How to Groom: Field Clip, Teddy Bear & Puppy Cut

Some options for dog owners that don't want a style clip include the field clip, the teddy bear and the puppy cut. Find out what each is, and which groom is best for your dog.

The only real difference between the clips is the length of hair left on the dog. Once you specify which clip you prefer, work with the groomer to personalize it for your dog.



Field Clip

The field clip is the shortest of the three dog grooming styles. Often given to bird dogs and other hunting breeds so they can easily work in fields without burrs catching in their loose fur. The dog groomer uses a #9 or #10 or shorter blade to remove all or most of the fur from the dog's body and legs. The term "shave down" can also be used to describe a field clip. The field clip is great for Spaniels (of all sizes), Poodles, Maltese, Schnauzers and long haired mixed breed dogs.

Teddy Bear Clip

The teddy bear clip leaves about two inches of fur all over the dog's body. Groomers can use anything from a clip-on comb over a #9 or #10 blade to a #4 skip-tooth blade to get the results the owner is looking for on the body. The dog's legs are trimmed with scissors to blend in with the shortened body clip. The teddy bear clip looks great on Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, Bichon Frise, Lhasa Apso, Maltese and any mixed breed dogs with longer fluffy fur.

Puppy Cut

Many grooming salons list a puppy cut as a clean up of the face, feet and under the tail of a dog or puppy. Most will leave it up to owner instruction as to how much hair is actually removed, if any. If the grooming shop does not specify what their puppy cut includes give them explicit instructions for how much hair to leave on the dog, if any is to be removed. A full puppy cut often includes: cleaning or shaving of the face, trimming the feet and under the tail and rear legs and cleaning the ears. This is the perfect beginner trim for a puppy's first visit to the dog groomer, or just a quick clean up for small dogs.

You can easily personalize any of these clips for your dog to look his best. Consider the climate you live in, and have a sweater or jacket ready on cold days for dogs with field clips. Also remember that shaving a dog down will not stop it from shedding, it will just shed short hair.