Hank

I really love Standard poodles but have always wondered why I rarely see them without a shaved face! Don't get me wrong, I think it looks great but I prefer Hank to have longer hair on his face. Most people have to ask me what kind of dog Hank is for that reason. Does anyone have pictures of their spoo without a shaved face? Thanks!

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PaddleAddict

I have a mini, not a spoo, but I do prefer a shaved face. I like how clean it is (no water or food getting trapped in a beard) and I also just love the look. I like to see my poodle's pretty features.

LEUllman

Maybe because otherwise they don't look like a poodle? And with a white or a cream like my Beau, a furry face soon becomes a stained, dirty face.

Hank looks like a sweetie, but with his hairy face and short top knot, if I saw him out in the street I'd assume he was a 'doodle. They seem to be everywhere around here -- poodles are a rare and happy sight.

I should note that, I myself, wear a beard.

Birdie

I do it because I think it's cute, and it's SO much cleaner. I love the look of bearded dogs, but can't stand it at the same time. It's so dirty, messy, and something that I just can't deal with, personally. I sometimes have issues getting kisses and cuddles from bearded dogs because of the smelly wet stache with who-knows-what hidden in it!
For that reason, I kind of find a medium ground. I shave Desmond's face only when it gets a bit too shaggy for my liking- I don't like him with a full stache or beard. It would make him look dopey, lol. I generally let it grow for several weeks until it's about 1/2" long. I think it's cute & kissable. It's not as long as you probably are talking about, and he still has the big TK so I dunno if he really counts lol.

Though, seeing poodles with their face shaved does make me wonder why other hairy breeds don't get the same treatment (historically & traditionally). Schnauzers, most terriers, Portuguese Water Dogs (I think? I have seen both shaggy and short), toy breeds like Havanese, Shihs, Lhasas, etc, and Old English Sheepdogs, and sooo many others. I think it's just messy and inconvenient all around to have that much hair on the face- if poodles can get their face shaved, why can't the others? Especially for working dogs! I can understand pets, but wouldn't a big old beard just get in the way for a dog in the field swimming, fetching, ratting, herding, etc?
That is, ignoring the fact that people think it is "fou fou" or "poodley" or "silly", or that it "wouldn't look right on that breed". Ignoring AKC standard grooms and traditions, I do wonder why poodles are the only dog to get their beard shaved.

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Birdie

Also wanted to add: Hank looks adorable with his fuzzy face! I admit that I didn't see the pics before posting lol ('doh!) but he's a cutie, and he rocks the fuzzy face! He looks pretty poodley to me. Even though I would assume he just an incredibly handsome doodle at first, I think I would immediately rethink that as I looked more carefully. I have had that happen to me a couple times where I have seen a dog and can't quite tell if it's just a really pretty doodle or a shaved poodle! Lol

Fluffyspoos

I think Hank looks adorable. He was my inspiration for growing Vegas's face out.


Vegas 11/52 by Kat G., on Flickr

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PoodlePowerBC

I like the shaved face because of the cleanliness ... but I love the teddy bear look of a fluffy Spoo face

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Hank

Thanks for the kind words! Vegas looks awesome!! I really do like the shaved face look too. Hank is a very clean eater and drinker and his face stays nice and odor free so that hasn't been a problem at all.

faerie

i personally prefer the clean shaven poodle face on temperance because i think it makes her look so pretty.
shaggier faces makes them cute, but not pretty. for boy dogs, i think it's cute, but if i had a boy i'd probably keep him clean shaven just because i really love the long poodle snoot...

spoofly

I think it's just personal preference. My mom likes Fly with a teddy bear face, I like the shaved face. So she doesn't go more than a few weeks without me keeping it short.