“I’d like a puppy cut, please,” says Bella’s mom, owner of an adorable Maltese. Quick: Look at the shrunken shape across the hairdressers face as they think, “What does that mean???” There is no “standard term” in the grooming industry for a puppy cut. Each hairdresser interprets it differently and this is where the confusion lies. For Bella’s mom, it sounds simple enough, but for the hairstylist this can lead to a bad haircut, a dissatisfied customer, and a misunderstanding that can make the hairstylist seem incompetent. So now the series of questions begins:
What length do you want?
Do you want the legs longer than the body?
Do you want the face and head round or square?
Do you like long ears or short ears?
Do you like the tight muzzle?
And 15 other questions generated from that simple statement… “I want a puppy cut.”
I lie upstairs. There is a puppy cut for poodles. The definition of this clip is shaving his face, shaving his feet (poodle paws), and creating a tail. A true puppy cut does not remove any length from the body. But based on the description above, it seems highly unlikely to me that this is what Bella’s mother wants.
At some point, Bella’s mom heard the term and thought… “Gee, I want my pet to look like a puppy all the time!” That makes sense, and a hairstylist can still achieve that look, but many other questions must be addressed to achieve the look she wants.
“But my previous groomer used to say Puppy Cut. Why is that wrong then?”
Chances are your groomer just agrees with what you say, rather than educating you, the pet owner. I personally know that I have addressed thousands of clients about the puppy cut debacle! Sometimes it’s lazy, and sometimes, well, the groomer just doesn’t have time to educate the owner. But I guess they went through the series of questions to figure out exactly what you wanted.
How your groomer looks at your dog.
When a groomer examines your pet, he divides your pet’s body into categories to determine the desired haircut. Think of it like one big puzzle and bit by bit we put the pieces together to achieve the desired look. This is how his groomer looks at his dog:
The body
The body is defined as the trunk of your dog, excluding legs and feet. This is where groomers want to know how much hair you want your pet to have left. Break those rules because it’s time to learn what an inch is! A running joke in every salon is when a pet owner says, “I want about 2 inches left on the body” when their pet only has a quarter inch of hair. To avoid being the butt of groomers’ jokes, it’s much better to use your fingers as an indicator of how much coat you want your pet to fit. A groomer will then translate that into the proper blade to use.
There is no standard puppy length or puppy cut. Speaking to groomers across the country, their definition of the length of a puppy cut ranges from a quarter of an inch to 2 inches. That is a huge range. Stick with your fingers and show how much coat you have left.
Legs and feet.
The next area of the body that a hairdresser examines are the legs and feet. Owners may decide to leave the Legacy a little longer than the trunk of the body. This creates a kind of “teddy bear look”. Some owners simply prefer to have the same length throughout, so please state which you prefer during the inquiry period. It’s important to note that longer legs can mean a higher chance of entanglements.
Recognize your pet’s lifestyle and how often he brushes between grooming appointments. If home maintenance isn’t an issue, consider this adorable look. The same with the feet. Some customers prefer round, thick feet, while others don’t want their pet to drag around in the mud. Let your groomer know your concerns and they will make it happen.
tail and rear
Does your dog make masses on himself when he uses the bathroom? Does he drag his tail through all the leaves in your garden? These are concerns that need to be addressed with your groomer. We can create a tighter touch to keep your pet’s bottom neater. Or do you prefer the fluffiest butt and long tail? Let your groomer know what you like here too.
The headdress
Excluding the ears, a hairdresser wants to know the general shape you want the head to have. How much hair do you prefer on the top of the head? (Do you want enough hair to make a bun?) What about the bangs (aka the visor)? Do you prefer longer, shorter, rounder or squarer muzzle hair? This is a good conversation point to point out if your pet’s facial hair becomes tangled or dirty while eating and drinking. If this is the case, such as the rear, a conditioner can shorten this area to keep it cleaner longer.
ears and eyelashes
The final piece of the puzzle is your preference for ears and eyelashes. Please indicate if you would like short or long ears, rounded, cropped or completely shaved. The same with the tabs. If you don’t want them to be cut, say so! A groomer will normally remove the lashes unless told otherwise.
Just like hairdressers, hairdressers must identify many aspects to get the right haircut. While your hairdresser wants to know where you part your hair, how much length to remove, and what to do for the bangs and around the ears, a hairdresser has to determine what you want for your baby’s entire body. Just like hairdressers, there are no universal haircut names that spell out exactly what you want.
Now you know
Understanding how your groomer views your pet and interprets what you want is a great way to bridge the communication gap that so often occurs when describing the haircut you want. If you could divide your beloved dog into sections and convey what he wants for each section, he’s well on his way to a successful haircut! So when the groomer says, “Oh, you want a puppy cut…”
You can laugh and say, “There’s no such thing as a Puppy Cut!”
