Should You Shave A Goldendoodle?

Goldendoodles are a popular type of designer dog, bred to be a low-shedding, hypoallergenic companion. So, should you shave a Goldendoodle? Understand the risk!

While they don’t require as much grooming as some other breeds, they do need regular brushing and occasional haircuts. Some people choose to shave their Goldendoodles for the summer months to help them stay cool, but this can be a risky proposition.

If you decide to shave your Goldendoodle, there are a lot of things that you need to keep in mind. Keep reading as we navigate through the risks of shaving a Goldendoodle, things to be aware of, and alternatives to shaving.

Risks of Shaving a Goldendoodle

As any dog owner knows, grooming is an important part of taking care of your pet. But what are the risks of shaving a Goldendoodle?

While it’s certainly true that shaving your Goldendoodle can help reduce shedding and keep their coat clean and healthy, there are some potential risks to consider before you take the plunge.

Sunburn

One of the biggest risks of shaving a Goldendoodle is sunburn. Because their coat provides natural protection from the sun’s harmful rays, removing it can leave them vulnerable to burns.

Be sure to use sunscreen on exposed skin and avoid taking your dog out during the hottest hours of the day.

Skin infections

Shaving can also increase the risk of skin infections, irritating the skin and creating tiny open wounds. Be sure to use a clean razor and immediately disinfect any nicks or cuts. And if you notice any redness, itching, or discharge, take your dog to the vet immediately.

Pyoderma

One of the most common problems that can occur is called pyoderma, which is a bacterial infection of the skin. This can happen when the Goldendoodle’s hair follicles become damaged or an open wound.

Pyoderma can also occur if the skin is not cleaned properly after shaving. Symptoms of pyoderma include redness, swelling, pus, and hair loss.

Folliculitis

Folliculitis is another common problem that can occur after shaving. It’s a condition where the hair follicles become inflamed, often due to bacteria. Symptoms of folliculitis include redness, swelling, and bumps on the skin.

Ringworm

Ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin that can occur after shaving. It’s often spread through contact with infected animals or contaminated objects. Symptoms of ringworm include redness, itching, and hair loss.

Hot Spots

Hot spots are a common problem that can occur after shaving. They’re often caused by bacteria or allergies, and they can be very painful for your dog.

Symptoms of hot spots include redness, swelling, pus, and hair loss. If you notice any of these symptoms, you must take your dog to the vet immediately.

Matting

Just like its’ breed Cockapoo another potential problem with shaving a Goldendoodle is matting. The shorter hairs can quickly become matted and tangled if their coat is not properly cared for. Be sure to brush your dog’s coat regularly, especially if you notice any mats starting to form.

Can You Shave a Goldendoodle Puppy?

Can you shave a Goldendoodle puppy? Goldendoodles and Goldendoodle puppies can be shaved but are highly recommended not to be shaven down to their skin. In fact, it is highly recommended that you don’t shave their fur, here a few reasons: 

1. Their fur is much softer (compared to their genetic family of poodles)
2. Fur acts as insulation (heat, cold, and insect bites)
3. To ensure a good adult coat texture

Although it is not recommended to shave a Goldendoodle to his or her skin, there are numerous ways to groom and give a loving grooming-package to your golden doodle pup!

Much Softer Fur

Although Goldendoodles share genes with the beautiful poodles, their fur (although depending on their genetic makeup/DNA), is most likely much thinner and softer.

Especially for puppies, their soft fur is much more tender and thinner and therefore shouldn’t be shaven. 

Insulation

The soft locks of fur actually protect your golden doodle in the summer and cold by providing insulation or a buffer between their soft baby skin and the outside climate.

The fur also helps with any sunburns from their outdoor playtime even though it’s easy to forget their skin is just like ours and susceptible to sunburns. 

The soft coat also works as a protection from insect bites. But keep in mind, you should always keep up to date with tick and flea prevention with your vet.

These are different from ordinary insect bites, and your vet will know any medications for preventing any flea or tick bites.  

Ensure a good adult coat texture

Some claim that shaving your puppy fur (especially early) can actually damage the next coat of adult hair that’s preparing to come in.

It can affect the texture and style of the fur. Before major grooming, see if your Goldendoodle’s adult coat is kicking in, usually 5 to 6 months of age. 

Things to Be Aware of When Shaving a Goldendoodle

When it comes to shaving a Goldendoodle, there are a few things you need to be aware of.

First and foremost, their coat differs from a traditional dog’s. To avoid any issues, you’ll want to ensure you’re using the right equipment.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when shaving a Goldendoodle:

Use the Right Equipment

A traditional dog clipper won’t work on a Goldendoodle’s coat. You’ll need to use a specialty clipper designed for their coat type.

Be Careful of the Undercoat

The undercoat is very dense and can be difficult to shave. Take your time and be careful not to nick the skin.

Be Prepared for Some Shedding

Goldendoodles shed a lot, so expect to see a good amount of hair in the clippings.

With these things in mind, you should be able to successfully shave your Goldendoodle without any issues. Just take your time, be careful, and use the right equipment.

Why Is Fur Important for Goldendoodle

As a pet owner, you may be wondering why fur is important for your Goldendoodle. After all, they don’t have to worry about the cold weather as we do! However, there are several reasons why fur is important for Goldendoodles.

Protects Skin

One of the fur’s most important functions is protecting the skin from the elements. The sun, wind, and rain can all affect unprotected skin, causing irritation, rashes, and even sunburn.

Keeps Them Cool

Another important function of fur is to help keep your Goldendoodle cool in the summer months. Their coat acts as insulation, trapping cooler air close to their skin and helping regulate their body temperature.

Traps Dirt and Debris

Fur also acts as a barrier to dirt and debris, keeping it from getting onto your Goldendoodle’s skin and causing irritation. It can also help to keep their coat clean and free of tangles.

Makes Them Look Cute

Lastly, fur is important because it makes your Goldendoodle look cute! Their fluffy coat is one of the things that make them so special and lovable.

As you can see, there are several reasons why fur is important for Goldendoodles. So, if you’re thinking about getting one, take care of their coat and keep it looking its best!

Safer Alternatives to Shaving

There are many reasons why you might want to shave your Goldendoodle. Perhaps your dog is shedding excessively, and you want to help reduce the amount of hair around your home.

Or, maybe you live in a hot climate and want to shave your dog to help keep them cool during the summer months.

Whatever the reason, it’s important to know that there are safer alternatives to shaving a Goldendoodle.

Coat Trimming

One alternative to shaving is to have your dog’s coat trimmed. This can be done by a professional groomer or even at home with the right tools.

Trimming a Goldendoodle’s coat will help reduce shedding and make it easier to manage their hair. It’s important to note that you should only trim the coat, not shave it down to the skin. Shaving a dog’s coat can lead to serious health problems like sunburn and infection.

Shedding Blade

Another alternative to shaving is to use a shedding blade. Shedding blades are designed to remove loose hair from a dog’s coat without harming the coat itself. Shedding blades can be used on both long and short coats and can be a great way to reduce shedding.

Deshedding Shampoo and Conditioner

Some special shampoos and conditioners can help to reduce shedding. These products are designed to loosen and remove dead hair from the coat. They can be used on long and short coats and are a great way to keep your dog’s coat healthy and free of shedding.

Check with Your Vet

Before you shave your Goldendoodle, it’s important to check with your veterinarian. They can advise you on the best course of action for your dog. They can also help identify any health conditions that could be made worse by shavings, such as allergies or sensitive skin.

When Should You take a Goldendoodle for the First Grooming?

For a full haircut or groom, it is recommended to visit the groomer at 5 to 6 months of age. Around this time, you will start seeing their adult coat coming in, and it will be a great time for the groomers to groom appropriate sections of the coat so that the next coat of fur is soft and curly.

Again, some claim that shaving their puppy fur actually damages the next coat of adult fur that comes in, so it’s best to watch your pup’s fur to time it just right. 

Regardless of a big hairdo, the best time to go is after her 16-week immunizations. Go ahead and request a puppy clip to get a good bath and the essential trims such as around the pup’s eyes, a “sanitary clip,” and for a trim around the nails. 

Bonding Time and Love with Your Goldendoodle

As a puppy, you can still give him or her a good bath at home or a groomer. It’s also good practice to show them some love and share a bonding time by using a slicker brush to run through their coat.

A slicker brush provides different lengths of bristles that can help target the different depths of the fur, which could help eliminate dead hair and matted fur in the future. Matted hair can be painful for the pup and should be prevented if possible. Only cut their fur if you have matted hair that will cause painful tugging with a brush. 

After your pup grows bigger in size, it may require different types of combs. For example, a metal comb works for curly coats, and a grooming rake is best for wavier coats. 

Taking care of straggly hairs and grooming the length of the coat is good grooming rather than shaving the whole coat.  The thick and shaggy coat can also lead to matted fur and some risk of fecal matter from their outdoor playtime tagging along. 

Grooming Your Goldendoodle

Grooming can be a big expense and challenge for a Goldendoodle, as well as finding the right groomer will also be a big challenge.

Since Goldendoodle’s furs are hard to trim, you will especially want to avoid groomers that are lazy or even use sedatives or anesthesia during the groom. Make sure the groomer is comfortable with you watching them and also okay with you waiting on the pup. 

Grooming at Home

If you want to start at home and keep a practice of grooming your pup at home, we have some advice from simple bathing, drying, and grooming in style. 

Starting With a Bath

In a big tub that is comfortable for your back and also for your pup, ensure there is a good non-slip surface and enough room for your puppy to feel safe and for you to move around with a long hose. Here are some tips:

• When you lather your pup with a gentle shampoo, try using a fine comb to go through your Goldendoodle’s luscious coat to make sure they’re lathered up well from back to head down. Be sure to be gentle! So, you don’t irritate their skin. 

• Bathing your pup is a great time to massage a part of their legs, neck, back, or belly. If you want to massage the shampoo and use your fingers to lather, that is great too! More than anything, you want your pup to enjoy the shower time and know it’s a time to enjoy and not be afraid. 

• Try to use a showerhead (with warm water) to get deep into the fur when rinsing away the shampoo. Just to be sure, try rinsing your Goldendoodle several times. This is to ensure all the shampoo has been rinsed from their coat. Their coats are generally thicker and tend to hold on to the shampoo. Leaving the shampoo will irritate their skin and perhaps lead to some rash from their itching. 

Although you should make sure to use non-irritating shampoo (to eyes and skin), remember to keep the water rinse and shampoo away from the face. Go from the back of the head and downward. 

Drying your Pup

Drying your Goldendoodle’s fur will take close to two hours. Make sure their fur is dry in a nice and warm room. It’s nice to keep the room pre-heated to a warm temperature before you start the bath and grooming.

In warm weather 

Try to first dry their fur with a brush and dryer, but if you want the rest of his/her coat to air dry, you can.

In cold weather

Always make sure their coat is completely dry. Never let your Goldendoodle outside in the cold when their fur is not completely dry!

Normal Handheld Dryers

Handheld dryers will work just fine, but you can also use cool air type of dryer that helps push the water out of the coat.

Make sure your dryer is not too close to their coat as it can irritate or even burn their skin.

When you use normal hair dryers, you can use this time to use the slicker brush in the process to remove any mats or dead hair in the coat and any tangling. 

Commercial Cage Dryers 

Make sure that your Goldendoodle does not get too hot nor too close to the dryer source. Keep a good eye on them and ensure there is proper ventilation. This isn’t recommended for senior dogs, so take extra caution if your Goldendoodle is entering his senior stage. 

Grooming and Styling 

Grooming should be a full package of brushing the hair, cleaning the ears, brushing the teeth, clipping the toenails, and checking for any ticks, cuts, bites, and whatever else that might need your extra attention. 

For clipping and styling the hair, a good sharp and cleanly maintained blade will help make the grooming experience for your pup more enjoyable. It’ll make the job faster and also ensure the fur is cut clean instead of being tugged. 

If you are grooming your pup often, you may invest in a good pair of canine grooming scissors.

Oster clippers, 10”-  always oil and grease them and keep them in good condition with extra blades for back up. There are also blade cooling sprays that help blades from overheating. 

If it gets a little too pricey, try getting a good pair of scissors from the sewing section.

If you are careful and are grooming the ends of their coat, a sharp scissor from the sewing section will do the job. Make sure you are very careful with the sharp blades and always keep a good distance away from their skin (and yours!) 

Hairstyles for Your Goldendoodle

There are names of groom styles for your pup’s body, face, feet, and tail cut. You can google these to get a pictorial idea, or if you are going to a professional groomer for the styles, they’ll know what you mean when you mention the names! 

Face

The most popular styles for goldendoodles are an upside-down V shape at the front of their face from their forehead and down to the nose (or a fuzzy round face).

There are different styles you can look up, such as the bearded notch, full face, donut mustache, and beard face. 

Some cut bangs over their eyes and then to trim the fur in front of their eyes to ensure nothing pokes their eyes. You don’t want fur curling inward towards their eyes (to prevent infections).

If you want to also avoid food sticking around their mouth, the fur around their mouth can also be trimmed. Your goal for the face is to keep your Goldendoodle clean but also very happy and comfortable. 

Body

When you do shave, leave a 1 ½” – 2” of the coat.  

Armpits

Although this is a tricky one to groom, the most common places that you will find matted hair is in the armpits. Check the armpits and trim the matted hair carefully. 

Paws

There are different styles of paw grooming – some shape them like their golden retriever paws so that the coat around the paws are short and close while the hair in between is cut.

This is also a tricky spot, so make sure your Goldendoodle is relaxed and that you have a secure hold on their paws. Take the scissors carefully and cut as short as you feel confident. 

Additionally, there are options for clean-feet (which is common for poodle feet) and also round feet (little puff balls for feet). 

Underneath the tail and the tail 

Underneath the tail might be something your Goldendoodle might appreciate the most.

In the worst-case scenario, their soft fur might tag along with their fecal matter leading them to further health issues such as constipation or even rectum problems. 

Tails can have styles ranging from the thinned short feathered tail, clipped, non-feathered tail, and lastly, a plumed (full feathered) tail.