The origin of the poodle clip is widely debated, mostly because the name says it all (the word “poodle” is derived from the German word “pudel,” which means “water dog”), but dogs with similar manes which closely resemble the red toy poodle have been bred for centuries. 
The most common course of history traces the poodle haircut into Germany during the late 16th century. As a water breed, poodles were groomed according to their lifestyles. An unshaven poodle was at risk of sinking in the water due to its thick coat. Owners shaved the top halves of their poodles but left the bottom halves unshaven so the dog could float better in water.
Hair was left intact around the chest and joints only to protect the poodle’s organs and prevent injury. Hair around the mouth and eyes was also shaved so that the dog could see while it went about retrieving, and an identifying knot of hair was fashioned on top of the poodle’s head to also keep the hair away from eyes.
When the poodle breed became more popular in France, elaborate styles of cut evolved. Two of these cuts are required of every poodle competing in the Westminster Dog Show to this day. The first cut, the Continental cut, consists of keeping everything covered, with the exception of the hind legs, and the second cut, the English Saddle cut, exempts the trimming of the hind leg hair.
Did you just bring your new red toy poodle home with you and aren’t sure when you should start grooming them? In our previous blog post, we mention at what age you should start grooming your red toy poodle.
Are you ready to adopt a red toy poodle today? Find out what the process entails here.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.