Toy Poodles are lovable and intelligent dogs. Smaller than 10 inches and weighing less than 9 pounds, the thought of grooming such a delicate animal can seem like a daunting, frightening task. However, because Toy Poodles are so intelligent and easily trained, with patience and love, your Toy Poodle will grow accustomed to your grooming routine. Once you have all the proper grooming tools and a calm, distraction-free environment for grooming, you’ll find that each session becomes easier than the last.

Instructions

• Place your pup on a sturdy table and introduce him to the sound of clippers firing up near his head. As long as your pup is comfortable with the sound, gently and slowly touch the pup with the clippers, do not cut the hair but get used to what the clipper vibration feels like. Repeat this process over the course of a week until your Poodle puppy no longer seems frightened by the presence of the clippers.
• Attach blade number 30 to the clipper and select the cutting guide to the length you want your hair to be. For a puppy, you have to start with a simple cut, rather than starting with a complicated looking dog cut. Choose the 1-inch guide comb and gently trim the top of the back of the head and neck, working the clippers in the direction of hair growth. Leave the hair on the top of the puppy’s head. Switch to blade number 10 and trim the abdomen and genital area, following the direction of hair growth.
• Change the blade to a number 15 and trim any remaining facial hair around the jawline and feet. Using the same blade, trim the ear hair in a “U” shape. Attach the number 3F blade and blend the remaining hairs. Fluff the remaining hair on the top of the puppy’s head and tail into a pom-pom and use a waterproof brush to comb out the ear and leg hair.
• Trim the puppy’s toenails with a guillotine cutter following all of the manufacturer’s safety guidelines. These cutters have a circle in which the nail is placed and cut. Make sure you don’t cut the root, which is dark in color.
• Remove the hair inside your pup’s ears with a pair of long-handled, rounded hemostats. Clean the ears with cotton swabs dipped in alcohol to remove debris that is causing the infection.

Tips and Warnings

• This is a basic “teddy bear” cut ideal for puppies. There are many other styles that you can try as your pup gets used to grooming.
• Shampoo your pup after the grooming routine. Repeat the process every two to three weeks.
• Take special care when trimming nails and cleaning ears. If you’re not comfortable with the grooming process, your puppy won’t be either. If this is the case take it to a professional groomer.
• No hurry. Your pup got scared and they need time to learn that the grooming process didn’t hurt.

Check out this video on how to groom a poodle puppy at home;