Corded Poodle

A corded poodle is one where its hair is made to look like dreadlocks and have rope like mats. They are viewed as a fashion statement and are the pride of the owners. Anybody who has owned one of them knows how hard it is and hence the owner is respected for the dedication. The cording can be done on any poodle with a normal coat. Ones with a single coat or a short coat cannot be corded. It is very easy to cord poodles with curly coats. Poodles are very intelligent and skillful. They can even be trained to track and herd.

They are popular in shows as they stand out because of their appearance. If there is one in the show it is easily spotted. These dogs stand proud and always walk with their head held high. It is a little difficult to keep the corded poodles clean because of the coat and they take longer to dry after a wash. For these reasons, corded poodles are quite rare now but the ones that do exist attract a lot of attention.

In order to get a corded poodle, the hair will be allowed to grow and the coat will be rolled and twisted into tight coils. This is usually done regularly by a groomer. Each ringlet has to be formed individually. In order to keep each ringlet together, wax or oil can be used. The petroleum jelly or wax would give it the matted appearance. Some even let them get matted naturally and then separate them onto segments. Even though originally the cords used to be long and reach the floor, modern ones are shorter.

In order to maintain the cords and to make sure they don’t break, the cords used to be oiled regularly. Oils are not used now as they are difficult to clean and will result in a very smelly dog. Some new products are used these days to prevent insects as well as to give a pleasant smell. You cannot brush the coat of a corded poodle and washing it is the only way to keep it clean. After the bath, it should be kept in a warm place so that it doesn’t catch a cold. The curly coated poodle can be turned into a corded one and a corded one can be turned into a curly coated poodle with just plain brushing.

A bath is recommended once a week for corded poodles. The shampoo should be diluted before applying. A leave in conditioner should also be applied after the bath. Blow drying is a must after baths to remove moisture which can promote mildew. The whole body should be check for moisture and the blow drying should continue till the entire coat is completely dry. A corded poodle will take a lot of your time. To maintain a healthy one, you will have to keep aside a few hours every week to make sure it is clean and healthy. But the result is a beautiful dog that will shine at shows.