Do Goldendoodles Have an Undercoat?

Goldendoodles are an adorable golden retriever, poodle mix and so many individuals and families alike enjoy their company. When looking to buy a new dog, it is important to consider the details of the care that they require. This includes knowing about their coat, how to care for it, and how much shedding to expect, especially for a Goldendoodle.

Goldendoodles can have undercoats depending on their specific genetics. Goldendoodles with an undercoat have an extra, shorter coat underneath their overcoat. Their coats have a long growth period so there is minimal shedding when the coat is kept properly trimmed and brushed.

Goldendoodles have a unique coat that so many people find beautiful and appealing. Keep reading to learn more about the structure of their coat and how to care for it.

A Goldendoodle’s Coat

Goldendoodles have a wide variety of coats with different proportions of the traits that their parents’ coats have. We have talked about how they don’t always have undercoats, but they usually have one because of the golden retriever genes. When a Goldendoodle is in the first generation of its breed, it will always have an undercoat because its genes are split 50/50 with at least one parent who has an undercoat.

When it comes to generations after the first generation of Goldendoodles, these dogs have a thinner undercoat, a shorter undercoat, or no undercoat at all. When a Goldendoodle and a poodle are bred for the second generation of Goldendoodles, the undercoat is going to be much thinner or shorter, but, rarely, it will not be there at all. When it comes to the third generation of Goldendoodles, if bred again with a poodle, they won’t necessarily have an undercoat. However, with so many added poodle genes, the “golden” part of a Goldendoodle has little effect on their appearance or behaviors anymore.

Aside from different generations and mixes, a Goldendoodle with a balanced mix of poodle and golden retriever genes will have an undercoat and an overcoat. This is often referred to as a double coat. Whether the hair on your Goldendoodle is on the curly side or the straighter side, they have a second, shorter coat underneath that helps make their hair softer. Typically, dogs that shed a lot are known to have undercoats, but because of the long growth period, a Goldendoodle does not shed very much, and if properly groomed, it is a rare occasion.

At the Groomers

When it comes to grooming a Goldendoodle’s coat, there are a lot of specific details to be aware of and there are a lot of responsibilities that come with such a beautiful coat. For nearly every Goldendoodle owner, it is much more realistic to take their dog to the groomers to have the major work done like baths, haircuts, and nail trimmings.

In general, you should take your Goldendoodle to the groomers for a wash and a trim every 6 to 8 weeks. This will ensure that your Goldendoodle’s coat stays free of matting and that the thick fur does not start to smell. Most owners choose to give their Goldendoodles a short haircut as it cuts down on the amount of work it takes to maintain the coat. While long coats can look beautiful, they take an incredible amount of time to care for, from the owner and the groomer.

When you take your Goldendoodle to the groomers, they should bathe them, dry them, and brush them to get any dead or loose fur out of their coat. After they have a freshly clean coat, they will give them a haircut. This is usually done with clippers on the body and around their paws, and scissors for their face and ears. When you get your Goldendoodle back, they will be clean, freshly trimmed, and their doggy beard will be cleaned up a lot.

How to Care for it at Home

While taking your dog to the groomers is an essential part of owning a Goldendoodle, that is not the only time that you should be caring for their coat. Because of the curly overcoat from the poodle parent and the undercoat from the golden retriever parent, Goldendoodles require daily coat care at home.

To prevent matted fur from becoming an issue, you should brush your Goldendoodle every day with a slicker brush. slicker brushes are made with steel tines pushed very close together. This makes them great for catching onto the loose and dead undercoat fur and any fine hairs that might be shed onto your furniture or clothes. After brushing with a slicker brush, you should go over your dog’s coat with a comb to make sure you got all of the matting or tangles out.

Now that you know what kinds of tools to use on your dog when brushing them, we should talk about the proper technique to brush your Goldendoodle. With the slicker brush, choose a section of hair to start with and brush it out thoroughly making sure there are no mats.

Then, pick another section to focus on and do the same thing. Continue choosing sections and brushing those out over the entire coat. After you have finished, use the comb over the whole body, regardless of sectioning.

While daily brushing is ideal, your Goldendoodle will be fine if you brush every other day, but rarely less than that. Brushing is essential for you to do at home, but you can also give your Goldendoodle a special oatmeal bath. This kind of bath will help prevent matting in your Goldendoodle’s coat.

When you bathe your dog at home, you should be well aware of the proper way to do it. Bathe your dog with an appropriate shampoo for dogs.

When drying them, do not use a towel and rub. This causes a lot of matting that can be difficult and painful for the dog to get rid of.

Use a high-quality, dog-approved blow dryer to get your Goldendoodle fully dry. You should brush them out again afterward to make sure that there is no new matting.