Anyone wanting to discuss a low-maintenance breed needs to look in the direction of the papillon. The front of the papillon’s body, including the face, ears and chest, don’t require trimming or clipping. This makes the pap super easy to groom and trim, since hair-cutting is limited to the backside.
Step 1
Wash your papillon with a dog-friendly shampoo. Rinse her well and follow up with a conditioner. The conditioner helps keep her coat soft and silky and reduces static. Finally, rinse her coat completely until the water runs clear.
Step 2
Dry your furry friends coat with a clean towel. Finish drying him with a hair dryer on its lowest heat and fan settings. Hold it about 12 inches from his skin to avoid causing damage to his coat or burning him. Brush and dry the hair in the direction it lays. If you back brush, it may cause the hair to appear fluffy or curl, which is not the desired look for the papillon.
Step 3
Trim your pup's feet with a pair of shears or scissors. The papillon's feet, when trimmed correctly, have the appearance of rabbit's feet, tapered. Trim the hair close on the top of the front and back feet, but leave a long strip at the end of the toes. Flip the foot over and trim the long hairs around the pads.
Step 4
Lift her tail and clip the hair that grows under it around her anus. Take off about 1/4 inch around his backside. Don’t cut the hair around his tail set or he will have the appearance of a Pomeranian.
Step 5
Remove the ends of the hairs on your furry friend’s hocks, or backsides of his legs. Trim from the top down toward the ground in the direction the hair grows. The hair should be about 1/2 inch long after trimming. The area around the genitals may be clipped or shaved by a groomer if desired.
Step 6
Pull the hair out and finish grooming it with thinning shears. Hold the thinning shears vertically and trim with the teeth, or comb part, of the shears away from the pap’s skin. The blade should be about an inch from the skin. Make short strokes with the shears while blending the hair and remove the scissor lines.
Step 7
Brush the hair straight down and trim only any long hairs that appear out of place. Leave the hair around the ears and face long. Generally, the papillon does not need his face or ears trimmed. However, it is personal preference and if you prefer them short have a groomer take care of it.
References
Resources
Tips
- Have someone hold your pap while you groom her if she does not like to stand.
Warnings
- Never use human shampoo on dogs. It doesn't have the correct pH level and may damage their coats. Always read and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
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.