Puppy's first grooming?

[Melissa Bissell]

When does a puppy need his/her first professional grooming/haircut?  My puppy is 18 weeks and I am mainly concerned with the hair/fur that is growing so long over his eyes.  We cannot see his eyes at all anymore.  He is a black doodle so that makes it extra challenging to see his eyes.  I did attempt to trim around his eyes, but I was too nervous and quit after a quick snip.  Thanks!

[Kerry L]

I took my pup, Hank, in the first time at 16 weeks. He's a first gen so he doesn't have the thick curly hair but we don't know what his coat will eventually become so I wanted to get him in early so he'd be familiar with the groomer. I would think that the groomer is a little scary to them so I just wanted to make sure he got accustomed to the whole process and the groomer thanked me endlessly.

[Jordan & Daisy]

I think everyone does something different but Daisy went to the groomer for the first time at about 20 weeks. Since it was her first time I just had them bathe her, clean ears and trim nails, do a "sanitary" trim for her potty area and trim her face/eyes. So it fixed the hair-in-eyes problem but her overall coat stayed the same and she really enjoyed it! :) Here are some before and after pics from her first groom.

[Melissa Bissell]

Daisy is precious!!!

[Marie and Hoka]

I took Hoka in to meet our groomer and for a first bath and pretty much "pretend" haircut at 14 weeks, once he had all his first shots complete.

He is 6 months and has now had 2 grooms,  a little one once 20 weeks and once again his Monday around 24 weeks.  It was getting warm here, and he seemed too warm with the long coat.

This last one they were going to leave his fur 1" long, if it helps for comparison.  His fur is straight but very puffy... straight but not flat coat.

He is Daisy's (pictured above) brother!

Here he is sad to be home after coming home from the boarding/grooming. (Maybe he is sad because he will never be as beautiful as his sister!!!! LOL)

[Melissa Bissell]

Oh!  So cute!!!

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

I'd say once he's had all his shots. I'd keep trying to work a little with the eye part yourself though. We've gotten so yogi is very comfortable with my trimming around his eyes. I think every doodle owner would want to do this because it grows so quickly there. I do a little trimming around his eyes at least once every two weeks, probably more often. Otherwise the hair is poking in their eyes.

[Stephanie and Ragley]

I agree that getting used to doing at least the eye and bang trims yourself is almost essential unless you want to be grooming him every few weeks. That hair grows SO quickly! I'm the same as Leslie- I am trimming that area AT LEAST every 2 weeks. 

[Judi Kilpatrick]

Probably a good age for his first mini-groom to get him familiar with the groomer, ours have had 2 so far and didn't seem too stressed by it, our groomer doesn't keep them very long, grooms one pup at a time and calls when they are done.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

This is how we handled the first professional grooming, too, with both Lucy and Oscar. We got them both in at about 4-1/2 mos. old. Doodles will need regular grooming all their lives, and getting them accustomed to a groomer, their salon with all its noises and all the handling that goes along with it as early as possible, goes a long way in getting them off to the the right start. Even if that first groom is just a bath and blow dry.

As for trimming around the eyes, I started that myself very early. With Lucy I started with rounded-nose scissors, but by the time Oscar came I was pretty proficient with regular scissors. Lucy hated having any trim on her face as a pup and struggled a lot in the beginning. It took weeks to get her accustomed to it. Over time she learned to stand still. Oscar was easy from day one. He let me do anything to him without a fuss (eye trims, eye drops, teeth brushing, etc.). He's a groomer's dream :)

[Melissa Bissell]

Thanks - I do some trimming around his eyes tonight - it helped a bit, but I don't think I will be changing my career anytime soon! :-)  In the process of looking for a groomer.  I am glad everyone thinks this is a good time, because my puppy needs it!!!

[Melissa Bissell]

Thanks everyone - you convinced me!  I am working on trimming around the eyes, and also looking for a groomer.  When should I expect his adult coat to come in, and how will I know since he is a non-shedding doodle?