Bernie

Question
I have been told that you should not shave your standard poodle until after his adult coat comes in because it will make his adult coat come in like his puppy coat, "real fluffy", instead of having the curls it is supposed to have.

Answer
Hello Darryl,
Actually, its the other way around.  If you shave your dog early his adult coat will start to come in as the hair grows out.  It saves you the hassle of large mats when the dog does get its adult hair.  
Keeping the hair combed out and properly oiled will help the coat remain in good shape so it will curl like a Poodles is suppose to.  I would brush the hair with a slicker brush twice weekly and comb it out with a comb once a week.  To keep the coat oiled, all you need to do is add some fish oil to his food twice a month.  You can use sardines, canned Salmon, or tuna in Olive Oil.  You want your dog to have the Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.  

I hope this answers your question and if you have other questions for me, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim