Perhaps almost everybody believe that the Poodle - toy, miniature or standard Poodle is a beautiful dog that exudes certain kind of confidence, pride and dignity. A lot of people fell in love with this breed and have been growing Poodle family over the years. Since they love the breed dearly, they have come to know a lot about the dog - from the food and exercise they need, training, clipping and grooming and other details concerning these adorable and intelligent dogs. But for those who are still on their way in learning how to provide proper care, and for those who are contemplating to get a Poodle (especially a standard Poodle) in the near future, here are some facts about grooming...

• Poodles have hair like humans, thus it never stops growing. Clipping should be done every six to eight weeks. Clipping can be done by a professional groomer or you can learn how to groom your dog yourself at home.

• If you decided to groom your Poodle at home, find a professional who is willing to teach you on how to groom your dog. Then procure the necessary grooming supplies such as brush, comb, clippers, scissors, dog shampoo and blow dryer. Take time to introduce these items to your dog to prevent them from being frightened as well as make grooming a lot easier.

• Regular brushing is necessary to keep the coat free of tangles and mats. Standard Poodles in show clips require about ten hours of brushing per week. Take note also that the dog must be free of tangles in preparation for a haircut.

• Poodle hairstyle, aptly called clip comes in various types - Puppy clip, English Saddle, continental and Sporting Clips. However, only Continental and English Saddle clips are qualified to appear in most show rings. A puppy below one year old may be shown in the Puppy clip and a Poodle whose show career is over is clipped down whatever the owner wants. Pet clips are usually simple and put into a lower-maintenance cut but can also be elaborate.

• As much as possible, the face, feet and base of the tail should be kept short to maintain cleanliness. Feces can get matted in the fur and food can get trapped on the face when fur in these areas are left to grow long.

Try to consider these facts and you can expect a 12 to 15 happy years with your dog.