In addition to muzzling your poodle if she's injured, you need to know how to safely hold her while someone else gives her first aid. The proper restraining position will keep your dog from injuring herself further by struggling.

There are several ways to restrain your poodle, depending on where her injury is and how big she is. For the reclining restraint, which works well for Standard Poodles, put her on her side with the injured side up. Put your hand on her bottom foreleg and your arm across her shoulder. With your other hand, take hold of the ankle on the bottom hind leg and press your forearm against her hips.

For the stretch restraint, which works best for small poodles, hold your dog by the scruff of the neck with one hand, and hold both her hind legs with the other. Gently stretch her out on her side on a table.

To use the hugging restraint, for dogs that weigh over twenty pounds, hug your standing poodle to your chest, with one arm under her head and around her neck. (Think of a wrestler doing a half nelson.) Put the other arm under her belly and up across her outer side, resting your hand at her shoulder. You can also reach over her side and grasp her underside, if that's easier.