Get in the habit of checking your poodle’s mouth and brushing her teeth every day. Choose a time that will be convenient and become a part of your poodle’s daily routine.

When brushing your poodle’s teeth, use a soft-bristled pet toothbrush and toothpaste made for dogs. Human toothpaste is not made to be swallowed and can cause stomach upset. Toothpastes made for dogs come in different flavors and are more appealing to your dog. Canine toothpaste is enzymatic so it works when it touches the teeth -the brushing action isn’t as important as it is with humans.

This video explains why dental care is so important and gives a good demonstration of how to brush a dogs teeth.

When you first introduce your poodle to having her teeth brushed, start by offering a taste of the toothpaste on your finger. The next time, offer a taste and then run your finger along the gum line of the upper teeth. Repeat the process with the tooth brush.

If your poodle won’t let you brush all her teeth, concentrate on the outside of the back upper teeth. This is the most important area in preventing periodontal disease.

At some point, your poodle will need a professional cleaning performed by a veterinarian. A Toy Poodle can require a veterinary dental twice a year and a Standard Poodle once a year.

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With my dogs, Cleo and Piper’s toenails grow fast and need their nails clipped weekly. Nyka needs her nails trimmed once every two weeks.

It is important to keep your poodle’s nails short. Over grown nails that touch the ground, put pressure on the base of the nail and can be painful. In an aging dog, long nails can distort the paw and intensify the pain of arthritis. Walking may become so difficult, the dog appears lame.

Long nails can also get caught on things and be torn off, which is extremely painful for the dog and often requires veterinary attention.

To clip your dogs nails at home you will need:

• Nail Clippers – There are different types and sizes of nail clippers available. Guillotine style clippers and scissor style clippers are the two most popular models. Small or medium-size clippers work well for Toy and Miniature Poodles, large or heavy-duty are better suited for Standard Poodles.
• Styptic Powder – It is a good idea to have styptic powder, in case you clip too close and the nail bleeds.
• Nail File or Emery Board – To smooth down rough edges. An electric pet nail grinder is another option.

About The Nail Quick

In the center of each toenail is the blood and nerve supply for the nail, called the quick. With white nails you can see the pink color of the quick. For dark nails you can shine a flash light behind the nail to locate the quick. Trim the nail as close to quick as possible without cutting into it because it will bleed and cause pain for your poodle.

The best way to avoid cutting into the quick is to trim the nails often. As the outside of the nail grows, the quick grows along with it. When the nails are trimmed frequently, the quick tends to recede. The more often you trim the nails, the farther back the quick recedes.

How To Cut Your Poodle’s Nails

1. Hold the paw firmly in one hand. Place your thumb on top of the foot and fingers underneath to spread the toes.
2. With your other hand, clip the nails, one at a time. If you are unsure, snip off a little at a time. If you do cut into the quick and bleeding occurs, apply a dab of styptic powder to the nail with gentle pressure until the bleeding stops.
3. Remove any sharp edges with a few swipes of a nail file or emery board.

Another options for keeping your poodle’s nails short is to use an electric nail grinder, which uses a rotating sandpaper bit. The video below is a demonstration of the Dremel Pet Grinder.

Whatever method you use, nail trims need to be part of your weekly grooming routine to keep your poodle’s feet in good shape. Nail clipping may be one of your poodle’s least favorite aspects of grooming, but it’s necessary. When the nails are neglected, the quick grows too long and it is very difficult to shorten the nails without severing the quicks.

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Though the signs can vary from dog to dog, common signs of impacted anal glands are:

• scooting on the rear end
• licking the area around the anal glands
• reluctance in defecating, resembling constipation
• discomfort when the area is touched

Impaction seems to be more common in Toy Poodles and other small breeds, than larger dogs. A regular check of the anal glands and expressing them if full, should be a part of the poodles grooming routine.

When the anal glands become clogged, they must be emptied by squeezing them to discharge the fluid inside. Expressing the anal glands is not a pleasant job, but it must be done to prevent further infection and serious medical problems.

How To Empty The Anal Glands

The best time to take care of the anal glands is right before you bathe your poodle.

If you are not going to bathe your Poodle and there is a pungent odor after you expressed the glands, moisten a cloth with warm water and a little shampoo, and then clean and rinse the skin and hair; otherwise the odor will remain.

1. Stand your Poodle on a firm surface, and hold up the tail with one hand. The anal glands are located at the 5 o’clock and 7 o’clock position, you will feel the glands as small firm nodules.
2. Cover the anus with a paper towel or wipe, as the accumulation may spurt out when the glands are emptied. Hold the wipe in your free hand and place it over the anal opening.
3. Place your thumb on one side of the anus and your index finger on the other, underneath and slightly behind the glands, then squeeze in an upward and outward motion.

The anal gland secretion can be any color from yellow to brown, ranging from watery to paste like, with a foul odor. The presence of pus or blood indicates that an infection is present. Infected anal glands require antibiotic treatment from your veterinarian.

If you can feel an accumulation and cannot expel it, you should call your veterinarian; because the glands can become abscessed and rupture.

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It is normal to find a little matter on the inside corners of the eyes from time to time. This can be removed by moistening a cotton ball with warm water and gently wiping at the eye corners. Be careful NOT to rub over the eyes with cotton; the fibers could scratch them.

The easiest way to flush out any foreign matter or loose hair is with a canine eye wash. An eyewash also help to clean the eyes and treat minor irritations. Raise your poodle’s head, gently open the lower lid and drop the fluid into the eye. Use a dry cotton ball to absorb the excess moisture from the eye corners.

Tear Stains

Daily attention to the eyes and the hair under them is the best way to control staining. White and light colored poodles, especially Toy Poodles, sometimes have stained hair under the eyes, which is caused by a discharge from the tear ducts. The discharge often makes the hair an unsightly reddish-brown and creates the effect of dark circles under the eyes. Excessive tearing can lead to skin irritation and infection.

The stained hair should be removed with clippers. After the hair has been trimmed, a daily program of cleansing the area with water or a Tear Stain Remover should help prevent further staining. Be cautious when using a product or home remedy for tear stains. These products should only be used on the stained hair and should not be used in the eyes.

Excessive tearing can be caused by many factors: heredity, allergy, improper diet, conjunctivitis, infection of the tear ducts, even from teething. Your veterinarian may be able to determine the cause and control it.

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Standard practice is that the ears are plucked free of hair each time a poodle is groomed. If you take your poodle to a professional groomer, ear cleaning and the removal of excess hair on the insides of the ear flaps is always included as part of the complete grooming service.

If you trim your poodle at home, it is extremely important to make ear care part of his grooming routine. When the ears are attended to every month, they should remain in good condition and the cleaning will only take a short time.

How to Clean the Poodle’s Ears

Examine the inside of each ear and the entrance to the ear canal carefully once or twice a month. The skin inside the ears and on the flaps should be pale pink. Red, brown, black skin or a foul odor may indicate a problem. A little ear wax is normal; excessive amounts are not.

The first step in cleaning the ear is to remove the hair leading into the ear canal. Because the ear canal is deep and almost L-shaped, the safest position for removing excess hair is to grasp the ear flap and draw it backwards or flat to the head.

Sprinkle a little ear powder into the opening to make the hair easier to grip the hair. Never probe deeper than you can see, and pull out a few hairs at a time. The following video demonstrates how to remove ear hair.

In order to avoid getting too much powder in the ear, sprinkle some ear powder in a small container and dip your fingers into it before grasping the hair.

Once the hair is removed, moisten a cotton ball with ear cleaning solution or a little mineral oil to clean away any dirt, wax or remaining ear powder. Wipe around the ear flap and into the opening as far as you can see. A light swabbing is sufficient if there is no evidence of wax accumulation.

If there is a great deal of ear wax or the ears smell foul, you will have to flush out the ear with ear cleaning solution. Grasp the base of the ear and draw outward and away from the head so that the liquid dropped inside will make its way down the ear canal. Use several drops of ear cleaner or mineral oil.

Lower the ear flap and steady your poodle’s head with your hand to keep her from shaking her head. With your other hand massage the base of the ear to distribute the lotion or oil, and help dislodge any wax inside the ear.

After a short massage, release your poodle and let her shake her head, it will help to bring any deep-seated wax to the surface. Once the wax is brought up, use cotton balls or swabs to wipe the ear until it is clean and dry.

Poodles that are prone to severe and chronic ear infections, or those that accumulate excessive amounts of wax deep in the ear canal should be attended to by a veterinarian. If your poodle shakes her head persistently, whimpers while scratching her ears, holds her head to one side, or if the ears have a foul odor and a reddish-brown discharge, see your veterinarian.

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When a poodle is groomed regularly, they are less likely to suffer from mats, tangles, skin problems, ear infections, overgrown nails or parasite infestation. So, not only does regular grooming keep your poodle looking good, it also provides health benefits. A poodle should be brushed and combed several times a week, with a full clipping every six to eight weeks.

The poodles extensive grooming requirements make the poodle one of the most expensive breeds to own. Poodle grooming is time-consuming and requires patience and skill. To save on the expense, some owners learn to groom their poodles at home. Even if you take your poodle to a professional dog groomer, there are still some grooming tasks that have to be done at home such as:

• Brushing and Combing – Your poodle should be brushed and combed at least three times a week. Correctly using the right brush and comb keeps the skin clean and healthy and makes your poodle less susceptible to disease and external parasites.
• Bathing Your Poodle – How often should you bathe your poodle? Whenever she needs it. As long as you use a correctly ph balanced shampoo, you can bathe your poodle as often as necessary.
• Ear Care – Check your poodles ears at least once a month. Remove excess hair that is growing in the ear canal and clean the ears. Ears that become heavy with hair are prone to infection.
• Eye Care – Check your poodles eyes daily and remove any debris that has collected on the inside corners with a moistened cotton ball. Daily attention to the eyes and the hair under them is the best way to control staining.
• Dental Care – Periodontal disease is the most common canine health problem.. Brushing your poodles teeth on a regular basis is the best way to prevent dental problems.
• Nail Clipping – Keep your poodle’s nails short enough that she can stand and walk comfortably. If your poodle has fast-growing nails you may have to trim them yourself.
• Anal Glands – A regular check of the anal glands and expressing them if full, should be a part of the poodles grooming routine. Toy Poodles in particular, are more likely to have problems with their anal glands than bigger poodles.

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