Grooming Guide - Toy Poodle Pet or Salon Trim - Pro Groomer 

Groomer for 50 years here. Ms Bax is well-known and respected in the grooming community, and I saw nothing unusual or rough in the way she was dealing with the dog, who is very well-behaved. Perhaps you are reacting to the apparent pulling of the hair while she is combing. Have you ever completely combed out a poodle coat? It is a tough coat, which tangles easily. What she was doing was straightening the hair, not yanking it out. Style is not determined by the groomer, but by the owner. There are well over 100m named grooming patterns for poodles, and untold variations, limited only by the groomer's skill and the owner's imagination, plus the condition of the dog's coat to begin with. Brava, Anita. Beautiful work.

I have been using this ru-vid.comUgkx1_veP7CApJK_GWy_TczaMciuG64PqJeU as a handy reference book. I read through the book and enjoyed the little glimpses of examples. I love that this author believes in rescue dogs. The tips and training has been invaluable and gave me moments of...."how simple why didn't I think of it" so it's been a great tool. Thank you!

It amazes me how ignorant some of the people commenting here are. She isn't being rough with her poodle, she is handling her in a firm way because that's how we have to do it for safety. Grooming isn't about cuddling and being lovey with the dog.. it's about making sure their skin and coat is healthy and looks good. She did a wonderful job and I appreciate the tips! I will definitely use them while grooming.

I have two toy poodles and grooming once a month is terribly expensive, so I am hoping to keep mine bathed and trimmed myself and have them groomed every third month. Your tutorial is excellent and will be so very helpful. Thank you so much for sharing.

I have been a professional groomer for 8 years. I must say this video and groomer has taught me a few new tricks. Loved it!! Beautifully done. And for those that left rude comments on her like how she held the dog and so on have obliviously have NEVER groomed so should keep their opinions to themselves.

That dog is more patient than some people getting their hair cut!

That's the best use of clippers and scissors by a groomer that I have ever seen! Fantastic job!!!

I am beyond thrilled to discover a video guide of this caliber as a reference to groom my dog. I look forward to using this and your other videos. Thank you for sharing thorough, extensively detailed instruction.

No, guys, she was not rough with this dog. Maybe rougher than you are with yours, but even small dogs are hardy. Fortunately, this dog is very good and sits still for grooming, but if you spend even one minute in a salon and watch the dogs there you'll see that lots of tiny dogs fight and squirm and bite groomers. They're surprisingly strong and CAN hurt you, so being a little firm while grooming is as much a safety precaution as it is basic protocol. She's not beating or hurting this dog, it's fine. Also, a dog with long veins in it's nails will bleed from time to time, this is normal. It does hurt a little, but it's not a huge deal. I was kind of thrown by the rectum bleeding, but this is also not terribly uncommon in small dogs. This isn't a big injury, and does not require a vet. it's kind of like when you nick yourself with a razor while shaving your legs. Like ah, shit, that sucks, but you don't see a doctor over every razor cut, do you? Poodles are tough little kiddos and this is a really good groom job. This woman also has a great attitude. A firm and stern one is the best for professional grooming. If you spend the whole time sweet-talking the dog and being too lovey on it, it WILL start taking advantage of you and your patience and push the boundaries between what you will and won't let it get away with. A groomer is not a dog sitter, they're a professional. They have a job to do. If you want someone to treat your dog like a baby, then send it to a friend, or cut your dogs hair yourself, see just how hard this job is. This lady makes it look so easy because she purposely picked a dog with an easy personality.

Hands down, one of the best poodle grooming videos that I've watched on RU-vid or that I've purchased. I know it's the owner's preference to shave the ears, but since this poodle's ears were high-set, I would not have shaven them. It made it look like Yoda. Loved the rest of the trim though.

OMG YOU TURNED HER INTO A LLAMA!!!

Was having some troubles with my first poodle puppy to help her understand the process of grooming. So I watched this video with her on my lap and she watched the entire film, eyes glued to the screen. She has to have a sleep to take in new information. Next day I set her up on the table and she was remarkably better behaved. So, thank you for this video. :-)

I am a dog groomer myself. Although, I find her grooming technique and style to be wonderful, I have to agree to an extent that I found her to be a bit rough. NOT, with brushing! A groomer or a Pet Parent with a poodle will understand how difficult it can be to brush them out properly. When I refer to rough I mean causing the dog to bleed several times in this video, all in areas that could have been prevented with a more gentle care.

THIS IS THE BEST GROOMING VIDEO FOR POODLES I HAVE SEEN VERY GOOD..

Simply FAB!!!!!! Thankyou so much, great groomer...lovely result. Please do more....all breeds. Ena

Wonderful. Very thorough. I enjoyed the way the groomer handled the dog. Very firm and gentle. This video makes it clear that the groomer's behavior plays a huge part in the success of the groom. I liked the cut. I could see my dog in this cut, this is basically the way I clipped her when I was still able to do that. I would leave the ears long, though. Since this video is from the UK maybe that is just a cultural preference. It does give the dog an impish, pixi-ish look.

A bit to harsh with the dog

Dogs are incredibly patient.Groomer knows her stuff but did feel for this wee poodle,just abit of praise now and again,found this too clinical.

poodles are precious

You are a good groomer and your dog was very very good thank you .She deserves a nice treat. ❣️💖❣️

All I can say is Thank you for being generous enough in sharing your skill. I've learned a lot.

This is her pet, as she says. It is used to being groomed. It will help you, your pet and the groomer if you do these things. 1. train to be groomed when young 2. pet feet when at rest 3. rub nose when at rest 4 brush when needed (poodles almost every day) when resting. 5. ALWAYS brush after bath 6. teach grooming can be relaxing 7. always compliment your pet after groom.

I'm absolutely fascinated by this excellent tutorial and will be watching it again frequently. Quite often I felt the dog was being handled quite roughly, although the owner/groomer emphasised the comfort of the dog while clipping the feet. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

EXCELLENT WORK! I'm a newbie groomer from Argentina and I love all your work! Really I expect make a groomer like you!! Thx for the teaching

For all you non groomers please try brushing your dogs or matts or through compacted hair, and tell me how it worked out. Brushing is important for the groom if done by only brushing the top, you'll never get to the base of the problem and begin matting.

Every single grooming video I have watched there are people complaining saying the groomer is rough. If your not doing it yourself it can appear rough to the viewer. I think the groomers that put up videos are awesome I have learned so much and really appreciate that they share there knowledge. For those of you who are chronic complainers put up your video lets see what people have to say about you

This was very informative.. I did notice she nicked her anus at 13:55 and the dog was bleeding, and also nicked her toe at 8:08.. I think if shes been doing this for years, she should be able to groom a dog without making it bleed by now.

i have been grooming my 2 poodles for 3 yrs now and always had problems with the top knot.. i love the way you comb it all to one side then back to the other side then clean the top line to match...i cant wait to try that...this dog looks like she has very curly hair,,my dog is about the same size,,but her hair is much less curly...more wavy i guess..her son which i also own...is more the kinky type and i can comb him out like that...so glad i watched this video...

I've been a groomer for 20 years and she is incredibly rough. Poor dog. This dog is used to grooming and shouldn't need such a rough hand. I'd hate to see what she's like in private. Hmmm

this woman is a true professional. trust me I have poodles and trying to fine a groomer like her us virtually impossible! I would love to fine someone as through as her. absolutely love it! Definitely a pro groomer!

I groom my own dog (mini schnauzer) and I would NOT do this for a living for any amount of money!!! I'm brutally honest regarding my pets AND my children and pretty much everything as far as that goes. My children are good kids and I feel blessed to have them but by NO means are they perfect saints. Neither is my dog. She is very sweet and loving and is a family MEMBER rather than a family "pet". Now, on the flip side (this is where my brutal honesty comes in) my dog is TRIFLING!!!! Won't mind at times, just plain ol' trifling!!! (A word my grandmother used to describe us kids when we were unruly and not minding). It is very difficult to hold her and groom her or do anything else to her for that matter. If she does not want to do something or have something done to her, it is going to be a major task in getting it done!!! Yes, the groomer seems kind of rough and to the point, but I'm quite sure if she were to groom my dog, she would HAVE to be this way with her. As sweet as my little girl is, she is a handful when it comes to grooming!!!!

Watched this so many times. You are very informative and the most professional of all the videos that I have viewed. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.

Woman, "And that's the basic trim" Me, what the heck. That's the BASIC trim.

Excellent grooming. Beautiful poodle.

She's treating this pooch like an object instead of a sentient being, but she's also doing a great job keeping the dog cool while she does a great job on her.

Thank you very much we just adopted a toy poodle a few months going to attempt to do this for the first time, I have alredy cut her hair but i like this cut. thank you

Okay. Im sorry but she was very rough with this dog, cant this lady see the size of the poodle? Shes small. And to be honest, I thought she was going to cut the dogs ears off when she was doing the front part of the dogs fur.

I would like to thank you for your time in videoing this. I have done my own grooming for years, and though I do a great job in my cuts, I was always afraid to scissor cut, and I would only scissor to do the trimming of the tags. I really did enjoy the lesson. You did a great job, and I had to show my daughter that I handled our poodle just as you did yours.

Q GREAT JOB!! Am interested in equipment. Length of scissors, curve v. Straight, clippers v scissors, when to switch from curve to straight. Thank you for not harnessing ( strangling) the dog . Using this method, how old can the dog be before he ages out? You're the best!!!

Clearly I have too many shears! Who needs curves, thinners and chunkers when all you need are 2 good pairs of straights! Awesome trim!

the flash photography was very annoying

She is well known groomer. She is the best. As a groomer I think she is the best, and there are a lot to learn from her. Thanks.

She's so rough with pup. It really makes me upset. The groomer for my poodle pup is very sweet and gentle and her work is outstanding. You don't have to be rough to get the job done good.

This is an old video but still a valuable tutorial. And all I read are people with little to no experience in pet grooming complaining about rough handling and nicking the dog to cause bleeding. My goodness people it’s not a botched surgery lol. This lady is outstanding in her skill. You people need to take a chill pill.

she is an amazing groomer , love her work , i wish all my poodles were that good

Thank you, I really enjoy watching you work!

Ok ... coming from another groomer this lady did a great job, sometime nicks and scratches happen. She wasn't being overly rough and the dog didn't seem to mind. It didn't scream or act hurt at all. Great job!

Beautiful work! Her scissoring skills are remarkable!

Thank you, Anita! That was a very instructive tutorial. I have a mini poodle. I needed a refresher on his leg and neck trim. I find those the hardest. Knowing when to stop the trimmer on top of the legs, and on the neck. If you trim up the neck, the top knot looks like a mushroom cap sitting on a long stem. Ditto for legs. This was so useful. Do you have any advice on tools? I have an AGC A5 Andis clipper for main body. I use Geib blades #10 for under chest, #5 or #7 for body shave down, #30 for face, inside ears, toes, and groin area. My do'g's fur grows so fast, leaving any more fur on means redoing in 2 weeks instead of 3-4 wks. My scissors are so cheap at $26 each. They are lousy. I need advice please on length and brand for straight shears, curved shears, and thinning shears. Are thinning shears even necessary? Thanks again for a wonderful video!!

Such a great video. Very informative and professionally done. Sweet little dog was very patient and well behaved too.

She's seems a little impatient with the dog.

Lovely professional cut ,its a tough job even though it looks easy ,well trained & well behaved dog ,defiantly was stressed out , i guess it required a bit of love n cuddle. Bravo

My dog was really old and had lots of bumps all over her body. The first groomer she had, nicked almost every single one. I was quite shocked but I guess she was just trying to groom my Mia fast. The next groomer was a lot more careful and never once nicked Mia’s skin. It wasn’t like Mia was moving lots. She was very good at being groomed and stayed quite still. She didn’t like being on a table, or moving whilst being high up, as she was blind and didn’t want to fall off.

Wow ...this lady is a Wonderful groomer realy Awesome groom dog work.

Lol "shes an old bitch" anyone else heard that?

Your absolutely right! However, more so with such clipper, you would handle with much precautions. This video has provided more than just a few nicks. The work is still fascinating! I was just taught that those are all danger zone areas and we are suppose to handle extra care. Especially with those blades.

I'm sure she didn't mean to cut the dogs bottom. she could have been a little bit more gentle.

This is the best guide I have found. My toy poodle looks great now!

These are the best instructions I have seen so far! Love it!

Beautiful work! I really enjoyed watching and have learned some new things!

I worked for a vet and held dogs for a groomer. super long pain in the ass thing. so glad my dogs are short hair and don't need to be groomed.

I wish i watched this yesterday before i gave my 12 year old poodle mix her first poodle cut ever haha, she looks silly but she suprisingly loves it. The way you did the feet was sooo much easier!

That dog is a saint. The groomer is rough!

Thank you for this great tutorial. What is the difference between the two scissors you are using? And, what setting are the trimmers? I am going to purchase tools for grooming my apricot toy poodle, so looking for advise as to what to buy.

I have been a professional groomer for over 25 years and I too think you are handling her way too aggresively! Lighten up a bit on how you move her around, you dont have to be so rough! ....but your grooming is on point!

Great video, thank you. My first poodle in over 50 years.

I wish my dog would stay that calm :/

Lmao at 38 :00 .... "she's docked cause she's an older bitch" I died

Thank you! It is a great video. Your dog is adorable. I have a toy and a miniature poodle. I am sharing it on my FB page. Would you please send me again the name of the two clippers and blades you used on this video. I hope these clippers don't get too hot. Thank you so much for an amazing video.

Thanks for sharing ,this was very helpful,great job!

Es muy instructivo y nos ayuda a mantener la limpieza del animal.

thank you for that video! Such a great job u did on taking clearly and explaining it thoroughly. I would love to know what brand in scissors you were using.

She groomed the dog so quickly. I was a bit surprised that the clippers cut the dog. and I wished she hadn't shaved the poodles ears otherwise very informative

Thankyou so much Madame Bax; you have given me confidence to try myself!

I would never let this woman touch my dog! I don't care how respected she is in her circle (as people are saying in the comments), she IS rough with the dog, and also she cutted the dog several times. I am aware that this can happen, but since she is such a terrific professional and this dog is so well behaved this shoudn't happen. And the fact that she mentioned that 'this is her dog' annoyed me, I don't care whom's dog this is, treat it better, it's a living being.

Fantastic show, I have been grooming/trimming my own poodles ( currently 2 standards) for over 25 years, it's a tough gig! (Easier to groom the two horses quite frankly!) Well done and thanks.

Camera flash is distracting!!

Congratulation, very good vídeo, I Love it!!! I'm from Brazil!!

I am left cold by this. I have a miniature. I dont like this cut. If that style, she calls it a Pet Cut, is actually a Poodle style, I've never seen nor heard of it after 15 years of owning Poodles. She basically denuded the body and ears, shaved them down to the skin. That is the fastest and easiest (laziest) way to deal with a coat that might have some tangles. Electric trimmers will not pass though hair that has any tangles, so the lazy way is to just shave the body clean. We have scissors and combs for working the coat to any length desired. The only groomer that ever did that to my dog didn't get paid. Normally the Puppy or Lamb cuts leave at least an inch of fuzz all over the dog, with the legs, ears, head, and tail fluffier. I see others below have commented on the aggressive handling of a little dog that clearly was willing to let anything happen without protest. I agree. Maybe she was in a hurry, but I would not want my dogs jerked around like that.

I am a professional dog trainer as well as a( people) hairstylist for over 40 years. This dog is incredibly well trained to stand and I am impressed by the stylists hand scissoring skills. What might seem a bit tough may be just the fact that this woman has done so many dogs over the years that her method is quick and effective, thereby reducing the time the dog would have to stand if she were approching it differently. Any thoughts on that?

Her toe was bleeding at the end, can't you be more careful?

OHMYGOSH!! I can't believe she shaved her ears! We were watching and thinking how beautiful she looked and then she shaved her ears!!! We were hollering "NOOOOOOOOOO" at the screen when she started doing that. Beautiful little dog and beautiful hairdo. Too bad about the ears. Learned a lot, though. Thanks for posting.

You all can criticise when you can do a job like that while being all soft and cute with the dog it needs to be shown authority or it won't behave.

This is the most definitive grooming process I've seen on You-Tube. Now I better understand why professional groomers command a good price--they sure do their work and earn the money. I doubt I could ever be as deft with those scissors--they look lethal, lol, but she has the knack. 'Same with the clipper. Good job, lady! Good patience, doggie beautiful!

my question is why they need that kind of cut ...its natural and that hair look cool to her.....and plz handle her with some love .....

Datum lady.. such talent!! Very patient as well behaved poodle

fantastic video best I've seen....I just wish you had left the ears long. My dog is a standard poodle we do not show him but they look so much better with long ears. Thanks so much for sharing and helping save me money by grooming myself. I'm not sure I'll do as much scissor work as you do but I'll give it a try.

She's really roughly moving that dog

What on earth is wrong with the complainers ? I mean were we watching the same tutorial ? The groomer did an amazing job in my opinion , she had full control of the poodle in a professional manner. I hope that my poodle, LILLY , is handled in the same way with her groomer. GREAT JOB 🐶😀👍🇺🇸

If you're inexperienced DO NOT take scissors to your dogs paws or pads! That hair that is around the nail and pads could be taken off with a finisher clipper! I use an Oster Finisher Trimmer Model 59 Light Duty Animal Trimmer. Seriously, you'll cut your dog more with scissors if you don't know how to use it or your dog is wiggly.... The fact that she is working so fast caused her dog to bleed.. ugh! Ir looks too much like a Bedlington Terrier now.

Anita Bax you are the greatest poodle groomer ever! Thank you so much!

Fantastic!!!

Beautiful cut!!My Truffles looks just like your sweet dog ,a little smaller,but same colour.Yes they have to be firm,not rough,but firm,there is a difference. My Truff is groomed by the same groomer for 11 yrs now and knows the routine,i think that is important with consistency .that way your dog gets to know the groomer and the groomer gets to know your dog.The cut looks just like this dog except for the ears,she leaves them long. He prances around after his cut!!Its amazing how wonderful they feel after a bath and a lovely cut!

im not a animal lover but the dog looks beautiful with all the hair on,why would you cut it off

Are you a groomer?? You need to read your book on dog anatomy. The lady in the video is wonderful!!!! She can groom all my Poodles any day.

Wonderful video and lovely cut! LOL All these pet owners getting their panties in a bunch.. She wasn't being rough.

This dog is truly loved and what a good girl she is. I have 3 poodles two of which won't let me touch their feet I envy this woman. Thanks for a great video you are a great groomer.

Great skill, but since you mentioned she is your own dog but why so rough? Don't understand.

Amazing work 🙌👏 she looks beautiful ❤️ I always wonder whats the dog thinking while they're standing there. Shes a good girl 😍

anybody else realize the amount of blood of her fingers?!