...


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## themissingpen (Jan 24, 2019)

Those of you that regularly home groom, how did you learn to do it? I'm terrified of giving my poodle razor burn and just generally making grooming a really terrible traumatizing experience.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

themissingpen said:


> Those of you that regularly home groom, how did you learn to do it? I'm terrified of giving my poodle razor burn and just generally making grooming a really terrible traumatizing experience.


You just go very slowly to build your confidence. I would have Merlin groomed and then do the upkeep until he needed another one. And then slowly over time, I built enough confidence in my ability to do everything.

There are many good videos to learn from on Youtube. Just find one groomer you like and watch all she has.

Make sure you buy good material, like a clipper that will not get too hot, too fast, and strong enough for a poodle’s coat, like a Bravura or Andis.


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

themissingpen said:


> Those of you that regularly home groom, how did you learn to do it? I'm terrified of giving my poodle razor burn and just generally making grooming a really terrible traumatizing experience.


It's a long one but I recommend this thread. Several of our members had to try their hand at grooming for the first time, and did quite well considering the lack of experience:









Home grooming in quarantine... Help


We normally take Leeroy to a groomer. We live in Alaska so I don't keep him fancy. Just a one-length utility cut. BUT ... Now we're on quarantine. I only have a regular Wahl corded clipper with comb attachments. Leeroy's fur is a few inches long and thick / wiry. I am about to lose my mind...




www.poodleforum.com





There are several other similar threads in that same time frame so you can get a front row seat


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

twyla said:


> I have groomed my own poodles for 15 years. It is more difficult if you do not have the right tools, I only got better tools over three years ago. I bathe my three toys every other week, doing a sanitary trim every week. Doing a full groom once a month. A bath, dry and tidy roughly an hour and half. Full groom can be an hour each, that being with a longer coat, summer trims infinitely less trim as every one is clipped short.
> I have it down to a science now


The right tools are a must. I really wish I had a wash station large enough to hold Pogo. I normally wash him using showerhead attachment in my in my bathtub. It's not pleasant for me, as I need to work bent over. Its not pleasant for Pogo, as he's too big to turn around in the tub. Plus he's not happy about standing on the slippery enamel surface. When Galen was still small enough to fit in the kitchen sink I was astounded at how much easier it was to bathe him.


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## reraven123 (Jul 21, 2017)

cowpony said:


> Plus he's not happy about standing on the slippery enamel surface.


You can get one of those rubber bathtub mats for him to stand on, helps a lot!


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## Myleen (Apr 30, 2016)

themissingpen said:


> We've all heard the warnings about how much grooming poodles take, and now with the COVID situation, I've seen a lot of y'all resorting to home grooming. So how much work has grooming been for you? On a daily, weekly, monthly and basis? What am I getting myself into when I get my standard poodle?


*I miss my groomer. The first one Toby had for the first 2 years of his life*. After a couple of years the shop she worked in closed. I've gone to others. Not the same...but one learns a lot.
Let me start by saying during Tobys' first 3 years it was pretty simple. I used a Bravura trimmer that I love and I continue to use it for his face and tender areas. (in between trying other grooming establishments )
Although still a bit nervous...I am braver now trimming around his face ...eyes, and mouth. I am still trying to figure out how to do it under his body/underarms... I am braver because I NEED to be. The poor dog needs to see!!! And mats are not a good thing for any dog!

His feet were always pretty easy for me.* I did a lot of research and watched a lot of videos.*

Since the lockdown, things have changed.  He has allergies .... and it appears his coat is VERY THICK. My trimmer no longer did the job it previously had done. Thinking it was the blade I bought another black diamond.
Nope... I needed a clipper. I bought an Oscar golden 5. I now know the difference between a clipper and a trimmer. I use them both. I also use the mini Bravura.

**Brushing ... combing his hair is one of the most important things I have learned about grooming. It is so important to do on a regular basis, especially now with his extremely thick hair.
I can not believe how much his hair has changed! My thought is ... its a changing of the season... reason. lol
*Brushing ... combing his hair is one of the most important things *... spray detangler helps a LOT...
*CONSISTENCY IS KEY.* I knew that... however, I became busy with other things and was not doing as well as I should have been!
Life is busy. It just is!! But make it a point to Brush, comb your poodle every day even if for only a few minutes. Dogs like routine... and I sure am glad my Toby loves treats!!! =)


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## VanessaC (Feb 24, 2020)

Besides watching videos to understand the theory.. I’d say the two things that helped me become more confident in the beginning were making sure there were no tangles before I got my clippers and using a plastic guard/comb attachment on the blade. The plastic clipper guards aren’t the best, but the should work fine on a puppy coat or well-brushed hair.. and once you become more confident, you can switch to metal ones or different blades. I just found them to be a lot less intimidating.


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## kimschomer (Mar 21, 2019)

Henri is a big standard poodle and would only allow a male to groom him and when the male left at Petsmart, I had to learn how to groom him myself because they had two women try to groom him and he would not allow it. He also gets car sick so I could not drive him to a lot of groomers in town. I was planning on grooming him myself when I got him to cut down on the expense. I had to collect the supplies and I also wanted him to get several grooming appointments at the groomers first while he was a puppy to get use to it. I watched a lot of YouTube and I was scared to groom the face but I learned. He did have his first three grooming sessions at the groomers, after that I have been grooming. He get's a facial cut every two-three weeks and usually a bath. What helped me start shaving his face was a lot of treats at first to make him stop moving so much. I try and brush him every week and I should brush him at least once a week to stop the matts. I bought a good clipper Andis ProClip UltraEdge and use a 10 blade on Amazon that was discounted, ceramic guards, curved scissors for the top Knot and later a grooming table on Ebay along w/a forced air dryer. He still will not allow me to grind his nails so when he see's the vet, I had him trim them and previous groomer but I will probably have to have someone do that for me. However, I do a full body groom about every two months and last time, it took 2 hours because he had matts. I have now started using a conditioner called "Ice on Ice" Ultra dematting spray which works great.


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## Beauonthego (Oct 6, 2019)

themissingpen said:


> We've all heard the warnings about how much grooming poodles take, and now with the COVID situation, I've seen a lot of y'all resorting to home grooming. So how much work has grooming been for you? On a daily, weekly, monthly and basis? What am I getting myself into when I get my standard poodle?


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## Denisem0707 (Mar 16, 2020)

themissingpen said:


> We've all heard the warnings about how much grooming poodles take, and now with the COVID situation, I've seen a lot of y'all resorting to home grooming. So how much work has grooming been for you? On a daily, weekly, monthly and basis? What am I getting myself into when I get my standard poodle?


We have 3 standard poodles. Grooming hasn’t been a real problem for us. We were to find a mobile groomer to whom we handed the dogs one at a time as they were groomed, and the groomer returned one and took the next. The worst part was the cost. I usually get them groomed for what we paid for one to be groomed. Needless to say, they were allowed to get a bit shaggy before they were groomed again. Fortunately, our groomer has opened back up with social distancing and masks required, so they’re back on their every 2 week schedule. As for me, I brush them every 2-3 days, clean their ears, and brush their teeth.


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## Beauonthego (Oct 6, 2019)

It’s a lot of work. I take my standard poodle to the groom every 6 weeks and bath him once a week at home ( he’s cream colored). He has a short all over cut with a mohawk on top. I’m grateful that my best friend is a groomer and did his clip at her house. He hates his coat brushed. But we do it anyway. Poodles are high maintenance but they are smart and loving. The rewards outweigh the negatives.


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## Jeannette (Aug 31, 2011)

themissingpen said:


> We've all heard the warnings about how much grooming poodles take, and now with the COVID situation, I've seen a lot of y'all resorting to home grooming. So how much work has grooming been for you? On a daily, weekly, monthly and basis? What am I getting myself into when I get my standard poodle?


I have three standards and I groom my own and have for about 7 years. I have a fantastic groomer and I send my puppies to her for about a year. They learn “table manners “ and are a lot easier to handle. When I was contemplating a third dog (7 years ago), I asked my groomer for some tips. She sat down with me, showed me what equipment to purchase and then stood by me as we, together, groomer my big boy (who has passed a couple of years ago). The next month, I did it myself, took him down to the salon, and she showed me how to fix my mistakes. She’s a very busy groomer and never felt like she was losing a customer. I recommended he to others and when I’m getting ready to show (obedience) she always grooms for me. It takes practice, practice practice. And patience, lots of patience. Good luck.


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## cosmo77 (Apr 14, 2017)

themissingpen said:


> We've all heard the warnings about how much grooming poodles take, and now with the COVID situation, I've seen a lot of y'all resorting to home grooming. So how much work has grooming been for you? On a daily, weekly, monthly and basis? What am I getting myself into when I get my standard poodle?


I never did mind grooming my babies! I actually groom them most of the time and only go to the groomer maybe twice/year. If you start working with them when they are young, they are LOTS easier to groom. Just my 2cents.


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## Jbean (Feb 18, 2019)

I clipped my frail old dogs for the last year or so of their lives so that I could spread it over a couple of days. I was happy to get back to sending the new guy to the groomer. Like the old dogs, I also brush his ears out most days and spend a few minutes clipping his face and privates every 3-4 weeks. It takes me roughly 3 hours to bathe and clip him down every 6-8 weeks. With the exception of the clipping, they don't take any more time than any long-haired dog.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

themissingpen said:


> We've all heard the warnings about how much grooming poodles take, and now with the COVID situation, I've seen a lot of y'all resorting to home grooming. So how much work has grooming been for you? On a daily, weekly, monthly and basis? What am I getting myself into when I get my standard poodle?


How much work it is depends on what clip you keep your poodle in. A complete shave down or a smart looking German Trim doesn't take much work at all, especially if you groom them monthly so the hair doesn't grow to long. If you want long hair there's more maintenance combing and brushing every few days to avoid mats. Very long pompoms are the most labor intensive. Everything sticks to leg pompoms and very long hair tangles and mats more quickly. I have to brush and comb out my dog's pompoms every day or two depending on what she has gotten into. Snow is the worst - if she gets snow balls in her pompom, I have to comb them out every time we come inside.

I have a minipoo. A full groom from bath, blow dry to trim and scissor work is a solid 3 hours. However I prefer to do things in small chunks. I do like to bath and blow dry every two weeks and face/feet/sanitary. The rest I groom when I'm in the mood. By blowing her hair straight and keeping her in a Miami bikini, I rarely have to comb or brush her....except her pompoms. 

OTOH, I never have to clean fur of my clothes or furniture. You can spend time grooming a poodle, or spend similar time cleaning up after a dog that sheds.


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## LoveMyRedToyPoodle (Sep 15, 2019)

I just started grooming my toy during the pandemic, and I have to say that I'm really enjoying it! The first time I tried to groom him it was a disaster; razor burn and all. The second time I tried, I used steel attachment combs along with my Bravura clipper to make sure I wasn't going too short, and it was actually fun. The last time I groomed him, he looked great! My advice is to take him to a professional groomer in the beginning, so the dog learns the etiquette of sitting still, and you can see how they groom the dog (i.e. sanitary area, pull hair from ears, etc) and also can get him into a basic style that you like, and can then maintain. After several times at a professional, try it yourself. Just make sure to get good materials. I have a Wahl Bravura clipper and the Wahl Steel Attachment combs. Both have been great! Also, watch YouTube videos to learn how clip delicate areas like around the eyes and face.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

If you do NOT have arthritis so that you can hold a mechanical clipper, it should not be too much to keep a poodle trimmed, if you have a good clipper. 

However, I do have arthritis. It takes a professional groomer 3-4 hours to groom my spoo! The cost is bad enough, but now during the Coronavirus COVID-19 with the restrictions to not have grooming, I am having a terrible time! 

I do not have a professional clipper, nor grooming scissors. It hurts like heck to even try to brush him, so he is becoming tangled. It has gotten so that he cannot even see, so I had to take my regular scissors, and try to cut the hair around his eyes. Very amusing - he now looks like a lion!

He was practically choking with how tight his collar was becoming. So last night I spent 2 hours with a comb, and my normal scissors, cutting the hair around his neck where the collar goes. I put the comb at the base of his skin, and then clipped with the scissors so that I would not accidentally cut him. It is rather irregular, but he is happy.
He looks most amusing with a two inch approximate trim around his neck, but he is delighted that his collar is no longer choking him. It took me two hours to be able to sleep with the pain in my hands and wrist.

His lower legs are terrible - grey, long, tangled... and long nails, long hair between his pads.... oh my. 

I sure hope they open the grooming salons soon!


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## Jbean (Feb 18, 2019)

kontiki said:


> I sure hope they open the grooming salons soon!


Do you have mobile groomers in your area? My neighbor has been having her little poodle mix groomed regularly by the mobile groomer and we've got pretty tight rules here in California.


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## Juliebee (Sep 3, 2018)

kontiki said:


> If you do NOT have arthritis so that you can hold a mechanical clipper, it should not be too much to keep a poodle trimmed, if you have a good clipper.
> 
> However, I do have arthritis. It takes a professional groomer 3-4 hours to groom my spoo! The cost is bad enough, but now during the Coronavirus COVID-19 with the restrictions to not have grooming, I am having a terrible time!
> 
> ...


This is so sad. I’m so sorry for you. If we lived close I would help. It wouldn’t be perfect or beautiful but it would be better for the two of you. Hugs to you


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

I don't particularly like the grooming. Combing and brushing are fine and both my dog and I enjoy the time together. The clipping I don't care for but its doable now that he has manners. I as someone else said have sent mine to the groomer from day 1, every 4 weeks. So he is pretty patient with me but bathing is an issue for me, not a good place in this house to bathe and rinse properly. Plus my clipping is not so good, always c comes out not so smoothly. Our groomer is back and he will go see her next Monday Yea! (i now thanks to pandemic can keep up with him in between, I can do his feet, sanitary, and face., not perfect but reasonable) I can also keep his ears plucked, and his nails dremeled. Having the right tools really makes things go a lot smoother and knowing how to care for your blades too.


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## specie (Feb 27, 2014)

I have a large mini. Brushout daily, buzz tip of nails every 2-3 days (hers grow like weeds), full groom & bath once a month. In between I do face, sometimes feet. She is kept modified puppy - #7 blade on body, 1/2 or 3/4" combs for legs, #15 blade for face (she's apricot & gets clipper burn if I use a #30), #30 for feet. All told I prob spend around 10 hrs a month or so. I had a black standard who took longer.


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## CSC (Dec 17, 2019)

Sammy (11 months; 60 lbs) has been brushed every other day since he was a babe on a makeshift grooming table installed on our back porch. With the lure of a chewy, he has learned to hop up on the table and lie down while I go to town on his ears, tail, butt, etc..
Our new COVID adventure has been clipping.... wow. With an investment of really good clippers (Andis), except for his plume of a tail, I have shaved him down with a #5 blade. I use blunt nosed scissors around his eyes, boy parts, butt and toes. I do this once a week, because I do different areas each week. When he gets agitated, we quit until the next week.
Did I mention we live in a woodsy area with sandspurs, hitchhikers, fleas, mud?

Yes, it is a helluva committment, but he is worth it.


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## Angus & Archie (Nov 3, 2019)

Angus & Archie are my first SPOO’s, and I’ve decided to groom them myself. (They are 3-yr-old rescues, and we have had them just since November 2019.) It is a bit of a job, and I agree with the others, that the right tools can make all the difference. I clip once a month to keep their coats manageable. I don’t do anything fancy, just a 5 blade over body (10 in sanitary areas), and then a fairly fluffy top not. I struggle with shaping the ears just right, and they absolutely will not let me shave their faces. I would venture to say they’ve never had it done. I’m thinking of buying a small set of clippers that maybe aren’t so scary for them (I have a large pair of ANDIS which work great everywhere else). Curved scissors are a must for the top not. Despite brushing 2-3 times per week, they have suddenly begun having tangles in their ears. How does everyone handle those without torturing the poor dog?


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

Angus & Archie said:


> Angus & Archie are my first SPOO’s, and I’ve decided to groom them myself. (They are 3-yr-old rescues, and we have had them just since November 2019.) It is a bit of a job, and I agree with the others, that the right tools can make all the difference. I clip once a month to keep their coats manageable. I don’t do anything fancy, just a 5 blade over body (10 in sanitary areas), and then a fairly fluffy top not. I struggle with shaping the ears just right, and they absolutely will not let me shave their faces. I would venture to say they’ve never had it done. I’m thinking of buying a small set of clippers that maybe aren’t so scary for them (I have a large pair of ANDIS which work great everywhere else). Curved scissors are a must for the top not. Despite brushing 2-3 times per week, they have suddenly begun having tangles in their ears. How does everyone handle those without torturing the poor dog?


They are lovely boys! For the long areas on my dog I've found that getting the CC coral slicker really did make a difference. I used to struggle with adequately getting some spots on the ears but now I feel I'm getting them much more thoroughly brushed. I also think a good brushing spray helps a lot to prevent mats. I always coat my brushes in "The Stuff" and spray it on any areas of long coat after a bath before I start drying. It makes a big difference. If you already have mats, then dealing with them depends on the severity. You may be able to make some vertical cuts in the mat to help break it up, and then brush it out with a good detangling spray. If the mat is very hard, I would just snip it out. If anything you do seems to cause the dog pain or discomfort, it's better to snip the mat. You don't want to create lasting bad associations with grooming.

I also agree that a quieter cordless trimmer will help with their faces. Just take things slow and be prepared to do it in many very small sessions. I also find that my dog behaves much better when he is very sleepy. I usually shave his face late at night.


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## Jbean (Feb 18, 2019)

Angus & Archie said:


> Despite brushing 2-3 times per week, they have suddenly begun having tangles in their ears. How does everyone handle those without torturing the poor dog?


I use a little bit of Cowboy Magic Detangler and long slicker brush. I'm not crazy about the smell, but the Cowboy Magic really does have some kind of magic that makes mats slide right out. I brush ears almost every day so the mats don't have time to get tight. I know that they go to bed with mat-free ears and wake up with a mat on one side or another several times per week!


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## CSC (Dec 17, 2019)

Tangles in the ear may mean they are scratching their ears. Ck for infection or fungus. This is the season for such. Take a smell. I have learned..... .


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## Whoiscoconut (May 11, 2020)

My hubs shaves our yorkipoo. He doesn’t shave them super often maybe once every 1-2 months. Our poodle was the same. He’d shave them super short and they honestly looked like rats the first week then they slowly fluff. The yorkipoo is definitely easier bc her hair is wavy and not as curly. It’s weird bc I feel like they’re different dogs when he does it! They aren’t but it’s always a laugh when they come out followed by a bag of hair. The first time he told my kids G2 was gone now. They ran in to a wad of hair and started balling. He of course showed them G2 was safe. I could’ve killed him for it at the time but it does make for a good laugh now. He felt bad after not realizing they’d believe him.


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## Whoiscoconut (May 11, 2020)

Jbean said:


> I use a little bit of Cowboy Magic Detangler and long slicker brush. I'm not crazy about the smell, but the Cowboy Magic really does have some kind of magic that makes mats slide right out. I brush ears almost every day so the mats don't have time to get tight. I know that they go to bed with mat-free ears and wake up with a mat on one side or another several times per week!


Mane & tail actually makes an amazing detangler! the smell isn't bad. I actually found it at Burlington coat factory by us and before that I never knew they had one. I use it on both my kids and pets. My little girls got curly hair from their dad and it was a horrid mess until I found that. so I spray them and g2 usually once a day and g2 hasn't had any mats since and is super easy brushing. I love it bc most I tried prior would leave them oily or crispy and this doesn't do that. plus humans and pets can both use this one, so its a money saver for us.lol


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## BabetteH (May 1, 2019)

Raindrops said:


> I will also say that if you home groom, you'll start to get very frustrated with any incompetent poodle and doodle owners you run into. You'll fight back the urge to lecture them


Haha, this, 100%. Once you start grooming, all you notice on other dogs is their overgrown toe nails. 

I do a little bit almost every day. I'm slow and don't want to subject him to a 5 hours sessions, so it's short sessions all the time: 

Nail grinding (he has short show nails, you probably don't need to do it weekly)
Ear plucking
Shaving the face
Shaving the feet
Shaving the back
Trimming the bracelets (usually I do the front and back on different days)
Trimming the tail
Trimming the rosettes
Trimming the jacket
Bathing and drying
Banding and wrapping
Re-banding a messy top knot
Sanitary
Especially during Covid, it was great to not depend on groomers. But for me it's also a fun hobby. I do the brushing instead of knitting.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

themissingpen said:


> Wow, I guess I'll only know how I really feel about grooming when I get my poodle! I hope I fall in with the owners who love it, but good to know that poodles are worth it no matter what
> 
> If I can ask, before lockdown, what did your at-home grooming routine look like? Or were those trips to the groomer enough to keep things under control?


Oh no! I'm so sorry I missed this.

Yes, those trips to the groomer were enough for the most part. She did get terrible mats on her ears once between appointments, but because they were along the edge, they just felt like part of her ear. I didn't notice them until they were way beyond saving. The groomer ended up taking her ears down short after that, and we're just now starting to grow them back out. 

Those mats were probably a combination of coat change and the fact that she loves playing in water. She will dangle her ears in the bath or even her water bowl, and then her hair dries and the mats tighten up.

To be honest, I must have been a little stressed when I wrote my initial response. If I'd known how long we'd have to wait to get her back to the groomers, I'd have shaved her right now at the start of quarantine and it wouldn't have been a big deal at all. The key is definitely to stay on top of it. And from what I've seen, if you're okay with keeping your poodle's coat short (including shaved face, feet, and sanitary), professional grooming every 4-6 weeks is probably fine. 

All I really do in between is keep her eyes clean, but that's just a few swipes with my fingers, 2 or 3 times a day. And I've got a few different brushes and combs, which I use mostly to check for mats and to keep her comfortable with being handled.

But the shaved face, feet, and sanitary are _key_ if you want a low maintenance poodle.


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## Maggied (Sep 6, 2018)

I think this is really effected by your interests. I never liked fooling with hair as a kid. So it seems to me I spend lots of time grooming my poodle (not well, but sufficient, I guess) since the pandemic. She is really pretty good, but so much hair. (But I spend time baking bread which probably isn't better or cheaper than at the market) It isn't such a big job, but not my thing. Some people really enjoy it. You may be one of them. I do find a cordless clipper Much easier, and nail grinders rather than clippers. On the other hand, I think my pup prefers me doing her than going to the spa. She is shy.


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## reraven123 (Jul 21, 2017)

I'll be clipping Zephyr tomorrow, so today he got a bath, brushed and combed thoroughly, ears cleaned, toenails dremelled, leg poms, topknot and tail scissored. I don't have a dryer, so I always bathe the day before I clip and let him air dry. Tomorrow I am only doing face, feet, tail and sanitary. I do those about every 2.5 weeks, and body clip about every third time. I have always done my own grooming.


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## Teddy’s mom (May 20, 2020)

themissingpen said:


> I won't lie, my favorite look is what I call the "pony", with a full mohawk and ankle cuffs
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Rock on! 🤘🏻That’s a cool poodle!


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## Fenris-wolf (Apr 17, 2018)

themissingpen said:


> We've all heard the warnings about how much grooming poodles take, and now with the COVID situation, I've seen a lot of y'all resorting to home grooming. So how much work has grooming been for you? On a daily, weekly, monthly and basis? What am I getting myself into when I get my standard poodle?


It's very easy if you keep their coat short, but if you want to try different hairstyles go for it!!! I recommend getting a good slicker brush and a 6 inch metal comb. Their ears need to be cleaned every 1 to 2 weeks with a good cleaning solution. I would recommend sanitary cuts. It just makes this so much easier and less messy. Some people like clean faced Poodles and others like hairy faced, and it's the same for feet, but just make sure to check their feet for debris. It is recommended though that you do not shave their whiskers. Always check nails and dew claws!


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## Deere (Jun 25, 2021)

themissingpen said:


> We've all heard the warnings about how much grooming poodles take, and now with the COVID situation, I've seen a lot of y'all resorting to home grooming. So how much work has grooming been for you? On a daily, weekly, monthly and basis? What am I getting myself into when I get my standard poodle?


I brush every other day and that seems to stop mats/tangles also I touch up/sanitary between grooming appts. I enjoy grooming and I'm using a mobile grooming service.


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## Misteline (Mar 10, 2019)

I find that I get fatigued less quickly if I shave him sitting on the kitchen floor rather than on the table. I'm not confident in my scissoring, but now that I figured out a way to shave him down without exhausting myself I can't justify the cost of taking him to the groomer. And apparently groomers are _much_ more expensive here than where I lived previously.

I'll have to develop scissoring skills and figure out how to shape his ruff and topknot, but unless the price is phenomenal or I need something special...I'm probably home grooming him from now on.


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