I love the puppy cut. I do like the show cut but it is usually not my preference. Ellie has a mixture of cottony and silky hair. It is wavy and doesn't part down the middle. I brush her less than three times a year (yes a year) and she rarely gets matts.
Her hair is cut to be about a centimeter or two long. I don't really understand what you mean by detrimental to their look. I think it is adorable. I would rather the hair not be shaved to the skin though.