Poodles are one of the most instantly recognizable dog breeds, thanks to their gorgeous, curly coats. One of the most fun parts of being a Poodle owner is trying out new hairstyles when your pup is due for a trim. If you have an appointment with the groomer coming up but aren’t sure what to do with your dog’s coat this time around, we can help. Keep reading to find 20 popular Poodle haircuts you can ask your groomer to recreate on your pup.
Top 20 Poodle Haircuts
1. Teddy Bear Cut
The teddy bear cut is one of the most popular haircuts for all Poodles, but it’s especially popular in the Toy and Miniature varieties. This hairdo leaves pups with longer hair on their face for a softer and rounder teddy bear look. The rest of the body’s fur is cut short and uniform throughout.
2. Continental Cut
The continental cut is a glam hairdo worn most often by show Poodles. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), this is one of two acceptable cuts for show dogs. This somewhat complicated cut requires shaving the face, throat, and portions of the feet and tail very closely. There should be tufts of hair on the tail and fur on the ribs and chest. The head should have a top knot.
3. German Trim
The German trim uses sharp angles to give your Poodle a strong profile. For this cut, groomers leave the leg hair longer than the body hair and taper it slightly as the hair goes up the legs. When done correctly, the dog’s legs are almost cloud-like. The face gets shaved, though there should be a fluffy topknot on the head.
4. Town & Country Cut
The Town and Country cut is one of the most requested hairstyles that groomers perform on Poodles. It requires the face, belly, neck, and feet to be shaved. It looks similar to a lamb cut, but the shaved feet set it apart. This style leaves the legs looking almost like cylinders and the top of the head and ears very rounded.
5. Lion Cut
The lion cut is another popular option for Poodles. This style uses a Poodle’s long coat to give them a lion-like mane. The hair on their sides and back of the head gets trimmed short, while the fur on top is left long. The limbs get shaved, aside from a pompom around the paws and tail.
6. Puppy Cut
The puppy cut is another popular option for small dog breeds, especially Miniature and Toy Poodles. It’s also one of the first hairdos a young Poodle sports, which makes sense given its name. For this style, groomers clip the entire coat, including the face and feet, to be the same length.
7. Summer Cut
The summer cut Is called so as it leaves your Poodle with a light and airy coat for the warmer months of the year. This hairstyle is one of the most low-maintenance and practical options to give your pup for summer.
8. Dutch Cut
The Dutch cut, also known as the” sporting clip,” is another show-ready hairstyle for Poodle owners who want their pups to stand out from the next. The groomer will leave the top of the head hair long and shave closely to the feet, face, throat, and tail base. The rest of the Poodle’s body and legs are clipped to follow their outline, leaving them with a short and soft coat that’s about one inch long. The pompom at the end of the tail seals the deal.
9. English Saddle Cut
The English saddle cut is a challenging hairstyle once super popular in the 50s and 60s. It’s a popular option for dogs with longer coats and is quite similar to the Dutch cut, except it leaves more hair on top of the head. One other addition to this style is the extra pompom of fur on the hind legs. For this style, the chest and ribs are left long, while the head, ears, and tail are fluffy.
10. Short Cut
The short cut is similar in many ways to the summer cut, with the main difference being that it is shorter. This style is pretty easy for most Poodle owners to achieve on their own with little experience and amateur equipment.
11. Lamb Cut
The lamb cut is an easy-to-achieve and simple-to-maintain hairstyle that’s popular with Poodle owners who prefer to do their own grooming. It’s also a versatile style as you can cut the hair to be whatever length you or your dog like it to be. The key is keeping the coat smooth and free of harsh lines. This cut requires a uniform look throughout the whole body with a longer top knot. You can also choose to have styled ears if you wish.
12. Kennel Cut
The kennel cut is another easy clip that requires only the face, feet, and tail base to be shaved close. The rest of the body hair is kept short and shaped with scissors. The tail and top knot are kept longer than the rest of the coat. Because this isn’t a show-permissible style, you can cut the length to whatever you prefer it to be.
13. Bikini Cut
The bikini cut, also known as the Miami cut, requires most of the body hair to be kept short, while certain areas, such as the ears, paws, and tail, are allowed to be a little longer. This is the perfect hairstyle for dogs residing in warm climates, as it will keep them cool on the hottest of days.
The Scandinavian clip, as you may be able to guess by its name, is extremely popular in Europe but not so much in other places in the world. This trim is not accepted as an official style by the AKC. This hairstyle requires much of the dog’s fur to be long and fluffy, except the feet, face, and tail. The hair on top can be puffy or pulled into a topknot, and the coat can be very low and show off a small portion of the paw.
15. Corded Poodle Cut
Many people are surprised to learn that Poodles can have corded coats. This is a high-maintenance hairstyle that is exceedingly rare in modern times. Most owners don’t have the time to keep their dog’s coats clean or wait the long drying times after baths. To achieve this look, you need to allow your Poodle’s coat to grow out so it is long enough that you can form it into dreadlocks.
16. Princess Cut
The princess cut puts the primary focus on your Poodle’s face as their ears and head are shaped and blended carefully to give them a human-like hairstyle. The rest of the body is then styled with a look comparable to the continental or Dutch cut.
17. Fifth Avenue Clip
The Fifth Avenue clip is an unusual and unconventional style, but it is worth considering if you have an active dog, as it is highly functional. This style is similar to the town and country cut, except the groomer will shave the front knees and style the front feet in a poof. They’ll also cut the hair short around the waist.
18. Bolero Cut
The bolero cut is a slightly modified version of the Fifth Avenue clip. The only difference between the two styles is that both the front and hind legs will be shaved.
19. Jacket and Pants Cut
The jacket and pants cut is a somewhat controversial style due to how much hair needs to be shaved to achieve its signature look. The neck and belly hair will need to be removed to give the illusion that your Poodle is wearing a jacket and pants.
20. Pony Cut
The pony cut is not a particularly popular hairstyle, but if you like your Poodle to stand out from the others at the dog park, it’s worth considering. This hairdo requires the groomer to clip the coat so the paws, tail, and neck hair is longer than the other parts of the body. This is to emulate a pony’s appearance, especially the mane.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know a bit more about the most popular hairstyles for Poodles, you can decide which will be the best for your pup. Before you choose which style you’d like, consider how frequently you want to return to the groomer and the budget you have. Some of these styles require more frequent maintenance, while others are meant to give your Poodle a hairdo that’ll last for months at a time.
- Related Read: Low-Maintenance Poodle Cuts to Try Today (With Pictures)
Featured Image Credit: BONDART PHOTOGRAPHY, Shutterstock
