How to Trim a Pomeranian and Keep That Fluffy Look
If you are struggling with how to trim a Pomeranian, I have tips for you to pull off stylish coats with salon quality scissor cuts! I’ll show you gentle, safe ways to trim a Pomeranian’s body, tail, ears, feet, and ruff, for all trims, whether you are to show them, or are a new Pom parent, these will keep your adorable Pom-looking fluffy.
Grooming a Pomeranian
Grooming a Pomeranian also involves caring for Pomeranian’s comfort and health. It is also for show purposes. Pomeranians have a double coat and without a proper grooming schedule, a coat can get out of control. Establishing a grooming schedule reduces matting, and keeps skin healthy. It also helps in maintaining the Pomeranian’s notorious outline.
When learning how to trim a Pomeranian, the most important thing is, understanding the appropriate level of finishing. Pomeranians can’t be shaved, and this requires the groomer to use scissors to keep the fluff. Ideal trimming helps Pomeranians to retain the natural and unblemished beauty of the coat, thus avoiding permanent damage to the coat as well as loss of proper texture and long lasting consequences. Routine brushing, appropriate grooming equipment and careful trimming helps Pomeranians to look and feel their best.
Pomeranian Trimming Guide By Diana Paiva
Trimming a Pom requires a certain amount of planning. First set the Pom on the floor and take some time to watch how the Pom moves. This will allow you to identify the areas with the most hair and help you decide which trims are necessary and which areas require no work. Overall, you should aim to take off the least amount of hair and gently enhance the natural outline of the dog.
Do not think of trimming as merely “cutting.” Aim for a gentle rounded overall shape, as this will flatter the Pom. For this purpose, it is best to use thinning shears and take short, soft snips. Finally, remember this is a trimming guide for Pomeranians, so the dog should not be trimmed in the style of a poodle and bichon. The aim is to achieve balance and neatness.
How to Trim a Pomeranian's Hair on the Tail
Pomeranian tails are exceptional and require time and dedication to trim professionally. First, locate the beginning of the tail, then point the hair, and gently brush it. For the underside, trim the hair in a fan shape so it seamlessly integrates into the coat on the back. If you are a beginner, use thinning shears, especially in this case as it will provide you a softer finish, avoiding the blunt edges of the cut.
Avoid trimming too much, as this will only worsen the appearance of a poorly set tail. No tail of a Pomeranian should ever be considered a poorly trimmed tail. A Pomeranian should be set to its tail courtesy of a balance shaping. Tail trimming should be set in a manner where the tail outlining will not border on thin and flat.
Sanitary Trim Pomeranian Style
This is more about hygiene instead of styling. For this, trim the hair in a neat circular form around your Pom’s anus. This will help in avoiding soiled coat and thus keeping your dog clean. For this, it is best to use sharp, small scissors to help in accurate and safe trimming.
When trimming, the focus should be on functionality to minimize odors and messes, especially with longer-coated Pomeranians. For many, the sanitary trim Pomeranian style is part of routine grooming, as it simplifies everyday maintenance for both the owner and the dog.
How to Trim a Pomeranian’s Hair – The Dog’s Body
While trimming, you should always visualize a circle. The coat should be crafted to convey the image of a compact and balanced dog. Start with the bib and pants. Thinning these areas slightly helps to shorten the outline of the dog and keeps the coat from dragging.
To create the illusion of a shorter body, trim the underside in an inverted “V” shape. Use thinning shears to blend the coat evenly from top to bottom. With practice, you will be able to trim the Pomeranian hair across the body in a way that emphasizes the natural frame rather than removing a lot of hair.
Trimming the Pomeranian's Ruff
The ruff is the fluffy hair that frames the Pomeranian’s face. It is very important that the fur is cut correctly. To make the ruff look soft and fluffy, brush the hair down and use the pin brush to lift a layer and trim each section in a semicircle. Trim the fur using thinning shears so that the ruff will have a halo effect.
Make sure that the fur on top of the ruff is level with the tips of the ears. This will keep the fur from overpowering the face. If this is done correctly, the face will look highlighted, and the pup will look polished and well groomed.
Trimming the Bib
The bib is the thick fur on the chest that is also the pom’s bib. It is a very important part of the pom’s appearance. When the pom is in a standing position, the shape of the bib should be a pretty nice curve and should not extend past the nose. When viewed from the side, the bib should look nice and trimmed.
Thinning shears work best. It will help provide a nice look to the pom and avoid the droopy and long hair look that can be seen on the bib. It is also very nice to look at from a distance. It improves the overall silhouette of the body by balancing the outline.
How to Trim a Pomeranian's Coat for Show
When you groom a Pomeranian for a show, it’s detailing the coat for construction and movement for the dog for show purposes. Try to show off the Pomeranian’s best qualities and try to cover their imperfections. Judges are going to see a balanced-cut coat show pose to determine the show quality, so every cut matters for it… Start off by observing the Pom for movement. This can tell you where the coat is uneven, and where there is excessive weight.
When it is time to show the Pomeranian, show less. There is no need to over cut the coat. This can disrupt the textural balancing and the color points, mainly with sable coats. A dog can look washed out and unpolished with over-cutting. Subtle adjustments are the key, rather than extreme cuts. Understanding how to cut a Pomeranian for the show involves knowing how to refine the outline so the dog’s natural attributes stand out.
How to Trim the Ears of a Pomeranian
The ears have a significant impact on how the Pomeranian’s face appears. To cut the ears, the best way is to pin the ears down so the ear wash can stay. Trim the hair going to the ear from the top and down to the tips. Leave the inside ear hair a little shorter than the outside to give a little depth to the ears.
The aim is to create an impression of small ears, appearing as little triangles under the ruff. Be mindful not to over trim as this can result in disproportionate ears. A small trim aids in the enhancement of the expression resulting in the furry halo effect around the head. The art of trim-ease or the illusion thereof is very deceptive.
How to Trim a Pomeranian Dog – Feet
Before the foot trim, make sure to clip the toenails. With your Pom on its back, the excess hair between the pads can be trimmed. This will contribute to the cleanliness of the pads and prevent slipping on smooth surfaces.
Then, to create a neat, round shape, stand the dog up and trim the edges of the paws. The leg coat should blend with the paw hair to prevent a ragged look. Judges can easily notice messy feet, thereby making this trim very important. For a Pom showing in the ring, polished feet and legs are essential.
Pomeranian Haircut Trimming – Legs
For the legs, picture an imaginary straight line going down the sides of the Pom body. Brush the fur upward, and then trim down until you reach that line. You want to make straight, column like legs without showing the toes.
Remember to trim the excess hair on the knees and hocks that will smooth the leg lines and avoid making knobby knees. The trims will blend into the body coat, as shown here. Pomeranian haircut trimming – legs will add elegance and symmetry to your Pom stance, especially when under the judge’s eye.
Show Pomeranian Scissor Cut Details
True show trim will highlight the Show Pomeranian scissor cut, which provides the finish and look of polish but also natural. Expert groomers will not use clippers but scissors instead, to preserve the Pom’s double coat. By doing this, it creates and maintains the coat and increases control to give the dog a soft and rounded outline without the coat looking chopped or uneven.
Using scissors also keeps the coat neat and prevents it from losing its natural fluff. Clippers can make the coat lie flat and unevenly, whereas scissors preserve the ablation trimmed. With enough patience and practice, this trim makes the Pom resemble a small fox. Yes, the fluff makes it a glorious mane. If you’re looking to achieve a show quality trim, it’s best to work with a professional Pomeranian groomer.
For home grooming, check out this complete Pomeranian grooming tool kit to keep your Pom look show-ready.
Pomeranian Trimming Guide Conclusion
The Pomeranian’s aesthetic trim is merely a small part of the overall goal which is to keep the Pom comfortable. Each part of the trim is important to keep the Pom’s uniquely beautiful fluff. With the right tools, a Pom can be trimmed to achieve a balance of function and style.
For casual pet owners, all you need to do is keep things neat and tidy around the feet, ears, and sanitary areas and you should be fine. However, if you want to see your Pom shine in the ring, you will need to master the art of scissor cuts and proper shaping. Regular trims, whether done by you or a professional Pomeranian groomer, will always make sure your fluff is looking and feeling the best.
FAQs
You can manage basic dog grooming like brushing, trimming, and cleaning the paws or the ears. For this, you just have to have the right dog grooming tools and a calm dog. As long as you have patience, basic grooming should be easy. However, you should let a professional handle show scissors as well as any skin or coat damage.
For a pet Pomeranian, the best style is the trim to keep the natural ruff and plume tail. Light scissor shaping for a rounded “circle” outline is recommended. For Pomeranians in the show ring, a full scissor cut to refine the outline and removing the clipping or shaving is preferred.
Pomeranians need trims to keep unnecessary coat layers from building. However, they do not need to be completely shaved. Other areas that need to be trimmed is the ruff, the bib and tail, to keep the ruff, bib, tail, and sanitary areas from matting and causing hygiene problems to the dog.
You can clean a Pomeranian’s ears by using a vet-approved ear cleaning solution, a clean cotton ball, and a cotton pad. If you clean the ears, do not insert any cotton swabs in the ear canal. If you notice any ear redness or discharge, or a bad smell, consult to your vet as well.
Most mistakes involve fully shaving the double coat, excessive trimming, using clippers inappropriately, failing to perform regular brushing which leads to mats, and neglecting to perform sanitary or paw trim.