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Poodle grooming
Poodle grooming: your groomer owns the clip. The weeks between are what keep it.
A poodle needs a professional clip every 6 to 8 weeks, and that part is scissors and clippers at a salon. We do not clip. What decides how that clip looks at week six is the brushing at home and a proper bath with a straight blow-dry at the halfway point. That bath is what we do.
Toy, mini, standard
One coat, three very different jobs.
Toy poodleOur bath: $75
Tiny, fine coat, thin skin. Brush gently and often; face and eye area need daily attention.
Miniature poodleOur bath: $75
The same coat on a sturdier dog. Most mini poodles land in our small tier.
Standard poodleOur bath: $95 to $115
A lot of dense curl. The dry is the biggest part of the bath, and the part home baths rarely finish.
Why this coat mats
A coat that never stops growing and almost never sheds.
Poodle hair grows continuously, like human hair, in a tight, dense curl. Hairs that die do not fall out; the curl holds them, and daily wear twists them into the live coat. That felting starts at the skin, at the friction points: behind the ears, the armpits, under the collar, the tail base. It is why a poodle needs the tightest bath cadence of any coat type, every 3 to 4 weeks, and why every bath starts with a brush-out instead of water.
The clip you choose sets how much of this you are signing up for.
Short clip (kennel, sporting, lamb)
The easiest to live with. Brushing 2 to 3 times a week keeps it clean between cuts.
Teddy bear or longer pet clip
Softer look, more coat to line brush. Mats form fast at the legs, ears, and armpits if a week is missed.
Show-style or long topknot and ears
Daily brushing, and ears and topknot need their own comb-out. Only worth it if you enjoy the brushing.
The full cadence, including Maltese and Shih Tzus on the same clock, is on our poodle bathing guide.
At home, 2 to 3 times a week
How to brush a poodle between clips.
Tools: a slicker brush and a metal comb. Daily during the puppy coat change, 2 to 3 times a week after that.
- 1Slicker brush, in lines, from the skin out.
Part the coat, brush the layer below the part, drop the next half inch, repeat up the dog. Brushing over the top of a poodle coat leaves it fluffy on the outside and felting underneath.
- 2Metal comb behind every section.
The comb is the test. Skin to tip, no catches, and the section is done.
- 3Ears and topknot get their own pass.
Poodle ear hair is long and fine, and it tangles at the base where the ear meets the head. Comb it on its own, from the root outward.
- 4Brush before any water.
A wet tangle shrinks as it dries and turns into a mat. Every home bath starts with a brush-out.
Between baths
Keeping a poodle clean between baths.
Face and eyes
Wipe under the eyes daily with a damp cloth, especially on white, cream, and apricot toys and minis, where tear staining shows. A clean-shaved poodle face is your groomer's job; keeping it clean between cuts is yours.
Feet
Poodle feet are usually clipped short, which makes a muddy-paw rinse quick. Rinse, towel, and dry between the toes so damp hair there does not tangle.
Wet days
Rain or a swim: towel off, then dry the coat with a dryer while brushing. A poodle coat left to air-dry curls around every small tangle and sets it.
Poodle-cross coats follow the same rules; see our doodle grooming between cuts guide.
Our visit
A standard poodle's bath day with us.
- Brush-out and comb check before any water.
- Warm bath and conditioner, rinsed until the water runs clear.
- Forced-air dry with a brush, so the curl dries straight, not tangled.
- Nail trim and ear cleaning, included in every wash.
Toys and minis $75; standards $95 to $115 by weight. One dog at a time, in the van at your driveway. It is the same between-cut service as our doodle bath and brush-out, built for curly coats.
Where we stop
When a poodle coat needs clippers, not shampoo.
Small tangles are part of every brush-out. A poodle coat felted to the skin is a different job: brushing it out hurts, and bathing it tightens it. If we find solid matting, we tell you before we start, and the answer is a shave-down at your groomer. Poodle coats grow back well, and a regular bath schedule from there keeps it from happening again.
Our dematting guide covers which mats can be worked out and which cannot.
Put the halfway bath on the calendar.
Tell the schedule builder about your poodle's coat and clip and it turns the 3 to 4 week cadence into real dates between groomer visits.
Build the schedule, freeFrequently asked
Poodle grooming questions.
A clip at your groomer every 6 to 8 weeks, a full bath with a brush-out and blow-dry every 3 to 4 weeks, and brushing at home 2 to 3 times a week. The bath at the halfway point is what carries the clip cleanly to the next appointment.
No. We are wash-only: brush-out, bath, conditioner, blow-dry, nail trim, and ear cleaning. Clips, shaved faces and feet, and topknot shaping all stay with your groomer.
The coat change. Somewhere around 9 to 18 months the soft puppy coat is replaced by the denser adult curl, and both textures tangle against each other for a few months. Brush to the skin daily during the change and keep the 3 to 4 week bath on schedule. It is temporary.
The schedule is the same; the job is not. A toy is a few minutes of brushing and a quick dry, but the skin is thin and the face needs daily care. A standard poodle is a lot of dense coat and a long dry. We price by size: toys and minis at the small rate, standards at medium or large by weight.
No, a bath makes it worse. Water tightens mats as they dry. A shave-down is the kind option for a coat matted to the skin, and a poodle coat grows back. After the shave, a bath every 3 to 4 weeks and regular brushing keep the regrowth from matting again.
Compare every breed's interval on the bathing schedule page.
Protect the clip you already paid for.
Brush-out, bath, and blow-dry between clips with nails and ears included, $75 to $115 by size, at your driveway.
or text us at (408) 599-8317
Owner-operated · Local service
Hi, I’m Ace.
I run Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash myself — I’m the one who shows up at your door. Every visit is one dog at a time in the van at your curb: warm water, a full brush-out and a proper dry, with no salon drive and no cage waiting. Big dogs, heavy shedders and nervous seniors are the reason this service exists.
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★★★★★
SUCH a great - and easy! - experience! Asa was immediately responsive (I love when businesses actually answer their phone!), worked Moose in within 24 hours, was communicative throughout, bought unscented products specifically for us, did a great job with my 12 year old doodle … all in all: amazing service!
★★★★★
Ace at Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash was absolutely wonderful with my senior dog. He was so gentle and patient with him, which meant everything to me given his age — I could tell he genuinely cared about his comfort throughout the whole process. Beyond the excellent care, Ace was warm, loving, and clearly an animal lover at heart, while also being completely professional from start to finish. It's rare to find someone who balances that kind of tenderness with real expertise, and my dog came out looking and smelling great without a hint of stress. Highly recommend Ace and Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash.
★★★★☆
Ace was great with my 3 small dogs. They got washed and towel dried, their ears checked, their nails trimmed. One star off because he trimmed one nail too far and it bled for a long time, plus distressed my already anxious dog. Important to know that this service isn't van-based (yet). Ace brings a portable wash station to set up outside. He brings his own water and supplies. He doesn't do any hair cuts, just basic wash and towel dry. I'll call him again in the future!
★★★★★
Ace did a great job with our little old chihuahua mix. Our appointment was for the evening and he came prepared with warm water, and made our sure our dog was comfortable the entire time. Don't let the lack of reviews on yelp scare you away, his prices are good, and he takes time to ensure that good work is done.
★★★★★
He did such an amazing job with my dog! He came out looking so nice, clean, and well-groomed, but what stood out to me most was how happy and comfortable he seemed afterward. You can really tell he was treated with care throughout the entire process. I'm extremely pleased with how everything turned out and would definitely recommend him!
★★★★★
Ace at Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash was absolutely wonderful with my senior dog. He was so gentle and patient with him, which meant everything to me given his age -- I could tell he genuinely cared about his comfort throughout the whole process. Beyond the excellent care, Ace was warm, loving, and clearly an animal lover at heart, while also being completely professional from start to finish. It's rare to find someone who balances that kind of tenderness with real expertise, and my dog came out looking and smelling great without a hint of stress. Highly recommend Ace and Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash. Price is great!
★★★★★
We booked Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash for our 90-lb German Shepherd, Koda, who hates the groomer. Ace parked the van right in our driveway in Willow Glen, walked her up the ramp himself — no lifting, no cage, no other dogs — and I watched the whole wash from my doorstep. Bath, nails, ears, and she came back inside dry and calm. Flat $95 exactly as the website said, no surprise charges. We've already booked next month. 😊❤️
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