The Schnoodle Hair cut

When you take your puppy for his first hair cut the biggest question will be what type of cut is appropriate for the Schnoodle.  Is it the Schnauzer cut?  Is it the Poodle cut? .....What about trying a Doodle Cut.   The Doodle cut is the hair cut that has evolved for the Labradoodle and Goldendoodle.   It is an even all over cut that allows for a lovely beard and a flowing tail.

 

Basic Maintenance Grooming

This basic Grooming chart taken from:   http://goldendoodles.com/groom/index.htm
Here is another link that gives photos and ideas on grooming the coat of a Doodle.

http://groomblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/grooming-goldendoodle.html

I hope that this gives you some ideas.  Ultimately there are no rules for your puppy cut.  You can choose the look for your Schnoodle that you like best.

Grooming a Schnoodle puppy

(A revised post from last year)  Over the last week I have been doing a little bit of puppy grooming here and there.  Clipping the puppy bottoms and the fur that pokes into their eyes.  Now their nails also need trimming.  Their nails are still so soft that regular nail clippers do the job quite nicely. 


When you bring your puppy home you will need to attend to the basic grooming that needs to be done.  The schedule for your puppy's grooming will depend on his coat type.  Obviously the longer thicker fur will likely need more maintenance than the straighter thinner coat.   Also you can expect your puppies coat to thicken over the first several years.  


Before you begin, exhaust the puppies with a good romp outdoors so they will be less squirmy when you groom them.  Then go to work...

1. Clipping the fur on the Pads of their feet

I'm only 7 weeks, but I am getting pretty fluffy!

It is important to clip the fur around the pads of the puppies feet.  Long fur collects dirt and germs, plus it is prone to getting matted which can be rather uncomfortable.  The puppies feet fur was already long and thick.  I trimmed it down around the nails and between the pads of their feet.

I spent all my energy in playtime, so I am pretty relaxed right now.

2. Clipping Toe Nails
After clipping the feet fur, I was able to see the toe nails quite visibly.  I used regular people nail clippers, to trim each toe nail on the front and back paws.  When your puppy gets bigger you will need to use specially designed dog toe clippers.   When you take your puppy in for his first hair cut, you might want to ask the groomer to show you how to clip the nails.  Their are also a lot of good instruction online. You have to be very careful not to clip the wick or you will cause the dog to bleed.  It is advisable to keep Styptic powder on hand as it will stop the bleeding of a toe nail.  Happily, I have never needed it.

Mom gives me tummy rubs to reward me during grooming.

3. Trimming the Fur around the eyes
It is important for your puppy to be able to see, and we also don't want excessive fur to be a breeding ground of bacteria around your puppies eyes.  Today I trimmed the fur that was at the corners of their eyes and cleaned away any goop that had accumulated.  I used a pair of round nose scissors, especially for cutting fur, so I wouldn't risk any injury.

4. Trimming the Anal area.
It is also important to keep the fur trimmed short near the puppies anus, so that the fur in this area won't trap feces.  If puppies get a dried poopy butt it is unsightly, unhygienic and very uncomfortable for the puppy.

I am a good puppy even for grooming!

This was all the grooming that was necessary for the 7 week old puppy.  But it will be good for you to continue to do these same grooming activities with your puppy.  The puppy will need to be groomed all his life, and he better get use to being handled early on, or he will be a problem for the groomer.

Look!  You can see my eyes!

As the summer progresses your puppy may need his body fur trimmed.  If you love your furry puppy and want to keep him long and fluffy for a while, that is fine....but please get a clipper and turn it on every few days and let the puppy get use to the sound of the motor.  Run it over the body of the puppy (without using the blade) so the puppy can get use to the vibrations.  The more you do this with a young puppy the easier it will be for his first all over hair cut.

REMEMBER:  The Schnoodle hair does not fall out.  It grows continually.  As the puppy gets older it also gets thicker and thicker.   Therefore, it shaving the Schnoodles body is a necessary part of his life.  He needs to get use to this while he is young, so it is not a stressful event for him later on.


.  

Do you like my manicure?

Grooming your puppy is not just to make them look good.....it is a NECESSARY aspect of your Schnoodles health.    Ear infections and overgrown toenails are very painful.  Allowing a dogs fur to get matted is cruel because matted fur pulls at their skin and is very uncomfortable for a dog.   Please take the grooming requirements of your Schnnoodle seriously.

Even if you take your dog to a regular groomer, it is a good idea for you to get use to some of the minor grooming in between visits.  I love a freshly groomed dog!  You can see their beautiful eyes.  They look cute and everyone wants to cuddle with him.  And as the primary house cleaner in my home, I just feel better knowing that our dog is fresh and clean enough to sit on my couch.

Are you training your Schnoodle to be groomed?

Grooming a schnoodle is very important part of his life long care.  If you have not been introducing your pup to the noice of clippers, you should begin soon!  Now that the heat of summer is in full force, it is a good idea to give your puppy a good close haircut.  

Even if you plan to choose to have a professional groomer clip your dog you may want to take the time to introduce your dog to the items the groomer will be using. For instance, introduce your puppy to the clippers by turning the machine on and holding it near the puppy for a few minutes so they become familiar with the noise and are less likely to be frightened. Once he/she is familiar with the noise, you can begin touching the clippers to the puppy so he/she can become used to the vibrations (don’t clip your dog at this point).
You should keep introducing your dog to the noise and feeling of the clippers a few times during a week before you actually begin grooming. Don’t rush your dog. Some schnoodles will become accustomed to the clippers faster than others.

Grooming the Schnoodle Puppy

When the puppies were just 4 weeks old they got their first nail trimming.  This was to help Dixie not get scratched by the puppies while they nursed. 

Last Saturday I did some more puppy grooming.  I always exhaust the puppies first with a good romp outdoors so they will be less squirmy when I groom them.  Then I went to it...

1. Clipping the fur on the Pads of their feet

I'm only 7 weeks, but I am getting pretty fluffy!

It is important to clip the fur around the pads of the puppies feet.  Long fur collects dirt and germs, plus it is prone to getting matted which can be rather uncomfortable.  The puppies feet fur was already long and thick.  I trimmed it down around the nails and between the pads of their feet.

I spent all my energy in playtime, so I am pretty relaxed right now.

2. Clipping Toe Nails
After clipping the feet fur, I was able to see the toe nails quite visibly.  I used specially designed dog toe clippers to trim each toe nail on the front and back paws.  When you take your puppy in for his first hair cut, you might want to ask the groomer to show you how to clip the nails.  Their are also a lot of good instruction online. You have to be very careful not to clip the wick or you will cause the dog to bleed.  It is advisable to keep Styptic powder on hand as it will stop the bleeding of a toe nail.  Happily, I have never needed it.

Mom gives me tummy rubs to reward me during grooming.

3. Trimming the Fur around the eyes
It is important for your puppy to be able to see, and we also don't want excessive fur to be a breeding ground of bacteria around your puppies eyes.  Today I trimmed the fur that was at the corners of their eyes and cleaned away any goop that had accumulated.  I used a pair of round nose scissors, especially for cutting fur, so I wouldn't risk any injury.

4. Trimming the Anal area.
It is also important to keep the fur trimmed short near the puppies anus, so that the fur in this area won't trap feces.  If puppies get a dried poopy butt it is unsightly, unhygienic and very uncomfortable for the puppy.

I am a good puppy even for grooming!

This was all the grooming that was necessary for the 7 week old puppy.  But it will be good for you to continue to do these same grooming activities with your puppy.  The puppy will need to be groomed all his life, and he better get use to being handled early on, or he will be a problem for the groomer.

Look!  You can see my eyes!

As the summer heat sets in, your puppy will also need his body fur trimmed.  The groomer will also routinely pluck fur from inside the dogs ear canal.

Do you like my manicure?

Grooming your puppy is not just to make them look good.....it is a NECESSARY aspect of your Schnoodles health.    Ear infections and overgrown toenails are very painful.  Allowing a dogs fur to get matted is cruel because matted fur pulls at their skin and is very uncomfortable for a dog.   Please take the grooming requirements of your Schnnoodle seriously.

Even if you take your dog to a regular groomer, it is a good idea for you to get use to some of the minor grooming in between visits.  I love a freshly groomed dog!  You can see their beautiful eyes.  They look cute and everyone wants to cuddle with him.  And as the primary house cleaner in my home, I just feel better knowing that our dog is fresh and clean enough to sit on my couch.  

 

Dixie gets a Hair Cut

Dixie with her untrimmed fur.

With only 2 weeks to go until the whelping date, I decided I better get Dixie trimmed up.  If I wait any longer, it will be too uncomfortable for Dixie to jump in the bath tub or stand for the grooming process.  Her winter coat was getting pretty long, so it is better not to wait.  The birth is a messy event, and the more fur, the more mess.

It is especially important for Dixie's face to be trimmed as she will be cleaning herself and her puppies a lot once they are born.  The white beard is definitely not an asset during whelping time.  I can trim it short, but would never remove the whole beard...after all, that's what defines a Schnauzer!


 The eye brows, cheeks, and ears, will also look better once they are trimmed down.  Her underside also has to be trimmed short, since the pups need to find their food source and extra fur harbors germs and bacteria.

Dixie is not looking forward to her haircut!

After the haircut, we can see Dixie's eyes again!

So over the weekend I bathed Dixie and trimmed her face short.  I left the fur on her back a little longer than usual since it is still pretty cold outside.  She is a very obedient dog, and stands still for me without a special grooming table or leash.

You can see Dixie's round belly in this picture.

Combing the beard. 

Trimmed and ready to go, Dixie's side furnishings are just long enough to hide her tummy.

Grooming Your puppy

Grooming a Mini Schnauzer involves the bathing of his fur, the pulling of fur from his ear canals, the clipping of his toe nails, and the clipping of his fur.  We have already started grooming your puppy in some of these areas.  We don't like to over-bath the puppies, but they do not clean themselves and a litter can get pretty dirty rolling all over the ground as they play and running through their messes.

Bathing the Puppy
Today I woke up to some pretty smelly puppies.  One of them must have stepped in poop.  I absolutely had to bath them.  I used baby shampoo rather than adult pet shampoo, because I wanted it to be extra mild.  I was careful to have the temperature as comfortable as I would for any baby.  I scrubbed each one well and rinsed their fur thouroughly being careful not to get any water in their ears or eyes.  Then I dried them as thoroughly as I could with towels and used a blow dryer on a warm setting to blow warm air around them.  I was careful not to get too close or to scare them since I wanted bath time to be a pleasant experience.

Clipping the fur on the Pads of their feet
It is important to clip the fur around the pads of the puppies feet.  Long fur collects dirt and germs, plus it is prone to getting matted which can be rather uncomfortable.  I gave the puppies their first foot fur trimming today.

Clipping Toe Nails
After clipping the fur, I was able to see the toe nails quite visibly.  I used specially designed dog toe clippers to trim each toe nail on the front and back paws.  When you take your puppy in for his first hair cut, you might want to ask him to show you how to clip the nails.  Their are also a lot of good instruction on line. You have to be very careful not to clip the wick or you will cause the dog to bleed.  today, I waited until the puppies were rather exhausted so they could dose in my lap as I clipped their nails, and they did not mind being held tight.

Trimming the Fur around the eyes
It is important for your puppy to be able to see, and we also don't want excessive fur to be a breeding ground of bacteria around your puppies eyes.  Today I trimmed the fur that was at the corners of their eyes and cleaned away any goop that had accumulated.  Using round nose scissors, especially for cutting fur, I trimmed the fur away from the corners of the eyes.  It is important to do this every now and then so the puppies grow up use to the scissors near their eyes.  Invest in a good pair of round nose scissors, you certainly do not want to risk injuring your dogs eyes.

This was all that was necessary for this stage of the pups life....but as he grows the fur will get longer and thicker and the routine will be more involved.  It is important to start preparing your puppy for a routine that will be a regular part of his life.  I would encourage you to begin your grooming practices with your pup as soon as you bring him home.

Grooming an 8 week puppy
Grooming a young pup begins by getting him use to being handled in all the ways that a groomer will need to handle him.  Touch his ears and look inside.  Take hold of his feet...do his claws need clipping?  Hold his paws one by one in your hand and get him use to the fact that having his feet worked on.  Take a brush and run it over his fur.  Take a blow dryer and blow it around and over him.  If you have a hair clipper, or something with that type of motor sound, turn it on every now and then and move it around him so that he is not startled by the clipper when he gets his first clipping.

Below is a list of supplies that you will probably want to acquire if you want to keep your pup clean and neat in between regular haircuts.  If you plan to take your pup to the professional groomer, you needn't purchase a Pet clipper...but there may be times when you would rather shave him yourself.  Just always be particularly careful when clipping the ears, as the edges are easily cut.  And when trimming eyebrows be sure to use round nose scissors...this will avoid eye injury, should your dog shake his head abruptly.  You won't need all these things immediately but they will be helpful later on.  I keep a dog grooming box full of all these supplies.

Round nosed scissors for trimming beard and eyebrows  9.99

Oster 78129-600 Gentle paws nail trimmer 19.99  ---or use a manual hatchet like variety

Styptic powder-  If you accidently clip the wick, this powder stops the bleeding

Slicker brush  6.49

Grooming comb 14.99

Electric Pet clipper  (prices vary)

 For white dogs:  The beards are stained by saliva.  These products are very effective

Angel Eyes beard stain eliminator 120 grams (for white dogs) $37.00 (smaller bottles available).  A small puppy can begin with only 1/4 teaspoon/day and after a few months will require it less and less....a little goes a long way.

Synergy's groomers blend ultra white shampoo- not for puppies....only for adult white dogs

Synergy's groomers blend oatmeal protein conditioner