Doodles, fluffy dogs that come in a variety of sizes, colors and personalities! The world has seemed to fall head over heels in love with these mixed breed pups, and as a groomer I find fun to groom and love making them super cute.
However, there are a lot of things I personally have struggled with as a groomer when it comes to doodles and I hear the same comments from different groomers in the industry whether it be online, at conventions or in the salons I have worked at over the years. So here is a list of 5 things that your groomer may wish their doodle owners knew. This is not meant to offend, but to educate and spread knowledge so you and your groomer can work as a team to keep your dog happy, healthy and looking great!
- Doodles have a variety of coat textures which means that the way they look and the level of care given to that coat will vary from dog to dog. Remember that these are mixed breed dogs, there is no standard when it comes to coat types. Some doodles have more of a straight coat like you would find on a golden retriever, and some have a very curly coat like what you would find on a poodle. Then of course, there are all the doodles in between! Doodles may also develop some under coats, although typically not nearly as much as golden retrievers.
- Doodles need grooming from very early on! I am told by many of my doodle clients that their breeder recommended that they wait a year before visiting a grooming salon. Please know that this is not true! Lots of dogs start to see us when they are just puppies, typically after they have received their second set of puppy shots. Dogs are creatures of routine and habit, and starting to create a grooming routine in their lives young will help them enjoy it! Most groomers I know will also not cut your puppy’s coat until after they have had a few sessions with us, so no worries about us taking your new puppy short! I have heard of these visits called a bath and tidy or a face feet and fanny visit, but these visits are when a groomer just trims up around the puppies faces, feet and where they potty but do not take any length off the body! They are great to start with and also just for maintenance as your doodle gets older.
- Matting is very common in doodles. Probably the dog I see come in with the most matting. I personally feel that is due to a number of things, either from not coming in in soon enough or the breeders not showing new doodle owners the proper way to brush their dogss. Doodles need to be brushed DAILY! If not twice a day depending on the type of coat they have. They need what is called line brushing, which means sectioning off their fur section by section or ´linéto make sure every area of the dog is brushed thoroughly. Make sure to get their legs, paws, ears and tail. When I see matting on a doodle, it is rarely on the back or sides. It is where the collar or harness lays and is rubbing against the fur, or on the legs/tail. Beware of brush burn, which is when the skin gets abrasions from too much brushing. YouTube and TikTok have great examples of how to line brush your dog. Always follow up with a comb to make sure all tangles are out. If you have a puppy, start in small intervals and work their tolerance of the brush to longer time
- Doodles are harder to groom than a lot of other dogs. Ever wonder why when you call a grooming shop their prices for doodles are so high? It is because that mixed fur makes it harder to groom them. We are combing and brushing through a combination of shedding fur along with a curly poodle coat. This also makes the hair harder to get an even and cute cut. Another reason will be size, as a doodle tends to be bigger than its standard poodle parent.
- Doodles need to be groomed frequently. Along with needing to be groomed from an early age, they also need to be groomed frequently. If you want to keep your pups coat in great shape I recommend bringing them in every 4 to 6 weeks for a grooming appointment. Your groomer will be able to make sure no big mats are forming, along with give your dog a good conditioning and be able to keep damaged fur to a minimum. The more frequently your doodle is brought to us, the longer and fluffier we can keep them!
Speaking for myself, I love doodles! They are a mix between a breed who is very smart and one who is very loving, and I can feel all of their love when I groom them. I hope this helps any doodle owner out there who may have been wondering what their groomers thought about grooming their beloved doodless.