How To Bathe A Labradoodle: A 5 Step Guide To Do It Right

Keeping your Labradoodle clean and healthy is going to be essential, but you need to ensure that you’re doing it properly by following a bathing routine.

Labradoodles are a wonderful dog breed and opening up your home to one of these pups is going to bring so much joy into your life. With that being said, Labradoodles also require a considerable amount of maintenance and upkeep – with bathing being an easy thing to overlook. 

How to bathe a Labradoodle

To bathe a Labradoodle, start by brushing them to remove any loose dirt, set your bath water to a lukewarm temperature, and gently help your dog inside. Next, wash & scrub your labradoodle using a dog shampoo product designed for hair. Lastly, dry your Labradoodle with a towel and blowdryer.

A Labradoodle combines the incredible personality traits of the Labrador Retriever and the Poodle. 

This makes Labradoodles both unique and expensive, as you get to have the playful nature of a Labrador combined with the intelligence and cleverness of a Poddle, which is why so many pet owners are hopping on the Doodle trend. 

However, this kind of pup needs to be approached with careful consideration as it has unique qualities that make it stand out among other dogs. One of the first characteristics you will notice with your Labradoodle is that your pup has a different type of coat. 

Unlike most dog breeds that have fur, a Labradoodle has hair, which means that you need to bathe it properly if you want to keep its coat healthy. 

To help you understand this further, we are going to take you through our 5 step Labradoodle bath time routine. 

After extensively researching Labradoodle maintenance, I have been able to gather enough information to determine how to properly bathe this breed. My research has shown me that you need to follow the Labradoodle bathing procedure carefully if you want to get the best results from their coat. 

Keep in mind, you can always get your dog groomed by a professional groomer. They’ll take care of the bath, the nail clipping, the brushing, and a lot more you may not even think to do.

How Often Should You Bathe a Labradoodle 

It’s important that you understand exactly when you need to bathe your labradoodle so that you can establish a healthy and consistent routine. Depending on who you ask, you will get a few different answers on this but as a general rule of thumb, you should bathe your pup once per month.

With that being said, each Labradoodle is different and you may find that you need to bathe your dog more or less often depending on its lifestyle and environment.

If your Labradoodle has a pretty stable routine at home and goes out for casual walks in urban areas, then you can probably get away with bathing your dog every 5 to 6 weeks.

On the other hand, if you have a very active Labradoodle out in the countryside or simply one that tends to get messy at dog parks, you may need to wash your pup as often as every 3 weeks. 

You also need to consider that there is a difference between bathing and rinsing. 

Bathing is a thorough cleaning process where you give your Labradoodle a deep wash that targets its coat fully, as well as its skin. Rining is simply washing off your dog after they get a little bit muddy or dirty. 

When you bathe your Labradoodle, you want to do it routinely and systematically so that you can keep its coat as healthy as possible. Whereas rinsing is something that you can do quite regularly when needed – with some owners giving their dog a rinse multiple times a week after rugged play sessions at the park. 

Before you commit to a routine bathing schedule for your Labradoodle, you should try to observe its habits and behavior so that you can find an optimal timeframe that suits your pup. 

As we said, each Labradoodle is a bit different and you should decide on a schedule for your dog based on its lifestyle. 

The best way to do this is to notice when your pup’s coat starts to look matted and lose its fresh smell, which for most owners, is right around one month. 

Labradoodle Bathing Supplies 

Before you can begin bathing your pup, you first need to gather all of the right supplies for the job. Simply spraying your Labradoodle with your backyard hose is not going to do the trick. 

There are a number of products that you should buy and supplies that you need to keep handy throughout the bathing process, which are going to make your life much easier and your Labradoodle’s coat a lot healthier. 

These are the bathing supplies that you need to get before you can start washing your dog.

Dog Shampoo

When dealing with a Labradoodle’s coat you need to ensure that you are using the right kind of shampoo product. Given that this breed does not have fur, you need to buy a shampoo that is specifically meant for hair. 

There are a lot of different shampoo products out there and it is easy to feel overwhelmed when you consider your options. Some products have been made just for Labradoodle coats, which are going to deliver the best end results. 

One thing you always want to watch out for are shampoos that contain a lot of additives and chemicals. Much like with human hair, a Labradoodles coat is going to benefit most from natural ingredients – so read labels carefully and try to rely on trusted brands.

Some products have been known to cause skin irritations, which is something you want to avoid at all costs. Whenever picking out a new shampoo, always do a test first to see how your dog responds.

If you see that the coat is healthy afterward and that their skin is not irritated, you should be good to go.

Towel & Blowdryer 

A towel and blowdryer are going to be essential to dry your Labradoodle properly. The coat of a Labradoodle will require a thorough drying process, which is why it is best to have at least two towels handy before you begin washing.

A blow dryer with multiple settings is also recommended so that you can expose your Labradoodle to it slowly, which will keep them from getting frightened and intimidated.

Exfoliated Dog Bathing Gloves

Your hands should suffice for bathing your Labradoodle but by using exfoliated dog bathing gloves, you will find that the cleaning process is much more thorough.

These gloves were designed for cleaning dog coats and having them on can make a huge difference in how effective the bathing process is.

They are texturized to remove more hair, which will ensure a minimal amount of shedding, and they will also help get rid of any dead skin on your Labradoodle. 

5 Step Labradoodle Bath Time Routine 

If you want your Labradoodle to have the cleanest and healthiest coat imaginable, you need to keep your bathing routine systematic. 

This dog breed has a very specific type of coat that needs to be looked after carefully, as it can easily get messy if you forget to keep a consistent cleaning schedule. These are the steps that you need to follow to bathe your pup.

Step 1: Hair Brushing 

Before you begin washing your Labradoodle with water, you want to get as much dirt and debris out of its coat as possible by using a brush. 

Having a reliable brush for your Labradoodle is going to be a must for maintaining its hair – regardless of washing. 

Use the brush to thoroughly go through your pup’s coat and remove all of the loose dirt that it has attracted. You will be amazed by how much cleaning time you can save by doing this properly. 

In addition to dirt and debris, you also want to remove any loose hair from the coat, as this is also something that will hinder the bathing process. 

Step 2: Test Water & Prepare Cleaning Supplies

Depending on your Labradoodle s personality, getting a bath may be a joyful experience for them or an utterly dreadful one. 

With that being said, we always find that it is better to take care of as much of the prep-work beforehand so that you can avoid a rough transition when the time comes to bathe your pup.

The first thing that you want to do is make sure that all of your necessary cleaning supplies are nearby so that you can easily reach them. This is also a good time to dilute your dog’s shampoo if necessary. Some products are particularly thick, which can make them harder to apply to your Labradoodle’s coat. 

A great way to optimize the bathing process is to mix a bit of water with these products so that they are easier to slather onto your pup’s hair. 

You want to make your Labradoodle as comfortable as possible when getting bathed which is why you should set the temperature of your water before throwing them into the tub. Heat will help wash your pup’s coat, but you do not want the water to be hot.

Lukewarm is generally the most ideal temperature setting for washing a dog. 

Step 3: Help Your Dog Get Into the Bath 

Again, each pup reacts differently to getting washed and you want to make the experience as pleasant as possible for them. If your dog is willing to hop right in for their routine bath, then great.

However, not all Labradoodles are like this and may feel intimidated or dislike getting washed altogether. You can either usher your pup into the bath so they can hop in on their own or you can gently pick them up and place them inside. 

You must approach this with care so that they are not frightened by the idea of getting clean – especially if they are puppies and still getting used to the idea of bathing. 

Once they are inside, make sure that they feel comfortable and secure before you begin cleaning. Allow 30 seconds to a minute of adjustment time without the water on so that they can gauge their environment.

This is always a good time for a pet, a pat, and a treat to reassure them that they are in good hands.

Step 4: Washing & Scrubbing

With your Labradoodle in position, turn on lukewarm water and begin rinsing their coat. You should be able to get a substantial amount of cleaning done with water alone, which will wash out the majority of the dirt, dust, and any kind of debris that is embedded into their coat. 

After you have gone through with the initial rinse, turn the water off if possible (especially if they find it unpleasant). Take out your dog’s shampoo and begin applying it to their hair. Go through their entire coat gently yet firmly and scrub all the way down to their skin.

A lot of dogs actually enjoy this part of the bathing process, as it is essentially a massage.

Once the product has been properly applied, let it soak into the coat for at least a couple of minutes. You can then rinse out the shampoo while giving them another quick scrub, which should remove any remaining dirt or debris. 

Step 5: Towel & Blowdryer 

A Labradoodle’s coat needs to be dried thoroughly. 

Given the curly and shaggy nature of their hair, a quick pass-through with a towel is not going to be enough to properly dry them. With your Labradoodle still inside the bath, use a towel to remove as much water as possible from their coat. 

You will find that the town soaks up quite a lot and it will likely become wet very quickly. Having a second towel handy is always a good idea when drying your Labradoodle, as you are going to need it. 

Now, that the initial drying process is done, use a blowdryer to remove the remaining moisture. Dogs typically do not like blowdryers at first and may even be afraid of them. Get your Labradoodle used to the blowdryer by gently exposing them to it. 

Use it from a further distance on a light setting and gradually work your way closer.