It is very important that you begin clipping your Poodle at an early age. A lot of breeders will begin clipping the face, feet and tail at 6 weeks of age. You need to brush your poodle on a regular basis and bathed every 2 to 3 weeks, more if they play outside and get dirty quicker.

When introducing the Poodle puppy to the clippers, it is a good idea to turn the machine on and hold it near the puppies head for a few minutes. This lets the puppy get familiar with the sound of the clippers. Second, very gently, touch the side of the puppy's head and and also against the puppy's body. This allows the puppy to get use to the vibrations of the clippers. You may want to do this a couple of times during the week before actually starting to clip the puppy's hair, depending on how the puppy reacts to the clippers. Some puppies adjust to the clippers quickly while others take more time.

When you begin to clip the Poodle, handle him with firmly but gently. Let the puppy know this is not  playtime. This is a serious business, and puppy needs to understand that. If puppy objects by crying or snapping, be firm but gentle let puppy know this is not acceptable behavior and patiently continue to groom puppy.

Remember: This first clipping is really a behavior lesson. If the puppy is allowed to get away with disobedience (growling, snapping, etc...,) this time, it will be harder to teach him that it is not acceptable behavior the next time you attempt to clip him.

The puppy/dog should be placed on a table or any other flat surface, which is approximately waist high. Never clip him on the floor, and never on anything that is not solid and strong. The puppy/dog should never feel unsafe because of a poor grooming table. The table should have a matting of corrugated rubber or another material, which will give your puppy/dog secure footing. If the Poodle becomes frightened because of a slippery or shaky table it will be nearly impossible to work with.

Good lighting and no distractions are both essential for good grooming. The light should be even and as free from shadows as possible. Neon light is by far the best type for Poodle grooming. There should be no distractions in the room, such as other animals or persons with whom the dog is unfamiliar. Please, no cats near the grooming table!