Doodle Haircut Styles: Variations With Pictures for #Inspo! (Part 2)

It seems as though it’s a right of passage to experience the shock of picking up a pup from the grooming salon who…doesn’t exactly look like what we were expecting. If you’ve had the last straw, never step into that grooming salon unarmed again! (Or, consider grooming your Dood at home!)

In this article, we aim to empower you to convey exactly what you want done on your Doodle with two things: 1) Specific grooming terminology, and 2) #Inspo pictures galore! These two things will help you to avoid any misunderstandings and surprises upon pick-up from the groomer’s. Let’s get into it!

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Among the hundreds of dog breeds, there are some very specific types of grooming styles that some dogs are “supposed to” adhere to. Luckily, since Doodles are not recognized as a breed by strict breed clubs like the AKC, they can get away with pretty much any grooming style (and look great while doing it). Let’s go over some common variations of Doodle haircut styles, and be sure to watch this video to follow along:

I’d also encourage you to view our collection of pictures filled with real examples of the styles discussed below.

Head and Face: Doodle Haircut Styles

Clean Face

This is when the face, muzzle, and cheeks are all shaved very close to the skin. This is typically done on Poodles. Here is an example:

Leave Lashes

This is when the eye lashes are left long and not trimmed.

Teddy Bear Face/Head

This is a rounded face and head styled to resemble a teddy bear. These look great with all of the Doodle haircut styles, but especially the puppy cut. Here are some examples:

Topknot (TK)

A topknot refers to the top of a dog’s head. It should be round and seamlessly blended into the neck and body. A topknot for Doodles is usually a fluffy head. Here is an example of a topknot with a clean face:

Ears: Doodle Haircut Styles

There is a variety of ear styles and variations that you can get on your Doodle. Some of the ear styles don’t have a standard name so be sure to bring a picture in to show your groomer what you’d like done.

Clipped Ears

This is when the ears are clipped shorter, either with a blade or clipper comb. Clipped ears allow you to see the shape of the ear.

Full Ears

This is when the ears are left long and not shaved or clipped. However, full ears can still be trimmed down, layered, and can be cut blunt (straight across at the bottom), or rounded. You can also request to keep full ears but have them trimmed around the outline of the ear to expose the ear shape. Here is an example of full ears:

Legs and Feet: Doodle Haircut Styles

Beveled Feet

This is when the hair on the feet is left long enough to match the length of the hair on the legs, such that the entirety of the leg and foot look like one “straight” column. With beveled feet, there is no real distinction between the foot and the leg, and the feet are rounded (fluffy and neat without exposing the nails) at the bottom. Additionally, beveled feet are usually associated a specific Doodle haircut: the lamb cut.

Clean Feet

This is when the feet are completely shaved, exposing the nails and the entire foot up to the ankle area. Clean feet are usually done on Poodles but can be done on Doodles, as well.

Pom Poms

This is a stylistic cut that look like rounded balls. Pom poms are typically placed at the bottom of the legs, just above clean feet. Pom poms can really only be done on curly, thick, or fluffy-coated dogs like Poodles and Doodles.

Round Feet

This is when the hair on the feet are scissored neatly to look round and fluffy. With round feet the nails are not exposed.

Tight Feet

Tight feet are a middle ground between clean feet and round feet. Tight feet keep the feet free from matting, but are not shaved close to the skin. Tight feet expose the nails.

Tail: Doodle Haircut Styles

Physically speaking, there are a few types of tails in the dog world. As some dog breeds are expected to look a certain way, the way the tail is groomed is definitely part of the package.

Doodles can look great with pretty much any tail grooming style. Here are some options.

Flag Tail

A flag tail consists of around 1-2 inches of very short or shaven hair at the base of the tail. After this little gap, the tail hair closest to the body is longest and then gradually tapers off toward the tip of the tail. Doodles look great with flag tails as they really accentuate their long, luscious locks. Here is an example:

Pom Tail

Similar to pom poms on the feet, a pom tail is when the tail has a shaved base and a ball on the end.

Plume Tail

Plume tails can boast thick, curly Doodle hair by allowing it to billow out neatly yet beautifully.

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If the cut you have in mind for your pup is very specific, be sure to bring in photos for the groomer. This is the best way to avoid any miscommunications.

And don’t forget to check out Part 1 of this series for more pictures and overall of Doodle haircut styles for the body.