With their thick and curly hair, there are so many styles and cuts you can do with a Poodle. This is part of the reason why owning this breed is so much fun. You can create stunning masterpieces with a creative cut, which adds to your pup’s appeal.
A Continental cut, for instance, is the classic show dog style for Poodles. It’s so elaborate and elegant at the same time, and no other breed can proudly wear it as well as this breed. There are also simpler cuts such as the Summer and Dutch, lending a low-maintenance and easy vibe that’s perfect for a wash-and-wear style.
No matter what the Poodle hairstyle, it always looks picture-perfect. So if you think your doggo’s stuck in a rut and need a new ‘do, check out this list of clips and cuts to get your creative juices flowing!
31. Continental
This list of Poodle hairstyles will never be complete without the Continental Cut. It is commonly seen in dog shows and the standard groom for Poodles.
The Continental Cut features pompoms on the ankles and a shaved back. The face is kept short while the tip of the tail has a good amount of fur to protect the dog from the cold temps. Lastly, the head is thick and fluffy with a longer length.
30. Summer Or Bikini
When the temps are high and summer is on, what better way to keep your pooch cool than with a Summer or Bikini Cut. It is exactly as the name suggests – short, polished, and fresh.
The tail and ears remain long while the body is only half an inch in length. This is a low-maintenance cut that is perfect for the warmer months.
29. Sweetheart Mustache
The key here is to achieve a heart-shaped mustache around the muzzle. To create this look, you give your dog a Puppy Clean Face cut to start. Then, you start working on the mustache.
Shave the face hair to show the corners of your pup’s mouth. Then, shape the hair around its muzzle into a heart, and voila! There’s your sweetheart mustache!
28. Clean Face
In a way, it is somewhat similar to the Puppy Clean Face except it does not necessarily mean giving your pooch a Puppy cut. It can be applied to any cut but with a clean face instead of thick and fluffy.
Shave the face nice and short. We recommend a 10 or 40 blade to create this look. But don’t go for the 50 blade, or it will be very uncomfortable for your pup.
27. Donut Mustache
Think of it as a donut-shaped hair around the muzzle. This is pretty much what the Donut Mustache is, in simpler terms.
The corners of the mouth have shaved hair. But the muzzle has a circle of hair wrapped around it. Ideally, you would pair off this look with a Clean Face to really emphasize the Donut-like mustache.
26. Bell Bottom
It is exactly what the name suggests – as though your pooch is wearing bell-bottom jeans! But the secret is in achieving the desirable length for the rest of the body to let the bell-bottom style stand out.
Aside from shaving the neck and the face, you would also want to shave the belly area. This creates a belly band, which highlights the fluffy and long hair on the legs… Like bell-bottoms!
25. Fifth Avenue
For this Poodle hairstyle, it’s all about length and fluff. Forget the shaving and stick to letting it grow nice and thick.
This is a type of cut that is so chic, it makes your doggo look as though it’s wearing a fur coat. Keep the hair abundantly fluffy all around – including the face. That’s what the Fifth Avenue cut is all about.
24. Jacket And Pants
This is a very creative cut that makes your canine seem like it’s donning a pair of pants and a jacket!
Shave the neck, base of the tail, and the face. The same goes for the body. However, you keep all four legs fluffy.
23. German
Compared to the Kennel cut, the German cut is more stylish and has more flair. It is also most suitable for Poodles that suffer from constant ear matting or infections.
With the German cut, you keep the ears shaved, the body and tail short, but with longer legs. This may seem like a simple cut but very functional for pups with sensitive skin around the ears.
22. Fox
Another fun thing about a Poodle’s hair is that you can create an entirely different look that makes your pup look like a different animal! As with the Fox Cut, it’s all about making your pooch resemble a Fox-like face.
You can easily achieve this look by keeping the feet, tail, and face shaved. But maintain longer legs, at least longer than its body hair, and absolutely zero pom.
21. Lion
This elaborate cut is one of the most popular Poodle hairstyles. It’s quite extravagant, lending an air of sophistication to your pooch. Basically, it gives your pup a lion-like appearance, just like what the name of this cut suggests!
With the Lion cut, the limbs are shaved while the back and front paws have a pompom. But the head and stomach have a profuse amount of hair, somewhat similar to the Continental cut.
20. Miami
The Miami cut comes with similar names including Vlown or Pop-Pom trim. It does offer a sense of flair to your pooch, even if it can be challenging to maintain.
To achieve this cut, the legs have thick pompoms while the body remains short. There is also the signature topknot, which can either be long or medium. Lastly, the face is shaved to maintain a clean and sleek look.
19. English Saddle Or Saddler
Closely resembling the Lion Cut, the English Saddle is another classy cut for Poodles. This is also typical among show dogs because of the complex, yet appealing look it offers.
The only difference between the English Saddle and the Lion is that hind legs. There is an extra pompom on this part. The body retains the tight curls and the ears remain long.
18. Modified Continental
The Modified Continental is exactly what the name implies – it is a variation of the classic Continental Cut. The coat does not need to be a particular length but definitely not completely shaved.
But one thing is for certain – the fringe on the ear must not be excessively long. Balance in the trims is the standard feature of this cut, which can be tricky to achieve.
17. Kennel Or Utility
When you think of a classic Poodle hairstyle, it’s easy to think something in the likes of a show dog look. But the Kennel Cut is simpler. There’s some length on the ears, legs, and body while the head comes with a top knot.
Although a shaved tail, neck, and face are hallmarks of the Poodle, these are optional for the Kennel cut. It’s quite like a show groom style but with a low-maintenance quality to it.
16. Town And Country
Famous among Poodle owners in the US, Town and Country is often seen in Miniature and Standard Poodles. It has a certain flair to it, while at the same easier to maintain.
The trademark features of this cut are the cylinder-shaped body and hairy legs. As for the body hair length, it is short, which makes the leg appear denser and fluffier. The ears and head have a rounded, clean finish for a polished appearance.
15. Sporting
Another popular Poodle hairstyle is the Sporting Cut. With this cut, the top of the head has a scissored cap. But the body hair is short and should not be any longer than an inch.
This is a low-maintenance cut that is quite easy and simple to achieve. Poodles of all sizes should be able to look good with this type of cut.
14. Palm Beach
Next up, we have the Palm Beach Cut. This is another easy-to-maintain cut that is perfect for the warmer climate.
Groomers can easily achieve the Palm Beach look by keeping the body and legs short. The short length all around is then accentuated by pompoms right on the ankles. Thus, it adds some dimension to the legs for a certain flair.
13. Bolero
The Bolero Cut is another posh Poodle hairstyle. It gives a certain look as though your pooch is wearing… A bolero!
What this cut entails are the belly band and the shaved face. The legs are kept thick and fluffy while the band is cleanly shaved right between the poms and the full leg.
12. Sailor Boy
Another one of the less common Poodle hairstyles is the Sailor Boy. It does make the Poodle appear like a Sailor because of the combination of shaved and fluffy areas.
This cut has some resemblance to the Bolero. However, the legs are unshaved, although the face is clean and there is a belly band included.
11. Puppy
Whether your Poodle is an adult or still a young puppy, the Puppy Cut is perfect for all ages. The idea is to keep your pooch looking youthful, which is what this cut is all about!
However, it is definitely most common among Miniature Poodles. There is no need to keep the look sharp or defined. It lends an air of freshness to it, while finishing it off with a pompom on the tail.
10. Royal Dutch
Commonly seen in dog competitions, the Royal Dutch is one sophisticated cut. It aims to achieve a uniform length all throughout.
But one important feature of this cut is that the tail has a tiny pompom at the end. Other than that, there is no specific hallmark of this cut.
9. Chicago Dutch
This is one of the most unique-looking Poodle hairstyles you can give to your dog. The Chicago Dutch Cut features a belly band. But it’s not just any belly band… It comes with a V shape and ends with a thin line following the curves of the spine.
Do take note that the Chicago Dutch can be tricky to maintain. So, it is best to have it trimmed by a professional for a clean and polished appearance.
8. Lamb
Just like a lamb, the cut features longer hair on the legs but shorter all over the body. While there is no particular length, groomers often use a #4 size of blade for the legs and #7 for the body.
The tail, as well as the neck and face, are shaved. There is also a long or short length for the top knot to complete the look.
7. Panda Bear With Clean Feet
The primary goal of this cut is to give your Poodle a Panda Bear-like appearance. But what makes it stand out is that the feet are shaved, so there is almost no hair seen.
But as for the rest of the body, it is a bit like the lamb cut – short but not shaved. The same goes for the legs and the tail. There may or may not be any pompoms, either.
6. Panda Bear
The Panda Bear cut is similar to the Lamb cut. There is no pompom on the tail and the hair length on the legs is longer than the body.
The only difference this cut has with the previous style is the feet. This area is not shaved at all but kept at the same length as the legs and ankles.
5. Sweetheart
As with the Sailor Cut, the Sweetheart has a belly band to accentuate the legs. The upper body and limbs are of the same length.
But do take note that this cut includes a pompom on the tail. This gives it a fluffy look that adds a flair and style to your pooch.
4. European
If you are a type of Poodle owner that loves to give your pup a trendy look, then European Cut is one thing to consider. It is also known as the Scandinavian cut, especially in the US.
The primary objective of this cut is to give your dog a professional finish. It is not at all exaggerated or complex. This cut is also leaning more towards the natural look, while having an obvious aesthetic flair to it. The highlight is also on the head and ears.
3. Dutch
Another Poodle hairstyle that closely resembles the Sailor Boy cut is the Dutch. With this cut, there is a belly band and longer legs.
One main difference between this cut and the Sailor Boy, however, is the spine area. This section is often shaved and thin for a clean look.
2. French Mustache
Just like a real mustache, this cut is all about keeping the hair around the mouth very short except for the top part. Both the bottom jaw and the corners of the mouth have very little hair.
Then, the top jaw keeps a longer length. The hair is also shaped in such a way that it lays flat while keeping it short enough to accentuate the jawline.
1. Puppy Clean Face
As the name implies, the Puppy Clean Face features a shorter cut on the face. So, you can just lose all the fluff and ruff around the muzzle, cheeks, and elsewhere and snip the hair to half an inch.
To create a sense of balance, we also keep the legs at the same length as on the face. The body can maintain a longer or shorter length, whichever you prefer.
Related Questions
How Often Does A Poodle Need A Haircut? Because of the naturally fluffy hair quality of a Poodle, it is important to give this pooch a haircut at least every 4 to 6 weeks. However, if the clip is very short or shaved, it will suffice to brush or comb the hair daily without giving a haircut too often.
Can A Poodle Have Straight Hair? Newborn Poodles often have straighter hair or slightly wavy. It is always fluffy and soft but not at all like the thick curls that adult Poodles have.
What Happens If You Don’t Groom A Poodle? A Poodle’s hair grows thick fast. Thus, when left ungroomed, the hair can become a big mess of fluff. Matting can also occur, which can be an issue over time. Hence, grooming every 3 weeks or so is a necessity for this breed.
