How do you groom a doodle??

michelleTrax · New User Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Posts: 8 Location: MA

Hi
Trax has long hair and alot of it. Are you supposed to have them groomed like a poodle? He can only catch a ball good when he is wet and I push back his hair. And, if you do have to groom them, at what age do you start? He is only 6 months now. Help!!

DunkinDoodle · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 6:08 pm Post subject:

Our puppy was groomed for the first time a little after 6 months of age. My mother in law suggested he go as soon as possible so he can get used to what going to the groomer is like while he is young. I don't believe he was groomed like a poodle. I brought him in and was very specific about what I wanted. What coat type is your dog? That may make a difference on how he is groomed.
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Cassie

michelleTrax · New User Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Posts: 8 Location: MA

Trax has long wavy hair. His hair on his head comes over his eyes like a mop. He resembles a Wheaten (sp). He is a standard, that I know. I don't know how else to say it...lol.

Maureen · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 6:39 pm Post subject:

Hi, there's a great .pdf link/file that gives a 2-page overview on grooming doodles that might help you, or a groomer if you take your Doodle to get done.
Check it out: http://idog.biz/QuickDownloads/Professional%20Groomer%20Inst.pdf

I am printing it out now for all our new puppy buyers. Hope that helps!
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~Maureen
LabradoodleRanch@aol.com
www.LabradoodleRanch.com

lovemydoodle · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 6:50 pm Post subject:

Hi !!

My doodle has long wavy hair aswell. He is 1 years old and I dont take him to the groomers. He just gets a bath at home. I like his hair the way it is. He does get real long hair that hangs over his eyes and I cut that myself. And I trim up his beard. Leno looks too much like a lab to get a poodle cut Shocked

he would look silly!!

If you click on the link under my name you will see a pic of him!

Hope this helps! Very Happy

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Brooke

bminder · Junior Member Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 53

I have Dora groomed. I have read a lot and it doesn't seem too many people do this. I live in NC and it is hot. When she was about 2 1/2 months old she had so much hair she would get to the bottom of the steps and lay down and pant. I had her shaved and she looked a little funny at first but we all got used to it. She felt and smelled so much better. She just played better and seemed cooler. I take her about every 6 weeks or so, before I do her Advantix and have her groomed. The lady that grooms her does such a good job and she is so sweet to Dora. She cleans out all the hair around eyes, her feet, her bottom and her ears. She cuts her toe nails and bathes her. It costs about $20 but I always tip her for doing good and working me in. I love the look of doodles that are shaggy and have that beautiful coat but I want her to be comfortable most of all. I plan to let her hair grow back out when it cools off.
Beth and Dora
http://community.webshots.com/user/beminder
There is a picture of Dora's summer cut in one of the albums here.

Digbydoodle · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 10:14 am Post subject:

I take my doodle Digby, about every 8-10 weeks. They do a great job. He starts to smell "doggy" when his fur is long that is when we get him clipped. They cut the hair short, he almost has a "puppy cut" they trim the hair around the eyes and beard. I tried to groom him myself, bought the special extension things for the clippers. He is good for a while and then he would lay down and was like jello. He wouldn't stand up to do his legs etc. he look pretty pathetic. So hubby said, maybe take him to the groomer. I body clip my horses, but the doodle was much harder (at least Digby is) I leave it to the professionals!

He seems alot happier with shorter hair too.

I pay $50.00, it is pricey but the doodles happiness is what matters! Razz

I call it his spa day!

Spoiled Doodle!!!

cmives · Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:09 pm Post subject:

i just took our Maggie to get a "real" bath and just to get her face trimmed. she has very long fleecy soft fur. but she was walking into things because her bangs were SO long. we tried to cut them ourselves but it didnt' work.

so, I told the groomer to just trim up her face and wash her up really well. And, Maureen's link for the grooming checklist was AWESOME! I brought that with me and the groomer really appreciated it.

when I picked Maggie up 4 hours later, (it was her first time so they wanted to take extra time with her), she was completely groomed. I was not upset because I loved how she looked. she had some matted spots on her belly and front legs, and they said when they brushed her out after the bath, she looked really too fluffy. so they trimmed her all over.

well.....my hubby wasn't quite so happy with me. In fact, this has rated higher on his "disturbing news" scale this past week than my surgery I just had to have on Tuesday!!! okay, you know it is bad when your hubby is more upset about how the dog looks than about his wife getting cut open! (lol) he said she looks like a poodle.

I disagree; i think she looks great, and much cleaner. i hate to admit that I couldn't really get a brush through her hair very well, and now I will keep up with it now that they groomed her so well. Maureen, they really found your checklist with pictures helpful!

it is weird to see her eyes, but i can tell she is much happier being able to see and not being so hot when she is outside (she is a black doodle).

i just thought it was funny how sad my husband was about her getting a hair cut. i keep telling him it will grow back, but he is still mad at me...oh well.

bminder · Junior Member Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 53

That is funny! My hubby wasn't thrilled with Dora's first haircut either. He said that she looked funny and skinny. He called her Benji and all sorts of "pet names"!! But he got used to it, and actually wanted me to get her clipped this past time, but I changed my mind at the last minute. Her waves had just started to come in and I didn't want to loose them again!! But I know how hot she gets so I am going to get a hair cut for her in about 4 or 5 weeks. Maybe you can find a style in between that both you and your hubby like. Maybe not so much off and around the face. Dora's poodle really shows when they trim her face really close. My groomer had never groomed a LD before so we just worked together finding a style that worked for all of us!!
Beth and Dora

gracielou · Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 2:30 pm Post subject:

I wouldn't do the poodle cut I think it looks silly on the Doodles Rolling Eyes

you can trim them up a little but I wouldn't do more than that if they have really long hair you could take off a few inches and be fine.
_________________
Linda & Gracielou
Valley Center, KS
http://www.4pawspuppies.com

Maureen · Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:24 pm Post subject:

cmives, you crack me up! and take care of yourself! Get well from your surgery! Sounds like you and your hubby had a different expectation from the grooming experience, huh? have you posted pics of your Maggie here yet?

As I say about my own hair, the difference between a bad haircut and a good one is 2 wks! Wink

Glad that checklist worked out - I printed some out and hand them out to new puppy people. I think some of the pics on it look goofy. I'm with Linda I want my doodle to look like a doodle not a poodle! But nevertheless, it looks like something that is in "groomers" language, and my hope is that it helps people not be surprised or mad when they pick up their dog.
_________________
~Maureen
LabradoodleRanch@aol.com
www.LabradoodleRanch.com

cmives · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:13 pm Post subject:

maureen, glad to crack you up! i'm trying to take it easy but it is not easy when hubby is at work and i have 3 kids and a horse...oops I mean a puppy to deal with. plus, i love to whine, so i'm trying to get over that.

actually the boys took good care of me and Maggie while I was laid up. today has been one week since surgery (as my middle son put it, I got "partially spayed" but I didn't have to wear one of those horrible e-collars because I couldn't lick my sutures. (i'm not double jointed!)).

You are SO right about the difference between a good haircut and bad one...2 weeks. Now Maggie looks awesome to me and hubby has stopped complaining (within earshot anyway!).

i don't know how to post pictures. but since getting her groomed, we can actually get some really good shots of her. before she just looked like a black fluffy blob. I have some really cute pics, so if someone can tell me how to post one, I'll do it!
cmives

angelaj · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 8:04 pm Post subject:

I have been debating for weeks now whether or not to and how to have our Frenchie groomed. She is soft, woolly with every color known. She has silver body with almost blonde / red muzzle. I'm told the muzzle is a common thing when pups play outside a lot. Her sister Fionna is very lab like. Not a curl on her so she doesn't need grooming. I'll try the list and have really enjoyed this post! By the way, NC doodle owner, where do you live, we're north of Charlotte.

bminder · Junior Member Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 53

What a great picture!! I have such a hard time when Dora gets a hair cut. Like now she needs one because it is so hot, but she is so cute with her wavy, blonde fur!!
I live in Kinston about 30 minutes from Greenville (ECU) and about an hour from the ocean. We have had enough rain these past few days!! LOL!!
Beth and Dora

Donna · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:22 pm Post subject:

Our doodle Tucker was getting really matted as he was going through the coat change 8mos. Wooly underneath with long hair too. I bought a Oster undercoat rake at his vet/daycare from their groomer-she said thats what she would use if we had him groomed. It really helped. It thinned out the underneath but didn't look like a hair cut, just lightened him up a bit. Now i can comb through his hair no problem and just use the undercoat rake in problem spots. I also trim the hair around his eyes so he can see better and the vet told me yesterday to trim the hair out of his ears a little bit so I did. The undercoat rake cost about $30 but it was well worth it. I like the way it looks, really natural but more manageable.
Good luck, Donna