Doodle Grooming

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Coat types

Doodles come in three main coat types. Wool, fleece and hair. If you consider a woolly wool coat to be at one end of a scale and shedding coarse hair coats to be at the other end, your doodle could have a coat anywhere in-between. Not only that...it could be a combination of more than one type. Coats can also be very curly, somewhat curly, spiral curls, wavy or quite straight.

Hint for maintaining your favourite look.

You will find lots of pictures on this site of great looking doodles. Use them to take to your groomer to show what look you like or use them to follow for home grooming.

Coat Change from Puppy to Adult
Somewhere between 8 and 12 months doodles start growing their adult coats. Matte time! Since they don't shed, you need to comb the puppy coat out. This takes quite a bit of dedication and this stage can go on for several months. If you let your puppy mat at this time and resort to shaving, you STILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. You cannot shave it away. At some point, you must comb that puppy coat out. To make this stage easier, scissor the coat to about 2 inches in length so there is less to tangle. A seriously good way to reduce brushing is to buy a high speed blower. It produces cool air at high volume and really helps clean and untangle the coat.

Combing your doodle.
Use a steel comb. Start from one foot and brush..yes brush with a brush..the hair up. Then start down at the foot again and brush down in layers, making sure to always get to see the skin in the area you are working on before you go on. After about and inch or two, comb where you brushed. If the comb won't go thru, start again. Work thru the whole coat in this fashion.
Make sure you hit all the areas.
inside, outside and back and front of legs
upper and lower chest
sides, back and under tail
top of head and neck all the way around
under ears, chin and face
If a wool dog is very matted, it can take 10 hours to demat. If you have a fleece coat that is in good shape, it should take an hour or less to brush and comb the whole dog thoroughly.
Worst trouble spots: in front of hind legs, armpits, under tail and neck

To Do List for regular maintenance.
1. brush and comb twice a week or when ever you feel mattes ..dampen after brushing
These things to be done every 4 to 6 weeks
2. trim hair from between eyes as required to keep it from poking into the eyes
3. shave belly
4. trim hair from around anus and on male or female parts to prevent messy mattes that can get infected from bacteria
5. clip nails
6. trim feet ...inside of feet, around toes and trim length so it just barely touches the ground.
7. trim hair above eyes so it does not obstruct sight
8. pull hair from inside ears and clean with ear cleaning solution
9. shave hair from base of ear to increase airflow into the ear

Links to Grooming Information from this forum.

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How to trim feet
You can trim feet with scissors or clippers. I prefer to use a combination of both. I first cup the dog's foot in my hand so the bottom is visible and keeping my scissors flat to the bottom of the foot, I trim all hair sticking beyond the foot. Next I take my clipper with a number 10 or 40 and trim inside between the large pad the the small toe pads. From the top of the foot looking down, I pull a hair back from toes and scissor hair from around nails and between toes. You can to this with a clipper too and make 'poodle toes'...not to be confused at all with poodle feet. You want the foot to have lots of volume from the top, but look clean underneath.

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Comment by Nicky, Riley & Boris on February 1, 2015 at 11:40am: Here is Riley who also hates his nails clipped. I failed miserably at this with both my boys so this is the only thing they go to the groomer for. I am posting this pic of Riley who had a three hour full (home) groom and since it won't last long I thought I would share. I'm afraid I only walked the boys today and decided against letting them off leash due to all my work!

Comment by Ricki and Tara (doodle) on January 15, 2015 at 4:39pm: Thanks Nancy, we're both feeling better today and we kissed and made up! :)

F, I'm going to look into some ways to decrease her anxiety level-guess I better move this to the Health Group.

Comment by Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie on January 14, 2015 at 11:08pm: Poor Tara. I am sorry this is such an ordeal for her - and then for you.

Comment by F, Calla & Luca on January 14, 2015 at 9:27pm: It deFinitely sounds like anxiety. Just clipping a nail without touching he quick does not hurt.

Comment by Ricki and Tara (doodle) on January 14, 2015 at 9:12pm: Thanks Deb! Sometimes Tara will cry when I just clip a claw. No quick, just a regular clip. I don't know if she has sensitive nerves or is just fearful. Maybe both. I'm not looking forward to the next session. And I know she will pick up on it if I'm nervous. Yes, tonight she seems to be doing better than I am. :)

Bonnie, we're doing better tonight. Hopefully we can avoid the need for beans!

Comment by Debb, Lucy & Oscar on January 14, 2015 at 8:17pm: Sorry Ricki, I think cutting a quick is just inevitable once In a while. It sounds like Tara has very sensitive nerves in her toes. I usually don't even know I've cut a quick until I notice blood on my fingers. I keep styptic powder at the ready in the lid, all ready to dip a nail in if need be, and I usually manage to cut one every time. The doods don't hold a grudge, thankfully. Hope you have some luck next time!

Comment by Bonnie and Kona on January 14, 2015 at 7:35pm: Oh Tara-bear! Not the green bean diet! Time to kiss and make up.

Comment by Ricki and Tara (doodle) on January 14, 2015 at 7:26pm: Thanks Bonnie, at this point I'd be happy if she just tolerated it. I've about given up on the idea of calm! :) For now, I am assuaging my guilt by plying her with all of her favorite treats. The next time you hear from me will probably be in the Food Group announcing that she's back on the Green Bean Diet! LOL

Thanks F, a day or two isn't too bad...

Comment by F, Calla & Luca on January 14, 2015 at 6:23pm: I use stypic powder and in a little while the dogs seem fine. But I guess real healing takes a day or two.

Comment by Bonnie and Kona on January 14, 2015 at 5:45pm: Ricki, I am so so sorry this happened. It is such a hard time for you as well as for her. I hope she heals quickly and will learn to calmly accept this procedure. I don't know how that will happen but we can hope. hugs.

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