What a pretty face!
Let Dogs Be Dogs, what’s wrong with that?
I got an email today from a friend the other day that really upset me. It had pictures of Poodles participating in what was called “Extreme Poodle Grooming.” The Standard Poodles were cut to resemble other kinds of animals, cartoon characters, and even fruit! It made me sad in the same way that those beauty contest for little girls does. I believe that dogs and little girls need to be allowed to be what they are, precious gifts!
Let’s look at the Standard Poodle first of all. The Poodle breed is one of the most intelligent of dog breeds. They range in sizes from teacup to the large Standard Poodle. They have won Best In at Westminster Kennel Club 2002 and the World Dog Show in 2007. They are retrievers and water dogs; their name poodle comes from the German pudelhund which means water dog.
The Poodle has dense curly fur; they do not have the double coat like most dogs and don’t shed a lot. This makes them good dogs for people who have allergies. Their fur is often referred to as hair which needs to get groomed every 6 to 8 weeks. If you keep on top of it you can save money by doing it yourself at home rather than going to a groomer. Their beautiful hair and the approved standard cuts are their trade mark. The three basic cut are:
- Puppy clip – This clip is the most common one in all sizes for shows in Europe. The face, throat, belly, feet and the base of the tail are shaved 5 to 7 days before the show to get a nice smooth appearance of the shaved areas. The hair on the head is left to form a “topknot” that is fixed by using latex bands. The rest of the dog is shaped with scissors. It makes the parts of the dog look fluffy.
- Continental Clip – In the continental clip the face, throat, feet and part of the tail are shaved. The upper half of the front legs is shaved, leaving “fluffy pompoms” around the ankles. The hindquarters are shaved except for pompons on the lower leg and optional round areas (sometimes called “rosettes”) over the hips. The continental clip is the most popular show clip today.
- English Saddle Clip – The English saddle clip is similar to the continental, except for the hindquarters. The hindquarters are not shaved except a small curved area on each flank (just behind the body), the feet, and bands just below the stifle (knee) and above the hock, leaving three pompons. This clip is now rarely seen in Standard Poodles.
Over the years people have criticized these cuts but they are used chiefly for shows and after show years owners keep them clipped to insure their comfort and good health care. Poodles are great dogs, they are very intelligent, get along well with people and are easy to train. They certainly don’t need the indignity of looking like a Ninja Turtle! For more information regarding Standard Poodles click here at Standard Poodle Rescue Network.
I have never had a little girl but I remember what it was like to be one. I loved to play with dolls and toys and have a pretty new dress for Easter Sunday. Wearing lipstick, ear rings and eye shadow would have felt strange. Let’s let dogs be dogs and childhood only happens once in a lifetime, let it be.
Your Best Friend Is Counting On You
Visit us at www.WhiskerFeathers.com
Photo by M Witherow Released under Creative Commons
