6.5 months old and shedding like crazy

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

Schulz has been a shedder from day one. But lately, just the last few days he has been shedding like CRAZY. I mean really bad. I run my hands down his back and hair goes flying! I have read that they go through 10-15 coat changes before a year, is this him blowing his puppy coat? It looks like he is getting more curly hair growing in from when he was a pup. In the mornings when he gets off his bed there is HUGE clumps of dog hair all over his bed. We have hair on all our blankets, and have to vacuum daily. We can handle the light shedding but this is really out of control. It is EVERYWHERE. Is this part of the coat change and will maybe slow down or is this how he will be from now on. I assumed the major changes would have been done by now, but then again I do not know much about this. Still learning!! Any stories on people who have had this issue would be great!!! Here is what he looked like when we got him to today! 

[BG and Gavin]

I have posted these pics several times, but they illustrate the dramatic coat change that Gavin went through between 8 months and one year.  Plus I think he has a similar coat to Shultz judging from puppy pictures.  He was dropping clumps of doodle bunnies during this period.  He sheds lightly now.

Gavin at 8 months and then at 13 months (after one haircut)

[Jen, Lachlan, and Declan]

"Doodle bunnies" ... perfect!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Wow - that top photo looks exactly like Stuart's coat.  Wild, long, curly - so far he does shed but nothing too bad so I doubt we'll ever get the more doodle look like the bottom picture.  Stuart is 10 months now and no sign of any change.

[BG and Gavin]

Here is something very funny.  I came across this post I made in another forum (pre DK) two years ago (sound familiar?):

It appears that Gavin is shedding his puppy coat. He is 5.5 months old. The long cream softer hair about his body is coming out in clumps and in the brush. What is replacing it is coarser darker gold hair that is wavy and not as soft to the touch. The coat change seemed to start at the tail which is thick and wavy with no plume and spread down the back toward the head. It is now moving down toward the belly. His head neck and chest are soft and wavy and remain cream coloured (except for his golden ears). Long stray cream hairs stick out randomly like a porcupine. Anyone with this experience? I can't wait to see how he turns out. Hopefully the mad shedding is just temporary. It's different than shedding I've seen with other dogs because it comes out in clumps. He is not leaving a trail of hair where ever he goes so it has been easy to clean up. Feedback would be welcomed!

LOL

[Amy and Truman]

Truman also has a very similar coat. He has been shedding like crazy since he was 6 months and he is now 8 1/2 months. There doesn't seem to be an end in sight any time soon. I vaccum everyday, brush weekly (should be more) and still have huge clumps everywhere.

Don't know if it will ever get better but BruceGirl's story gives me some hope. At any rate he's the cutest smartest fella in the world, so I'll take what I can get!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

You know, it could be any of the things that you suggest.  The only way to know for sure is time ... time will tell!  In the meantime, brush brush brush.  The more you brush out, the less there is to land everywhere else.  Our Sophie is a lite shedder when her hair is short.  However, when it gets longer for some reason she leaves clumps everywhere.  I'm setting here contemplating a hair cut right now because I'm tired of the clumps. 

[Ronna, Murphy & Wilson]

Funny to see this post this morning.......Wilson has been dropping "doodle Bunnies" like crazy for a week now.  He is 8 months old and has not shed one bit until this week.  He is a multi-gen ALD and I didn't think he was suppose to shed at all.  Murphy doesn't shed and even during the coat change he never had these "doodle bunnies"...that is the perfect desctiption BTW...little clumps of red hair...is it the beginning of his coat change?  he also seems to be itchy which had me worried it was something else.  Thanks for posting this Scot and thank you BG for naming the "doodle bunnies"  LOL.

[Christine & Camus]

Camus is 2.5 years and is a champion shedder.  Hair everywhere, including on my clothes, which is really the only thing that makes me crazy. In addition to brushing, vacuuming, etc., I have the sticky pet rollers in every room, the car, and office.  Also, I use a dog blanket or sheet on top of his bed which helps, since I just throw the blanket in the washer (2-3 times a week).

[Jess and Pippin]

Doodle bunnies  Love it!  I've been finding these all over the past couple of weeks.  Pippin is an F1B and 14 months old now.  He went through a coat change at about 6 months and now he's starting to mat, share doodle bunnies and the texture of his coat is changing again.  Regular brushing is helping and I'm going to take him in for a trim for a shorter cut.  His fur is about 3 inches long again and I'm planning to have him groomed down to about 1 1/2 inches in length like we did for the summer.  Much easier to brush at that length.

[Katie, John & Parker pup]

Yah, Parker did this too...he didn't shed at all and then at around 6 months or so, he started shedding and never stopped! I find tufts of hair all over...he shakes and I can see it flying through the air...I even see it in his poop!

[ERIC A. NATER]

My GoldenDoodle Cooper is a light to moderate shedder. I never clip him, just face and sanitary trim, and if he is brushed and combed once a week, the shedding is pretty light.  On the other hand, my Labradoodle, Claire, and my Foster Labradoodle shed worse than any of my previous Golden Retrievers!!!

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

My goldendoodle Sasha dose not shed, now my Oliver (labradoodle 19 months) is going thru a stage now that here are clumps of hair all over.  I even saw hair in the fridge !!!!!  He gets brushed daily and I still have "doodle bunnies" (LOL - love it) all over !!!  Oliver has always shed and his hair has always been the same consistancy, curly and thick.  I do use the Furminator brush on him but not as much as I should.  When I do Furminate him the shedding is obviously less and less vacuuming too.