Nico is a toy poodle, and I have groomed him every five weeks since he was a puppy. He is now a doddering old man, nearly blind from cataracts, riddled with arthritis, and missing most of his teeth.
When Nico was a young dog, his owner and I had fun inventing new and exciting styles for him to sport. Sometimes, he looked more like a Bichon than a Poodle, with a full, round head. Other times, he had a smooth face, dapper mustache, or whimsical goatee. Sometimes, he had a fancy hand-scissored pattern; occasionally, he was shorn short and sporty for summer swimming and hiking adventures. We even dabbled in color on a few occasions, tipping his ears or tail in seasonal or sports fan shades. But those days are gone. Now Nico is in a comfort clip.
Comfort clips are what groomers commonly call a hairstyle that helps to promote the very thing it is named for: the comfort of the pet. As dogs age, they frequently develop physical conditions that make prolonged grooming uncomfortable. Since many breeds, such as Poodles, require grooming to maintain their fur, compassionate groomers will suggest to the pet owners that they adjust their grooming goals away from fun, fashion, and flash to a style that abbreviates the time the pet must be on the table, and creates an easy to maintain clip.
Where poodles are concerned, shaved feet are often the first thing I suggest the owner phase out. Standing on three legs while each foot is carefully trimmed can be difficult for older dogs, as balance issues can occur. Separating each toe to create the signature smooth poodle foot can cause discomfort if there is any arthritis. The dogs will let us know if the process is uncomfortable; we just need to be tuned in to their body language and respect the changes they experience with aging.
In most cases, a comfort trim is a one-length-all-over affair and on the shorter side. Short clips minimize the time for bathing, drying, and brushing. For older dogs or dogs with health concerns, focusing on creating a tidy, easy-to-maintain, and uniform appearance that can be executed as swiftly and effectively as possible is key.
Including the pet owner in the discussion about late-life grooming is essential. They may have particular concerns; for instance, some dogs do well with a greatly exaggerated sanitary trim as they age because they may have incontinence issues. Others need special care to remove all those tiny hairs that grow along the lip line because they have lost teeth, the lips curl into the mouth,and the hairs annoy the pet. The owner may also struggle emotionally with the changes in their beloved pet's physical appearance, such as a pronounced spine or jutting hips. We can leave a little extra coat here and there to help mask the things that upset the owner.
It is a kindness to create a comfortable grooming style that caters to the needs of the pets we care for as they enter their final chapter.
