Grooming: A History Lesson
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by: Noele
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Word Count: 606
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2008 Time: 1:46 PM
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The poodle was the first to gain notoriety in grooming style and it takes little research to find the German sketch of a groomed poodle from the 1600's, as well as a well-known bronze sculpture from the late 1700's that depicts the poodle clipped in what is very similar to today's Continental show clip. The art of grooming grew during the 19th Century when Louis XV and Louis XVI of France declared the little dog the royal dog at court. Even with the fall of the monarchy, grooming parlours flourished, as did the poodle's popularity. These artfully groomed poodles became known as French Poodles despite the fact that the breed did not originate from France at all.
Examples of the English saddle clip and the Continental clips can still be seen in show rings all over the world but as the breed began to be ever more popular and moved from the aristocratic society to all classes, 'pet clips' originated. Grooming styles flourished, mostly out of the desire to keep the pets clean and tidy, but not everyone was interested in showing their dog nor was the cost of keeping a show dog within everyone’s means.
The terrier was another breed that benefited from a new look; it was discovered that the coat took on a richer color and texture if the wiry dead hair was stripped out. Note that hand stripping a terrier is a true art form and not all professional groomers have the necessary skill to do it.
Different breeds warrant different styles or cuts for showing, and woe-betide anyone straying too far from this, however breed standards as lain down are often misleading. The Pomeranian for example is described as having a long wiry coat with a recommendation only to trim to give shape and never to cut. In truth, the coat is soft and only becomes wiry when it re-grows after having been cut.
There are numerous styles around today but by far the most common is the “Pet Cut”, also termed the “Kennel Cut”. This is basically trimming the coat to a more practical length to make brushing and cleaning easier for the owner.
Many dogs are pampered and whether they see a show ring or not, spend as much time at the grooming shops as humans do in styling salons of their own. Many owners are very selective about whom they chose groom their dogs too, some even insisting on a particular person rather than grooming salon. as they do for their own personal hair-stylist.
About the Author
Noel Dundas is the author of several publications, including The Canine Diabetes Management Guide and the Canine First-Aid Handbook. Computing since the late 60's, he is a self professed Geek and has become somone to turn to for advice on canine diabetes.
You can contact him for advice about the diabetes symptoms dogs exhibit at www.DogDiabetesSite.com/contact.html for reliable and free advice.
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