Do Goldendoodles Require a lot of Grooming?

Goldendoodles are well known for their fantastic fluffy coat. This lovable and friendly breed is a favorite for those who love to snuggle up with their pet because their hair is so soft. Before you get a Goldendoodle, it is important to be aware of the grooming needs that this particular breed requires.

Goldendoodles are a high-maintenance breed because of the careful grooming that their curly hair needs. Grooming needs vary slightly based on the texture of their coat, but consistent brushing is necessary to maintain clean and soft hair that will help the dog stay healthy and happy.

There are important steps you need to follow when caring for your Goldendoodle to make sure that their coat stays healthy and soft. Professional appointments, as well as at-home grooming, are necessary for maintaining the best possible coat.

Grooming Appointments

There are a few different options when it comes to how you want your Goldendoodle to look. If you love a long and wild look and are confident with your brush and trimmers, you may not ever need to take your dog to the groomers. Most Goldendoodles, however, will need to go to the groomers at least twice a year to ensure a clean and manageable coat.

If you prefer the wild look with minimal appointments, the best time to take your dog would be once at the beginning of summer and once at the end. At the beginning of summer, get your dog ready for the warmer season by possibly thinning and shortening the hair and definitely removing any old matting and tangling that developed over the winter.

You will want to go again at the end of summer because of all the extra opportunities for matting that happen when it’s hot outside. Going on walks more frequently combined with any swimming will make your Goldendoodle’s coat tangle much more.

If you are clipping your Goldendoodle’s fur, but still keeping it fairly long, you should be going to a professional groomer about every 6 weeks. The longer fur will need to be trimmed more frequently to keep it at the correct length, and will also be more prone to tangles than a shorter cut.

You should be brushing the long hair between appointments, but a professional will help you catch anything you may have missed and be able to provide some preventative care as well.

If you are clipping your Goldendoodle’s fur short, you should schedule appointments 8-10 weeks apart. The short cut will take longer to grow out, and will be much easier to successfully maintain at home. By about 8 weeks, your dog’s hair will be long again, and you will need to be brushing more frequently at home.

Brushing

The frequency of brushing depends on your dog’s unique texture and length combination, but the tools and general process remain the same for all doodles. A good slicker brush will be crucial in coat maintenance between appointments. You may also find a metal comb or grooming rake helpful for taking care of the more problematic areas, like under the collar or behind the ears.

When you are brushing out your Goldendoodle’s coat, make sure you are working in sections so you don’t miss any spots. It is easiest to start at the bottom and work your way up, working in stripes across your dog’s body. Take your time brushing each bit of fur, and check for any skin problems while you’re at it.

If there are any tough tangles, try using a grooming rake to gently work them out. Creating a good brushing routine not only keeps the coat clean and beautiful but is also a great bonding opportunity between you and your dog.

The longer and curlier your Goldendoodle’s hair is, the more frequently you need to brush it. If your dog’s coat has tight ringlets and/or a full-length coat, you need to be brushing their fur every day and caring for problem areas after every walk.

If their coat is a medium-length or has softer curls, you should still brush them multiple times a week, but missing a day or two will be just fine. With these curly coats, make sure you are brushing after any dirty adventures and especially after they go swimming.

It is unusual, but sometimes Goldendoodles will take after a golden retriever fur pattern. In this case, brushing once a week will likely be enough, but more often is never a bad thing.

Trimming

In general, you should leave the trimming to the groomers. However, there are a few spots that sometimes need a little extra maintenance between appointments. Invest in a good pair of blunt-tip dog grooming shears to help you better care for your Goldendoodle between appointments.

You can use these shears in a few different ways. If you encounter a particularly difficult knot when you are brushing that cannot be comfortably removed with a clicking brush or grooming rake, consider clipping it out.

If you leave even a small knot, it will quickly grow into serious matting if it is not taken care of. You can use blunt tip shears to carefully clip the worst of the knot out and then continue brushing as normal.

You may notice that the curly fur is particularly prone to collecting clumps and lumps around your dog’s rear. Keep the area clean by clipping off these clumps when you find them.

Especially if you keep your Goldendoodle in a longer clip, the hair around their eyes may grow long enough to obscure their vision. You can very carefully trim this fur with either the blunt tip shears or a pair of thinning shears. This hair will be trimmed at each appointment, but often needs maintenance between appointments to help keep your dog’s vision clear.

Bathing

In most cases, you should not bathe your Goldendoodle at home. Your regular grooming appointments will be frequent enough to take care of cleaning the coat. If you bathe your dog too often, it may develop dry and irritable skin.

The only time you should need to bathe your Goldendoodle would be if they got muddy and you are not able to take them to the groomers. Baths often cause additional matting if they are not done correctly.

brush the fur out before the bath if possible and use a good pet shampoo, preferably with a built-in conditioner. After a bath, you should be blow-drying the hair completely dry, and brushing out the fur extra carefully, from root to tip.