I have to do what??? Grooming dilema

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

 

I'm a little embarassed to post this but I'm feeling very naive.  I had NO idea how much is involved in grooming a doodle.  Not that it's a problem per say but my 1st grooming experience with a groomer was a bit of a disaster and my doodle was mad at me for 2 full days.  I cried A LOT those 2 days!  So I am very apprehensive to dive back in.  And the idea of using scissors myself...yikes!  So here are my questions and if anyone could share their wisdom...I would be very appreciative.  I'm new to this community and I have never seen such a caring and supportive bunch, so thanks in advance for your insight.

 

Matting - when does this start to happen?  My doodle will be 4 months this Sat.  Does it happen to all doodles?  Do you have to shave them to avoid the problem? ...I so love a shaggy doodle.

 

Bathing - How often are you supossed to do this I've heard everything from 4-6 weeks but to be careful cuz their skin gets dry..What do you recommend?  what shampoo do you use?

 

Cleaning the eyes - is there a product or process that makes this easier?  The eye gunk is very hard to remove.

 

I have no idea what kind of coat my doodle has wool or fleece??? Can someone explain the difference?  I just know he is shaggy and has a wavy very soft coat.  And this changes right?  When does that happen?  I hear about all kinds of tools and have NO IDEA what to buy.  All I have is a pin brush which my doodlw would rather eat then have me use it...ugh!

 

Thanks again everyone!  This group is amazing!

 

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

Thank you!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

You have gotten some excellent advice here.  Never be embarassed to ask, as just about every one of us has been in your position at some point.  Lots of good reading in the grooming group so you may want to join that group.  I will second the comments on the grooming table, or at least a table to get him up off the floor.  I also found just this past week with my sisters little mutt dog that I was grooming that actually using the noose strap on the grooming table made all the difference in her.  I don't need it with my girls, but her little dog wasn't wanting to sit still and as soon as we put that on her she calmed right down.  Second, test a few different brushes.  My Sophie hated being brushed until I bought the Les Pooches brush (that many of us use).  I am a huge fan of them .... some others love them and there are those that hate them.  They take a little getting used to, (you have to learn to keep your hands out of the way) but with the coats on my doodles it has saved me from ever having to have them shaved.  She will let me brush her all day with the Les Pooches, but if she even sees another brush in my hand she starts to fidget.  It isn't cheap, but well worth the money.  If you want to get one if you send a picture of your puppies coat to Kemp at the DoodleCountryStore.com, (he is a member here and has 4 doodles) he will tell you which one you need to get.  One other piece of advice that I would offer would be to play with your puppies feet.  Anytime he is sitting with you or you are playing with him, get your fingers down in his toe pads and rub his little feet all over.  Get him used to having his feet and ears handled .... it will save you lots of frustration in the future.  Bottom line, make the grooming process fun for him.  Use good quality treats to reward good behavior.  And always end on a positive note.  If he keeps pulling a foot away from you, don't stop until you are the one in control and stop the process.  As for bathing, you will find all sorts of opinions on this because it is sort of dependent on your particular dog and his lifestyle.  Some tend to smell more than others.  My Sophie gets a bath usually once a week, but no more than every two weeks as she does therapy work, where my Lucy only gets a bath maybe every 6 weeks or so.  Obedience training is going to be a big help in the grooming department as well because knowing sit, stay, stand, etc., are used in grooming all the time.  Best of luck and again, never hesitate to ask questions.

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

Thank you!!!  Excellent advice from you too!  I just friended Kemp and will definitely ask for his imput as well.  I'll need to know what to get as there are sooo many options.  Again thanks for your support!

[Camilla and Darwin]

Great advice here already! Join the grooming group for sure, there is a wealth of information in there.

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

I couldn't agree more.  I'm impressed everytime I come on here at how nice and supportive everyone is.  Thanks for lending your thoughts.

[Jennifer Tramell]

Don't be embarrassed - doodles are a learning experience.  Each one has different hair, different personalities, different things they are good at, different things they get mad about.  At 4 months old you are still learning about your pup, so relax :-)  My Webster is 2 yrs old and I "think" I finally have his grooming figured out.  It was a process of trial and error, laughing at my mistakes, and being thankful that hair grows - lol!

So much of doodle care comes down to what works for you.  Each person has a preference on bathing, mine usually get baths once a month but sometimes more, sometimes less. 

In my guys, the eye gunk is lessened greatly by clipping around the eyes.  Some people don't like that look - again, personal preference. 

I had a hard time identifying Webster's coat but there is a discussion about coat types.  You could check my page and probably find the discussion from 1-2 yrs ago.  There are great pics and descriptions of coat types.

Webster did not mat and we didn't need to do "the shave".  Charlotte started matting at 8 months old and we did "the shave".  It was at the start of summer so we called it a short summer cut.  She didn't look too much like a doodle, but she looked okay.  Now, 2 months later, her curl has grown back and she is definitely a doodle again.

I bought several different brushes before I found one that works well for my two.  If you aren't sure what works, I'd buy some cheap brushes to experiment with and then you can buy a better quality brush of your preferred type.  I have a plastic bristled brush from Oster that works for my curly doods, but your guy might do better with a different brush.

 

Summation:  doodles are a process of trial and error.  If you find something that works - hooray! Stick with it!  If not, no big deal, try something different next time. 

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

Thank you for your support.  They really are like having another child!  So worth every trial and error.  Thank you for breaking it down and keeping it simple.  Very much appreciated, I will check out your page too!

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

Jayd,

My mini goldendoodle puppy Bexter is 3 months old.  I know what you mean - It can be overwhelming. 

For bathing - I asked my vet & she said no more than once a month (unless he gets really dirty).  I've given him one bath so far.  I use the Touch of Mink's MinkSheen 1 in 1 Pet Shampoo.  I also use Chris Christensen's Ice on Ice conditioner/detangler after rinsing off the shampoo.

Matting - I don't know yet.  Bexter doesn't have any problems yet with that.  I brush him every day or at the most every other.  I use a Chris Christensen slicker brush, but I also have a pin brush by him too.  I just like the slicker the best so far.  A product I LOVE is Chris Christensen's Silk Spirits Liquid Silk Protein.  It is supposed to be good for their coats.  I put some on before I brush every day and it makes him SOOOO SOFT...and he smells awesome!

Eyes - I don't know yet.  Good question!

Ears - I use Chris Christensen Mystic Ear Cleaner.  I plan to do it when I bathe him (about once a month).  My vet said that should be ok, although the cleaner bottle says to do it more often than that.

Teeth - I have been TRYING to use doggie toothpaste with one of those little toothbrushes you put over your finger.  He HATES it.  My vet said to try to do it each day.  HA!  I am trying it about once a week.

His coat looks a LOT like Bexter's.  In fact, he looks a lot like Bexter!  What is his name?  I don't know the difference between wool or fleece, but Bexter is shaggy & soft like yours.  I LOVE shaggy doodles too!  You already had his hair cut?  When are you supposed to start doing that?  I dread it because I LOVE his hair!

 

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

They do look alike!  Dempsey will be 4 months this Saturday and is such a love.  Thank you for all the product suggestions.  I will look into all of them.  I haven't tried the doggie teeth brushing but I've given him a lot of chew bones, toys, etc that promote good teeth hygene.  This may not be enough but at the moment we aren't having any teeth issues so if it's not broke...  He went to the groomer for JUST a bath and I wanted them to clean the eye gunk and just lightly trim around his eyes so he could see better.   Instead, They gave him poodle feet (rounded out his paws) and really cut a lot of the fur around and in between his eyes (NOT what I asked for).  He was definitely freaked out and a completely different puppy for 2 days, not a good experience.  Needless to say, I'm on the hunt for another groomer.  I'm definitely not ready for him to get cut yet but if August is really hot and he is uncomfortable I may consider it....I'll keep you updated.  Good luck with Bexter!  He's really cute and I hope you are loving this experience as much as I am (even the tough stuff)...I bet you are.

[Bonnie and Kona]

No one mentioned to you that you can buy bully sticks that are odorless. I don't give them to my dogs because they can eat one in 10 minutes. I give them antlers and have seen my 4 yr old's teeth clean up since he started chewing them.

I use the Les Pooches brush on Kona and it made a huge difference. I know they are expensive and wondered if they could possibly make any difference. I was so pleased and surprised when I got mine. Kona has a fleece/wool combination coat. Kemp told me which one to get.

[Jayd (Dempsey)]

No!!! I had no idea that they made them any other way than smelly!!  Where do you find them? My dog likes the Antlers but they don't seem to hold his attention as long as a bully stick does.  I'm looking into the Les Pooches brushes and will ask Kemp to help me choose one.  Thank you for your input!!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Petco