Coat

[Jody Neeley]

We get to meet our puppy on Sunday! So excited. Here is a picture of our adorable litter. 3 boys and 3 girls. We will obviously pick on personality but I had a question regarding coat. My breeder says three are wavy and three are curly. What is easier to maintain? What personal preferences do you have? Thanks in advance!

[Susan & Randy's Kate]

The  mama's beautiful.  Our Kate is scruffy looking which I like.  It is easy to run a brush thru her hair in the morning while I am giving morning hugs.  She does shed some.  Some of that may be changing coat.  Love all the doodles.  Have fun.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Annabelle's is a shaggy/wavy coat. She sheds a small amount, but there again it may be due to coat change. I only notice the shedding if I am wearing black. She is only 16 weeks, but so far it has been easy to maintain. I brush every day though.  I think the curly coat is harder to maintain because they shed the least.  I don't know from experience, just from what I have read. I chose a timid little girl. Now she is anything but timid. She is so friendly and wants to play with everyone she meets. She tried to run and hide from us, when we first met her. So just be aware the personality thing can change.

[Linda And Loo]

Loo, is extremely curly but she does NOT get mats! She did not mat during the coat change either! I do not know if that is the norm or if the doodle gods just smiled down at me and decided I needed a break! I give her a good brushing before her bath and that is it! My groomer has not found any mats on her either! Loo is turning 3 this month! Good luck! The puppies sure are cute and I like their Momma's coat!

[Kathryn Clark]

We have a wavy coat puppy and I can't tell you how every single person on the street wants to stop and pet him and calls him a teddy bear! Regarding personality, that was tricky! Like Amy said, we thought we chose a puppy with a middle temperament compared to its' litter mates but it quickly became an alpha once we brought him home. I would ask your breeder and describe your family to her (gentle, etc) and see which puppy she recommends. This breed is incredibly SMART which amazes people when Dewey shows off all his tricks on the street. Have fun!

[Diane, Hurley and Sidney]

Hurley is a wavy fleece and I find that easier to brush than Oakley's coat (Oakley is our son's doodle) which is a curly fleece but it is a personal preference.   Hurley just turned 3 and I still brush him every 2-3 days.  Both ALDs do drop mats but nothing extreme.   Neither shed.

[Kaitee and Orwell]

Orwell is a wavy fleece labradoodle. There was one curlier fleece in his litter that was the breeder's favorite and kind of wanted me to pick because we are good friends, but Orwell picked me and we both agreed it was for the best. He actually turned out to be the best looking out of the litter because of his grey undertones. Like Kathryn's doodle, his coat attracts everyone. He is so soft and fluffy. Honestly, it's a good way to socialize early on. :P

It's super easy to take care of. I brush him at least three times a week. There haven't been any tangles or mats. Some of his hair does strip out, but I also attribute that to his changing puppy coat. He hasn't lost hair during any other time. 

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Also, now that we are past Sunday, who did you end up picking?

[Jody Neeley]

I should have said this coming Sunday, lol. So excited to see them. Thank you!

[Kaitee and Orwell]

I'll be looking forward to it as well. Take pictures. (:

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

It really is more of a preference. I have on doodle with a sort-of-curly, but more like dreadlocks -  very poodle-thick, very hard to maintain coat, and a doodle with a wavy coat who sheds.  For maintenance purposes, I would choose the wavy coat every time!!   Doodles often get curlier as they mature, so if you start out with a curly coat you might end up with very curly.