Whiskers! All dogs have them. Many people confuse hair and whiskers. So, if you are wondering do poodles have whiskers? The short answer is yes!
Poodles have whiskers and those are not just hairs. Whiskers serve an important role in your poodle’s navigation and vision. Like other hairs, it is completely fine to trim your poodle’s whiskers if you want a clean and groomed dog, especially for the poodle show.
Whisker trimming is not very common as they serve a purpose and it is a personal choice. However, it is harmless and does not hurt your poodle at all.
If you see your poodle’s muzzle hair collects food and dirt, you can give him a full-face trim to keep your fur baby bacteria-free, clean, and healthy.
In this post, I will tell you how to identify your poodle’s whiskers? What function do whiskers perform? And how to groom your poodle’s whiskers safely? So, let’s begin!
Do Poodles Have Whiskers? How Do You Identify Them?
Whiskers are known as vibrissae and all mammals excluding humans have them. Whiskers are long, thick, and rigid, and also deeply rooted in the skin. They can be easily seen on your poodle’s cheeks, chin, muzzle, and eyebrows.
How Many Types of Whiskers Are There?
Well, whisker is a general term known to all pet parents. However, whiskers can be classified into four types depending on the area where they are grown.
- Mystacial Whiskers (Whiskers on your Poodle’s Muzzle)
- Superbital Whiskers (Whiskers on your Poodle’s Eyebrows)
- Interramal Tufts (Whiskers on your Poodle’s Chin)
- Genal Whiskers (Whiskers on your Poodle’s Cheeks)
What Function Do Your Poodle’s Whiskers Perform?
Like cats and other mammals, dogs use their whiskers to explore their environment. Every whisker is embedded in a hair follicle that contains blood vessels and nerves.
1. To Sense Danger:
Whiskers are highly touch-sensitive due to the presence of active neurons. These neurons send signals to your poodle’s brain that something is near their face so they help to avoid dangers in the near space.
You should keep in mind that a dog’s whiskers are very delicate and sensitive. Just like human eyelashes, a dog’s whiskers keep him safe from branches and sharp objects that can hurt his eyes during a walk.
2. To Navigate Surroundings:
This may surprise you a bit that dogs do not have a really good sense of sight. So, how could they manage to locate things? Whiskers! Whiskers assist them to navigate their surroundings and escape obstacles like walls, furniture, and even people blocking their way.
Your poodle’s whiskers are even more helpful at night. They help your furball to pass through the dark without getting in contact with things.
Whiskers not only help your poodles but also tells you about them;
3. Endangered Poodle:
If you see your poodle’s whiskers pointing forward or flaring out, it is a signal that your poodle is feeling threatened. You should immediately change your poodle’s environment and let him feel safe and comfortable.
4. Overall Health:
Additionally, your poodle’s whiskers also tell you about its overall health. Whiskers with drooping or split ends indicate health concerns.
Similarly, if your poodle’s whiskers fall out and do not grow back in some weeks, your poodle is might facing Vitamin deficiency.
Can You Trim a Poodle’s Whiskers While Grooming?
Yes, you can trim your poodle’s whiskers without hurting him while regular grooming.
Most professional groomers do not trim whiskers of short hair dogs. as poodles are a long and curly hair breed, grooming and trimming whiskers is common in them.
Poodle hairs are fuzzy, especially around the muzzle. These hairs accumulate dirt and food that causes tangles and bacterial infections. To keep your poodle’s face clean, groomers find the need to trim your poodle’s facial hair including whiskers.
What Happens If You Cut a Poodle’s Whiskers?
Whiskers assist your poodle about its surroundings. Whiskers do not only help your poodle to identify the shape and size of objects but also help them in navigating walls and other obstacles present in their way.
Moreover, whiskers help your poodle to determine how big and small a hole is and protect him from possible injuries and accidents.
Cutting down your poodle’s whiskers will reduce the signal efficiency and make your poodle feel disoriented. You will notice your poodle hitting into objects after a whisker trim as it will not be able to identify things properly.
However, the consequences of this slight disorientation are still unclear. In general, a little bit of a whisker trim is totally fine. Whiskers eventually grow back!
Does Cutting Whiskers Hurt Dogs?
Whiskers have neurons and are touch-sensitive. So, are you wondering that trimming will hurt your poodle? Aren’t you?
Whiskers have active sensitive neurons only near the hair follicles. So, cutting your poodle’s whiskers is similar to cutting other hairs or his nails. It won’t hurt your poodle.
However, you should never try to pluck your dog’s whisker. It can be very painful for your dog and there are chances of skin irritation.
Should I Cut My Poodle’s Whiskers?
That’s completely your personal choice! Removing your poodle’s whiskers for aesthetics is fine but it can somehow affect your dog’s responsiveness to the environment.
Can Whiskers Grow Back If Trimmed?
Absolutely! Like other hairs, whiskers can grow back. If you want your poodle clean and aesthetically appealing, you can get its whiskers trim during a grooming session.
If a groomer accidentally cut your poodle’s whiskers off, there is no need to freak out. Your poodle’s whiskers will grow back soon!
Do Poodles Have Whiskers? Final Thoughts:
All mammals excluding humans have whiskers to sense their environment and to respond effectively. So, yes poodles have whiskers too. You may feel difficulty in locating whiskers as poodles have a lot of hair.
Whiskers are long, rigid, and thick. They have sensory neurons that help dogs to identify things around them and assist them by sending signals to their brain. You can see them on your poodle’s muzzle, chin, cheeks, or eyebrows.
Cutting your poodle’s whisker is your personal preference. It does not hurt a dog and they grow back like other hairs. However, it might have mild effects on your poodle’s orientation and responsiveness.