Help! I need grooming ideas!

[Ann Kendig]

I have finally decided to break down and get Sheba & Duke's hair cut, professionally.  I have really struggled with this as I LOVE the way they look. Another reason why I hesitate cutting Sheba's hair is that she will be so much lighter because the groomer will be cutting off her black tips and the fur below the tips is much lighter.  : (   It is just so darn hot for them and we want to take them swimming without worrying about the mats.  

I love their beards and the length of the fur on their faces/head/ears.  Would a puppy cut look better?  Will they look like a bobble-head if their head is untouched but their body is shaved?  Would it be better to shave or just a scissor cut???  Would you get them groomed or just leave them the way they are?  Decisions, decisions, decisions!

Sheba and Duke don't mat much on a daily basis so I don't have to spend much time grooming them.  When Duke swims his fur doesn't mat to badly.  When Sheba swims it's a whole other story!  When we were in Florida in December she was going through her coat change.  What a mess!!!  She was a matted mess from the coat change AND swimming.  I spent hours cutting out mats and brushing her.  A few weeks ago I took the dogs to NJ for a romp.  Sheba did a lot of swimming and got extremely matted.  Again I spent hours brushing her out.  I am amazed that she has any fur left!  I got a regular sized Walmart bag full of fur.  

I welcome any ideas.  Please feel free to post a picture of your doodle showing their summer cut or any links you know of that show doodle haircuts as I would love to have a photo to show the groomer. Thank You!

This photo was taken after our trip to Florida.  (I also spent hours while we were in Florida de-matting her.)

 

This last picture is a dog we saw at Bow Wow Beach when we visited with Joanne, Spud & Starlit.  I don't think I'll do a cut like this but it was kinda cute.  (I cloned out the poo!)

[Leslie and Halas]

Their coats are gorgeous, but the shorter cut will definitely make your summer grooming easier, especially if they are going to swim. And it will be really cute. I got Halas' hair cut pretty short about a month ago, and I love the way it turned out. Here's a link to my blog about it, with a couple of before and after pics. The after pics were right after. I like it even better now that it's had a few weeks to de-fluff a little bit.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/profiles/blogs/halas-new-do

I think I got a couple of decent pics last night, so I'll post them later. If you have any of the DK calendars, be sure to look through those, too, for lengths you might like. That's what I took in for Halas' groomer to show the length I wanted him.

[Ann Kendig]

Thank you for posting Leslie! I really like Halas's cut. I like the fact that his face isn't too short and he looks so soft and easier to manage. That would be great if you could post more pictures! Thanks for the idea on checking out the DK calendars. I have a couple so I'll definitely look at them for some ideas!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I love love love love Peri's summer cut. Here is a photo of her right after - one month ago. She has grown out slightly; I have only had to comb her once or twice...no matts! What a joy!!!! I love her cut around 1-2"....this photo is at 1". She is now about 2".

[Ann Kendig]

Peri looks beautiful! ( I saw this picture recently and the thing I noticed first was her long, lovely legs and the way she was laying, so cute!) It's kind of hard to see on this picture, does Peri have a beard? I don't think I'd go any shorter than 1" on either of my dogs.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

WOW, either I'm remembering wrong or their coats have really grown because I don't remember them being near this long at the ROMP AROUND THE WORLD. I know the feeling on the hesitation. I hesitated on cutting Sophie's hair for almost 2 years. Think back to the pic you took in Columbus. I don't have all my pics put on to my new computer or I would link you to it, but her hair was pretty long at that time. I was so afraid to cut it. That being said, I love her hair now that I cut it. I'm constantly wanting to take it a little shorter. I just cut Lucy again today as she has been so hot with all of the heat. Here are some pics of both of them today. Sophie was cut probably 2 weeks ago and could use a little trim now (one of the best parts about doing it yourself). I think Duke and Sheba's coats are gorgeous, but I cannot even imagine trying to keep up with the combing/brushing. You can take it shorter without shaving them (unless they are matted of course) and even if you have to have them shaved, you can still leave their faces and heads a little longer, but I wouldn't leave them as long as they are now (that's my personal opinion there).

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Great photos. Ann, I know you don't want to, but I promise, you will be happy you get them trimmed! They can still look very DOODLEY, trust me! Get a good groomer lined up. The groomer used a shaver thing on Peri because I ASKED him too...I wanted her to be shorter. He also does scissor cuts for 2+ inches, but I wanted her shorter for the summer (plus didn't want to have to take her back very soon -- too much $$).

[Ann Kendig]

Allyson, The hard part (other than the decision to get them groomed) is finding a good groomer! I just met a DK member that lives in my town. Her name is Doris and her doodle's name is Bodi. She told me where she gets Bodi groomed, I may go there. It's called Hair of the Dog. ( I like the name) Here is a picture of them.

[Ann Kendig]

Thanks for posting the pictures Sheri! You do a wonderful job grooming! I still can't believe that they are litter mates! I keep telling myself I'm going to learn but I need to buy a grooming table first. When I do any type of grooming on the dogs I'm always on the floor and it kills my back. How long is Lucy & Sophie's fur? Do you scissors cut? I really don't want to cut them but I have to cut Sheba before she swims again! Duke acts like he's dying when he gets hot and he isn't as active as Sheba is. Here is a picture from the romp. Check out the length of their fur. Also, who is that lovely lady in the background...the one in the blue shirt? Do you know her?

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Gotta agree, doing it on the floor would be terrible! I started doing it on the island in the kitchen and decided I needed a table where I could raise them up and down. The first time I used the table I kept forgetting to raise them up. I'd find myself all bent over and then think "why don't I just raise the table". Anyway, I think if you just take the plunge you will find it very liberating and they will still be adorable. I just cut Lucy yesterday and I used a 3/4 guard on the clippers and it leaves her longer than that because I only go in the direction of growth (head to tail). I don't ever go against the direction of growth. Then I go straight down the legs, never up the legs. Legs are longer than body. Then I do the head and face with the scissors. I use the same guard on Sophie but because her hair is different it leaves her a little longer. She might be about 1.5 inches right now. Maybe a little shorter in some spots. (It isn't the trained groomer way of doing things, but it works for me). I had to cut Lucy because she is just too hot. The bandanna she has on in the pic above is actually one of those ones with the gel crystals in the top that you submerge in water and it keeps them cool for several hours.

They do look like they have grown a lot since the romp. Particularly Duke. Which just means they will grow back out quickly as well.

For me it is a whole lot less traumatic doing it myself than it is taking them to the groomers, plus I can do it more often and keep them the length that I like. When Sophie was longer I used to cut on her some with the scissors because I was too afraid to use the clippers on her. Then I got busy on Lucy one day with the clippers, and just decided what the heck lets give them a try on Sophie. I started with the longest guard that I had, and just went down from there. It was sort of like "would someone please stop me".

Good Luck with whatever you decide .... But I can't wait to see pics when you take the plunge!

[Ann Kendig]

Oops forgot to add the photo Sheri. Here it is.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm no help with grooming in terms of how long, etc., but I wouldn't let anyone use clippers on them. With Duke & Sheba, I would insist on scissor cuts; shaving can irritate even normal dogs' skin, and I wouldn't risk it on a dog with skin issues.

[Adina P]

Karen, is this true EVEN IF the 'shaving' is not skin close? For example would you expect a dog's skin to be irritated from clippers and guards set to leave hair at about 1" in length? Why would scissor cutting to a short length be any different since the hairs are all cut in the end? Or am I reading your warning incorrectly?