Intro
If you are the brand new owner of a cute, fluffy Goldendoodle puppy – congrats! Many new pet parents have questions about raising a puppy, considering the task comes with a lot of responsibilities. One of those is proper grooming. Sticking to a grooming routine will keep your Goldendoodle’s coat shiny, soft, and free of any unwanted mats and debris.
Regular grooming is the best way to keep your dog’s skin in good health, preventing conditions such as an allergic reactions, dry skin, hot spots, bacteria, and infections.
Here We Go
Some Goldendoodle pet parents opt for a grooming salon, but if you want to skip the high prices of professional grooming, we are here to give you a complete guide to see the best results from an at-home grooming session.
Different Coat Types of a Goldendoodle
Due to the fact that a Goldendoodle is a mixed breed dog, a Goldendoodle’s coat can vary from puppy to puppy. Knowing your dog’s coat type will help you provide the best grooming session possible.
You might even be surprised to know that a puppy coat differs from an adult coat when it comes to Goldendoodles. At six months of age, your dog will shed their ultra-soft coat puppy coat to grow their adult coat.
Straight Coat
A straight coat is the least common type of coat for a Goldendoodle. This hair type resembles the Golden Retriever parents’ long hair. This straight coat is a little easier to maintain because it will get less matted and tangled than a curly coat. But, it is still important to brush this coat regularly.
Wavy Coat
The wavy coat is the most popular coat type for a Goldendoodle. This is the perfect mix between the Golden Retriever and Poodle parent and is considered the average Goldendoodle coat.
A wavy coat is low shedding, which is a favored trait of Goldendoodles. This type of coat requires regular brushing to keep it from getting small mats. If you plan to keep your dog’s hair long, it will require even more brushing.
Curly Coat
The steps to caring for a dog with a curly coat are virtually the same as caring for a wavy coat, but curly coats are a little more high maintenance. These cute curls resemble the coat of a Standard Poodle and require special attention to brushing. Some owners brush their Goldendoodle pups’ coats on a daily basis in order to prevent those little mats that can occur in this thick coat.
When Should You Groom a Goldendoodle?
How often you should groom your Goldendoodle depends on how you want your dog to look. First, you should brush your Goldendoodle’s hair weekly, if not daily to keep the fur looking fresh.
When it comes to a full grooming session, you should only bathe your Goldendoodle about once a month, unless they get into mud or something stinky. Bathing your dog too frequently can strip their natural oils and cause dry skin.
For haircuts, you should cut your Goldendoodle’s hair at least once every six to eight weeks. But, for longer hair, you can stretch it to eight to ten weeks.
What Equipment is Needed to Groom a Goldendoodle?
In order to provide your furry best friend with the proper care when it comes to grooming, you’re going to need the right tools. Below is a list of equipment you will need to groom your Goldendoodle pup like a professional groomer!
- Dog clippers
- Steel comb or grooming rake
- Slicker brush
- Metal pin brush
- Thinning shears
- Curved grooming scissors
- Pet shampoo and conditioner
- Ear cleaning solution
- A rinsing cup or spraying tool
- Towels and/or a pet grooming hair dryer
- Dog toothpaste and a toothbrush
Case of grooming
How to Groom a Goldendoodle
Now that we have covered some important information about Goldendoodle coat types and information about grooming, let’s get into how to groom your new puppy. Whether your dog has a thick coat like a Retriever or cute loose Poodle-like curls, there are a few basic care tips that all doodle owners should know. Below are some simple steps to grooming a Goldendoodle.
- Brush Your Goldendoodle
No matter what type of coat your Goldendoodle has, brushing is an important part of owning a dog, especially this designer breed. It is recommended to brush your Goldendoodle anywhere between two and seven times per week.
It helps to brush your Goldendoodle during the grooming process to remove any loose hair before bathing and trimming. The best brushing technique is to start at the bottom, brush a line of hair away and pull away the brushed hair in small sections. A steel comb is best for curly coats, while a grooming rake works best for wavy/straight coats.
- Shave Long Areas
Due to the matting that occurs in Goldendoodle coats, it is necessary to shave certain areas of high friction on your dog’s body. These areas are the belly, genital area, and anus. Keeping these areas shaved will reduce the risk of mats and infections. It is also recommended to shave below your dog’s ears to increase airflow.
- Remove Ear Hair
In addition to shaving below the ear, you should also remove the hair that grows inside of the ear canal. Hair in the ear canal can store moisture and bacteria, which may lead to ear infections. You can pluck or use a small pair of trimmers to do this.
- Bathe Your Goldendoodle
Bath time is an essential part of grooming. This is the step that keeps your pup clean and smelling good! You can bathe your dog in the bathtub or even the kitchen sink depending on their size. To do this, you will need a mild dog shampoo, warm water a rinsing cup, and towels. Although Goldendoodles are considered water dogs, the bath can be a stressful time for your dog, so it is important to be efficient.
Fully wet your dog’s coat, and start scrubbing with the shampoo until it suds. Once you have fully coated your pup in soapy bubbles, it’s time to rinse away the soap. Wrap your pup in a towel and move them out of the bath to continue drying.
- Dry The Coat
Removing the excess water from your dog’s coat after a bath prevents mats. Instead of using a lot of towels, you can use a blow dryer to speed up the drying process. When using a dryer, be sure that the heat setting is not too high to avoid damage to your pup’s skin.
- Comb and Trim Again If Needed
A second round of combing and trimming allows you to get rid of all the tangles that could have occurred during the bathing and drying steps. This is also the time when a professional groomer will perform a specific haircut style for a pup.
The most common haircut for a Goldendoodle is a teddy bear cut, which frames the body and facial hair to resemble a fluffy, round teddy bear! Thinning shears are a great option for cutting the hair around the face and eyes to keep it from getting too thick.
- Cut Nails
Trimming your dog’s nails can be a tricky task, but it is necessary to prevent the nails from growing too long and curving into the paw pads, splitting, or getting infected. Cutting your dog’s nails is difficult because your dog has blood vessels within the nail. Cutting them too short can cause your dog to bleed, which can be painful. If you are nervous about clipping their nails, it is best to use a nail file.
- Clean Ears and Teeth
Ear cleaning is an important part of their health. Your dog’s ear can be filled with debris from rolling around in the grass and dirt, which can lead to ear infections within the ear canal. You can use a gentle ear-cleansing solution to break down debris and disinfect it.
Teeth cleaning is also just as important as human teeth brushing! Just like your own teeth, dogs can grow plaque and develop oral conditions without proper cleaning. Simply use a dog tooth brush and toothpaste to clean their teeth as you would your own.
Summary
As with many different breeds, grooming is an important part of owning a dog. Goldendoodle owners are no exception to this! If you are a first-time dog owner, you may be overwhelmed by the maintenance that the specific Goldendoodle breed requires. Professional groomers can get expensive, but the good news is that at-home grooming is easy as long as you follow proper care instructions and have the necessary tools!
This designer dog has three different possible coat types: straight, wavy, and curly. These fur types can depend on which parent breed the Goldendoodle puppies resemble more. Additionally, puppies have a different coat than adult Goldendoodles. At about six months of age, your dog will shed their fluffy puppy coat for a permanent adult coat.
The Wrap
Typically, you should groom your Goldendoodle once every six to ten weeks depending on the length of their hair. Some of the necessary tools you will need for grooming are clippers, a grooming rake, a dog shampoo and conditioner, and curved grooming scissors.
The steps to grooming a dog are brushing out mats, shaving trouble areas, removing ear hair, bathing your Goldendoodle, fully drying the coat, combing and trimming, filing or clipping nails, and finally cleaning ears and teeth. We hope you found this guide helpful! Here’s to being the best pet parent out there!
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