The schnoodle is a mix between a schnauzer and poodle; coat textures vary but often the hair is soft a poodle's and wiry like a schnauzer's. Good news for allergy sufferers, the schnoodle is a minimal shedder. However, you must brush and trim the schnoodle often.
Step 1
Place cotton balls in your furry friend’s ears, since schnoodles are prone to ear infections. Wet your schnoodle with lukewarm water. Squirt a line of shampoo down her back and give her a good washing. If her coat is silver like the schnauzer's or a light color, use a shampoo that brightens silver coats. Otherwise, any dog shampoo for short to medium coats will work. Massage the shampoo into her coat but don’t scrub, since scrubbing may cause tangles.
Step 2
Rinse your pup’s coat until the water runs clear. Towel-dry your schnoodle and spray a leave-in conditioner on his coat, since the schnoodle's coat is prone to tangles. Finish drying him with a hair dryer on the lowest settings. Leaving a schnoodle's wavy coat wet may create more tangles to deal with.
Step 3
Brush your newly washed friend with a pin brush with no balls on the tips or a slicker brush. These brushes work best on coats that are wavy and fine like the schnoodle's. Make sure all of the mats and tangles are gone. If you find a tangle, use a comb and remove it by holding the hair straight out and working from the end.
Step 4
Hold your shears or scissors in your dominant hand. Start behind the skull and pull the hair straight up with your dominant hand and trim the ends off. Work down the back of the schnoodle toward his tail. Keep the coat even at approximately 1 inch long. Leave the tail long or cut it close based on your personal preference, but leave the genital area to a pro.
Step 5
Trim the hair down the back of his hocks and around each leg and foot. Trim the hair on his chest the same length. The schnoodle's entire coat should look uniform except the topknot on his head. It should be around 3 inches long.
Step 6
Hold up each paw and trim the hair between his pads and toes. Cut the hair on top of the schnoodle's foot close like a poodles. Don’t go past the first ankle bone or it will look like she’s wearing socks.
Step 7
Trim the ends of the hair on his ears and beard, leaving them both long for the classic schnoodle look. Use your fingers to measure and pull the hair away from the skin. Don’t get close to the skin or near his eyes with your shears.
References
Resources
Tips
- Start with a professionally groomed and clipped schnoodle for best results. Trim his approximately every eight weeks. Brush your pup every other day to keep his coat soft and mat-free.
Warnings
- Check your schnoodle’s ears for dirt or a foul odor. This may indicate an infection. Leave grooming around the schnoodle’s face and gentiles to a professional.
Writer Bio
Amanda Maddox began writing professionally in 2007. Her work appears on various websites focusing on topics about medical billing, coding, real estate, insurance, accounting and business. Maddox has her insurance and real estate licenses and holds an Associate of Applied Science in accounting and business administration from Wallace State Community College.