A Goldendoodle is a cross-breed of a Golden Retriever and a Standard Poodle. These dogs can have three main types of coats: straight, wavy or curly. Straight-coated doodles resemble more of a golden retriever coat. Wavy coated doodles have the best of both a poodle’s curls, and a golden retriever’s straighter coat. Curly coated doodles resemble their poodle cousins. These dogs need to be groomed on a regular basis. Here is a story about Hayley and her dog grooming tips.
In Hayley’s case, our dog of the month for January, she is a cream colored Goldendoodle, clearly the curly poodle side. Hayley’s owners attempt to brush her daily, since her coat requires that kind of caring even though Hayley will have no part of that. I personally think only a small amount of Labrador is showing through on this point. Hayley doesn’t even like getting groomed at the groomers. Whereas I get the feeling her cousin the Poodle has a different take on that.
Hayley’s day at the doggie spa
As soon as Hayley’s owners pull into the plaza parking lot, Hayley plants herself stubbornly in her seat. (Tip: there are a number of calming aids on the market that can help with anxiety and stress for dogs) Getting her into the dog groomer is a work out. Juggling a 50 pound shaking dog and trying to open a door is quite the challenge for her petite owner Alisa. She tries not to subject her too often to this event, but Hayley has to be groomed at least every 6 – 8 weeks otherwise the curly coat will start to mat. If left too long the matted coat can be painful for the dog, as it twists tighter and tighter closer to the skin. Although she acts like they are dropping her off at the house of horrors, she’s always happy and playful when she gets home. Her owners truly believe she does feel better in the end. The first time Hayley was groomed, they honestly thought the groomer had switched dogs on them since they didn’t recognize her at all. Doodles look entirely different when their shaggy un-groomed coat is groomed to the neatly short trimmed groomed coat, so expect an entirely new look for your Doodle after a trip to the groomers.
Tip on getting your dog to like grooming
As puppies, in your own home begin with touching their paws, so they get used to being handled. You should clean your puppy’s ears at least once a month, especially if your puppy has long ears. Debris can get in and fester if not cleaned properly. Purchase a brush that glides over your puppy’s cost. This will help your puppy get used to being brushed. While you are “grooming” (I use this term loosely here) praise the puppy and offer her or him treats. Allow your dog to be beside you in your bathroom, so that they get used to the sound of the blow dryer. All these little measures will pay off for you and your puppy with your first visit to the dog groomers.
Ask a dog groomer
Grooming for a puppy is an absolute must! If your pet needs to be groomed professionally, the best time to start is after they have had all their puppy shots. This is typically around 16 weeks of age.
Your puppy or dog’s first visit should be as stress free as possible. All these tips should help in adjusting any type of breed to being happy while being groomed. In Hayley’s case her owners just think she hates getting groomed!
Do you have a Goldendoodle that has problems with getting groomed? Would you like to share your story with us on your tips on making your pets grooming experience better? Start a sharing thread by leaving a comment on the WOOF Now What post.
Photo Credit: Alisa owner of Hayley
Liz
As a life-long dog parent and enthusiast, I can’t get enough of all things doggie! My love of dogs and passion to educate and share solutions with other dog owners, is essentially how this site came to be. With the help of my three dogs I will provide engaging ‘tails’ and real life-lessons learned on dog ownership.
