Goldendoodle Grooming
How to Groom an Goldendoodle: Goldendoodle Coats and Goldendoodle Grooming
Goldendoodle grooming takes both the poodle and Golden Retriever’s coats into consideration. Poodles do not shed. Their coat is like our hair and continuously grows. It is more like human hair. If left ungroomed, it becomes tangled and matted. Golden Retrievers, like most dogs, do shed. They have double coats. Their hair grows longer and falls out.
Maintenance on a Doodle is similar to a poodle BUT it is imperative that you brush a Doodle coat as much as a poodle coat. They have a propensity to mat at the skin which is very hard to see. The rest of the fur can appear normal. This is why you see so many “naked doodles” after a trip to the groomer. They were most likely matted and needed to be shaved to the skin.
If you follow these grooming tips you can save yourself extra charges at the groomer AND have a happy Doodle!
Goldendoodle Grooming Frequency
Doodles need to be brushed several times per week and groomed at minimum every 6-8 weeks. The hair in the ears need to be maintained or else it will grow and mat. The mats can retain moisture, infection and excessive ear wax build up if left unattended. It’s also a fantastic place for mites to live. ICK!
Tools
Basic tools every doodle owner needs either for grooming or in-between grooms is a metal straight comb, a Dematting Fur Rake Comb Brush Tool and a slicker brush. The slicker brush is only used where you have allowed the fur to grow longer, often on their head or tail. Doodles’ fur can mat close to the skin but look fine on top. Having a Dematting Fur Rake (which looks like a comb made of razorblades) will help remove these itchy, hard to see mats. It can also save you quite a bit of money at the groomers. You will get charged extra for a matted dog.
Clippers
Another tool you may consider is a pair of clippers. Effective clippers for doodles are very pricey. The regular, inexpensive clipper set you purchase at a local pet store does not have the power for continuous grooming of a doodle coat. The correct clippers usually start around $150 and will come with a 10 blade and different sized guards.
When grooming a “poodle face,” feet and sanitary areas, you will remove the blade guards. If you have a wiggly pup, you may opt to leave this part of grooming to the pros. However, a pair of scissors can help remove fur in the sanitary area that gets matted. If you are new to grooming, I would recommend giving your doodle a summer cut and shaving them to have anywhere from ¼ to ¾ of fur on their body. Most doodle owners do not trim the face to the skin like a poodle.
Don’t be afraid to use your clippers. Brush and de-matt thoroughly or the clippers will get caught, possibly hurting the dog. Once complete, take your clippers, decide what length coat and start trimming. The blades tend to get hot so I would start with the face. Use your 10-blade without a guard to achieve a poodle look. If you prefer to see the furnishings (their mustaches and eyebrows) you can hand trim around the muzzle or clip with a guard on the blade. On a standard sized doodle, don’t be alarmed if you fill a paper grocery bag with fur.
The pet store will also sell a spray to cool your clippers, you will need this. I prefer to clip the dog before AND after bathing. Don’t let your pup “air dry.” They have tight curls and need to be dried with a dryer or they will become matted. If you are using a human hair dryer, please do it on the lowest heat setting.
Grooming your doodle puppy also includes removing the hair on their paw pads that continuously grows. If you see your pup nibbling their toes, this could be due to something becoming matted between their paw pads in the mess of untamed curls.
Oral Hygiene
Oral hygiene should not be overlooked either. Doodles often experience tartar build up. Your groomer or vet can brush the dogs teeth but it is EASY.
Pick up dog toothpaste and a toothbrush at your local pet store and do it yourself. It is suggested that you do this daily, however, just doing it 3 times a week can give your pup considerable health benefits. Over 80% of dogs over the age of three have active dental disease, according to pets. Webmd.com. Diet can also aid with oral hygiene.
There are many doodle and poodle grooming videos on YouTube, My Favorite Groomer does great, informative videos.