Working on the undercoat

[Jodi]

I was at the Vets a couple days ago with Bentley when the groomer from next door came in and commented on my grooming Bentley.   He suggested that I have him professionally groomed a few times a year because they can get the undercoat out for me.   I know he wanted my business but also, commented that I didn't spend the amount of time that they would.   I was very polite and got the discount coupon and thanked him.   I know I am still learning but I do spend alot of time on Bentley's grooming needs.  I am getting a little faster every month but I have a lot to learn.   Hopefully, every time I groom him my skills are improving.  I guess I don't know much about the undercoat and can use any tips or advice.   I need to know what kind of tool to buy so I can work on his undercoat.   I am still working on getting all the tools with the money I am saving by grooming him myself.   The goal is to have him professionally groomed once a year after I have gotten all the tools I need.   I do so enjoy grooming my Bentley.  I am happy that someone pointed out something I can improve on but have to say for a few minutes my feelings were hurt.  If I have him professionally done hopefully, I can learn what I need to work on.  

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

I have heard that some doodles have undercoats, but I have 14 and none of them do so I am sceptical. I often wonder if groomers mistake the coat change as an undercoat problem. It does come out while grooming for quite a long time. Up to 10 to 11 months my doodles will hardly fill a brush once during a whole body brushing session. During the coat change I fill a grocery bag with every brushing. As adults, this amount of hair that comes out cuts down to about a 1/4 of the volume. This is dead hair that needs to be brushed out to keep the coat fresh and matt free.
The world is full of misconceptions about doodles, so don't take any of this to heart. I have had people call me and say quite mean things about doodle breeding, but I figure they just don't get it. My life is richer for having known my doodles.

[Sandra Griffith]

I agree. I have been grooming dogs for 30 years and am the first to admit that there is a learning curve with these doodle dogs. An undercoat is meant to keep a dog warm, and dogs with an undercoat usually lose it the most during the spring when they are preparing for warm weather. It is a soft downy fur that lies underneath their guard hairs (the hair that you see on top). Most non-hair coated doodles do not have this undercoat and I've had to learn about this dreaded coat change which is quite a different thing than the shedding of their undercoat. Most of the breeds that claim to be "hypoallergenic" do not have an undercoat.

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Barb what do you use to help pull out the puppy coat? I am brushing Harlow daily and constantly fighting mats. My cross the street neighbor shows Goldens. Yesterday she loaned me a undercoat rake she picked up at a show. Harlow likes it better than the thinning shears and comb. She 13 months old. Using the rake I am getting grocery bags full of what I am guessing is puppy coat.

[Jodi]

Thank you! Bentley is now 2 yrs old. I only get a brush full of hair everyother day when I brush him. Things make a little more sense now. He is the best and really hasn't done anything wrong except chew on a couple shoes when he was younger. I am a total doodle lover.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

I have found that some groomers are not even aware of how to groom a Doodle or understand their coats. They are starting to get it more and more now that Doodles have become so popular. Most groomers treated them like a Poodle and would want to clip them like one! I hear more people talking about an undercoat on Gracie and there is no way she has one!!! I think we here at DK know our Doodles and their coats better than anyone out there and with the help of our members, we get all the advice...correct advise I might add...that we need!

[Deirdre]

Gus is a Goldendoodle he has an undercoat his 1/2 sister Lily (my sisters dog) does not (same Golden father). It's really difficult to bath him the undercoat repels water. When Gus and Lily spend the day in the lake Gus gets out shakes off and is dry in 45 mins, he has long fur. Lily gets out shakes off and is still soaking wet 4-5 hours later her fur is short and absorbs water.

[Jodi]

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for the help and how nice it is to have a place to ask questions.

[Aileen Chetcuti]

I took my 18 month old labradoodle to 3 groomers and all said he has a fierce undercoat. I use a special undercoat rake and can get out 2 grocery bags each time. His undercoat, being finer, mats easily. Unfortunately he was just butchered at a new groomer.