Dedicated to the Health, Education, and Performance of Poodles
Dedicated to the Health, Education, and Performance of Poodles
The Poodle coat is composed of individual hairs which never stop growing, similar to that of human head hair. The Poodle puppy has a soft hair coat which usually falls in gentle waves to soft curls. As the puppy ages, the coat grows. Sometime between the age of 9 and 16 months the coat begins to undergo a change in texture. During this “coat change” time the coat tends to mat easily. A coat maintained for conformation showing during this time requires freqent brushing to keep the mats out and the dog comfortable. Once the coat change is complete the brushing can often be decreased to once a week, depending upon the activities of the dog and its individual coat type.
Most adult Poodle coats will naturally form cords if not burshed out after a bath. It is usually very difficult to care for a corded Poodle coat as it takes a very long time for the cords to dry, especially in a humid climate. A corded coat maintained for conformation showing must be hand picked of vegetation seeds if the dog is allowed to swim or run in fields.
The Poodle grooming books which are obtainable at most canine book sources contain detailed photos and drawings of the various Poodle clips.
See our article on Growing a Show Coat on a Working Poodle.
For more information on the topics listed below, go to the grooming section of the website of Cathy McGinnis.
