Curly Maintenance vs Wavy Maintenance

[Mary M.]

I know there are a number of you with multiple doodles or have had previous doodles in your lifetime.

We're getting an F1B goldendoodle so that might make a difference.

In your experience, is one coat more maintenance than another?  More mats with one coat?  More brushing required?  More shedding with one coat?

Thanks for sharing your experience.  I'm not sure I'm up to brushing an adult dog every day.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

We have two doodles currently and have had one other one previously.  My DH brushes them each morning.  Their coats are very different and I would say that AnnaBelle is easier to comb out.  You can actually do her with a comb.  Lucy requires a brush.  Ours are both F1's.  One is shaggy and the other has a somewhat curly coat, but not extremely curly.  I think that the one thing about brushing more frequently is it doesn't take as long.  In other words 10 mins a day vs. an hour once a week.  Easier on everyone.

[Mary M.]

They are both adorable!!!  

And I definitely understand how investing 10 minutes a day pays dividends.  Plus I'll be loving on my dog far more than 10 minutes a day.

[Stella]

Non-shedding curly coats are a lot of work!! They matt and require regular combing and clipping. I have a non-shedding curly multigenerational LD and an F1 that sheds a bit but not as much as a lab. Personally I'd take the shedding dog over the non-shedding dog in the future!!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

  I've said it before, and I'll say it again, running a sweeper is a lot less time than caring for a coat on a doodle

[Stella]

Yep, that's what I tell people. I'd rather vacuum than put in the hours needed to keep the curly coat looking good, and Chase doesn't even have a particularly thick coat. I just look at some doodles and cringe when I see their coat. I'd never have a non shedding dog again by choice.

[Julie and Max]

Max is non shedding and somewhat curly. I have to keep up with the brushing or he will start to matt. I didn't find he needed brushing when he was young but I did it a lot with treats, so that he would get to like it and he does.

[Wendy and Myla]

I'm a bit different - Myla is a standard F1 goldendoodle and has a wavy coat - when she's clipped shorter she is definitely curly.  She does not shed at all and we do not comb or brush her - she absolutely hates it and always has - even though we started combing her as a puppy.  The only place she mats is under her arms and legs and we just finger comb her there nightly while she's cuddling on the couch!  In the summer she definitely mats more because she is a swimmer, so our solution is to clip her shorter and more often over the summer.  We have learned to groom her ourselves (thanks to a lot of help in the grooming group) and we probably clip her every six weeks during the summer but over the winter we probably groom her every 12weeks.  We are definitely very lucky! 

[Mary M.]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences.  

It's definitely something else to consider when puppy picking time rolls around - which I cannot wait for!!!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We have  an ALD with a high maintenance, matting, thick coat.  He isn't curly but more like dreadlocks - thick cottony ones. We have another shedding doodle with a wavy coat.  Brushing and combing Ned takes a minimum of 40 minutes no matter if it has been one day or 3 weeks.  The difference is in the number of mats we have to get out and whether they can be brushed out or cut out.

[Mary M.]

Nancy,

I assume Ned is your "Jamaican" doodle with the dreads :-)

How long does it take to brush Clancy (again, assuming he's your wavy coated dood)?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Yes, Ned is our Jamaican dude dood. Clancy is a  serious shedder but I love his wavy coat.  It takes about 15 minutes to do a really thorough brush/comb.

[Wynnie & Jim]

I have a F1B mini Goldendoodle with wavy hair. She is groomed every six weeks with a puppy cut. I started combing her at a very young age and now at the age of 15 months, she welcomes a good combing and brushing every other day. If I go a week or more, I do get some mating and that slows down my coat care maintenance. But, as in training, I view every bit of time that I spend with her as an investment. The dividends have been worth the time an effort. In other words, you get back love many times over for the time that you put into your doodle and that includes brushing.