Shave at 6 months??

[Stephanie Neufeld]

My labradoodle puppy is now 6 months and getting quite shaggy (I've attached a picture for reference)!!  As the weather is getting warmer and warmer, we're debating whether to get her shaved or not.  She is starting to matt up a little bit in certain spots and I admit we haven't been brushing her as regularly as we should have been.  I've heard that the puppy coat will be growing into an adult coat within the next few months, so I'm a little warry about shaving off her super soft coat right now as I'm worred it'll grow in much coarser... but also I think she'd be more comfortable and cooler if she were shaved.  Any thoughts??1438_594844605776_428517373_n.jpg

[Emily Lau]

We have given our labradoodle Earnest 3 haircut in total (he is 9 months now), starting at around 5 months. He got one at 7 months, and got another one now. We cut it down to around half an inch and keep his head round and cute (1.5 inch). His hair grew out just as soft as ever :) I think it really shouldn't be a problem at all :)

:)

[Diane, Hurley and Sidney]

She looks like a little doll.  I think shaving or cutting the coat is a matter of preference.  Hurley 19 months old and has a 55 lb wavy fleece coat.  We live in the Las Vegas area so it does get hot this time of year.   We do not shave or cut his long coat.  Yes, it does mean grooming every night during the hot weather but the groomer, his trainer and his vet said it wasn't necessary to shave him in hot weather. That the long coat also helps to keep his skin cool.  I have read pros and cons both ways.  All that being said I have seen advertised on TV these cool collars for a dog in hot weather.  Guess it keeps them cool when around their neck so I am going to look into getting one.  Also read about a cool pad for a dog to lay on in hot weather.  I don't know if these two items are really necessary and he appears to manage the heat fairly well.  He seems to go into his kiddie wading pool whenever he is hot but he loves water, loves playing in it and loves to swim so we make sure he gets time in our son's pool whenever we are at his house.  I only run with him early in the morning or very late at night. 

Our son has a doodle that is 2 1/2 years old around 55 lbs but has a curly fleece coat.  His coat is very thick so he is kept short but definitely not shaved.  

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Oh, she is just adorable. We began getting Ned's coat trimmed at 4 months. He began matting at 6 months. We worked hard to get mats out and cut his coat a bit shorter, but still doodley. Just me, but I would never willingly shave my dog. I think cutting short can be a preference, but a shave is too much. You would need to worry about the things that their coats are designed to do like preventing sunburn, protecting against scratches on their skin.

[Michele & Kallie]

Aww she is so cute! I wouldn't shave her, just clip her hair shorter if she seems too hot.. Head is cute longer, like Emily said. Body shorter, one inch or longer if you can keep mats away. I have trimmed my 7 mo, doodle a few times. but try to keep the head  doodlie

[BettyAnn, Holmes & Lucy]

What a cutie! We're in the same boat- our pups are the same age :) and yeah, we're getting matts too. I'm being lazy since there aren't too many...yet? So I've just been pulling them apart with my fingers since he gets all crazy about the brush when I use them and always tries to bite them. I've already noticed he's getting coarser fur on the top but his stomach is still super soft. It'll be interesting to see what happens when htey go through their blow-out.

I've had him groomed once and they cleaned him up, shaved here and there and also blew-dried his fur. I hated it! He looked so different and much more like a poodle, which I wasn't crazy about. So, I got a tip on here from someone else and have been trimming him myself. Nothing professional for sure! I just have him sit or lay down and go all over and start cutting away pretty randomly, all around. Its helped to really see his face :) We're gonna stick with this for now until it doesn't work anymore. I'd rather put off paying for a professional groomer for as long as I can plus I like him on the longer, shaggier side. We'll see what happens!  

[Cheryl and Lucas]

I would try to keep the hair from blocking his eyes as much as possible, maybe start with some rounded scissors? I know it is a personal preference for some doodle owners to keep the hair around the eyes long, but personally, I dont feel its comfortable or fair to block their vision due to their owners style preference. With that being said, you have an adorable puppy, love the white markings on his chest!

[KLN]

With the exception to size, Finley and your puppy look very similar!  I'm debating too whether I should get him cut.  This is my first doodle and I had NO idea I needed to brush them, so thank y'all very much!  I feel like a terrible doodle parent!  He has been getting mats but I didn't realize it was from me not brushing him.  :(  This should be an adventure...I'm not sure he will let me anywhere near him with a brush!  Do ya'll have any advice for getting the current mats out?  I really don't want to take him to the groomers because I feel like they will either shave him due to the mats (which I really do not want to do, I love his coat) or they will torture him trying to get them out.  Do you think I could take him and just tell them to leave the mats there?  I just don't want them hurting him to try and get them undone. 

[KLN]

And BTW, I know it looks like he is being "hung" in this picture but it's just the angle and the way the extra rope fell, I promise he is fine with plenty of slack in his tether.  :)

[Sandra]

I am not looking forward to the coat change.  I try brushing Chester every other day.  Just so he gets used to it.   Maybe when he starts getting mats he will be used to the brushing we will see?  As far as soft every doodle I have ever touched is soft.  They have all had hair cuts and a couple had been shaved before

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Hi Stephanie ~ I would agree that shaving is a personal option.  My groomer does not like to shave them down however because they can get sunburned just like we can if they are exposed and like Diane said a well kept coat will act as an insulator from heat and cold. 

I have found that the boys need to be brushed at least every other day to stay mat free.  With having two, I brush out one a day - usually first thing in the a.m. before we start our day.  I do brush through their tails and heads daily as I cannot imagine going a day without combing my own hair! LOL  In the summer I do have my grooming take their coat down to 1/2" or 3/4" so they can play in the water, etc without so much coat upkeep.

I am probably over the top when it comes to grooming because years ago when I had a standard poodle, my then groomer scared me into it.  First time in her shop, she informed me that I bought a breed that had a high maintenance coat and with that comes daily grooming.  Right up front she said, "if your boy comes in matted, I will not groom him.  It is too hard on him and me and I will request you take him elsewhere to be to shaved.  I wanted her to do his grooming because I loved her finished product, so I was a good little girl and did what she wanted. 

In hindsight, I often wonder if those that shedding doodles have an easier time with grooming.  I would think so.

 

[Sandra]

We are thinking about getting Chester his first hair trim. He is a multi-gen labradoodle and is 4.5 months old.  He has been trimmed around the nose, eyes and feet. Do you just say a teddy bear cut?

I really enjoy the board here.