The Teddy Bear Haircut - Tips and pictures to help you get your perfect groom
The "Teddy Bear Haircut" is one of the most popular and commonly requested dog grooming styles, but the name alone doesn't tell a groomer very much at all. It's really a blanket term we use for the head which can be round or squared depending on the dogs features and coat. While the body is often of one length that's not even guaranteed. The term doesn't tell us the length you'd like or any specific styling. We also need to determine whether pet parents have the time and ability to maintain longer coat lengths and can visit the groomer often enough to keep the coat tangle free and their pup comfortable between appointments.
As you can see below, "Teddy Bear Cut" can refer to many different face, head, and body lengths. Heads may be groomed round or square depending on the dog's facial structure and coat type. As much as we'd love to, groomers can't always achieve that perfectly round teddy bear face if a dog's coat or facial structure isn't suited for it.
To achieve the look you want, it's helpful to specify the body length first, such as short, medium, long, half off, or slightly more or less than half off, before requesting specialty or hand scissored finishes.Specialty haircuts require more frequent grooming, proper at home coat care, and a dog that is cooperative, tangle free, and able to stand comfortably for longer grooming sessions. Basic grooming appointments typically include routine preparation and brushing at about a reasonable 20 minutes of brushing time for the groomer or bather. Extensive detangling, de-matting, and advanced styling require additional time and cost and the consent and approval of not just the groomer doing the additional work but the pup itself has the final say.
If you plan to request a specialty haircut, please let your groomer know when scheduling your appointment so enough time can be reserved. Longer coats take additional time to wash, dry, brush and cut. A tangled long or dense coat takes even longer than that. Not all groomers specialize in high maintenance trims or longer scissor styles, so clear communication and regular maintenance are the keys to keeping your dog comfortable and looking their best.
Below are examples of some of the many, many options for a Teddy Bear Haircut to help you communicate with your groomer a little better. Please remember that photos provided to a groomer may not be able to be recreated to an exact as your pup may have completely different coat, body structure and behavior than a different dog in a photo. However, we are more than happy to help you come up with something that fits your pup perfectly.
*While many of these photos are of actual grooms, some may have been made with the help of AI to provide more examples*
