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Owning a Goldendoodle requires a significant amount of grooming. In fact, any dog with Poodle DNA will need their coat trimmed regularly!
One of the biggest advantages of owning a Goldendoodle, beyond their temperament, is their low-shedding coat. However, low shedding also means constantly growing.
So, if you are new to Goldendoodle ownership and are looking for tips, we cover the basics of grooming this breed and a few of their most popular haircuts.
Grooming a Goldendoodle at Home
1. Daily Brushing
You can get away with brushing your dog at least three times a week but daily is best. It’s easy for Goldendoodles to become matted, so brush them thoroughly with a high-quality slicker brush.
If your Goldendoodle still seems to get matted, you can follow the slicker brush with a metal comb to ensure that the coat is mat-free. You can also use a waterless shampoo or wipes to freshen your pup every few days if necessary.
2. Weekly De-matting
The Goldendoodle’s coat can get easily matted, so it might be necessary to do a proper de-matting once a week with a de-matting comb. It can also help to invest in a detangling spray to ensure that you can easily remove any mats and tangles before they become an issue.
Bear in mind that doing a weekly de-matting is likely not necessary if you brush your dog daily.
3. Bathing Once a Month
Your Goldendoodle will only need a bath about once a month or every 6 weeks unless it gets into something stinky or dirty. Only use a high-quality dog shampoo, and don’t overbathe your Goldendoodle. Frequent baths can lead to dry and irritated skin, which can affect hair growth.
If you are bathing your Doodle at home (some people just leave the bathing to the groomer), you need to brush them before the bath and blow dry them when they’re done. If this is going to be a regular routine, consider investing in a dog dryer that can dry your dog faster and maintain the right temperature.
Our Favorite Products
Selecting the right shampoo and conditioner makes the world of a difference when grooming your pup. Our favorite products are the duo by Hepper. The Oatmeal Pet Shampoo is formulated with aloe and oatmeal to soothe skin and hydrate the coat. The Pet Conditioner works at eliminating tangles and taming frizz and static. Both products are pH-balanced and formulated with pet-friendly ingredients, free of harsh soaps, chemicals, and dyes. Give this duo a try to heal and nourish your dog's coat, and leave them with an irresistible just-left-the-spa cucumber and aloe scent.
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Hepper Oatmeal Pet Shampoo |
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Hepper Pet Conditioner |
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At Dogster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool pet company!
4. Looking After the Teeth, Ears, and Nails
You’ll need to stay on top of the other parts of your Doodle, including their teeth, nails, and ears. All dogs need their teeth brushed daily, and various dental toys and treats can also help.
Nail trimming is typically done every 3 to 4 weeks. Since Goldendoodles have long, floppy ears, they will need their ears cleaned roughly once a month. However, you should inspect them weekly and clean them if you see a buildup of debris and dirt.
If you are looking for the perfect product to clean your dog's sensitive areas, Hepper's Wash Wipes are our recommendation, plus it's a great on-the-go option. These premium wipes are thick and durable enough for the toughest of paw messes, while still being soft enough to use on your dog's ears or eyes. Formulated with pet-friendly, hypoallergenic ingredients they are the ideal product for all dogs of all ages, skin conditions, or sensitivities.
- Gentle Care For All Pets - Infused with moisturizing hypoallergenic ingredients & enriched with...
- Deep Cleans From Head to Tail - Tackle the toughest dirt & messes with our extra strong pet wipes...
- Freshness On The Go - Each dog grooming wipes pack contains 30 counts of premium dog wipes that...
At Dogster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool pet company!
5. Professional Grooming Every 2 Months
Many Goldendoodle owners opt to have their dogs groomed every 6 to 8 weeks. Since their hair constantly grows, they need trimming frequently. If you do most of the grooming at home, like keeping on top of the brushing and trimming nails, you might not need to bring your pup in for grooming as often, and you will save money.
If you can stay on top of the grooming and manage to trim your Doodle’s hair, going to a groomer isn’t a necessity. But be aware that it is a great deal of work that takes up quite a bit of time.
Popular Goldendoodle Haircuts
Now that you know the basic grooming maintenance tasks that you can expect with a Goldendoodle, let’s go over popular hairstyles that you can ask your groomer for.
1. Teddy Bear Cut
The teddy bear cut is definitely one of the most popular styles for Goldendoodles. It’s meant to give your dog a teddy bear-like appearance by rounding their features.
The body fur is typically cut to 0.5 to 2 inches long, with rounded paws, ears, and facial features. This high-maintenance cut needs grooming once a month, and if you opt for longer fur on the body, they will probably need to be groomed even more frequently.
2. Puppy Cut
The puppy cut is a style that is open to interpretation. It can be the same hair length over the entire body, which can be 0.5 to 2 inches.
But some also treat the puppy cut as a literal first-time grooming for a puppy. This is when you bring your Goldendoodle puppy in for their first-time groom to experience everything: baths, clippers, nail trims, and high-velocity blow dryers.
3. Summer Cut
Summertime is the perfect time for the summer cut! As you might imagine, the hair is trimmed quite short to help keep your dog cool.
Also known as the kennel cut, the summer cut is usually no longer than ¼ of an inch in length all over.
You can opt for short hair on the head or keep some of the length. Some Doodle owners like the teddy bear cut on just the head!
4. Lamb Cut
The lamb cut looks fabulous on white dogs but is adorable regardless of your Doodle’s color. The hair on the legs is kept a little longer than the hair on the body, which makes them look more proportionate overall.
Like with any cut, this will require more maintenance the longer the dog’s hair is kept.
5. Lion Cut
The lion cut is nearly exactly how it sounds. The body is closely trimmed, and the head and lower part of the legs are left long. The end of the tail is also left long.
It is definitely best to leave this cut to a professional groomer, as this is an incredibly specific style that requires medium maintenance.
In Conclusion
Taking care of your Goldendoodle’s grooming needs at home is doable. But it does require a significant amount of your time. You must stay on top of tangles and mats, which is why daily brushing is so highly recommended. These pull on your dog’s skin and are quite painful.
If you brush your dog daily and stay on top of trimming their nails and keeping their ears and teeth clean, your Doodle’s grooming sessions with a professional will be much less expensive and lower stress for your dog.
Featured Photo Credit: Rena Schild, Shutterstock
