With their curly coats and beautiful names, doodles are quite popular with dog owners. Individuals with pet allergies love these fluffy dogs since they don’t shed their coats and are considered hypoallergenic. Doodles are sweet, smart, loving, and good-natured dogs, but unfortunately, a doodle is not a pure dog breed.
A doodle dog is a crossbreed between poodles and other dog breeds, with some of the most common doodles being Goldendoodles, Labradoodles, Aussidoodles, and Bernedoodles. The history of doodles dates back to the early 1980s when Conron Wally produced the first Labradoodle.
Initially, the Labradoodles didn’t take off since most people loved pure breeds. With time, many dog owners came to love these small dogs because of their pleasant personality and non-shedding reputation. Doodles are high maintenance dogs because they need regularly grooming due to the fact their hair doesn’t shed. Here are a few things you must know about these dogs if you plan on grooming your doodle at home.
1. Brush Their Coat Regularly
Doodles are fluffy dogs that love playing around; therefore, their fur tends to get tangled. So, to keep their coats mat-free, you should be ready to brush them regularly. If possible, try to brush their coats every day. At minimum, you should brush a doodles coat a few times a week. Regular brushing can help remove all the debris embedded in their coat and also untangle their fur. But, make sure you use a slicker brush that will not pull your doodle’s fur.
2. Get Rid of Tangles and Knots With a Clipper
Even though you brush your doodle regularly, mats can sometimes form in places you rarely brush. The most common areas where you can find mats include on the ears, belly, chest, behind their ears, and underarms. Mats can be very painful to these beauties, so don’t try to untangle the mats using your brush. Instead, you should remove them using high-quality clippers for matted dog hair.
As you groom your dog, you will get familiar with his coat type and notice the exact place where more mats form. So, here are a few things you must remember when removing mats:
- Mats are painful and trap bacteria, so brush his coat daily to keep them at bay.
- Mats are sometimes very close to your doodle’s skin, so don’t try to cut the matted hair. You might end up cutting his skin in the process. Only professional dog groomers can use scissors.
- Always remove mats, knots, and tangle before washing him. Water tends to make them tighter.
If you notice that your doodle’s coat is severely matted, don’t remove them, instead, call a professional groomer. But, if it is manageable, you can try to remove them using your clipper. Or sprinkle cornstarch on the mats and work on them with your fingers.
3. Wash Your Doodle Before Cutting His Coat
Since debris and dirt can damage your clipper, it’s always a great idea to bathe him before cutting his coat. But, make sure his coat is mat free before washing him. Scrub his coat with dog shampoo in clean, warm water and rinse him thoroughly. Bathing time provides an excellent opportunity for you to monitor the state of his coat. Remember, always wash him with pet shampoo as human shampoo can leave his coat and skin dry.
Don’t forget to clean his ears, but most importantly, always wipe any debris and wax from his ears regularly. Once your doodle is clean, you can take him out of the bath and dry his coat. Doodles have thick coats, so rub him with a towel. Towels can get rid of a huge percentage of the moisture in their coats. And then allow your doodle to shake himself dry or use a pet hair drier. Don’t forget to dry his ear.
4. Clip a Large Amount of the Doodle’s Coat With Clipper
Trim your dog’s entire body using a clipper with a 1-inch clipper guard. Make sure you clip the large parts of his body like his back thoroughly, by going through it numerous times. With the clipper guard, you can keep most of his fur uniform. Don’t forget to clip the small regions like the base of his legs.
5. The Fur Around His Feet Should Be Shorter Than the Other Parts of His Body
Doodles rarely shed their coats, therefore make sure you clip every part of his body. Don’t forget to keep the fur around his feet shorter. This will make it easier for you always to clean his paws and keep them neat. One of the most overlooked places is the fur growing between his toes. So, make sure you trim them and restrain your dog if you have to. This way, you can cut the hair between his toes without hurting him.
6. Don’t Forget to Clip the Fur on His Face, Ears, and Muzzle
Your doodle’s facial hair can block his eyes, so keep the fur around his eyes shorter. The hair between the doodle’s eyes tends to become thick with time, so trim them using thinning shears. Make sure your doodle is not moving when you cut the fur on his face.
Clip the hair on top of his muzzle as it tends to get thick. Remember to keep the fur on the side of his muzzle short to prevent them from getting into his mouth. The length of the hair on the sides and top of his muzzle will depend on you.
The furs growing near his ears’ entrance tend to collect dirt and wax, resulting in an infection. Clip the fur growing near his ears and make sure it is short enough, so clean his ears regularly.
7. Trim Your Doodle’s Nails
Doodles are indoor dogs that spend a huge percentage of their day walking on soft surfaces. Therefore after you have finished trimming his coat, you should take a look at his nails. Remember, the soft surfaces in your house don’t wear his nails down.
When trimming the nails, make sure you lookout for the quick. Cut small bits of the nail until you spot the quick. You don’t want to accidentally cut the quick (the blood vessels in the nail). So, keep your doodle calm and still when trimming the nails.
Conclusion for 7 Tips for Grooming Your Doodle at Home (2020)
We’ve realized that since the Covid pandemic, people have started to groom their doodles a lot more! We hope that you enjoyed these tips. Happy grooming!
Garrett loves animals and is a huge advocate for all Doodle dog breeds. He owns his own Goldendoodle named Kona. In addition, he volunteers at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, where he fosters dogs and helps animals. Garrett enjoys writing about Doodles and believes that dogs can teach humans more about how to live than humans can teach a dog.
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