Honestly - long or short hair on your doodle

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Honestly now, I am taking a sort of a informal poll about your doodle hair.  I want to know not what we wish we did, but what we really do with our doodles hair.

1) Keep it brushed and matt free and the length I like it by hand scissoring ( you or a groomer)

2) Keep it 2 inches or less and matt free

3) Keep it 1 inch or less all the time so it does not matt

4) Let it grow, shave it, let it grow, shave it

5) Something else - please describe

 

Since there seems to be some judgementalism about hair length, long is best, shaved is worst, I will go first and freely admit ( remember I am proactively trying my best to give up guilt) that I am a

 

                                               #4. 

 

 My shaved doodles look funny, but other than short, very occasional, brushing annoys all of us.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

There are so many things that factor in to where many decide to keep their doodles according to the above choices. I personally am a #2 (two inches or less and matt free) and I can do this because I groom them myself, because they behave on the grooming table, and their coats are not what I would consider some of the harder coats to maintain. I do have to admit to having somewhat of a "Matt Phobia". If I feel a Matt, it doesn't matter what I'm doing, I have to stop and go get the matt out! If I had a doodle with a very thick, curly, hard to manage coat I might be in trouble. Or if I had a Doodle that hates being brushed it would probably be a completely different story. Fortunately for me it was the shaggy Doodley look that attracted me to the Doodle in the first place and I am able to keep them looking the way I like them.

I think there are many reasons that people choose to keep theirs cut short ..... some are very adorable cut short (Albus comes to mind) while others do a lot of swimming or are outdoors getting dirty and muddy constantly. If that were my case mine would probably be shorter. There are others who find they just don't have to time to maintain the coat and are ok with it cut shorter ..... I liken it to kids haircuts --- some have pixie cuts and others have pigtails to their waist --- whatever works! I would much rather see someone properly maintain a short cut than try to have it long and not be able to maintain it and have the dog suffer because it was all matted.

[Cora and Drew]

We are #2... but our groomer uses an 1 1/2 blade and we get them groomed maybe every 4 weeks in the Summer and 6 weeks in the Winter. We live in the Florida Keys and need to leave their hair a little longer especially in the Summer so they don't get sunburn.

[Carrie B and Maggie Goldendoodle]

I think (Maggie is just 5 months) I am a 1 and 2. I do like it longer and her hair grows fast. This last groomer visit we trimmed to 2 inches and it seems a good balance for me.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I'm #2. I really like it long, but 2 inches is about as long as it can be without matting, and my guys aren't big fans of the "dematting process".

[Kendra K. Rhoton]

#2 for us probably

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Right now I am #1, but it is starting to drive me bananas. You have to brush a LOT! During the spring/summer, I take her to the groomer every 7-8 weeks and keep her between 1 and 2 inches long. I have a feeling we may have to do the 2" cut sometime soon because the brushing is driving me nuts. And I think they like being shorter sometimes :)

[Paul & Michele]

I try to do a # 2 buttttt in the winter I let it grow out longer and then I cut it back to a #3 the first sign of spring and then its to a #2 we go. I groom them myself so this is the easiest I have found and they still have a teddybear look. I try to keep their face and legs a little longer. However with snow and rain shaved would be easier....

[Julie, Izzie & Max]

I have been all of these at one time or another. I tried to hand scissor but could not get it even and ended up taking her to the groomer. I usually go shorter in the summer. I have one doodle who is easy to brush with straighter hair and one with curly hair than I can hardly get a brush or comb through. My husband says her hair is like carpet.
I do like their hair best at about 2 to 3 inches because they still look shaggy and I can keep the matts out. I do take them to the groomer about every 4 to 6 weeks and I keep their faces trimmed in between.

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Good question!! This is an interesting one!

Hunter does not matt easily at all - only under her legs on occasion so I am lucky in that regard.

In the Summer I shave her an 1 inch or less when it gets longer, shave again. In the Winter I let it grow and by the time Winter is over I can shave her for summer :-)

[GBK]

We have been doing #4, and I truly do love all the different looks they have as they grow out. I am striving for #2 and doing it all by myself. Kona will be the guinea pig ;) Usually for vacation and water though, 1 inch is the way we go......

[sandy b]

Mostly #2 sometimes #3 esp in really hot weather. I've been grooming him myself for about a year and we're still learning, which I've learned soo much in the groomig forum.
I like the way he looks plus it's much easier to maintain esp with a doodle who HATES to be brushed. Even so when you live in a hot climate and take daily walks on the beach short is much better.

[Natasha]

We lucked out. Rouser's coat doesn't matt at all. He does shed and we would ideally brush him fairly regularly (daily?), but I only brush him once a week and vacuum in between. Frankly, I haven't noticed one darn bit of an improvement in the amount of hair that ends up on the family room floor if I brush him or not so I'm happy enough with our current schedule.

Now - I DO feel guilty about not brushing his teeth more often. That also tends to be a 1 timer per week thing but I'm seeing signs that between that and his antler, we're not quite getting the job done.