Whether elaborately coifed or minimally pruned into a short uniform length, poodles are a breed renowned for their unique coats. Poodles have soft, fine fur that tends to grow curly, wiry and dense. This distinctive fur is generally low-shedding and can be clipped, trimmed and shaved into many different cuts and styles. Whether being groomed by a professional groomer or being groomed from home, the coat of a poodle requires routine brushing, bathing and trimming to avoid matting of the fur. On average poodle owners take their pets to be groomed as often as 3-6 weeks! As this frequency of professional grooming can become costly and time consuming, many owners of poodles choose to do some or all of their pet’s grooming themselves, at home. Whether concerned about economical grooming, or simply considering that your pet may be more comfortable at home rather than in the unfamiliarity of a groomer’s office, grooming from home is a common choice amongst poodle owners. Grooming from home may take practice, but can be a great way to save money and time when grooming your beloved pet poodle.
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Why Is It Important to Find the Best Clippers for Poodles?
Poodles and mixed breeds of poodles, have thick, curly fur that tends to “lock” together, resulting in tight, tangled knots that can pull at the skin, sometimes causing irritation. These thick coats of fur may pose a problem for pet clippers that operate with low performance and power. If planning to fully groom your pet poodle from home, it is a good idea to invest in professional quality grooming clippers to ensure a safe, efficient and accurate cut. The best dog clippers for poodles are models that work efficiently while operating quietly without overheating. These clippers posses the power to cut easily through dense and knotted fur.
The Different Types of Dog Clippers Explained
When you purchase pet clippers you are at basics paying for cutting power and comfort. Knowing how you plan to use your pet clippers will help to determine what type of model is best for you.
What to Look for in Dog Clippers for Poodles
The first step in the decision of which pet clippers will be best for your poodle, is to consider exactly which job you will be needing your clippers to complete and how often your clippers will be used. Selecting the perfect clippers for you and your pet poodle depends on the size of your dog, the specific areas you want to trim, the thickness of their fur and your dog’s sensitivity to loud noises.
Once you determine how you will be using your clippers you can narrow down the choices of available models based on what features are important to you.
There are models that boast quick charging times for cordless models, quiet motors, comfortable grips and holds as well as strong build quality.
Regardless of features of personal preference, a quality model of pet clippers will feature sharp and sturdy blades as well as an efficient and reliable motor that is not prone to over heating.
- Blades & Overheating
Many clippers of lower quality and performance are notorious for overheating while in use. All pet clipper blades warm up with use, but overheating requires that you stop and allow the machine to cool before resuming your grooming. Overtime, overheating the motor reduces the lifetime of your machine. Hot blades can irritate your pet’s skin and overheating is generally not good for the motor of your pet clippers.
Dull blades can be responsible for overheating pet clippers. Your clipper’s blades should be sharpened or replaced after an average of 100 hours of use.
A high SPM can cause friction that overheats your motor. Be mindful that a although a higher SPM is necessary for cutting through dense fur, higher performance will lead to greater friction and heat of the blades. Routinely applying clipper oil to your machine will help keep your blades and motor cool while in frequent or prolonged use.
- Multiple Clipper Lengths & Sizes of Blades
- Speed Settings
- Corded or Cordless
Cordless models operate with power from a rechargeable battery. These rechargeable models are limited in the amount of voltage they can provide to the motor which in turn limits power and performance. These models may also tend to be heavier in the hand than corded models, as they rely on dense battery packs for power. Cordless models are great for smaller types of poodles and between-grooming touchups.
Corded models are generally powerful, but may tend to overheat requiring a cool down period for the blades and motor when in continuous use. The length and flexibility of the cord may also limit mobility while grooming your pets. Corded models are durable and powerful enough to fully groom a standard sized poodle.
- SPM & Torque
- Ergonomics
Weight and noise are other important factors to consider. If your pet clippers are too heavy, it may limit your ability to use them for extended periods of time. If too noisy, your pet clippers might be upsetting to poodles sensitive to loud noises.
What Type of Clippers Are Best for Matted Fur?
Thick coats and matted fur can pose a real problem for those models of wireless clippers that lack the power to cut through the knotting. Although mobility is important to consider with any purchase of pet clippers, to tackle the matted fur of your poodle, you will want to invest in pet clippers that have a cord designed to supply your machine with optimal power. As matted fur can be a stubborn problem to solve, pet clippers with different speed settings can be helpful. Slower speeds are best for a more versatile cut and trim where faster speeds can better cut through tough matting.
Tips for Safely Grooming Your Poodle
- Routine brushing, bathing and trimming can minimize the occurrence of mats and tangles, making grooming more safe and enjoyable for your pet
- Invest in well rated, quality equipment to perform an accurate, safe grooming. Replace blades and apply clipper oil to your machine routinely.
- Use extra caution when grooming sensitive areas such as fur around the eyes, ears and paws. Exercise even greater caution when using a brand new machine unfamiliar to you or your pet
- Groom your pet with calm, deliberate motions; Choose a comfortable spot for both you and your poodle where grooming is uninterrupted by other loud noises or sudden movements of pets or people
- Take time to acquaint your pet with new pet clippers or grooming accessories
- Be aware of any sudden movements from your poodle; gently and slowly move the clippers away from your pet if they appear disturbed or agitated
- To complete your at-home grooming, you might choose to invest in additional grooming accessories for your poodle:
- Scissors with rounded tips can be used to trim delicate areas around the eyes, ears and paws.
- Blade coolant may or may not be included with your newly purchased pet clippers but is necessary for the proper maintenance of your blades and machine.
- Styptic powder may be of use in the event of a small knick or cut. Even the most professional of groomers occasionally knick a spot that bleeds more freely such as around the ears. In this case, a small amount of styptic powder helps to stop bleeding immediately.
How to Groom a Poodle: Four Important Tips
- Use equipment that is appropriate for your dog’s breed and fur type; invest in high performance clippers for larger poodles with thick coats. All models of pet clippers are capable of becoming very hot while being use. Be mindful of this heat to avoid burning your pup’s skin.
- Before trimming with clippers, carefully brush and bathe your poodle to clear any tangles and prevent the clipper blades from catching on any matted fur
- Give yourself plenty of time to groom your pet; a calm nature will help your pet feel more calm during grooming as well
- Select a cut that is maintainable for your poodle; for warmer months opt for a shorter cut
Prepping to Make Grooming Easy
Before each grooming, bathe, brush and dry your poodle. When bathed and brushed beforehand, your clippers will cut more easily through their clean coat, optimizing your grooming time. A bathe before grooming frees the fur from any grease, dirt or oil that could cause friction and clogging residue on your blades. When dust or dirt sits on the blades of your clippers friction is created causing the motor to heat more quickly. A quick bath before using your pet clippers on your poodle will extend the life of your machine and making grooming much more comfortable for you and your pet!
The Difference Between Dog Clippers and Human Clippers
The Best Pet Clippers for You and Your Poodle
By considering which features are important to you and for what you will be using your pet clippers to complete, you should be able to find the best set of clippers for your household. By grooming your pet at home, you can either extend the time between professional grooming appointments or fully groom your pet from the comfort of your own home.