Little Known Secrets of Doodles

[Heidi & Milton]

If you do not own any sort of doodle, golden-, Labra-, or Aussie-, you might not be aware of some of their odd, little eccentricities.  We certainly did not know until we had Milton home for a few months.  Now we are more than aware of all the little unique features that make the Milt, Milt. 

1.  Last week when Jeff picked up Milton from daycare, he was informed that Milton was having trouble keeping himself clean down there.  Of course, I was the one to check the Milt dog later that evening, and I saw one little cling-on which I promptly cut out.  On Monday though, I took Milton for a walk, and, like always, he went number two while we were out and about.  We stopped by a neighbor's house, and I noticed an absolute stench permeating the air.  When the Milt raised his tail, to my horror, I observed this:

Yuck

Yes, that is Milton's dirty bottom.  Since doodles barely shed, fur just grows and grows even around important parts of their anatomy.  So what was I to do but get the clippers out and snip away until I saw pink.  This was highly unpleasant for all parties involved.  Although, the next day at daycare, I was informed that Milton still had a stinky behind.  Jeff and I feel like bad parents with "the smelly kid," so we are going to pay for a basic sanitary cut.  Don't worry, we are not sheering the Milt like a sheep, but he will be much more tidy in his privates.

2.  Milton has a beard!  Our boy is certainly prepubescent, but as a doodle he is capable of growing a full beard.  Just like a human beard, it retains both crumbs and water.  It certainly rivals anything that I have seen Jeff grow.

I mean he's not Santa Claus, but he is still young.

Milt has certainly passed that awkward peach fuzz stage.  I bet he could even give his Daddy some pointers.

3.  Doodles mat.  What does this mean?  As a doodle's fur grows, it clumps together in a way analogous to dreadlocks.  These are two that I recently snip snapped off Milton:

There appears to be some dirt in those mats as well.

Apparently, if your doodle is matting, you should be brushing him or her more frequently.  The other option is a haircut, and that is certainly not an option for us.  Some really good dood parents, like my friend Thuy, brush the mats out of their dog's hair.  In Milt's case, he is overgrown, so we just cut.  I don't think he will miss it.

Well, you just got an earful of the "Little Known Secrets of Doodles."  Do you feel smarter?  I don't think you will ever actively use this knowledge, unless perhaps at a casual dinner party or a dog park.  Some people just love to learn, and if you don't, just store it away until you need to sound witty.  That's what I do.

To read more about Milton the Goldendoodle visit www.goldilocksandherdoodle.com

[DJ & Chance]

All so true, but we love them anyway!

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

Milt is the typical boy dog, my Ollie always has all kinds of "garbage" stuck to him when he come in from outside.  You can dig out all kinds of things from his hair - LOL.  And the "dinkelberries" well.... that happens to everyone at some point in time :)

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

poor sophie.  and poor you.  that sounds terrible

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

As did Sophie.  She was covered from the rear down her legs because of diarrhea from her Chemo.  I had just asked at the vet if I could give her a bath while we were still treating her injection site wound and they said no.  Well, it wasn't an option.  We wrapped her bandaged leg in saran wrap, the wrapped it again before the bath and managed to keep it dry!  Normally my girls don't have cling-ons, but this was a mess.

[Adina P]

Rosco got a whole bath this week because of a chunk of poo stuck to his butt. And i still had to use the clippera.

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

LOL, been there done that!  Even our little lady gets a dirty bum now and then!  That's ok, we are here for her and in no time she is all clean, pretty and feels good again:)  It's all part of the responsilbility of having a Doodle and I love every minute of that responsibility:)  

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

LOL, Milt sounds like Auggie. I had to wipe his bottom constantly. He's 8 months and I'm intending to wait as long as I can with the first haircut. Milt does look like Auggie in the picture (not the butt picture, the other one, LOL). Monty is the one with constantly dirty beard. He does not like his nose brushed so I just cut the strands that are clumped with dirt. Oh, the joys of having a doodle! :-)

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Once a week or every other week I do a butt check to make sure they aren't getting too overgrown down there.  Cubbie once decided that he wanted to rub a cling-on all over the carpet, my bed, and my pillow so since then I try to keep them nice and tidy down there.  :)