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11 Poodle Haircuts & Grooming Styles in 2024 (With Pictures)

Kristin Hitchcock

By Kristin Hitchcock

red-haired dwarf poodle in studio

Poodles are renowned for their hair. While the continental haircut may be the most popular, there are tons of other options out there. Some haircuts are more practical, while others are high-maintenance and adorable. Which haircut you choose for your dog depends on your goals and lifestyle. Show poodles need the continental cut, for instance.

However, if you have a companion dog, you can choose whatever cut you want!

Below, we listed some of the most popular poodle haircuts for this year. This list should give you plenty of Poodle cut styles to choose from!

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The Top 11 Poodle Haircuts

1. The Continental Cut

This clip is the most famous poodle haircut. It is so popular and time-honed that it is still prevalent this year. If youโ€™re stuck on picking a cut, this is a reliable option to choose from. It is one of the two acceptable haircuts for show dogs, according to the American Kennel Club.

This cut involves shaving everywhere except their face, ears, shoulders, paws, and tail. All of their โ€œjointsโ€ are kept free, which gives them a full range of movement. This was the traditional cut Poodles were given when retrieving waterfowl, as it left enough hair for them to stay warm without getting in the way of their mobility.

The one downside of this cut is that it needs to be done by a professional. It takes a lot of work.


2. English Saddle Cut

This cut is very similar to a continental cut. However, it does not involve shaving the dogโ€™s legs and is more โ€œlevelโ€. It isnโ€™t quite as stylized, making it a good option for dog owners who donโ€™t want the continental cutโ€™s fanciness. It is more difficult to see the body of the dog with all the extra care. However, you may not care much if you have a companion dog.

This cut leaves plenty of hair behind to keep the dog warm but shaves it down enough to give the dog plenty of mobility as well. This is an increasingly common cut for dog owners, as it is a happy middle-ground.


3. The Kennel Cut

The โ€œkennel cutโ€ was traditionally used during the summer months or for show dogs who werenโ€™t currently being shown. It is also called the โ€œsummer cut,โ€ as many owners use it during the summer months to keep their dog cooler in the heat. Generally, the coat is clipped to the same length across the whole body.

If you donโ€™t care much about all the fancier cuts, this is a good option. Most companion poodles have this cut.


4. Puppy Cut

This is not a cut that has been designed for puppies. Instead, this cut is supposed to make full-grown poodles look like puppies. Thus, it is one of the more popular toy poodle haircuts, as they are already small enough to be puppies.

With that said, this is also a style that is acceptable for actual puppies. According to the AKC, this is a good style for dogs under a year old. You will need a pompom on the tail for showing purposes, though. However, for companion dogs, this is not necessary.

Some brave owners may be able to keep this cut maintained at home.


5. Sporting Cut

The sporting cut is pretty easy to explain. It has a uniform hair length across the dogโ€™s whole body, except for the tail, which has a pompom. This is an easy cut to maintain at home and is a standard cut used for show dogs. However, this is an extremely suitable cut for companion dogs as well.

We recommend this cut for colder climates, as the fur is a bit longer overall than in other cuts. It is almost the winter version of the kennel cut.


6. Lamb Cut

This is an extremely modern cutโ€”much more so than other cuts weโ€™ve discussed thus far. While this cut looks a lot like others on this list, it is characterized by the coatโ€™s smoothness. There are no harsh lines. It is quite โ€œboringโ€. However, for owners who care more about practicality than the show, it is a good option.

This cut is seen on a variety of other dogs as well as it is simple and low maintenance.


7. Bikini Cut

The bikini cut is a middle ground between fancy and straightforward. It has a little bit of style but is still very low maintenance. Most of the body is kept very short, while certain areas are allowed to grow out like the ears, paws, and tail.

This is one of the shortest cuts out there, so it is suitable for warmer climates. For this reason, it is also called the โ€œMiami cut.โ€


8. Scandinavian Clip

This cut is incredibly grand and overdone. It is an extreme continental cut. For this reason, it is scarce. It is most suitable for icy areas, like Scandinavia, hence the name. This cut is most common in Europe, so you usually wonโ€™t see it very often in America.

This cut is most identifiable by the fluffiness everywhere!


9. Town and Country Cut

As far as modern cuts go, this is one of the most popular options out there. The coat length on this style isnโ€™t set. In other words, you can trim your dogโ€™s coat to be however long you want. The one distinguishing feature is that the legs are cut to resemble cylinders. The ears and head are also very rounded with minimal poofs.

Overall, this coat looks very โ€œnatural,โ€ which is why it is so popular among the average dog owner.


10. Corded Poodle Cut

When left unkept, a poodleโ€™s curly hair automatically forms cords. This cut involves letting that process happen. This cut used to be very popular. However, it had fallen out of style for decades. Nowadays, the cut is beginning to come back in style.

To achieve this style, you will need to dreadlock your petโ€™s hair. This should be done with care and precision, as natural mats can be quite uncomfortable. This is a style you can achieve at home, though. It is also effortless to care for once you get things going.


11. Modern Cut

Nothing shows a fresh style more than the modern cut. It is designed to be as easy to maintain as possible while also accenting a Poodleโ€™s body shape and athleticism. It is not quite as impressive as some of the other cuts on this list. However, it is very low-maintenance, which is precisely why many owners choose it.

If youโ€™re looking for a genuinely modern clip, this is the option for you. It is notable and low-maintenance, making it the best of both worlds for most companion dogs.

Conclusion

If you are the lucky owner of a poodleโ€”no matter what sizeโ€”you have plenty of adorable haircuts to choose from. From fancy to practical and everything in between, the above list should give you great insight into whatโ€™s possible.

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Featured Image Credit: Dulova Olga, Shutterstock

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