Labradoodle Grooming Guide (2023) – Lots of pictures!

Most Labradoodles are great for people who have pet allergies and are nonshedding since they contain a lot of Poodle hereditary qualities. The downside of having a nonshedding Labradoodle is you have to groom your dog’s hair all of the time since it doesn’t fall out. Grooming incorporates bathing, brushing, cutting their hair, and nail trimming! Labradoodle grooming is generally pretty simple once your Labradoodle becomes accustomed to hair cutters, scissors, and nail cutters.

On the off chance that you don’t regularly groom your Labradoodle, they will build up a lot of tangles and mattes in which you would have to shave your dog. Some tangling and mattes are totally typical, yet we will show you the most ideal approach to groom your Labradoodle so they don’t get tangling and mattes. Thus, we wrote our Labradoodle Grooming Guide and included lots of pictures! 

Also, check out all the different types of Labradoodle Haircuts.

Labradoodle Grooming Tools 

Labradoodle Grooming is very troublesome if you don’t have the correct tools and instruments. Thus, we have created a Must-Have Tools and Optional Tools list to help you groom your Labradoodle.

Must-Have Labradoodle Grooming Tools 

1. Slicker Brush: A slicker brush is the best daily brush for a Labradoodle and is very common throughout the doodle community. We will use this brush after we bathe our Labradoodle as it gets deep down into your dog’s coat to remove mats and tangles.
2. Hair Clippers for Dogs: The most famous and generally utilized Labradoodle hair clippers are the Andis Proclip 2. These will make your job easy and save you a ton of money long-term.
3. Dog Shampoo and Conditioner: The We Love Doodles shampoo and conditioner also contains a detangler that will prevent mats and tangles in the future.
4. Steel Comb: This is utilized for brushing out mattes and is really cheap. These are very cheap and each Labradoodle dog owner probably already owns one. 
5. Scissors for Grooming – Try to get a dog grooming scissors kit as this provides a lot of value. Typically you’ll get a straight dog scissor, curved dog scissor, and a thinning dog scissor. We recommend this kit.
6. Cutting Shears: Shears help shape zones that the razor can’t get. Used in the armpits and leg pits as well as around the face.
7. Dog Nail Grinder or  Nail Clipper: Low clamor nail processors work the best and guarantee you don’t slice too much nail off your Labradoodle and cause them to bleed.
8. Pet Grooming Table or Pet Leash: Most Labradoodles will not sit still while you groom them. You’ll have to buy a grooming table or at least a pet leash to keep them from moving.

Optional Labradoodle Grooming Tools 

1. Cutting Coolant and Lubricant: Your dog hair clippers will not be sharp after your first grooming session.  You’ll need a lubricant to re-sharpen your blades.
2. Hair Thinning Shears: Thinning shears mix short and long hair together. It helps cover the patches if you mess up.
3. Detangler Spray: This is exceptional if your Labradoodle gets lots of mattes or tangles – just spray and brush.
4. Dry Dog Towel: Quick-drying towels are the best, so you don’t need to wait forever for your Labradoodle to dry off.
5. Grooming Gloves: These are incredible for washing and prepping. 
6. Bully sticks for Dogs: Bully sticks are incredible in light of the fact that they get you a ton of time and give an extraordinary interruption to your pooch. 

How to Groom a Labradoodle 

In short, we will bathe, brush, cut, and nail trim our Labradoodle. In the event that this is your first time, I would designate a few hours to completely groom your Labradoodle.  The first time grooming your dog is always the hardest, and you’ll get quicker the more you do it.

Tips Before Your Labradoodle Grooming 

• Allow your Labradoodle to watch and smell the tools. They have to become accustomed to the tools you will be using otherwise they will become anxious and not let you groom them. 
• Treats should be prepared. Give your dog a bunch of treats when they do a good job. I give my dog a bully stick because it lets me groom them for 30 to 45 minutes. 
• Always have positive feedback. “Good boy, Good Girl, lots of pets” Your first time Labradoodle grooming will be hard. Try not to stress, it gets simpler! 

Labradoodle Bathing (Step 1) 

The best way to start Labradoodle grooming is by bathing your dog. Washing with a cleanser and conditioner makes it simpler to brush which will remove tangles and mattes. If you’ve never given your dog a bath, it’s very simple.  Splash some water on your dog and rub in the shampoo and conditioner like you would for a normal shower! Try to stay away from your dog’s eyes as they are normally a sensitive area to clean. Next, wash the shampoo off your Labradoodle with water and apply the hair conditioner. Lastly, rinse your pooch and dry them with a towel. 

Prepare Grooming Equipment (Step 2)

1. Connect your Labradoodle to either the grooming leash or grooming table. Utilizing a raised surface helps a great deal since it will keep your dog from hopping off the table. Moreover, you won’t need to constantly bend down which will save your back.
2. Place all your tools on the table so your Labradoodle can see it. The more your Labradoodle gets used to the tools, the easier it will be to groom them. 
3. Give your Labradoodle some treats like a bully stick or horn to chew as a positive reinforcement as your start grooming them.

Some of the time Labradoodles hate grooming and you will need to get a muzzle to keep from biting or snapping at you. However, I would try positive reinforcement and lots of treats first since Labradoodles are generally nonaggressive.

Labradoodle Brushing (Step 3) 

You’re going to need to brush your Labradoodle before utilizing the pooch hair scissors. On the off chance that you don’t get the mattes and tangles out, at that point, you won’t have the option to shave through them. Start by utilizing the slicker brush and afterward switch over to brush. When you evacuate the vast majority of the mats then you can prepare to prep your Labradoodle. 

Grooming a Labradoodle 

1. Grab your dog hair clippers and start with a longer blade attachment. I generally start with a size #10 blade which corresponds to around 1 and ¼ inches.  You can go shorter or longer depending on the look you’re going for. If your dog’s hair is really matted, you’re going to have to shave them with a lot shorter blade.
2. Put your Labradoodle in the sitting position. This is one of the easiest positions to groom their back.

Grooming a Labradoodles Back

1. While your Labradoodle is sitting, start at the highest point of its back and work your way down to its butt. Always cut in the same direction that the hair grows as this is easiest on the razor and won’t pull at your Labradoodle’s hair.
2. Trim as much hair as possible while your Labradoodle is sitting. Your Labradoodle back and sides will be approximately the same size so you don’t have to stress.

If your Labradoodle is squirming too much, have a go at trimming their leg hair from top to bottom (paw).

Labradoodle Belly Grooming 

1. Tell your dog to stan. This generally includes pushing their butt up or using a saddle to prop them up.
2. The vast majority like the midsection belly hair is going to be a smaller size to prevent all types of debris from sticking to the stomach hair. Also, during the summer, your Labradoodle will probably get hot, so it’s smart to trim their belly a lot shorter. I usually use a size #5 blade or a size #7 if you want the hair longer.
3. Start trimming in the chest area and work your way down toward the tail. Try not to cut your dog’s skin. You can switch cutting directions on the belly hair because this area is usually less dense then back hair.

Labradoodle Leg Grooming 

1. I prefer trimming my Labradoodle’s legs shorter because sticks, grass, and foxtails consistently stick to their leg hair when they are running outside. Use size #7 or #5 blade and mix this shorter hair in with the body hair using the thinning shears. 
2. Keep your dog in the standing position using treats of a saddle.
3. When trimming your dog’s fur, start from the highest point of the leg and work your way down to the paw. This guarantees that you aren’t “pulling” at the leg hair which is usually a sensitive area. Pulling the leg hair will cause a ton of uneasiness and they won’t want to be groomed.

Labradoodle Paw Grooming 

1. Underneath your Labradoodle’s paw could be one of the most matted territories since this region is hard to brush every day. I always try to shave as much hair as I can on the paws because it grows back quickly. Utilizing a blade size #1 or utilizing no blade is best for trimming short hair. 
2. In the event that your Labradoodle doesn’t want its paws groomed, you will have to utilize your shears or scissors 
3. I generally utilize the shears to cut around the sides of the Labradoodle’s paw. This gives the hair a pleasant round and uniform look.

Labradoodle Ear Grooming 

1. The ears are one of the most delicate regions on a Labradoodle. What’s more, the ears are easiest to cut with a razor so be extra cautious when grooming your Labradoodles ears. Start with a size #5 blade or smaller. Ear hair is ordinarily shorter. 
2. Start from the highest point of the ear (close to the highest point of the head) and work in a downward direction.
3. Use scissors and shears close to the parts of the edge of the ear to give a round and uniform look that the razor can’t give. 
4. Make a point to shave underneath the ear.  This helps to prevent debris from going into the ear.

Labradoodle Face Grooming 

1. Labradoodle face hair is usually left a lot longer. A size #9 blade will work well when grooming your Labradoodle’s face.
2. Start from the highest point of your Labradoodle’s face and work the haircutter toward the mouth. Make certain to hold your Labradoodle’s ear out of the way.
3. Use scissors and shears to balance the mustache part of your Labradoodle. Utilize the ballpoint or dull-end scissors to trim the hair around your Labradoodle’s eyes.

Labradoodle Tail Grooming

1. The Labradoodle tail hair can be left longer. If your Labradoodle is good at holding still you can use the razor, but you will probably have to use shears. Start from close to the butt territory and work your way towards the finish of the tail. 
2. You can also thin your Labradoodles tail hair which will help to blend in the shorter and longer hair.
3. Tail hair seems to grow rather slowly, so you don’t need to cut a lot of hair off each time.

Labradoodle Nail Trimming 

1. Since you trim the hair around your dog’s paws, there won’t be hair to disrupt nail cutting. It’s exceptionally recommended you do the nail cutting subsequent to preparing your Labradoodle so you don’t cut the nail which will cause your dog’s nails to bleed. 
2. Utilize the dog nail grinder or nail clippers to cut your Labradoodle’s nails. I like the nail grinder because it doesn’t cut too short and makes your dog’s nails bleed.

Labradoodle Grooming: Finishing Touches 

1. Blowdry all the loose hair off your canine. 
2. 400;”>Brush all the hair of your Labradoodle with a slicker brush. 
3. Comb your Labradoodle. You should feel no mattes or tangles. 

Conclusion for Labradoodle Grooming Guide 

On the off chance that this is your first time, Labradoodle grooming might seem incredibly troublesome since it will probably take you a few hours. Try not to stress as the procedure gets quicker once you have the correct tools and your Labradoodle becomes acclimated to grooming. Once you get good at grooming your dog, you can usually finish in just over an hour. Labradoodle grooming isn’t just fun for dog owners because you can create your own hairstyles, but it also saves you a ton of cash over the long haul. 

Other Articles to Read:

1. Why is my Labradoodle shedding?
2. Labradoodle Generations (F1, F1b, F2, F2B, etc.)
3. Labradoodle Coat Colors
4. Top 3 Labradoodle Allergies

Frequently Asked Questions

Garrett Yamasaki

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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