[IPP]

Welcome! He looks so good in a corded coat. I think that the more I see the corded coats the better I like them!

I have a female that I started "felting" today...I think her hair is perfect for cording. Hopefully I will have your patience and will be able to see the cording through to the end. Right now her body hair is only about 4 inches long but her top knot is longer and taking the shape already!

Your fellow looks great...about how long does it take to get THAT long? I mean has his coat always been corded or did you start when he was an adult and how long has it been corded?

I am really interested, because I would love to put either one (or maybe 2) of my dogs into cords.

I figure if it does mess up and I have to shave it that is okay, I am not showing them or anything so its no big deal if I have to start over!

 

[IPP]

I live in South Florida. I cannot imagine a more humid place. Everyone told me NOT to do it. I was lectured by people in the street that I was a neglectful owner. Others carefully told me how to brush a poodle (I've had poodles since 1966 and have bred them as well). My vet almost refused me as a patient. But I have a housekeeper with dred locks below her knees and she supported the whole idea. I must say it is the easiest hair I've ever had a poodle in except the sporting cut. It also has deepened my understanding of the breed. It is the Original hair of the poodle as seen in old tapestries and paintings from the rennaissance. But it does take a LONG time and patience at first.

Figaro's hair almost naturally corded. I just stopped brushing him four times a day. His hair matted quickly and almost naturally separated. I do have to rip them apart every couple of weeks. But he and I both like that part and it doesn't require special equipment.

I've never really shaved his hair off. So he's pretty much got all of it from birth. I trim off the ends of the cords when they get so long that they start getting dirty and dragging the ground or he starts peeing on them. What I've found is that you naturally end up with the dog in "Show" cut because that's where the cords don't form well or where they get too dirty to deal with. You can also "spot" clean him. that is,just shampoo the cords that he dragged through a mess.

The hardest part is at the start. You cannot brush the dog even if he gets into a newly mown lawn. So you'll have to get a tweezer and pick all those little bits out. I had to restart a few times because I couldn't stand it and had to brush. That is the hardest part: not brushing. Then it's a bit tough to learn how to separate. When you're walking around your town, look for someone with dred locks and ask them about it. Explain you're going to do your poodle. If they have attitude, just ask someone else. They'll probably show you how to separate. People with less even locks might be more friendly about it because they've done it over a long time and naturally.

I cannot imagine Fig without his cords. But I have had to cut a few off because he rolled in something tar-like. The cords start about 1/2 inches from his skin. The hair closest to his skin is cotton like, but even softer. So I can cut the cords off and he still has hair. It's almost like he never got adult hair though. I've never seen this kind of hair on a poodle.

Hope this wasn't TMI.

That is EXACTLY the info I needed! My hubby used to have dreads...he followed the Grateful Dead for awhile and had them for about 4 yrs. I have not brushed Punks hair in about 2 weeks now...yesterday was the 1st day I really sat down and separated them. It seems her hair DOES naturally grow in cords...and all this time I have been killing myself trying to keep her hair "pretty." I plan on keeping her rear shaved down and her belly as well, just so I don't worry about her being too dirty. If I get a few minutes I will take some pics of her top knot so you can see what I mean about her hair being naturally corded, hopefully it looks like your boys hair!