[Mr.Ziggy]

Ziggy is recovering from a couple of surgeries and I'm trying to distract myself from the stress by planning out how to make him look a bit better once he is ready for a groom.

Does anyone have recommendations?
I think the IV shaves are too low for a Miami. Should I shave all of his front legs without leaving anything? Or even shave all four legs?
I'm not sure what I could attempt for the stomach, so I may just leave that.

Attached are photos of the damage and one photo of him last month looking less pathetic.

 

[Skylar]

I remember when my dog had an IV shave, so sad to see that skin in an otherwise beautiful grooming.

My decision was to do nothing. The hair will start to grow back and in 2-3 weeks it won’t be so obvious. With the next groom you can sort of cheat and blend it in to mask the difference. In a couple of months it will be a distant memory.

 

[Mr.Ziggy]

My decision was to do nothing. The hair will start to grow back and in 2-3 weeks it won’t be so obvious. With the next groom you can sort of cheat and blend it in to mask the difference. In a couple of months it will be a distant memory.

That was my initial plan after the first surgery but after the second IV shave I thought it could be fun to try something new. I am new to home grooming so I am scared to do anything too ambitious and may just end up leaving it anyways.

 

[twyla]

Modified Continental is my post surgery clip, my Beatrice has had two knee surgeries and a cancer surgery

 

[For Want of Poodle]

Oh no! What happened?

You could maybe look at the Bolero cut? I would be tempted to just do a shave down and start over though.

 

[Mr.Ziggy]

Oh no! What happened?

You could maybe look at the Bolero cut? I would be tempted to just do a shave down and start over though.

After his neuter/gastropexy/hernia surgery, he did not like the "no exercise" rule. In an act of defiance he broke out of confinement and swallowed a plastic bag before he could be recaptured. Luckily they were able to get it out with an endoscope.

I like the Bolero but am wondering if Ziggy's IV shaves are too low for anklets?

 

[For Want of Poodle]

Good lord that's a busy dog

No idea, but if it is, you can always keep shaving and end up with a retriever cut?

 

[Rose n Poos]

I kinda like the Little Rascals look just as it is

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Poor boy! And poor you! That was a lot. Glad he’s on the mend.

I’d do a nice clean retriever clip. Or even a modified German with shorter legs? That would be a fun change, which would leave you with a nice canvas for future creativity.

 

[Newport]

I’m in a similar place with an IV shave on Violet. I keep going back and forth on a groom with pompons on the front legs, or just shrinking down all of her current scandi clip and blending the IV shave area. My complicating factor is she wore a surgical suit for ~10 days and matting has been a problem ever since. I comb it out one day, and it is back the next day, so I think there’s some damage that needs to be cut off.

Whatever you do, I’d recommend against shaving all 4 legs. Poodles look weird with just their legs shaved.

 

[Basil_the_Spoo]

I'm in the modified contential group.

Here's what I would do:
-make the front pom's the same height and length.
-shave the sleeves higher so they're as long as the hair on the bottom of ziggy's chest.. this way you're giving him a jacket.
-Trim a 3/4" or 1" on ziggy's back half to give him pants.

I marked the hocks in green because if you're ever wondering how high to make the front poms, you want the front ones to be level with his hocks in the back. You can do this by taking your comb like a ruler from his feet to his hock, marking how high on your comb it goes, then going to the front, and shaving above that. (Does that make sense? See the last picture). Obviously this is a surgical exception to the norm. I'm no exprert groomer, however I've watched a lot of youtube videos. Also, I understand most our pets are just pets and never show, but we can still groom them in triumphant poodle fashion.

Forgive my drawings as a lefty who mouses right-handed on a touch pad.

 

[Ava.]

A modified german would be cute c:

 

[Starvt]

Oh, poor Ziggy, he does look rather pathetic!
I agree with Basil, a modified continental would be a good option.
Or, you could go with a jacket and pants style, which is what Raffi is in now:

The back edge of his jacket is hard to see because he is still growing out his summer cut which was a kind of lion cut- his front leg poms were a little too low but I don't think they looked that bad:

 

[Mr.Ziggy]

Thanks for all of the advice! He finally has the green light to run around and get some energy out tomorrow, so I am sure we will both feel better after that.
This weekend I'll try to test my skills and see if I can do some version of the modified continental. This will be a fun way to stretch grooming skills. If it looks horrible, I'll end up doing a retriever cut and buy him a warm jacket for the winter.

 

[Mr.Ziggy]

I'm in the modified contential group.

Here's what I would do:
-make the front pom's the same height and length.
-shave the sleeves higher so they're as long as the hair on the bottom of ziggy's chest.. this way you're giving him a jacket.
-Trim a 3/4" or 1" on ziggy's back half to give him pants.

I marked the hocks in green because if you're ever wondering how high to make the front poms, you want the front ones to be level with his hocks in the back. You can do this by taking your comb like a ruler from his feet to his hock, marking how high on your comb it goes, then going to the front, and shaving above that. (Does that make sense? See the last picture). Obviously this is a surgical exception to the norm. I'm no exprert groomer, however I've watched a lot of youtube videos. Also, I understand most our pets are just pets and never show, but we can still groom them in triumphant poodle fashion.

Forgive my drawings as a lefty who mouses right-handed on a touch pad.

View attachment 472515

View attachment 472516

View attachment 472517

View attachment 472518

The lines you drew are super helpful!

Grooming is starting to become a fun hobby and hopefully one day I'll be able to groom him in a "triumphant poodle fashion". For now I'll keep learning and trying if it looks bad, it will grow back.

 

[Mr.Ziggy]

The back edge of his jacket is hard to see because he is still growing out his summer cut which was a kind of lion cut- his front leg poms were a little too low but I don't think they looked that bad:
View attachment 472521

This cut is gorgeous!!! I'm adding this to the list of trims I want to try.

 

[Starvt]

Thank you! It came about because I loved his long luxuriant chest hair 😂 but it kept his armpits and belly shaved. Since he was constantly wading in the pond it definitely made grooming easier.
My version is short all the way around the neck (but not shaved as close as his face and throat) because his neck kept getting matted from his collar.

 

[kontiki]

Or maybe just even up the shaves to be the same on both sides so it looks like it was intended, then in 3 weeks or so blend it in more by trimming the rest of his legs shorter.