Poodle care calendar

Year-round routine

What a Poodle needs on a repeating cadence, whatever the month.

• GroomingBrush and comb to the skinEvery 1-2 days

  Line-brush with a slicker, then confirm with a metal comb — if the comb does not pass to the skin, the area is matting. Behind the ears, armpits and where the harness sits go first.

• GroomingProfessional groom or full clipEvery 4-6 weeks

  Six weeks is the outside limit for most coats. Take photos of the trim you want; 'puppy clip' means different things to different groomers.

• GroomingBath and thorough blow-dryEvery 3-4 weeks

  A curly coat left to air-dry tightens into mats as it dries. Dry it while brushing it out.

• GroomingClean under the eyesEvery few days

  Tear staining is a Poodle constant. Wipe with plain water and keep the hair trimmed short at the inner corner.

• GroomingEar check — hair in the canalWeekly, at every groom

  Poodles grow hair inside the ear canal. Whether it should be plucked is genuinely debated; ask your vet what suits this dog rather than following a blanket rule.

• GroomingNail trimEvery 3-4 weeks, at each groom

  Usually done at the groom; check between if the dog is mostly indoors.

• ParasitesHeartworm preventiveMonthly, year-round

  The American Heartworm Society recommends year-round prevention rather than a seasonal course, because a missed shoulder month is how most infections get in. Give it on the same date each month.

• ParasitesFlea and tick preventiveMonthly, year-round

  Peak exposure runs spring through late autumn, but fleas overwinter indoors and ticks stay active above about 4 °C, so most vets now advise dosing through the winter as well.

• DentalBrush teethDaily, or at minimum three times a week

  Only pet toothpaste — xylitol and fluoride in human paste are not safe to swallow. Plaque mineralises into tartar in two to three days, which is why twice a week is the floor rather than the target.

• DentalCheck gums and back teethMonthly

  Lift the lip and look at the upper carnassials and the gum line. Red margins, a brown band, or breath that changed recently are the signs worth a call.

• DentalProfessional dental assessmentAt the annual exam

  Your vet grades tartar and gingivitis at the yearly visit and advises when a scale under anaesthetic is due. Most dogs need one somewhere between years three and five.

• WellnessAnnual wellness examYearly

  Book it in the same month each year so it does not drift. Twice yearly from about age seven, when changes move faster than a twelve-month gap can catch.

• WellnessCore vaccinations reviewedYearly review, boosters on your vet's schedule

  Rabies interval is set by local law; distemper/parvo combinations are commonly three-yearly after the initial series. Lifestyle vaccines — leptospirosis, Lyme, kennel cough — depend on where you walk and whether you board.

• WellnessWeigh and body-condition scoreMonthly at home

  You should feel the ribs easily under a thin layer, and see a waist from above. Weight creeping up is the single most common thing an owner can fix without a prescription.

• WellnessNail length checkEvery 2 weeks

  If you hear the nails on a hard floor they are long. Overlong nails change how the foot loads and, over years, how the joints above it are loaded too.

• WellnessKnee check in Toys and MiniaturesAt each wellness exam

  A skipping step for a stride or two, then normal walking, is the classic luxating patella sign.

Month by month

The dates that move. Shedding, parasite season and the annual checks worth booking in a particular month.