How to Brush a Goldendoodle and Care for Goldendoodle Hair

If you’re thinking of getting your very own, always adorable Goldendoodle (or maybe you have a puppy already), and you’re wondering what you’re going to have to do to keep their fur looking nice and soft and well maintained. Then I’m going to share with you the best way to care for your Goldendoodle’s fur coat. I’ve owned two doodles over the last twenty years and I’ve learned some of the best things you can do to keep your pup’s coat looking beautiful and shiny.

Goldendoodles are happiest when everything’s taken care of for them. They should be on a routine when it comes to exercise, play time, affection, as well as being groomed. This will keep them looking forward to every event that you have planned for them during the day. 

Whether your Goldendoodle’s silky like a Golden Retriever or it’s thick and wooly like a Poodle, we will cover all the steps that you need to take to guarantee your Goldendoodle has the perfect coat with as little maintenance as possible.

Here’s some helpful information on how you can care for your Goldendoodle’s coat and keep their fur looking beautiful as always. 

How to Brush a Goldendoodle

If your dog is constantly getting matted or tangled fur then you’re probably going to want to know the best way to detangle it, demat it, as well as provide the proper care to keep your dog’s coat looking healthy and well-maintained.

There’s a lot that goes into maintaining their fur, but if you let it go, and fail to keep up with it, it can be disastrous and unhealthy, and lead to worse problems later on for your dog. 

It’s important to keep your Goldendoodle on a routine grooming schedule. This will do wonders for keeping their coat looking soft and silky for years to come. You should brush your Goldendoodle a minimum of once a day. 

Since your Goldendoodle has both an undercoat as well as an overcoat, it’s important that we detangle both coats. A good brush for targeting the undercoat is a self-cleaning slicker brush like this one.

This brush will take care of the outer coat, and gently remove any hair that’s loose. It’s also great for eliminating dander, as well as getting dirt and tangles out. 

If you want to make dog grooming that much easier for yourself, you can also purchase a five star coat spray for pre-brushing here

(it’s a little more expensive but it will work wonders when it comes to making your job easier when dematting them, as well as leaving your dog with a soft, silky coat). 

If you don’t want to spend the extra money on the coat spray for your dog, you can always do a one-time purchase of a dematting comb to target the thick, harder to get, undercoat. This comb was professionally designed to help target their undercoat with a soft gentle touch.

The last thing you want to do is bring pain or hurt your Goldendoodle when trying to give them that desirable looking, well-kept fur coat. 

Make sure to run the trimmer comb through their hair first and then follow it up with a dematting comb. This will help break up knots first and then the dematting comb will get all the way down to their roots. 

You don’t need to give them a bath every time you decide to cut their hair. Just make sure that you’re brushing all the mats out daily and whenever it’s time to cut their hair, make sure that their coat is completely dry and no mats are there. 

Giving Your Goldendoodle A Haircut

Do Goldendoodles need haircuts? Yes. It’s recommended for Goldendoodles to get a haircut on average, every six weeks. Goldendoodle grooming is essential to get dirt and debris out of the coat and keep hair healthy and clean.

This will not only keep them looking much better overall, but it will also keep your Goldendoodle’s fur from matting easier, which will happen when they have longer coats.

Goldendoodles need a haircut on average, every six weeks. In the winter you might be able to let it go for a week or two longer depending on how cold it gets where you live, but never let it go more than eight to ten weeks without giving them a trim. 

If you’re not sure when to give your Goldendoodle puppy its first haircut, we suggest giving your pup its first haircut by the time it reaches six months of age.

Their wavy, thicker, adult fur will start replacing their fluffy puppy fur around five to seven months. When cutting your dog’s hair, you can either take them to a professional groomer (which can become very costly) or you can do it yourself. 

If you do decide to give your dog a haircut, make sure that you’re trimming clean and fully dry fur.

You’re going to want to make sure that you detangle and demat any fur you can find, and it’s recommended to give them a bath if their fur has a lot of mats in it before cutting their hair, but not necessary if you’re constantly keeping good upkeep on your dogs fur coat.

Since they have thick coats, you can use a blowdryer (make sure it’s not too loud, as that can be very scary and frightening to them). Letting their coat dry may take up to two hours, but it’s important that you cut fully dry hair. 

When trimming their fur, you should cut the length anywhere from one and a half to two inches above their skin.

Always remember to trim away the hair blocking the dog’s ear canal; they have big floppy ears where moisture can sometimes be harder to get rid of and that makes a great environment for bacteria to grow, and they can easily get ear infections if not properly groomed. 

Since their hair can grow so long, trimming the hair around their eyes so they can see better will be something you want to do as well as targeting inside their ears. It’s crucial not to ever stick trimmers or anything else inside their ear canals.

This is the dematting tool I bought, and recommend you try it. I was really amazed at how cheap it was on Amazon.

Caring For Your Goldendoodle;s Ear Hair

It’s recommended to pluck or pull the hair in their ears. If your dog is prone to ear infections then feel free to pluck the hairs in their ears, however if they aren’t prone to ear infections, you may want to give it a trim.

If you feel unsure of how to do this, then consult with a grooming professional and ask them what they recommend. You should upkeep your Goldendoodle’s ears, once to twice a month. 

If you do take them to get groomed, ask the groomer if you can watch them groom so you can learn more about how to do it yourself.

Tips For Bringing Your Goldendoodle To The Groomer

Taking your dog to the correct groomer is important so we’ve provided a list of questions that you can ask your dog groomer before deciding if they’re the correct groomer for your precious Goldendoodle.  

• Ask to see what the facility looks like (make sure it’s well ventilated, has sanitary workstations, has pet-friendly products, and sturdy tubs and tables)
• What other services do they offer besides brushing, shampooing, and a haircut (do they have the grooming tools and equipment to let you know about any ear infections, tooth decay, or skin infections)  
• How expensive will my dog’s grooming services be (a professional dog groomer should be able to assess your dog and let you know what the rate will be, you should also ask if there any hidden/included fees that you will be billed for)  
• Can you stand and watch when your dog gets groomed (any grooming service available should be understanding that you might be nervous leaving your dog with someone you don’t know, they should want to do everything possible to ease your nerves as well as provide you with a great learning experience)  
• What special training does your groomer have (make sure you get a good feel for their experience, did they get on the job training, did they attend classes at a pet grooming school, how often have they dealt with your breed)  
• What are the handling procedures (what do they do if the dog is skittish, what happens if the dog is stressed or bites, what are the housing procedures for after your dog is done being groomed)  
• Does the groomer have experience with your dog’s specific breed (just because they’re a dog groomer doesn’t mean they have experience with all types of dog breeds, it’s important to make sure that they’ve had an ample amount of experience handling the breed that you have)  
• Do they have a first-aid kit nearby (hopefully this will never be needed, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. If they don’t have a first-aid kit nearby, I would get your dog as far away as possible from that place as you can)   
• Do they have liability insurance (there are too many stories out there of things going wrong and customers being unhappy with what happened when they got their dog groomed. Make sure your dog is in good hands)  
• What will happen in case of an emergency (although highly unlikely to happen, what will the procedures be if there’s an earthquake, fire, hurricane, or tornado)  
• Is there business an AKC S.A.F.E. grooming salon (when groomers are committed to a voluntary continuing education program then it shows that they’re committed to the highest level of professionalism and only want to provide the best and safest practices possible) 
• If you want to save quite a bit of money throughout the years, go ahead and invest in some trimmers (or you can start with using scissors but you have to be extremely careful and it’s highly not recommended. It’s best to leave the scissors to the professionals). If for whatever reason you do decide to cut your dog’s fur, please, please make sure your dog is extremely calm at all times and doesn’t move around (it’s honestly better you take your dog to get groomed if you don’t want to invest in a pair of clippers). Use this as a learning experience. 

If you have a Goldendoodle make sure to trim around the anal area, the front and back of the paws, the ears, as well as the front of the eyes. This is especially important for Goldendoodle puppies. 

My two daughters and my Goldendoodle all use this same brush daily. I was kind of surprised at how good it is that it is inexpensive on Amazon.

DIY Goldendoodle Grooming Steps

1. brush. brush them on a regular basis (with a slicker brush first, followed by a dematting comb with firm bristles) to keep their coat mat free. 
2. Demat. If your dog has an extreme amount of matting you should do 30 minutes of the slicker brush (sometimes you have to do this in 10 – 15 minute sessions) followed by dematting for 10 – 20 minutes (depending on how bad the matting is). 
3. Determine if your dog needs a bath or not. If the matting is still bad, give your Goldendoodle a bath using dog shampoo. Make sure to rub the shampoo into it’s coat thoroughly and when you’re done, dry them off with a towel, followed by a blow dryer. Always make sure that their ears get dried and their coat is completely dry before you begin trimming their hair.  
4. Clip and trim around their face first. This is something that you need to be careful with and you might want to get specialized clippers to target their face. If you want to purchase an inexpensive, highly rated pair of clippers specifically designed to trim the fur around the face, ears, eyes, paws, and butt. If you feel uncomfortable doing this first, take them to a groomer and ask them for any advice they can give you for trimming the face.
5. Trim the rest of the dog’s head next. Start by trimming the fur on the back of the neck and as you move the clippers down the back of the dog’s neck feel free to adjust the clippers to the length that you want for the rest of their body (it’s ok to keep the hair the same length as the head, but some people want the hair on their face a little bit longer). The length of the hair on their head compared to the length of the hair on their body is all about personal preference. 
6. Use the dog clippers to clip the rest of the dog’s body. Make sure you get all the little areas like the base of their legs and their hind legs. 
7. Trim the fur on their feet shorter than the rest of their body. This will give them a nice and tidy look and it’s also important to trim the hair in between your Goldendoodle’s toes. 
8. The finishing touches. This is the additional things that you’ll want to do when grooming your dog, such as trimming the dog’s nails, brushing your dog’s teeth, cleaning their ears, and brushing your Goldendoodle’s coat one more time to remove any remaining loose hair. 

How Often Do Goldendoodles Need Haircuts? 

How Often Do Goldendoodles Need Haircuts?  On average, you should cut your dog’s hair every six to eight weeks (if they have really curly long hair that grows fast, or if you like to keep their hair shorter on a regular basis, it can be every four to six weeks).

If you decide that you like to clip their hair with shorter clippers (1 inch instead of an inch and a half to two inches), then eight to ten weeks is ok, depending on how fast your dog’s fur grows. 

Clipping their hair should be an easy process once you get used to how to trim your dog’s hair and you keep it well-maintained through daily grooming and monthly bathing (you might need to give them more baths if you’re constantly taking them for swims, or out to the beach). 

A bath every few months (once a month at most) is a great way to keep their coat and skin in great condition.

Make sure that you don’t bathe them too often because bathing them too much can cause matting to happen more frequently. Always blow dry their hair and make sure it’s completely dried out.

If you decide to towel dry them and let their fur dry out in the air and their fur doesn’t dry out all the way and you don’t brush their coat, this will cause matting. 

If your dog has dry irritated skin that’s causing itching, it could be because you’re bathing them too much. If you’re looking for dog shampoo, then you can purchase this highly recommended, all natural, oatmeal and baking soda shampoo from Lambert Kay.

If you decide to take them into the groomer on a regular basis, grooming visits can usually cost between $50 – $80 on average, but sometimes, depending on the groomer and what all needs to be done to your dog, the price can get more expensive. 

As you can see, this can get pretty expensive over the next 10 – 15 years. Not everyone has the money to shell out every six weeks.

Sometimes it’s best to spend a little more money up front and save yourself a ton of money in the long run. Just make sure you purchase high quality products that are enjoyable and safe for your Goldendoodle. 

If you do decide to give them your own haircut, make sure you watch some tutorials on how to give your dog a proper trim.

If you still don’t feel confident after watching some tutorials, then watch as many YouTube videos as you need so you have a better idea of what you’ll be doing and how to do it.

A word of encouragement… Even if you mess up the first time, remember, their fur will grow back and you can try again. Practice, practice, practice!

If you’re still not comfortable doing the grooming yourself, take them to a professional dog groomer and ask if you can sit and watch while they groom your dog and if they can give you any advice so you can learn how to do it yourself.

How Fast Does Your Goldendoodle’s Hair Grow ?

How fast your Goldendoodle’s coat will grow can depend on a variety of factors. The average length of a Goldendoodle’s fur will grow to about eight inches.

When it grows back it can take anywhere from two to three and a half months to become full length again. That’s why it’s recommended to keep the maintenance around every six weeks. 

Goldendoodles have three different types of possible coats. They can be wavy, curly, or straight (least common).

The wavy coat is the most common and is what’s referred to as the “teddy bear” coat. It will require regular brushing to keep it free from tangling. This type of fur is low shedding and can often be close to non-shedding as you can get. 

The curly coat, resembles much closer to the Poodle’s coat and the tightness and length of the curls can vary depending on the parent’s coat. This is the most second most common type of coat and it’s the most non-shedding coat out of the three. It’s also the most allergenic free of the three coats. 

The last coat, the straight coat, which resembles closest to the Golden Retriever, is the least common and the easiest to take care of. This coat is the easiest to maintain and great for people that don’t have the time necessary that’s required to comb a Goldendoodle. 

Unfortunately telling the type of fur coat that your puppy is going to have is going to be extremely difficult to do.

Their fur is constantly changing from the time they’re born, until the time they become full-grown. The best thing you can do is to pay attention as close as possible to when they’re still a puppy to the area around their nose. 

The curly coats will have an excess amount of hair on the top of their muzzle, almost making curly looking mustaches on the sides of their nose. 

The wavy coat will have more straight hair around their muzzle, while the straight fur coat Goldendoodles usually tend to have short tidy hair around their muzzle.

Nothing is guaranteed though because of each puppy is unique, so these are just some general guidelines of what may happen. Looking at the parent’s coat is also a good way to get a better idea of what your puppy’s coat could turn into. 

As you can see there’s quite a bit to know about Goldendoodle’s fur coat. From the different styles of hair, to the maintenance required, to the types of brushes to be used, to how often they need to be groomed, the information can be overwhelming at times.

We wanted to provide as much insightful information as possible to help you better care for your pups coat. If you’re ever in doubt, go the extra mile for your dog and learn correctly the first time. 

If you want to give your Goldendoodle the perfect summer haircut then start with acquiring the necessary tools to give them a gentle brushing that won’t hurt them, and make sure you watch some training videos on how to properly cut their hair.

It could take a couple tries to get it perfect, but as long as you’re practicing safety first when cutting your Goldendoodle’s hair, that’s the most important thing. 

Other Benefits Of Grooming

• Keeping their coat in excellent condition and preventing it from becoming matted and tangled.  
• You will be able to spot any lumps, bumps, or skin problems if you pay close attention during this time.  
• Grooming them massages the dog’s skin, promoting good health and improving blood circulation.  
• Builds a bond between your pup and you! Dog’s love to be cared for and groomed. 

As you can see, there’s a lot of benefits to keeping your Goldendoodle’s coat cleaned and maintained routinely.

If you are ever unsure about anything, always ask a professional (not just any groomer, someone with a lot of experience with a Goldendoodle). They should be more than willing to help answer any questions you have and give you the best possible advice.  The National Dog Groomer’s Association can be very helpful as well.

We hope you’ve learned something of value from here and consider good practices when taking care of your Goldendoodle. These dogs are not low-maintenance dogs.

They require a great deal of time and affection as well as a considerable amount of knowledge to take care of them. If you don’t have the time and attention to give them then you should not consider purchasing one. 

If you’re a loving, caring, considerate, and most importantly responsible person that will go above and beyond to do everything you can for your Goldendoodle, then these dogs will make the perfect companion.

They will always be by your side and give you an abundance of happiness and joy. Just make sure you are keeping up with their maintenance and providing them with an ample amount of love, attention, exercise, as well as a good grooming routine.

Related Content You May Find Interesting

Here are some more articles that may be of interest to you if you’re caring for a Goldendoodle’s coat.

• A Goldendoodle’s coat requires special attention, including the use of conditioner during baths to keep curls looking good and regular brushing to prevent mats.
• Goldendoodles are happiest when everything is taken care of for them, including a routine grooming schedule.
• A self-cleaning slicker brush is recommended for targeting both the undercoat and overcoat, while a dematting comb can be used to target the harder-to-get undercoat.
• It is recommended that Goldendoodles get haircuts every six weeks on average to prevent matting.
• Ask questions about the facility’s sanitation, the groomer’s experience, breed knowledge, handling procedures, and safety measures in case of emergencies.
• It is recommended to invest in specialized clippers for trimming dog hair especially around sensitive areas.
• A detangling hairbrush is recommended for daily use, and bristle brush, slicker brush and dematting comb are recommended for regular grooming.
• The grooming process includes dematting, bathing, drying, and trimming, with special care needed for the face, ears, eyes, paws, and butt areas.