Cut guide
What is a puppy cut?
Puppy cut may be the most requested pet haircut and the least precisely defined. This page explains what one even length means in practice, how short to go in a Cape Ann summer or winter, why it is not the poodle show ring's Puppy clip, and how it compares with a teddy bear cut.
The short version
One length from head to tail, with a tidy face
The idea is simplicity. The groomer clips or scissors the body, legs and tail to one even length, then neatens the face, feet and sanitary area so the dog looks uniform and is quick to brush. The name refers to the look of a young puppy whose coat has not grown long yet, not to the dog's age, so an adult or a senior can wear a puppy cut as comfortably as a youngster can.
Do not confuse it with the Puppy clip in the AKC's poodle standard. That is a show trim for poodles under a year old: the coat stays long and shaped, while the face, throat, feet and base of the tail are shaved and the tail ends in a pompon. A pet puppy cut is close to the opposite, short and even everywhere, with no shaved face and no pompons.
- Body, legs and tail: one even length
- Face: tidy and short, not shaved
- Feet and sanitary area: neat and short
- Any age: the name describes the look, not the dog
How short
How short is your choice, within what the coat and the season allow
There is no fixed length. A puppy cut can be close enough that the coat brushes out in a minute, or long enough to stay soft and fluffy. Groomers set it with numbered clipper blades and comb attachments, and Dogtown does not publish a blade chart or promise a set measurement, so tell the groomer the result you want, in plain terms or with a photo, and they confirm what the coat can take at check-in. Mats narrow the choice, because a clipper has to pass beneath them.
Season matters on Cape Ann. The AKC's guidance on summer clipping says single-coated dogs should not be shaved down to the skin and that leaving at least one inch of hair helps protect against sunburn, skin cancer and bug bites. For a doodle or poodle cross that spends July in the yard, that points to a moderate length rather than a buzz. In midwinter a short coat simply holds less warmth, so many owners leave a little more length on the body from December.
Puppy cut or teddy bear
A teddy bear cut starts from the same even body but makes the head the feature
The two styles begin in the same place, an even body, and part company at the head. A puppy cut keeps the face tidy and in proportion with the rest of the dog. A teddy bear cut leaves the muzzle and cheeks full and scissors the head into a deliberate circle. Some groomers and owners use the two names interchangeably, which is the main reason to bring a photo rather than rely on the label.
Choose by your week. If brushing happens in a rush, the puppy cut wins: less hair on the face means less food in the beard and fewer knots behind the ears. If you love the plush look and comb every few days, the teddy bear head is worth the effort. Either way, the Dogtown menu charges the same full service for your dog's weight, so the decision is about upkeep rather than price.
| Puppy cut | Teddy bear cut | |
|---|---|---|
| Body | One even length | One even length |
| Head | In proportion, tidy | Full and scissored round |
| Face | Short and neat | Soft muzzle and cheeks |
| Brushing at home | Quickest | More time at the face and ears |
| Price at Dogtown | Full service by weight | Full service by weight |
Who it suits
Busy households, beach dogs and coats that never stop growing
A puppy cut suits any dog whose coat keeps growing and would otherwise need daily brushing: doodles and poodle crosses, shih tzus, Lhasa apsos, Havanese, Yorkies, Maltese, bichons and cotons among them. It is especially practical for a dog that swims, digs or walks in wet weather, because a shorter, even coat rinses and dries faster and gives sand and burrs less to grip. Around Gloucester, where the city beaches reopen to dogs on October 1, that matters all winter.
It is not a cut for double-coated breeds such as golden retrievers, huskies, Bernese mountain dogs or Australian shepherds. Their coats shed by season and insulate against both heat and cold, and the AKC's chief veterinary officer explains that shaving one takes that insulating layer away. Those dogs get a bath, a brush-out and a tidy of the feet and outline instead, with Shed Release at $10 when the coat is blowing.
- Doodles and poodle crosses
- Shih tzus, Lhasa apsos, Havanese and Yorkies
- Maltese, bichons and cotons
- Not for double coats: goldens, huskies, Berners and Aussies
Booking it
Book a full service, describe the length, and rebook before it grows out
At Dogtown a puppy cut is one of the breed-specific or custom haircuts in the full service, which also includes the bath, the blow-dry and the brush-out: $75 up to 25 pounds, $85 from 26 to 50, $110 from 51 to 90 and $120 over 90. The final price is confirmed at check-in after a coat assessment, with de-matting at $15 per 20 minutes if knots have to come out first.
A short, even coat is also the easiest to keep between visits. A slicker brush and a metal comb once or twice a week usually reach the skin, and a $10 face trim or a $10 sanitary trim at the midpoint keeps the dog neat. Grooming needs no evaluation, drop-off runs inside the regular windows from 6:30 AM on weekdays, and rebooking at pick-up takes $5 off the next visit.
- 01
Weigh your dog and book the full service for its size
- 02
Note the length you want, with a photo if you have one
- 03
Mention mats, hot spots or handling worries in the booking notes
- 04
Confirm the length and the price with the groomer at check-in
- 05
Rebook at pick-up for $5 off
At Dogtown
Haircuts at Dogtown Grooming
Bath, blow-dry, brush-out and a custom haircut, priced by your dog's size.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
How short is a puppy cut?
How often does a puppy cut need redoing?
Does a puppy cut mean my dog has to be a puppy?
Is a puppy cut the same as a kennel cut?
Can my golden retriever have a puppy cut?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
- AKC: official Poodle breed standard (clips)
- AKC: is it OK to shave your dog's coat in summer?
- City of Gloucester: beach information
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
One length, easy weeks
Book a full service by weight online or in the Dogtown app, tell us the length you want, and rebook at pick-up for $5 off.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
