Help ! I want my pretty long haired GoldenDoodle Ben Back ! How do you Care for their Coats ?? He is just a puppy, we brush him...he had matts under his arms....now he is naked!

[Kathleen McDonald Peterson]

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

OMD He looked like a polar bear-I'm sorry hope it grows fast. Myla had to shaved to THE SJIN so this really ain't all that bad!! (SORRY) go to the doodles store and check out the Les Pooches brushes pricey but worth it! He looks like he has Myla's hair but longer .

[F, Calla & Luca]

Truly, great looking either way. And now we can see his handsome face!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Wow! What a shocker!! Many of us have experienced this same thing with our doodles! I see that he is still under a year old? If that is correct he could be transitioning from puppy coat to adult coat. During that time all the puppy hair falls out and must be brushed out. Otherwise it will form horrible mats.  There is a wealth of information in the Grooming Group about all aspects of doodle grooming. You can learn about the proper tools that would best suit his coat type and about products that are available to facilitate removing the mats should he get some again.

 

I felt pretty overwhelmed with the care of Tara's coat until I joined DK. Tara's coat is very high maintenance but other doodles require much less care.  If Ben's coat had become quite matted then he might be more comfortable having had them removed (if that's any consolation!!)  You will be surprised how fast his coat grows back. Fortunately this didn't happen in the middle of winter!

 

Here is a link to the Grooming group:

 

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/doodlegrooming

 

And don't worry your fuzzy boy will be back before you know it! Either way he is a gorgeous dog!!!

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Kathleen, be sure to check out the grooming group.  you will find LOTS of tips there.  Ben's coat looks a lot like what Ollie has on his legs (straight and very fluffy).  I do a complete brush out on him several times a week.  I use a Les Pooch brush and line brush him and can usually keep the matts at bay.  If i wait too long between brushings, then I have a lot more matts and tangles to deal with.  I always shave the armpit area so that i don't have to worry about the hair always knotting up there.

[Heather Martinez]

Amy, what type of Les Pooch brush do you use on Ollie? I think Teddy has this same kind of fluffy coat but he's losing his puppy coat now and starting to mat everywhere! We're going to get him cut short and start over being sure to brush regularly.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I emailed Kemp over at http://www.doodlecountry.com/ and sent him pictures and a description of Cubbie's and Ollie's coats and he told me to go with the green brush.  It has really made brushing Ollie's fluffy legs a LOT easier.

[Heather Martinez]

Thank you! I will check out doodle country!

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

what a beautiful dood. He is still a puppy so is probably matting more than he will when hes older (the dreaded coat change). I keep Coopers fur long. Every day i pull apart mats that are forming, just with my fingers. Once a month I do a BIG brush with a slicker (Les Pooches are expensive but the best - Kemp on DK can help you) then with an Oster rake http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=groomer&cid=1008&sc... (its called a shedding rake but works great on the poodly fur) , then with a metal comb. Cooper fur is super thick so I never get every single area totally combed out. Her fur separates into little kinks/dreadlocks. Some may say its a little matted, but they pull apart really easy.

 

When Cooper was a puppy I had to brush her every day and she was still covered in mats

[Jennifer Tramell]

I understand your shock, but I think he looks so intelligent and distinguished with his new hair cut. I love his handsome face!

 I keep my goldendoodles somewhat short because I don't have the patience to do the neccessary brushing.  My Charlotte is just over 1 yr old and she has fine, silky, curly hair and she matts.  She got her first "big cut" back in March and life has been so much easier :-).  Just wait for about a month and he'll lose the shaved look, maybe you'll want to join the Doodles With Short Hair group (at least temporarily!)

[Jennifer and Jack]

Now we can see his adorable face!! He is quite adorable either way... Not to worry if you don't like it, it will grow back. IN the meantime, just remember he is the same adorable dog, even cuter!!

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Wow...that doesn't look like the same dog!  But both are magnificent!  I have a big Standard GoldenDoodle with a wavy fleece coat.  I started grooming her myself when she was almost 2 years old. She isn't a really thick haired girl where she gets really dense.  She has the fine little hairs under her arms and then on her tummy and inner thighs.  This is where she gets little tangles or knots and because it is in such a tender area I just cut them out.  Since Ben is probably going through his coat change his are manifested more as mats.  If that was the only area then I can't imagine why the groomer chose to completely shave him.  There are mat buster tools but because of the area I would have just cut into the mat in a cross hatch pattern being VERY careful that no skin is pulled in to the mat.  Then you can usually pull it apart and finally comb out the cut hair.  Gracie at 4 years old is mat free other than the knots and tangles like I said.  If she has played a lot with other dogs then she might get one behind her ear.  Also directly under her tail she may mat up but I am able to comb them out or cut them without you noticing them.  Ben is a beautiful boy and you will enjoy the stages that he has as he is growing out.  I change Gracie's coat length all the time.  The shaved coat is wonderful for summer and if your baby is always wet or in the water as mine is!!!  There are some pluses to a short coat!!  Low maintenance!!  But...the one thing we never do is cut the tail!!!!  We love her giant plume!  Give Ben a big hug and tell him he is such a handsome boy!

[Kathleen McDonald Peterson]

Thank you all for your sympathy, and also your positive comments about how handsome he still is!   We love him, shaved or hairy!  The Grooming Site is wonderful..thank you to everyone who told me about it.....I couldn't find one when I first came on, so put my question out...but for those who don't know...go to "Groups" on the top bar, and then "popular groups" and there is Doodle Grooming.... that has everything!!  .. and I guess this is good for new doodle owners, be sure your groomer talks to you before doing anything, and tell them what YOU want.....she told me about the matts under his arms....said "inhumane" to get them out and she needed to "take him down" so he looked even....after reading all of your responses I understand now, he did not need to be shaved...but he is happy, and cool and we are now educated....it is a journey!