Thinking about a doodlr

[Theresa]

If you have a curly cost about how often do you have it groomed and are you able to get a brush/comb and what type through their hair?

[Pat, Mary & Cooper]

Hi! I don't know if you are a member of the Doodle Grooming group but you would find great tips on grooming and tools, they sure helped me with my ALD . Look it up , you will love all the great advice.

[Theresa]

Is it easier to take care of the wavy or the curly.

[Pat, Mary & Cooper]

Cooper has a wavy coat , the key is to brush in section all the way down to the skin because if you only brush on the surface you will end up with matting issues. You should brush your doodle every 2 days to keep on top of things! Especially when they are getting rid of their baby coat seems like during that transition they need more attention...

[BG and Gavin]

Wavy coat is easier to care for but you may have some shedding. Curly coats tend to mat more and require more brushing. You also need a visit to the groomer for hair cuts every 6-12 weeks depending on the coat. Make sure you have money in your budget for that. The more shedding the easier to care for, so pick your poison lol. But in the end it is pretty hard to predict for sure what the adult coat will look like and whether or not they will shed, so if you decide on a doodle, you have to be willing to embrace any scenario; particularly since temperament should be your number one criteria when selecting a pup.

[Theresa]

Thanks. We had a golden chow mix and she had more of the golden hair and shredded so I'm use to that. I've seen a curly I like and two that are more wavy at pup stage and was just trying to compare. I know personality is the most important trait

[Joyce (Casey & Cody's mom)]

Theresa, I have one of each - a wavy and a curly.  The wavy is much easier to comb/brush. The curly coated one is VERY curly. Additionally, he HATES to be combed, so it is a struggle to keep him under control long enough to get him combed.  The wavy coated one, on the other hand, loves to be combed, so while I'm struggling with one, I have the other trying to get under the comb. Regardless which coat you get - they are wonderful dogs.

[Theresa]

Sorry I'm asking questions because I see people say about all the grooming and was wondering if it is more than my cocker spaniel who we sometimes cut and sometimes take her to the groomer. We keep her on the shorter sport not show cut. That is pretty much all the grooming besides I cut her toenails in between grooming.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Just read this, Theresa.  We also have a Springer Spaniel.  We keep him in the traditional sporty Springer cut.  Springer cut is easier than Cocker but . . . . way, huge difference between Spaniels and doodles.  HUGE difference.  You are used to taking at most, ten minutes to simply brush through the Cocker's coat, right? Doodle brushing/combing might take 4 times as long and more often.

Biggest shock to my system when getting a doodle was the grooming.  I had no realistic frame of reference.

[Theresa]

See the grooming is what I'm wondering because we don't have to do a thing to our cocker which most people do. We keep her short. We had a golden retriever cho mix and she had more of the golden and we didn't really have to do anything to her either except have them groomed every 8 weeks or so.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I can only speak for Ned's high maintenance coat, but it was a real shock and if we hadn't been older with more free time, we would have kept him quite short.  We meet lots of doodles and not all of them have difficult coats, but most - not all - do require more work than the owners expected. 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Having had and groomed a cocker spaniel there is way more grooming required for a doodle whether they have a wavy or a curly coat. You can do it yourself but you will need very good tools and a space you can work in. The grooming group has lots of great advice. Even if you do take your doodle to the Grooming parlour every six weeks you will have to maintain the coat in between otherwise you will find the groomer will do a shave down. I have doodles because I love the shaggy look, there is a lot of work though so be prepared!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned has a poodlish coat - very thick, not really curly though, more like dreadlocks.  His coat is very high maintenance.  We have him professionally groomed about every 4 - 6 weeks.  He gets scissor cut and always looks the same.  He mats easily and does't shed except what we pull out when we brush/comb.

Clancy is wavy and sheds - lots.  Wavy doesn't necessarily mean shed. He is just one of the shedding doodles.  His coat is fairly easy to maintain, although we have him professionally groomed with Ned and perhaps that is why it is easy.

My ideal doodle would be wavy and non-shedding.