The Miami Poodle Cut [Unpacked]

Do you want your Poodle to stand out from the rest? Try giving it a Miami Poodle cut. It is a simple yet stylish bikini Poodle cut.

Poodle haircuts contribute to the skin health of your furry friend. So if you want a cut that allows medication and medicated baths to get to the skin of your Poodle, this Miami cut Poodle hairstyle is your match. So what more do you need to know about this Poodle cut?

french poodle hair cut

What is The Miami Poodle Cut?

The Miami cut for Poodles almost looks similar to the country or town cut. What makes it different from the two other cuts is the absence of the line that runs from the spine to withers.

If you are to spot a Poodle wearing a Miami cut, it has trimmed hairs on its feet, neck, face, tail base, and rib cage. Also, the hair on its tail, ankles, and topknot is pom-pom-shaped.

Is Poodle shaving a necessity of a fashion statement? Let us explore its short history. The history will enable the Miami cut to make sense to you.

The Poodle was a European water retriever in the early seventeenth century. Its name has a German origin meaning a water dog. So, early Europeans shaved the hair on the bottom part of a Poodle to enable the dog to remain afloat when swimming.

Preserving the hair on the Poodle’s chest and head protected its vital organs against cold waters. In addition, the ankle bracelet hair saved the dog from rheumatism. Lastly, the top knot prevented hair from blocking the eyes when the dog was swimming.

During the reign of King Louis XVI in France, Poodle cuts became experimental and fancy. French noble Poodle owners cut their dogs’ hair in fancy styles that matched the styles of the coifs the owners wore.

Today, Poodle lovers give their dogs a cut for several reasons besides fashion-related objectives. For example, matting and skin diseases are some of the reasons why you should shave your Poodle.

After understanding the history of Poodle cuts, you can understand the benefits of giving your Poodle a Miami cut. First, it allows your dog to swim well in summer. It is also a protection against joint problems because of the bracelets on the ankles of your dog.

Poodle at grooming salon

The Miami Poodle Cut Explained in 16 Easy Steps

The Miami cut is one of the Poodle hair cuts that follow a specific procedure. So, follow the following 16 steps for the best results:

  1. Use a suitable blade length to shave the feet. The blade length should match the sensitivity of the dog’s skin. Next, hold the bottom part of the legs and push the coat towards the toes. Afterward, trim the excess fur using the #40 blade to create a cuff.
  2. Shave the throat and face. Your clipping strokes should be against the coat-growth direction. The next move is to create an inverted V-shape at the top. Afterward, trim down the sides and top of the dog’s muzzle. Finally, clip under the eyes and outside corners of the eyes up to the ears.
  3. Trim the necklace. The necklace’s U-shape should match the length of the muzzle. You can also make it longer. Alternatively, it can run downwards from under the jaw.
  4. Stretch the lips backward and then shave against the hair growth direction. Apply caution not to cut the lip bumps.
  5. Shave the tail band to make an inverted-V shape. The tail set determines where to place the V. You can push it further up the croup to improve a low tail set.
  6. Clip the sanitary area and the upper-inside thigh muscle.
  7. Clip the leg and body coat using a snapped comb. The next move is to clip several inches from the occiput to create a V-shape on the topknot’s back. Follow the direction of the coat growth.
  8. Follow the hair-growth direction when shaving the front legs. First, shave up to slightly below the midpoint of the length between the foot and elbow. Next, shave upwards against the hair growth direction to set a bracelet pattern. The bracelet of the hind legs should be 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) above the hock point. Create larger bracelets on long-bodied dogs.
  9. Tighten up the shoulder fur using super blenders. The blenders also tidy up the stray leg hairs.
  10. Tidy the undercarriage. The process should follow the dog’s natural underline.
  11. Remove excess coat on the legs using the blenders to create parallel lines.
  12. Use blenders to make slopes on the dog’s tail band V-shape.
  13. Comb the bracelets’ hair downwards. Afterward, use long shears to give the cuff a shape at the bottom.
  14. Comb the bracelets’ hair upwards. Afterward, shape its top part.
  15. Comb the bracelets’ hair outwards, and shape it to become ball-like.  
  16. Comb the tail’s pompom upwards and trim its end using scissors. The length of the pompom should align with the length of the tailbone. Long tail bones require shorter fur and shorter ones require more coat length.

The Difficulty Level of the Poodle Miami Cut

The process of shaving the face, throat, and legs is the difficulty level of Poodle hair cuts. If you refer to the procedure of clipping the three parts, they are more detailed than the rest. However, even standard Poodle cuts require skills.

If you find it hard to give your Poodle a bikini cut, take it to professional groomers for the shave. The experts pride themselves on providing an array of Poodle haircut styles, including masculine Poodle cuts, miniature Poodle cuts, and Poodle cuts for summer.

haircut on poodle face

The Final Yap

If you follow the said procedure, you will give your Poodle the best Miami cut. However, there are a few basics you should know about Poodle hair. First, the coat of this dog is almost non-shedding. So, the dog is a darling to fur-allergic dog lovers.

However, maintaining a Poodle’s hair is a daunting task. The exercise is intensive, and it calls for your patience. In addition, the hair is naturally curly. It requires near-constant clipping, brushing, and trimming.

Neglecting the hair of your Poodle can result in several visits to a veterinarian because of dog skin infections. Your Poo can also become bald because you have to shave the entangled fur entirely to prevent any damage to your dog’s sensitive skin.

Notably, Poodle’s hair is smoother than the fur of most dogs. It also grows continuously. However, the coat of a Poodle puppy is wavy. It becomes curly as the puppy grows to age between nine and eighteen months. However, some puppies get curly hair after becoming three years old.

When Poodles shed, the falling hair gets trapped in the curls. After a while, the sheds become tangles and mats, especially when you take a long time to groom your dog. 

Professionals recommend grooming your Poodle after three to six weeks. Also, combing and brushing your dog should be near-daily. However, shaving can reduce the intensity of grooming your Poodle.

Remember, your Poodle is still a waterdog. It still preserves its hunting and swimming traits. So, shaving improves its practical capability. Looking fancy is an added benefit.

With all this information in mind, it is time to give your Poodle a Miami cut. It will look as adorable as it should be at all times.

Groomers' Land