How long is your Doodle Hair

[Debbie & Gibbs]

Gibbs is almost 5 months old and has his first grooming appointment next Wednesday. My question is how long to you leave your doodle hair? I read something somewhere that recommended that you leave your doodle hair about 1 inch long for the first year.
How long did you leave your doodle hair and what was the determining factor for hair length.

Thanks!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

I think it probably depends on the type coat and of course, personal preference.
I happen to like the wild bed head look, so Enzo has never and will never go to a Groomer, if I can help it. She is brushed every day and so far, has never matted. I have scissor cut her ( have not gotten up the nerve to use the clippers) and just trim her. I'm guessing her coat is about 3 inches, give or take.

[Miss Ellie]

We're the same way with Ellie Ro...we just love the bed head look...she has never been to a groomer either...I just keep trimming the hair around her eyes...just so darn cute our doodles are:)

[Debbie Daniels]

I agree they are darn cute !!!! 

[Jennifer and Jack]

Jacks is a good two and a half inches and growing!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

There is no right or wrong with length or cut.  You can do what you want - totally - and it will not effect the mature coat.  You should however be aware of keeping the eyes visible.  This is important for your doodle. Those doodles who have serious matting problems during the coat change, often go a bit shorter to make it manageable.

[Julie and Max]

I'm like Rosemary, I love that wild bedhead look. Max has been to the groomers twice now, but I asked them to only trim around his eyes and feet, and do his nails and of course give him a bath. They did a great job. I am going to start trying to trim around his eyes and feet myself though, as he no longer gets the puppy price. I also brush everyday and Max gets bathed once a week, I know some might think that's excessive but I swear he is the dirtiest dog ever!

[Adina P]

There's no 'right' length.  I'd probably ask for a 'puppy cut' and just trim a little everywhere, hygiene trim, but that's about it.  Otherwise it is up to you.  There's no magic or health reason for the 1" length.

[Emily, Bentley, & Maserati]

Bentley & Maserati rock the shaggy bedhead look too! Bentley's coat is provably about 3 inches long and Maserati's is a little longer! 

[Carolyn Shusterman]

Hershey and Sydney's hair is five inches long on their backs. I cut their hair on their legs, feet and faces about once a month or so.  We're very lucky that our two doodles don't have matting problems.  I love the long curly locks that give them the big dog look, they are  only 17 and 22 pounds.  If I had bigger dogs I probably would keep it shorter.  Note here = when trimming above the eyes DON'T cut their eye lashes unless they are over 2 inches long......... LOVE those doodle eyes and lashes!

[Sally S Miles]

When we took our girl for her first grooming, at six months, her hair was six inches long and we left it long. By the time she was eight months old it was nearly eight inches and with the PNW wet weather it was getting to be a tangled mess,  no way I could comb her out three times a day.  Every leaf, pine needle, and piece of yard flotsam attached itself to her curls.  She also sheds.  We took her in and they cut her really short,  after all the hair was gone from our fluffy, curly girl we had a skinny dog! That took a while to grow out, but it offered me a better ability to see her structure and movements, less tangling, and a lot less 'yard schmutz' getting tracked in. 

Still I like the bad bed head look - so we had them leave it longer, then a bit longer - now it's almost five inches long - but it's curly and I measure by combing out a lock - and it's starting to tangle again.  So in spite of the loving loose curls,  I also have to respect the arthritis that plagues me and pay a groomer regularly, If I could I would do it myself, it was something I had to consider in the beginning (having always groomed my own dogs) -  meanwhile she always feels good after a grooming and we like her cut velvet coat.

[Dave and Cuba]

I, like a lot of the other responses like Cuba's coat long, Our problem has been the water. This Doodle loves the lake we live on and the swimming pool. You can't keep him out of either one. That long coat is soaking wet, and then of course he wants to come in the house. We have to keep towels by the back door to dry him down which takes forever with the long coat. I think he is always hot and that is why he is always getting in the water. He will walk down the steps on the shallow end of the pool and just stand in the water for 5 or 10 minutes.

He is going in this Saturday for a haircut, mom is tired of wet floors.

[jenn D]

I keep mine at 2-3 inches in length. They have very thick coats so I have to brush a lot. Jake I leave at about 1 1/2 inches because he is so curly and mats easily. I did have brisby clipped to an inch the months he went through coat change. During that time I couldn't keep up with the daily matting. It got really bad around his ears. Good luck.