BEWARE WHAT YOU ASK FOR

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

After meeting Nancie and Graciedoodle, and Gina, Kona, and Buddy at the beach last week and admiring the ease of after-beach care their doods had, I decided to task our groomer  to cut Ned and Clancy short - really short.

We agreed that Clancy's bulky build needed a bit longer look than Ned's poodle-type build.  Clancy is tons shorter but the overall look is still 'fluffy' doodle.

I got what I asked for  and I I hate it.  What was I thinking?  We spent the time brushing and combing Ned constantly through the matting phase and beyond. If I was going for a short look, I should have done it then.  Ned's body is so shaved down. If his coat wasn't so thick, he would truly be naked.  I wish his body coat was as long as she left his legs.  I will not be taking  pictures of my beloved Nedderbudder for quite a while because I do NOT want to remember this moment.  Ned even acts like he is in trouble, slinking around.  Sadly, he won't need brushing for a long, long time.

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

I don't think that's acutally what you asked for. The shaping could be a lot better. Send them over here and I will touch them up. A few snips and the cut will look a lot different.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I agree with you Barb.  I don't understand why she left both of their legs so much longer than their body.  Almost a Schnauzer look.  I honestly think if she had done the legs right (and left the tail alone) you would have been much happier! 

[Ben & Amos Zeeman]

I want you to know I feel your pain. Amos has been going through his coat change, and I am in my Senior year of Computer Science. I brushed him every day, and would get piles and piles of fur out. I was able to stay on top of it for 2 or 3 months, then I lost control. Before I knew it there was no way to get the mats out anymore, and there was no way Amos would ever be patient enough to let me work on them. I had to take him in to get cut SHORT. Shorter than Ned... I post these pictures to help you feel better. Not only do I miss his long hair, The groomer all but ignored what I asked for, all but insisted he should look like a poodle, and when it was over amos went from this:

To This...

He Looks Like a Mad Scientist! I think I am going to try it myself next time. 

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Wow Ben, Tara got this exact same cut one time and I about flipped!! The groomer just LOVED it!! And that is exactly why I decided to start grooming her myself. :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Going through the coat change is a reason you might need really short,  Ned passed that and we kept him long.  IAmos is still cute  - not shorter than Ned.  I can't even hold the body hairs! There is no shorter measure than that!

Barb I would love to come to you - well...... road trip! What fun that would be.  Even though Ned will never be this short again, what are your snip, snip suggestions?

Ricki, I have no one to blame for this mess but myself.  Hmmmm...... I could blame my DH.  I asked for short but when I was trying to give her my opinion of short, my dh was giving his.  He loved Buddy (GBK's big guy) when we met up and thought Ned might come out like him. Buddy has lovely curls. Ned does not. 

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I like the idea of blaming your DH. He probably got the poor groomer all confused. Hopefully he learned that not all cuts work for all doodles. :(

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

Nancy, I don't think he looks that bad.  It probably just takes getting used to???    I like the one pose.  It is funny!

Ben - To me, Amos doesn't look bad either, except it just looks funny between the eyes.  Otherwise, I think he looks really cute!

Barb - I have a question.  Are doodles supposed to have "retriever ears?"  After I took Bexter to the groomer, I LOVED how he looked, except I had to get used to his ears.  Then, when Maggie's breeder came to visit, she said that Bexter has been given "poodle ears."  (She is a groomer in addition to being a breeder.)  Anyway - she said I should tell them next time to give him "retriever ears" rather than "poodle ears."  Do you know what she means?  Less hair on the ears I'm thinking.  I'm not sure which I would like better.  Do we have any pictures of the difference?

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

DUH - I guess if I want to see retriever ears, then I should just look at my OWN DOG MAGGIE!  I need to go back to bed....What type of ears do most people prefer?  I like Maggie's ears, but they make her ears look smaller in proportion to her head.  Bexter looks more "poodley" because of his coat anyway.  But even more so with "poodle" ears, but his ears look longer in proportion to his head.  Ned's ears look like poodle ears to me.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

I am sorry Nancy but I think he looks fine....no he's not his regular self but you will get use to his new summer look in 2 or 3 days.

When Daisy was shaved down (she also has that super thick coat) I was so upset but in a week we were all loving the easy to care for coat. She will never be as short as that but we certainly have a difference between Winter grooming ans Summer grooming. These shots are 5 days apart, the first one being last.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Not used to it; still hate it!

[Colleen]

I think your pups look beautiful.  I think it is a matter of the picture of what you expected in your head and what the actual outcome looked like.  But honestly, I think they look adorable.   Give it some time and you will get used to it, I am sure. 

[Connie & Kramer]

I am very skeptical about shaving Kramer down for the summer, but we live in Florida and I can tell he's hot when we're outside, and it's just the beginning of April.  At one time I saw a photo of a doodle that was shaved under the ears, under the neck, belly, and under arms.  They still look fluffy, but the doddle is a lot cooler.  Does anyone know anything about this cut - what is it called?  I heard it referred to as a 'maintenance cut' but I can't find anything on the internet like it.