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Poodle Puppy Grooming Tips
Grooming is a fact of life for a poodle, so the poodle puppy should be introduced to grooming at an early age. The earlier you get your puppy used to being groomed the easier it will be.
Some pet owners wait until the puppy is 6 - 8 months old before the first haircut. It's a mistake. The puppy is frightened and overwhelmed.
The puppy's coat is very different from the adult Poodles course, curly coat. It is straighter, fuzzier, tends to mat heavily, and doesn't hold a trim. Poodle pups often look best in a full coat with clipped face, feet, and tail.
In the beginning, puppy grooming is also a behavior lesson. Conduct frequent short sessions with patience, verbal praise and treats.
- Touch your new puppy's feet and rub your fingers between it's toes a couple times a day. This will make nail clipping easier.
- Show your puppy the brush. Let it sniff and play with it a few seconds. Brush it's coat a few times, then reward your puppy with a small treat and verbal praise. Each day increase the number of brush strokes.
- Open your puppy's mouth and touch its teeth and gums. Dental care should begin as early as possible. You can begin by using a finger brush or puppy toothbrush and a toothpaste made for dogs.
- Handle your puppy's ears, then reward with a treat and praise. A puppy's ears are more tender than an adult Poodle. They will usually whine, the first few times, when hair is plucked from the ear.
- Bathe your puppy with a mild puppy shampoo. Fill the sink or tub to a depth that will get only your puppy's feet wet. Give your puppy time to get used to the water. Add more water to get the puppy's legs and body wet. Wet it's head last.
- Use an absorbent towel and then finish with a blow dryer. The sound of the hair dryer may frighten your puppy, so slowly introduce your puppy to it.
Clippers should be introduced to your puppy by turning the clippers on and holding them away from your puppy for a little while. The puppy may be afraid of the noise so gradually hold them closer until you can hold the clippers against the puppies body.
