The Swirl clip is best accomplished by first styling the Poodle in the Lamb clip and then trimming in the narrow curving lines with a #5/8 or #7/8 blade. This artistic pattern, with the swirl curving around the middle of the Poodle, can be trimmed in two ways: the first with the curve pointing towards the hindquarters and the second with the curve pointing towards the front of the dog.

The Swirl clip requires proficient clipper and scissor work along with a practiced eye to achieve balance and symmetry. Beginning groomers should not attempt either pattern of the Swirl clip until they master the art of clipping narrow pattern lines and making them even in position, size and shape on both sides of the Poodle’s body.

Here are the steps for the Swirl clip:

1. Bathe and fluff dry your Poodle.
2. Follow the instructions for clipping the feet.
3. Follow the instructions for clipping the face.
4. Follow the instructions for clipping and scissoring the tail.
5. Clip the stomach up to the middle of the dog, stopping at the last rib.
6. Clip the front of the neck with a #10 or #9 blade. Sit the Poodle on the grooming table, facing you. Keeping in mind that this can be a very sensitive area, be sure to use the correct blade for your dog’s skin type. If your Poodle is sensitive and prone to scratch at his throat after clipping, use an #8-1/2 or a #7F. Start an inch or so below the Adam’s Apple. Pointing clippers upward, clip to the front of each ear. The clipped area can be V shaped or slightly rounded (like a necklace) across the neck.
7. The most efficient way to execute the Swirl clip is to trim the body first to an overall even length, as you would do for the Lamb clip, and afterwards clip in the pattern lines with a narrow cutting blade. Follow steps 8 and 9 of the Lamb clip. You can accomplish this by either of two methods:
   a) Scissoring the body coat to an overall length: about 1/2 inch long on a Toy Poodle, 1 inch long on a Miniature Poodle and 2 inches long on a Standard Poodle. Keeping overall balance in mind, these estimated hair lengths can      be increased or decreased according to the size of the dog.
   b) Shortening the overall body coat to the lengths by clipping with a medium to long snap-on comb attachment over a #30 or #40 blade.
8. Once the body coat is outlined to an overall even length, you are ready to clip the Swirl pattern. The first step is to clip a narrow strip, starting at the base of the tail, up the center of the backbone, stopping an inch or so behind the last rib. Use a #5/8 blade on a Toy Poodle and a #7/8 blade on a Miniature or Standard Poodle.
9. Now comes the tough part—clipping the curved line on each side of the Poodle. Even the most experienced groomers find it difficult to clip the narrow swirling lines freehand and make them even in placement, size and shape. Consequently, most professionals use some object as a template or guide: a large plastic soda cup for a Standard Poodle, for instance, or an aerosol can lid for a Miniature or Toy Poodle make excellent templates. Place your template in the center of the Poodle’s side. Hold it in place and, with the same narrow blade, clip about two-thirds of the way around the template.
10. Connect the swirl to the narrow strip you have already clipped up the backbone.
11. Repeat these steps on the other side of the Poodle. When you have finished, the two sides should join together in a V where they meet the narrow strip up the center of the back.
12. Fluff up the hair on the hips and hindquarters with your comb. Continue scissoring upward, smoothly blending the longer hair at the top of the legs into the slightly shorter body hair. At this point, if you have shortened the body coat to an overall even length with shears or a snap-on comb attachment, you will only need to fluff the coat up and out and lightly scissor any uneven areas. When shaping the hair at the clipped strip up the backbone and around the curving lines on the sides, fluff it up and out with your comb, and scissor off the untidy hairs that fall over the clipped areas to form crisp, precise pattern lines. Then use curved shears to bevel, or slightly round, the edges all the way around the pattern to remove any sharp lines, creating a soft look. Keep fluffing the body hair up and out and scissoring off a little hair at a time, following the natural contours of the dog, as you scissor forward on the back, over the ribs, the chest and shoulders.
13. As you scissor upward on the front of the chest, from shoulder to shoulder, blend the leg hair evenly into the body coat. Just as you did on the hindquarters, the lines from the tops of the front legs should flow smoothly upward into the shorter body coat, with no breaks in the hair. Scissor any remaining long hair between the front legs to the same length as the rest of the body.
14. Sit the Poodle facing you. Comb the hair on the head upward and forward, and shape the topknot.
15. Comb the ear feathering downward, then round the edges with scissors to remove any wispy hairs or excessive length for an overall balanced appearance.

The Swirl Variation

1. Complete steps 1 through 7 as instructed for the Swirl clip.
2. This swirl starts with an inverted V in the center of the back. The pattern line almost encircles the last rib. The easiest way to start the pattern is to cut in the inverted V with shears and then set it with clippers.
3. Now comes the difficult part: clipping the swirl on each side of the Poodle. Even the most experienced groomers find it difficult to clip the narrow swirling lines freehand and make them even in placement, size and shape. Therefore, you should use an object as a template or guide, as described in step 9 of the Swirl clip. Place your template in the center of the Poodle’s side with the back edge lined up with the last rib. Hold it in place. Using a #5/8 blade on a Toy Poodle and a #7/8 blade on a Miniature or Standard Poodle, clip about two-thirds of the way around the template.
4. Repeat these steps on the opposite side of the Poodle. When you have finished, the two sides should join together at the inverted V in the center of the back.