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5 DIY Grooming Tips For Goldendoodles
By Eric Schlabach
February 22, 2021
Goldendoodle Care, Grooming
What if there was a way to groom your Goldendoodle puppy yourself - not only saving you on (or even eliminating!) trips to the groomer, but also giving you the ultimate satisfaction of helping your 'Doodle look his best?
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Our Goldendoodle Grooming Inspiration:
A most common question we hear as Goldendoodle breeders, centers around grooming care for a new puppy. Many people assume they can't, and therefore automatically just take their 'Doodles in to a professional dog groomer as needed.
We say, "Not so fast!"
In this post we'll explore our five best grooming tips to keep your 'Doodle looking sharp on your own - you'll be surprised at how Easy it is!
The Problem:
Goldendoodles typically have a thick double coat, with an "undercoat" of short, thick, wooly fur, and a "outer coat" of longer, curly hair. This coat type looks gorgeous - but is also prone to hard-to-fix matting, and dirt buildup if not properly cared for.
In addition, many 'Doodles aren't super excited about buzzing clippers, sharp nail trimmers, and the like taking nips around their body. It can seem an especially daunting task trimming or clipping your pup, when he refuses to sit quietly, or worse, attempts to run away.
The Solution:
We are confident that with some practice and application of the simple tips we share below, you'll become a pro at not only keeping your Goldendoodle looking fresh - but making it an enjoyable experience for both you And your 'Doodle!
Without further ado:
Our Five Tips For Grooming Your Doodle Yourself
1. Invest In The Proper Tools
Big drum roll.... The number one tip we have is, get the right tools for the job!
The right dog grooming tools make your job so much easier, thus helping both you and your 'Doodle have a positive and fun grooming experience.
It's a huge understatement to say there's a lot of grooming tools and gadgets out there.
To make your life easier, here's a list of recommendations to get you started:
Grooming Shopping List
- Electric pet-service hair trimmer
Your main grooming tool. We recommend spending the money for a quality trimmer that will stay sharp and stand the test of time longer.
- Surgical Stainless Steel Scissors & Thinning Scissors
For trimming up close and personal in the delicate areas and/or a quick trim. Surgical stainless steel, because they are high-grade and stay sharp for a long time.
- Quality Nail Clippers
Keep Romeo's claws from destroying your hardwood floor. We like the ones with a trim guard to help avoid cutting them too short.
- Metal-Toothed Comb
Also known as a "Line Brush", it's made of sturdy metal. You'll use this to comb out your entire dog, starting at the skin and gradually working your way out, until everything is combed, including those difficult burs and matted areas.
- Shampoo
Good dog shampoos help your Goldendoodle's coat stay shiny and fluffy. There's many options available; the ones we like the best also get rid of fleas and ticks. Cheers to a tick free 'Doodle!
- Soft Hair Brush & Hair Dryer
A good pet hair brush is stiff enough to straighten thick hair, yet gentle enough to give that coat a beautiful fluff. For hair drying, your personal hair dryer works well, or get one just for Fido.
- Grooming Glove
Perfect to gently-yet-firmly hold a wet, wiggling dog!
2. Take Your Time
It's just a fact of life.
Puppies especially, love to play. Brushes and water and soap can all look like an invitation to chew that brush or slop water everywhere.
So take your time, and let your Goldendoodle get used to the idea of getting groomed.
They are smart - use treats and plenty of positive reinforcement to train your pup to not only tolerate a bath and grooming, but to sit still patiently, and even look forward to it.
3. Brushing Your Goldendoodle
Most professionals agree -
Once you have the right tools, and your Goldendoodle is comfortable with the process, carefully brushing out every strand of hair is the next step.
Starting at the bottom, right next to the skin, use the line brush to carefully comb out your 'Doodle's coat.
This can take some time, especially if you encounter a lot of matting, or if you're doing it for the very first time. However, taking the time to do this thoroughly is half the battle; everything else get much easier from there.
Check out this great tutorial video for more on how to properly brush out your Goldendoodle.
Bonus Pro Tip:
Following Step 3 on a weekly basis, makes a much quicker and easier task of brushing. It eliminates tough tangles and matted hair before they get to the point of needing to be cut out.
4. Bath Time For Your Goldendoodle!
You've brushed your Goldendoodle out thoroughly. Now it's bath time!
The good news is, most 'Doodles love water. If yours doesn't, take your time (Step 2!) and help him or her get over their fear of water.
Again, think treats and positive reinforcement for training.
Shampoos: Not all shampoos are created equal. Use a good dog shampoo that gently removes dirt and grime without stripping the hair of its natural oils. Gently work the suds through your 'Doodles coat until every area has been thoroughly scrubbed.
Drying: Completely dry your Golden's coat with your blow dryer. A pet hair dryer works great, or you can use your personal hair dryer.
5. The Art of Haircutting
Now comes the fun part!
If you've followed the first four steps well, the last tip - actually cutting the hair - becomes relatively simple.
First, decide what look you are going for. Depending on what style you're wanting, the cutting instructions could vary.
As a general rule, start from the very top and work your way down the body, trimming the top half of his entire body.
From there, move on the the neck, head, and ears, and finally the underbelly, and lower legs.
Finished? Use your scissors to carefully trim around the toes and other hard to reach areas.
Finish off the grooming session by clipping the nails, being careful not to clip too short.
For further reading and a complete how-to-cut guide, check out this excellent article with videos on Doodle Doods!
In conclusion
I hope this article was helpful to get you started on Grooming your own Goldendoodle! Was it helpful? Got more questions or comments? Let us know in the comment section below!
About the author
Thank you for explaining that you should start from the bottom when brushing out and combing your Goldendoodle's fur. We just adopted a Goldendoodle and have been wondering how to care for it. I never would have thought of this, but I'll be sure to pass it to everyone else in the family.