spoospirit

Well, I'm really excited! We realized today that Taffy will not make a show until after she is around one year old. So, Dianne and I put Taffy into her big girl Continental clip. WHOO HOO! We had so much fun! Taffy didn't know what the heck to make of all the fuss but she was a big girl and didn't fuss or complain at all. She looks lovely in her new cut but will need to grow a lot more hair and mature into it. For a bit I thought I might cry at watching all that lovely hair fall to the floor. But she seems to feel so free now and my husband and I love how she looks.

She is just finishing her first heat at 9-months. She went off square and her front feet went a bit soft. Billy did the same thing during his awkward stage and them came back on as he was maturing so we are hoping that she will go the same route.

spoospirit

spoospirit

Got a kick out of all the other spoos watching and hoping they were going to get a bite of the bait!! LOL

Harley_chik

I think she looks great! I've wondered why more people don't put puppies into pattern earlier, it seems like it would be a lot less to brush. (I guess it would be harder if not impossible to show a puppy in a Conti.) If Poodles are anything like Maltese, the inside of the back legs and nether regions are what mat the worst.

Eklectic

Great pictures! I love to see how you did it! She is beautiful!
And the 2 pics with the others watching, I guess they did not take the bait!!

spoospirit

Nope, they didn't get any of it because they didn't earn it! LOL They get plenty of treats when it is their turn.

We like to scissor in the pattern before doing any shaving. That way we don't worry too much about clipping something that shouldn't have been clipped. We start out a little bit away from the scissored line and then work down slowly as we watch the pattern emerge. I actually measure the back bracelets and set the front ones and the same height.

Even so, the first time is a little never racking. I won't touch her again until her next grooming where I will start cleaning up anything that doesn't look quite right.

Birdie

Ooh wow she looks so great!! Taffy is so beautiful I love the ones with her sitting and looking absolutely regal in that new trim!

spoospirit

In AKC a puppy must show in the puppy clip. Taffy was clipped in to the Continental because of the fact that she wouldn't make a show before her first birthday and therefore we felt that we might as well eliminate all that hair to maintain and get her starting growing the Continental early.

She was scheduled for her first show a few weeks back at the time that our mom passed away so we never got to the show of course.

And, behind the front elbow is the worst place for matting on our spoos. The next place is in the bracelets and that is such a sensitive area. We keep them brushed out as often as we can but they can mat overnight!!

The absolute worst time was when Billy blew out his baby coat. Mats everywhere, everyday. Challenging for both of us but we got through it and I'm happy to say that I did not give in and just shave him off. It only took about a month.

Harley_chik

I knew dogs under 12 months were the only ones that could be shown in a puppy clip, but I didn't know it was required. Thanks for the info! Your dogs are so pretty and I'm sorry about your mother.

spoospirit

Thank you Harley.