THE CONTINENTAL TRIM

Author: Jacqui McLeay
http://www.kiradapoodles.com/

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In this presentation a 12 month old Standard Poodle has been used.

Before we start – remember that you can always take hair off, but you cannot stick it back on. When a continental is put on a Poodle, it is advisable to leave pompoms higher and rosettes bigger. It is always the case that the trim will be altered within a month.

Start with a freshly groomed out Poodle, knot free.

Place 10/15 blade on your clipper ( I always do the first clip with a 10 or 15 to prevent clipper rash) . Shave a small amount on both front legs making sure you do not shave too far down to the feet.

Then start to shave the back legs, leaving back poms quite high – say about 2 inches above the hocks for now. Do not touch the pack at this stage, still pretending your Poodle is in puppy trim.

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Put clippers down and pick up your scissors. We are going to cut in rosettes.

1. From the top, place your scissors flat and cut a small line upwards in the middle of the back. Be careful not to go into the mane coat.

2. From there we need to look where the mane will start, so we can get an idea where the rosettes should be placed.

3. Look at the dog again – and if it is a girl, pretend she has a willy. Start to make your cut for the mane about 1 inch in front of the willy which usually means a fraction before the last rib. Scissor a small width straight up and all around to the other side. Making sure the dog is standing straight and not bent. Pick up your clippers again and shave about inch into the back from the base of the tail and the same on the flank.

Once this is done, pick up your scissors and start to shape a rosette.

By this time let your Poodle have a good shake and stretch.

Put him back on the table. Scissor some shape into the back poms.

Rule of thumb with the back poms is about an inch above the hock – so once scissored, you can have a look to see if it needs to be shaved lower. Sometimes it is best to leave it a week before taking too much off in one sitting. The back pompom is always at an angle, starting high at the hocks and lower in front.

Moving to the elbows, the hair should be shaved to elbow itself and moving slightly higher on an angle in front.

Once shaved, pick up front legs and get your scissors and cut the loose hair from the elbow inside and out.

Then now it is sculpturing the main body. Think round, every part of that mane needs to blend in with the hair next to it. An even flow.

Let the hair settle and by the next shave a week later, you will be able to tidy up the areas you have missed. Sometimes rosettes need to be made smaller. This Standard Poodle has wider rosettes than normal as it suits him. Remember not to have the rosettes falling to the back.

Here is the same Standard Poodle four weeks after being put into pattern.