We bet trillions of words have been written about the Poodle, and probably about as much about their trims. To those of us outside the breed, all of these hair cuts are fascinating. Most of us in the United States are familiar with the puppy clip, the only acceptable clip in a show ring for Poodles under a year old.  In this trim,  a Poodle youngster has full hair coverage, and no skin is exposed except for the paws,  face, throat, and base of the tail. It is, incidentally, a suggested clip for a pet Poodle who has a “roach” back. Why would a pet owner care if the dog is never exhibited? Because, as one person once told us, life is too short to look at a dog whose shortcomings could be improved with a simple haircut.

And then there is the Puppy Lion Clip which, according to some Poodle folk, is the trim that’s currently “de-rigueur” in show rings outside the United States. In this trim, the dog is scissored all over, and if the rear of the dog is rounded, it is the “English style.” If the hair on the hind end is more angulated, it’s a “Scandinavian style.” Sometimes called the “Second Puppy Clip, or “Scandinavian Clip,” this is not acceptable in an AKC show ring. 

There is, of course, a whole lot more to these trims than what we’re presenting here, and it takes a great eye and years of training or experience to perfect them.

We are looking for a good photo of a Poodle in a Puppy Lion Clip, Second Puppy Clip, or “Scandinavian Clip” to share with this article, and if you have one we can use, we’re happy to give full credit to the groomer, owner, and/or photographer. 

Image: “Beauty Art” by Mary Sparrow HangingtheMoonShelby
www.marysparrowsmith.net
www.etsy.com/shop/HangingtheMoonShelby