1st haircut tomorrow...

[Kristine and Charlie]

Charlie is heading to the groomers for the first time tomorrow.  We are going to a place that was recommended by a non-doodle owning friend of mine.  I think the groomer has done doodles but I don't personally know them.  Charlie is 8 months old and has a couple of matts (one under ear, one behind a leg and one in his beard) but that's it.  His hair on his back is the longest at about 5 inches.  When I spoke with the groomer over the phone I asked if she could scissor cut 1 1/2-2 inches off she thought I was nuts asking her to scissor a puppy but said she could do it but it would cost quite a bit more....$25 more.  She said it would be easiest to use the clippers and she could keep it 1 1/2 inches long.  Well I'm totally willing to pay it because I don't want him to be that short yet...she seemed to think 1 1/2 was long.  I love the way he looks now but thought I would be ahead of the 'matting' game if he got a trim now.  His next haircut will be a shorter summer cut for sure.  So my question is...how many dogs get scissored and is it that big of a request?  Also...for those few matts how do I tackle them?  This is my first experience.  :)

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

Scissoring can be a big deal for some groomers. Many are not trained in it and your dog needs to be good at standing on the table. We used to do a clipper on the body and scissored legs a lot at grooming school. That might be an option you could look at.

 Have you put your comb right thru to your dog's skin? This will be the test to see if you are going to be able to have a longer coat. Groomers don't yet understand that we want our dogs to have longer coats. The correct coat is 4 to 6 inches long. I don't recommend this until puppy coats are gone though.

[Kristine and Charlie]

He has never been on a grooming table...besides getting a nail trim and quick clip on his bottom (at groomer but on floor) and me brushing him out at least once a week but usually twice that is all he has had done.  I do comb and brush and can get a comb from skin outward.  What do you mean the test?  He has wavy/spiral hair underneath and puppy fuzzy ends.  Overall his body seems 'fleecy'.    For an 8 month old puppy (btw, he is a GD) would you recommend him clippered on his body and scissored on his legs for now?  And then grow out to 4-6 inches?

[Deb, Connor & Simon]

My opinion is based on my experience with Simon my ALD. He didn't mat until he hit about 10 months and it was crazy. I brushed him every day, but he still matted. If I had listened to my breeder and his sire's breeder I would've cut him down to 1 1/2-2" when he was 8-9 months old. It took me hours of brushing/combing/detangling spray, etc. I finally got him completely brushed out and took him to the groomer. At 10 months I finally had him cut down. He looked adorable! The first person we ran into after his haircut asked me what kind of dog he was because she thought he was beautiful! It makes it a lot easier on you and the pup when their hair is shorter....and 1 1/2-2" is really not that short.

Here's Simon after his first haircut....

[Kristine and Charlie]

I know I'm really worried about the matting stage and anxiously awaiting it!  Will he matt at 1 1/2 inches long?  Or is it just way more manageable?  Also, in the picture above are Simons legs 1 1/2 as well?  You are right it doesn't look that short.  I was looking though your pictures on your page and holy doodles at the Halloween Walk!  How fun to be around so many.  :)  They were all so cute and I noticed most sported a short do.  What about your GD...how do you keep him cut?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

My dogs get scissored and the groomer doesn't charge any different. I have learned to treasure my groomer because she is willing to do whatever I want and never charges any differently.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Just make sure you get what you want...Chloe went to a groomer as her 1st birthday gift for a bath and brush out, we said no CUTTING except between the pads and sanitary area. She did what she thought would be best and she came out looking like a toy poodle!! Event though we were dramatic about telling her what we wanted, her face took forever to come back. There was nothing to do but cry!! We now take care of Chloe ourselves and Myla goes to PetSmart but we only go to the same girl there everytime. Good luck!!!

[Jenny & Henry]

Hey Kristine, how did you make out with the groomer?  Any before and afters.  I will be right where your at before I know it!

[Kristine and Charlie]

Okay so here are the before and after pictures....overall I was very happy with our first visit.  When I first saw him I was like OMG he looks like a poodle but that was because of the fluffy blow out.  After a couple of rainy days and me misting him he began to look more 'doodley' again.  She did everything I asked....scissored 1 1/2 inches, left his tail and ears alone, kept his paws fluffy and not too short around nails, didn't shave nose etc.  The only things that are still taking me some time to get used to are his eyes and poof.  I think she cut just a little too much around his eyes so now they pop out at us :) and the top of his head was cut just a little too rounded so it is def. a poof (even a week later).  So as for how Charlie did....she said he did really good for his first visit and he was there for 2 hrs.  I like that this groomer takes appts. so that only one or two dogs are there at a time and are picked up as soon as they are done so it's not a crazy busy place filled with barking dogs in crates (which was my experience years ago with a previous dog).

 

P.S.  Does anyone know how I can post the before and after pictures side by side instead of as attachments that need to be opened separately?  Or if I can post 3 pictures side by side?  I would like to show him a week later. 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I think the groomer did a really good job.  Charlie looks gorgeous.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Click on the second icon that is a picture and you can load your pictures rather than an attachment.  You might want to cut the pixels down to between 300 and 500.  I can't make them side by side unless I go to a site like Picasa and put the two on a collage and save it and then put it on - too much work.  So just load the pictures one at a time and they will be one on top of the other.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I think the groomer did a pretty good job and he looks darling.  That first cut is always a shock no matter how great they do look -  and Charlie really does look doodlicious.  Ned's groomer has the most trouble blending the top in with the ears - I think with some of the poufier- coated doods it is more difficult to blend into the ears.

[Ali & Sonny D.]

So far that has been the toughest part for Sonny as well. I LOVE my last groomer. She just adored Sonny and was amazing with him but she had so much trouble with the blending of the head and ears that last time I cheated and tried someone new. He was really just cleaned up and she didn't do much to his ears b/c she said it needed to grow to blend. I am going to try the new one again and see how she does as his coat grows longer.