How long is too long?

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Is there a coat length beyond which trimming with clippers becomes impossible or grooming just gets way too hard?

Riley has a slightly wavy coat that doesn't mat so I've been letting it grow and it's a good 5" long now.  I'm thinking I will probably just continue to scissor cut her sanitary/paws/face and otherwise leave it alone but am I setting myself up for trouble not trimming her body?

I brush her every day or two and lately it's taken more work to brush out from the roots because it's long but it's still pretty easy to brush.

Here she is post brushing looking mighty fluffy!

[Wanda Klomp]

How old is she? When the coat changing starts (5 months and older) keep track of the white parts, because these are the most porous and therefor prone to tangles and felt. The black parts csn become lighter and more fluffy and need thinning to stay tangke free. Also the longer the hair, the more dead ends and these will tangle too, so grooming it will not only keep the coat healthy and tangle free, it will make her look like a pup again (if done well). That's always the best choice :-) She is adorable. Enjoy :-) xxx

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

She is almost 7 months, I haven't noticed much of a change in her coat other than it getting a bit more wavy but maybe now it's partly adult coat? It's a bit coarser too but still super soft.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

She looks beautiful.  She can be trimmed, but not shaved, by a really good groomer if you keep her mat free. if she is shaved this long she will be REALLY shaved really short, I fear.  

Groomer advice - if you have kept her mat free and you get grief from a groomer, that is "i'll have to shave her down!"  Just says no thanks and walk out.  You want a groomer who doesn't whine or complain, who really loves dogs - even doodles - and knows how to cut them properly.  I went through a lot of groomers, but my dogs love their groomer now.  For awhile, I was discouraged and just let them grow out and shaved them down myself.  I cannot scissor cut them myself - i can't even trim my own bangs correctly.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I actually cut my own hair (with layers) and I think it looks pretty decent... I cut DH's hair with clippers and scissors too so I feel like I might be able to do all Riley's grooming myself.  She has a LOT of hair though scissor cutting her would definitely be a multi day undertaking!

There is a nearby groomer a lot of my neighbors recommend so I might try her if the task ends up being too daunting for me.

[Stacy]

No grooming advice from over here, but she's beautiful!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Thank you:) someday I will figure out how to get her eyes to be seen in pictures lol.  It's hard because she is so shaggy and they are such a deep brown.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

She’s beautiful!  If you can keep her trimmed up yourself, that’s fabulous. I can’t so I have a professional groomer. She scissor cuts.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

That may be the route I end up going if it ends up being too crazy to do it myself.  I don't think I'd be happy with her beautiful coat being clipped short.

[DonMarie and Picco]

I I love the fluffly look!  think as long as you & Riley can stand all the brushing and care then leave it as long as you want.  I've noticed that some conditioners are better at keeping mats at bay.  Luckily we don't have many matting issues.  Picco didn't get a short cut till he was almost 2 yrs old.  I really love the fluff but keeping it shorter is so much easier on both of us.  He doesn't want the long brushing/maintaining sessions any more either.  I do enjoy doing my own grooming.  I let him be longer in the cool winters then send him to the groomer once a year in the spring for an even short cut (and sanitary cut) then maintain it myself from then on.

I bought a set of different size clipper combs (much cheaper that way) so I can trim to any length I want and have room to experiment.  My husband is the expert at keeping Picco trimmed around his eyes and lip line, which we maintain more often.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I mean so far she doesn't mat with the amount of brushing I've been doing and she seems to enjoy being brushed... partly thanks to Karen's brush suggestion (Chris Christensen pin brush) that doesn't seem to hurt her skin at all.

Can the clipper clip to 2"? I think I'd be ok with that length, I was under the impression that most do 1" at the longest.

If she ends up needing regular clipping I am definitely spending the few hundred dollars on a set instead of $80 per groomer visit :p

Any tips on trimming her face more easily? She struggles like a giant fish on a line anytime I get near her face with the scissors.  I'm trying desensitization training with treats but it's slow going.

[DonMarie and Picco]

That's why I bought the multi-size pack of combs. You can experiment - start off with longer and you can always go shorter and get your confidence built up. I don't think a 2" comb will leave 2" long hair, it will be longer.   I guess it depends on how the hair lays, waves, curls etc.   I end up using just a few select combs from the set but still came out cheaper that buying individually and not knowing what size to get.

https://www.amazon.com/Oster-Universal-Attachment-10-Piece-078900-6...

My husband holds Picco's muzzle gently and talks softly to him but he'll still try to jerk away.  I tell him to take a timeout for both of them! 

I set up a plastic folding table (Walmart) and put a rubber bath mat on in, bought a grooming arm https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001VP8C0S/ref=oh_aui_search_asin...  and I hook the neck holder around Picco's hips instead of his neck (prevents him from sitting).  He holds still well on my set up.  Like I said, I do enjoy grooming and I think I do a good job.  Most of the time I bath then groom a day or two later so Picco won't feel so tortured all at once!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Thanks for the advice and links :)  Riley won't even let me hold her muzzle she roars like a lion and shakes her head.  A work in progress!