If you are thinking about adding a new furry friend to your household, our advice is to go for it. It doesn’t matter if you live alone or have kids – getting a dog is always a good decision. Now, when it comes to the matter of breed, you have to consider many things to choose the right one.
If Goldendoodle is your choice, you have to acquire as much information as you can before you welcome it into your family. In this article, we will focus on grooming. Yes, you can always take the pet to a professional, but if you want to do this on your own, here is everything you need to know.
How frequently should you do it?
Before we begin with the guide, let us answer some of the burning questions you probably have. The first one is regarding the haircut frequency. A general guideline is to groom your dog every six to eight weeks, even though some pets need their hair cut every four weeks, while sometimes, it can be up to twelve.
Naturally, this mainly depends on home maintenance, which includes a daily grooming routine. If you brush the fur as often as necessary, your dog may only need trimming. On the other hand, if you don’t, their coat will get matted, and you will have to take it to the professional to have the fur shaved.
The only way to avoid this is to be careful about the bathing frequency. The rule is to bathe a Goldendoodle once a month at most. Ideally, you would clean it only every few months. If you were to do it more often, their fur would become matted faster. The same thing will happen if you don’t brush their hair and if it doesn’t dry out thoroughly after every bath.
How fast does the dog’s hair grow?
The truth is that your Goldendoodle can have one of the three possible types of coat – curly, wavy, or straight, although the last one is the rarest. Generally speaking, it can take anywhere between two and three months for the hair to grow to its full length, which is around eight inches.
Once again, numerous factors can affect this, such as the type of fur. Regardless of this, it is imperative to groom and brush your pet every day to avoid any potential problems.
Tools you will need
Now, let’s finally begin with our grooming guide. Firstly, you need to obtain all the tools. Obviously, the hair clippers have to be at the initial position of this list. Next, you will need a steel comb and a slicker brush. The former is used to remove mattes, and you should use the latter for everyday brushing and also after the bath. Furthermore, get grooming scissors, but you have to ensure that they are not very sharp for your pet’s safety. When it comes to delicate areas, you have to use cutting shears. Lastly, you will need a nail clipper, shampoo and conditioner, and a leash or even a grooming table. The truth is that Goldendoodles aren’t fans of grooming, meaning that you will need to use these to keep the dog as still as possible. Yes, there are some additional tools and products you can use, and you can learn more about them on WeLoveDoodles.com.
Start with a bath
As already mentioned, you have to be certain not to bathe your furry friend too often. Thus, you should only do it before the grooming session. This is a pretty simple part of the process as long as your dog wants to cooperate. Use the shampoo, rinse it off, and lastly, apply the conditioner. This will make the whole brushing aspect a lot easier. Nevertheless, make sure to avoid the Goldendoodle’s eyes since they are very sensitive. No, it doesn’t matter if you are using a no-tears shampoo.
Brushing
Now that your friend is clean, it is time to brush the fur. Don’t forget that if you do this regularly, this part of the session shouldn’t take too long since there won’t be any mattes and tangles. Use a slicker brush and start at the bottom, working your way up. You have to remove all the mattes, and if you can’t eliminate some of them with the brush, use the clipper or scissors. Upon doing this, comb the hair until the coat is perfect. If there are some areas that you cannot comb, you should go back and detangle the hair.
Haircutting
Even if you want to preserve the dog’s curls, some areas require shaving. Naturally, we are talking about the genital area and belly. When it comes to the former, if the hair is too long, it can lead to infections, and the latter can turn regularly grooming into a nightmare due to dust and debris that accumulate over time. Plus, keeping the fur short in the belly area is beneficial for the pet during the summer months when it gets very hot.
In addition, the same rule can apply to the Goldendoodle’s legs. Obviously, you don’t have to shave them, but it is a good idea to make the coat shorter. When it comes to legs, you should always start at the top. Why? Well, this way, you won’t be pulling the hair too much, and therefore, make the dog more comfortable.
Once again, apply the same strategy to the paws. The chances are that these will be the matted areas. However, if your pet doesn’t enjoy this, you will have to use sheers or scissors.
Ears and face
It goes without saying that these are the most sensitive areas and that you have to be extra careful. When it comes to the ears, you have to remove the hair not only to boost their hearing but also to prevent infections from happening. If the hair is too long, the ears become a perfect breeding area for bacteria and moisture, which can cause many issues.
Some people choose to maintain longer curls around the face because these make the Goldendoodles adorable. Nevertheless, make sure to cut it above the eyes and mouth. When working on these areas, you should use scissors to be certain not the hurt your pet.
Finishing touches
Now that you have removed all the excess hair, it is time to groom the nails. It is recommended to do this last simply due to the better visibility. Finally, you should comb the fur once again to make sure that it is perfectly detangled and that you haven’t missed any matted areas.
