There is no such thing as a puppy cut
“I’d like a puppy cut, please,” says Bella’s mom, who owns an adorable Maltese. Quick: look at the shrink shape along the hairdresser’s face as they think, “What does that mean?” There is no ‘standard term’ in the personal care industry for a puppy cut. Every hairdresser interprets it differently and this is where the confusion lies. To Bella’s mom, it sounds simple enough, but to the hairdresser, this can lead to a bad haircut, a disgruntled customer, and a misunderstanding that can make the hairdresser appear incompetent. So now the series of questions begins:
How long do you want?
Do you want the legs longer than the body?
Do you want a round or square face and head?
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.”
In a way I lied upstairs. There is a puppy cut for poodles. The definition of this clip is to shave the face, shave the feet (poodle legs), and create a tail band. A true puppy cut does not take away any length from the body. But based on the description above, I find it highly unlikely that this is what Bella’s mom wants.
At some point, Bella’s mom heard the term and thought … “Wow, I want my pet to look like a puppy all the time!” That makes sense, and a hairdresser can still achieve that look, but there are many other questions that need to be addressed to achieve the look that she desires.
“But my previous hairdresser used to say Puppy Cut. Why is it wrong then?”
Chances are, your groomer will simply accept what you say, rather than educate you, the pet owner. I know personally that I have spoken to thousands of clients about the puppy cut debacle! Sometimes it’s lazy, and sometimes, well, the hairdresser just doesn’t have time to educate the owner. But I guess they went through a series of questions to find out exactly what you wanted.
How your groomer looks at your dog.
When a groomer is checking out your pet, he is dividing your pet’s body into categories to determine the haircut you want. Think of it as a big puzzle and little by little we are putting the pieces together to achieve the desired look. This is how your groomer looks at your dog:
The body
The body is defined as the trunk of your dog, excluding the legs and feet. This is where groomers want to know how much hair you want your pet to have. Break those rules because it’s time to learn what an inch is! A running joke in all salons is when a pet owner says, “I want about 2 inches to remain on the body” when their pet only has a quarter of an inch of hair. To avoid being the butt of groomer jokes, it is much better to use your fingers as an indicator of how much coat you want your pet to fit. Then a hairdresser will 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 inch to 2 inches. That is a huge range. Stick with your fingers and show how much coat you got.
Legs and feet.
The next area of the body that a hairdresser examines is the legs and feet. Owners can make the decision to leave the legs slightly longer than the trunk of the body. This creates a kind of “teddy bear look”. Some owners simply prefer to be the same length throughout, so please indicate which one you prefer during the inquiry period. It is important to note that longer legs can mean a greater likelihood of entanglement.
Recognize your pet’s lifestyle and how often he brushes his teeth between grooming appointments. If home maintenance isn’t an issue, consider this adorable look. The same with the feet. Some clients prefer round, thick feet, while others do not want their pet to crawl in the mud. Let your hairdresser know your concerns and he will make them come true.
The tail and the rear.
Does your dog make lumps on himself when he uses the bathroom? Do they drag their tail all over the leaves in your garden? These are concerns that need to be addressed with your hairdresser. We can create a tighter Touche to keep your pet’s rear more tidy. Or do you prefer the fluffier butt and long tail? Let your hairdresser know what look you like here too.
The headdress
Excluding the ears, a hairdresser wants to know the general shape you want to leave the head. How much hair do you prefer on the top of your head? (Do you want enough hair to form a bun?) What about the bangs (also known as a visor)? Do you prefer longer, shorter, rounder, or squarer muzzle hair? This is a good talking point to indicate if your pet’s facial hair becomes tangled and dirty while eating and drinking. If this is the case, as in the back, a hairdresser can shorten this area to keep it cleaner longer.
Ears and eyelashes
The last piece of the puzzle is your preference for ears and eyelashes. Please indicate whether you want ears short or long, rounded, cropped, or completely shaved. The same goes for the eyelashes. If you don’t want them cut, say so! A hairdresser will generally remove the lashes unless instructed otherwise.
Like hairdressers, hairdressers need to identify many things to get the right haircut. While your groomer wants to know where the hair is parted, how long it should be removed, and what to do with the bangs and around the ears, a groomer has to determine what you want for your baby’s entire body. 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 interpreting what you want is a great way to bridge the communication gap that occurs so often when describing the haircut you want. If you could divide your beloved dog into sections and convey what you want for each one, you are well on your way to achieving a successful haircut! So when your groomer says, “Oh, you want a puppy cut …”
You can laugh and say, “There is no such thing as a puppy cut!”