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Dog Haircuts & Grooming Styles

Dog Haircuts & Grooming Styles

Updated on May 21, 2024
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Reviewed by Wendy Weinand
CMG, MPS, Meritus

Cut or Style Dog's Hair | Haircuts by breed | Haircuts by Coat | Popular Dog Cuts | Asian Fusion

dog getting haircut at Petco groomers

There are few things more fun than trying a new ‘do. Through trimming, styling and accessorizing, many pet parents enjoy the excitement that comes from their pup getting a fresh new hairstyle. Your pup’s size, color, coat type and genetics all play a part in making them delightfully unique. The right dog haircut can enhance natural features or even create a dramatic new look altogether. Read on to about different dog grooming styles you can to play with your pet’s appearance.

New to all things grooming? Use our Groomlish: A Dog Grooming Glossary for Beginners guide to learn the lingo. 

 

Why should I cut or style my dog’s hair?

Pet parents have different reasons for wanting to experiment with dog hairstyles, ranging from practical to aesthetic considerations. Some reasons you might consider giving your pup a trim and style include:

  • Fitting the breed standard Even if you don’t intend to show your dog professionally, you might want to give your dog the hairstyle that’s considered the “breed standard” for their specific breed. 
  • Playing up their features Teacup-size dogs look mighty cute with a puppy cut, while Poodles’ long, lean lines can be accentuated with the right trim. You can highlight your dog’s most distinctive features with dog grooming styles that play to their individual strengths—especially if your pup is a mixed-breed dog with no breed standard to conform to. 
  • Keeping them comfortable Some dog haircuts and styles can actually help make your dog more comfortable by keeping long hair out of their eyes, removing excess fur from around their feet or helping prevent painful mats from forming. 
  • Making coat maintenance easier The right trim can go a long way toward making at-home grooming easier or preventing long, unkempt fur from becoming tangled or matted. It may help with other irritants like debris, bugs and pollen that may collect.      
  • Expressing your style Dog haircuts don’t always have to be practical—they can also be fun. Your dog’s hairstyle can be a unique opportunity to express your personal style. If it doesn’t quite hit the mark the way you’d hoped, it will always grow back, and you can try a different style. Just remember, your pet is not embarrassed by their styles or trims unless you make them feel uncomfortable. Laughing or teasing your pet after a big change to their fur or coat can lead to them feeling unhappy, so if you don’t like the style, it will grow back soon enough.
  • Your home and their environment Although it’s fun to try all kinds of cool styles or even leaving it more natural, it’s important to consider your family's lifestyle and how your pup will fit into this picture. A few examples could be: Is he going to be a couch potato? Go hiking every weekend? Swimming at the beach? The style you choose should fit into this picture.

 

Haircuts by breed

Knowing which dog hairstyles suit your pup is important regardless of their breed or mix of breeds. However, there are also certain cuts that are associated with particular dog breeds. For pet parents who want to keep their dog in alignment with the breed standard of appearance or give them a look that’s considered fashionable for their breed, here are a few examples of distinctive dog hairstyles and dog haircuts by breed:

  • Shih Tzu This breed’s hair is usually left long, with trimming done around the feet and the bottom of the coat. The hair on the top of the head can be tied in a fancy ponytail, but make sure it's not tight enough to pinch the skin. But there are many variations and choices for this breed as well.
  • Maltese These dogs have naturally long hair, but it can be trimmed into a shorter, more streamlined shape. The standard is to tie two small ponytails on top of their head, and you can trim around their eyes and ears to create the look of a shorter round face with the ears blending in. This breed also has endless options for styles.
  • Poodle The distinctive “Continental cut” is the haircut many people picture when they think of a poodle. It involves closely shaving parts of the body, leaving a “mane” of hair around the shoulders, neck and head plus pom-poms on the ankles, hips and tail. But dream big on different styles for your poodle.
  • Schnauzer Schnauzers of all three  sizes have a distinctive hairstyle that is shorter on the body with longer, tapered hair on the legs, giving them a slightly flared appearance. The “beard” is often left long on a Schnauzer’s face. 
  • Afghan hound This breed’s silky hair is so long, it can handle dog hairstyles similar to those sported by pet parents—ponytails, pigtails, braids, barrettes and blowouts.

 

Haircuts by coat type

Whether your dog is purebred or mixedbreed, the most important factor that will determine what type of dog haircut is best for them is their coat type. Whether your dog is single- or double-coated, shorthair or longhair, with fur that’s smooth, wavy, curly, wiry or frizzy, the unique attributes of their fur will have a big on the types of dog haircuts that are recommended for them.  

Cutting your dog’s fur incorrectly can have long-lasting negative effects on their skin, fur and overall health. For example, double-coated dogs such as Golden etrievers and German hepherds should never be shaved except in medical situations. Shaving can cause their coat to regrow incorrectly and fundamentally change the texture and quality of their fur. Shaving can also expose double-coated dogs to sunburn and heatstroke—their thick insulating layer of fur actually protects them from the sun. It’s important to know some details about your dog’s fur type before giving them a dog haircut that could be wrong for them, or even potentially dangerous. 

 

Popular dog haircuts and grooming styles

Once you know which types of dog grooming styles could be right for your pup, it’s time to look into some popular choices that pet parents love. If you’re new to dog hairstyles, starting with a time-tested classic can take some of the guesswork out of whether your preferred style will look good on your pupYou’re likely to find dog hairstyle pictures for many of these cuts that will give you a good idea of what they’d look like on your dog. 

Some of the dog  ‘dos that look stylish on purebred and mixedbreed pups alike include such favorites as:

  • Summer cut Despite its name, a summer cut doesn’t need to be saved solely for warm weather. It can be a good choice for pet parents who want to give their dog a streamlined, uniform look. A summer cut will help reduce the amount of time spent brushing their longer fur or hair, keeping them from getting tangles or matters, along with keeping dirt, debris, twigs and bugs at bay. There’s no specific secret to a summer-style dog haircut—it involves an all-over clipping of your dog’s fur or hair into a shorter, more manageable length.
  • Teddy bear or Puppy cut If your pup is the cutest, cuddliest thing you’ve ever seen, why not try a dog haircut that plays up their resemblance to an adorable toy? This trim can be given to any dog with longer fur or hair, whether it’s wavy, straight or curly. The fur or hair all over a dog’s body is shortened—usually to a length of about 1 to 2 inches, sometimes a bit longer based on your breed—and trimmed to a uniform length, giving a dog a soft, rounded overall appearance. The hair on the face is trimmed and styled into a slightly rounded shape or can be left fuller based on hair type. Double-coated dogs typically need their topcoat trimmed no shorter than the natural length of their undercoat to prevent improper regrowth.   
  • Lamb cut This basic shape can be used for many kinds of dogs. The lamb cut looks chic on dogs with curly, wavy, wiry or straight fur or hair, making it one of the most versatile types of dog haircuts. To achieve this look, the hair on a dog’s body is clipped to a shortened uniform length, and the fur or hair on the legs are scissored or trimmed in a slightly longer length. This style is best for dogs with medium to long fur or hair like poodles, Maltese Yorkies, and Shih Tzus. 
  • Lion cut This fun, fashionable dog haircut lets your good-natured pup masquerade as a fearsome hunter—even if the only hunting they do is for stray kibble. In this style, the hair on a dog’s body and legs is clipped shorter while the fur on the shoulders, neck and chest is left long, giving the appearance of a shaggy-maned lion. Usually, the tail is clipped with a pom-pom of fur left on the tip. 
  • Topknot A topknot is a dog hairstyle, not a cut. In fact, it works best for dogs with long fur or hair. This style is a special ponytail or two perched at the top of a dog’s head. The amount of hair included, the way it’s gathered, the length of the hair and the type of hair accessory used to secure it can all affect the look of a dog’s topknot. Make sure to not gather any skin or pull the ponytail too tight as to irritate the skin andcause permanent hair loss.

 

Asian Fusion styles

Popular dog haircuts like the lamb cut and the summer cut are universally admired for a reason—they’re the right intersection of form and function, and they tend to work well for multiple breeds of dogs and mixed breed dogs alike. But there are many other dog haircuts out there.  

If you’re interested in dog grooming styles that defy expectation and transform your pup’s look into something truly extraordinary, you might be interested in Asian usion hairstyles. These bold and creative looks take the basics of standard dog hairstyles and elevate them to exaggerated heights, often creating striking geometric styles. For instance, an Asian usion style might riff on the classic teddy bear cut by giving your dog a cubed, rather than a rounded, face and body appearance. The lamb cut’s longer-on-the-legs style might be trimmed into an exaggerated flare that makes it look like your dog is wearing the grooviest bellbottoms in town. The sky’s the limit when it comes to Asian usion types of dog haircuts.  

With the right dog brushes and clippers, you can create some stylish dog hairstyles at home, but we don’t expect you to attempt a groundbreaking new ‘do without becoming acquainted with the tools of the trade. If you’re interested in giving your dog a makeover, you can start with our guide to Finding the Best Dog Brush for Your Pet’s Coat.

 

 

FAQs about dog haircuts and grooming styles

What are the different types of grooming haircuts, styles or techniques for dogs?

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Different types of grooming can be used for different dogs depending on such factors as: Breed Some dog breeds have a haircut or style that is considered standard for the breed, and some require special grooming techniques. For instance, schnauzers—along with most terrier breeds—are traditionally groomed for shows using a method called hand-stripping.  Coat type Even if your dog is not purebred, it does not mean they cannot get a dog haircut by breed standard. Their coat type can be maintained in the same way as their purebred cousin—their fur or hair is brushed, trimmed and styled. Coat characteristics such as length, texture and whether it’s a single or double coat can affect which brushes are used, how frequently to bathe your dog and which haircuts are best for your pup.  Lifestyle Does your dog like to swim in lakes or roll in mud puddles? Do they spend a lot of time outdoors, or do they like to be inside? Do you live somewhere that gets exceptionally hot or cold? All these factors can affect which dog haircuts you should consider for your pup.  Size The size of your dog plays a part inhow you bathe and brush them, and it can also help you determine which types of dog haircuts look best. Just about any curly haired dog can get a teddy bear cut—which can look great on any size dog—but it can be especially cute on pocket-size Conversely, a lion cut that might look majestic on a big dog could read as funny, not fearsome, on a tiny dog.

What haircut should my dog get?

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Your dog should get a haircut that is appropriate for their coat type, makes them feel comfortable appeals to you. These are the most important guidelines you should follow when deciding which dog grooming styles you want to try. If you give your dog a hairdo that you don’t totally love, don’t worry—it will grow out. Petco’s dog grooming offers options for breed-specific haircuts. These include: Cut and style  15-minute brushout Deep-cleaning shampoo  Blow-dry   Gland expression  Nail trim Scented spritz

What does a full grooming session look like?

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A full grooming session is about so much more than dog hairstyles. With Petco Dog Grooming services, you can create a customized grooming package for your pup that includes a breed-specific brushing, bathing dryingplus nail trimming, gland expression Your dog deserves to feel as good as their new hairstyle makes them look, and we’re ready to help give your dog the attentive grooming care they need. Petco’s dog grooming service option for dogs of all breeds includes: Cut and style  15-minute brush-out  Deep-cleaning shampoo Blow-dry  Gland expression  Nail trim  Scented spritz  

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