11/04/2024
Long read, but so worth it! As groomers, we're passionate about sharing what goes into caring for your doodle’s coat and why it matters. If you're considering a doodle or already have one, this is a must-read! Proper maintenance, breeder considerations, and grooming tips all play a role in ensuring both your pup’s comfort and your groomer’s. 🐾
We absolutely love our doodle clients, but doodle ownership requires a commitment to regular grooming and maintenance. If you’re ever unsure of the best ways to care for your doodle’s coat, please reach out—we’re here to help and answer any questions you have. Grooming should be a positive experience for both the pet and the groomer, and we’re here to make that happen for you and your pup!
As a groomer whose salon consists of about 80% doodles now, it is extremely important to educate yourself before choosing this type of dog and listen to your groomer’s recommendations if you do. It is also a good idea to look into your breeder, as doodles come with a hefty price tag, which has caused a lot of market manipulation and irresponsible backyard breeding for profit.
So firstly, let me start by saying we as groomers are not trying to pull more money out of you by suggesting that you come more often. We are not maliciously shaving your dogs for no reason, and we are not suggesting calming meds because we don’t want to deal with your pet’s personality. Our recommendations are to better serve you and your pet based on their specific needs. That goes for all breeds. Our job is make your pets beautiful in a safe and happy environment.
We love our jobs and I for one absolutely love doodles. I love their personalities. I love the colors and the sweet teddy bear faces. I love grooming them! However, there are many misconceptions when it comes to them, and it’s causing some groomers to blacklist them all together. This is what your groomer wants you to know about the doodle trend.
Doodles are extremely high maintenance and the coats are very unpredictable. Do not let your breeder tell you otherwise. You also will not know the true requirements of your doodles coat until it has reached about a year of age. Most people think that their doodles coat is super manageable upon first taking them home, when puppy coat is in fact much easier to maintain than your dogs adult coat will be. Your pup, depending on its coat type, will need routine grooming on a 4-6 week basis.
Fun fact: ⬇️
Dogs have predetermined genetics based on its breed. Poodles are a “hair type” breed which means that the hair continues to grow from the follicle and needs to be cut to be shortened. This could also be referred to as a “single coated” dog. Retrievers, shepherds, and a vast majority of the remaining breeds are fur types, which means that their fur will eventually stop growing once it reaches a certain length. These breeds also have a secondary coat. They shed year round and “blow” their coats out twice per year. Blowing of the coat is your dogs way of preparing for seasonal changes to better help regulate their body temperatures. You may notice an increase in the fur around your house at the beginning of spring and as cold fronts start pushing through in the fall.
When you mix a fur type with a hair type, the fur layer that would typically shed is getting stuck in the hair portion of the coat and needs help to be removed. If left, it can cause matting to the fur. This is why proper at home maintenance is so important.
The problem we as groomers see when it comes to at home maintenance, is that owners are only brushing the top layer and are unsuccessful at penetrating the lower portion of the coat which causes matting that may not be visible to the untrained eye. The top layer fluffs out and appears to be brushed to perfection, only for your groomer to run their hands through your dog and say they’ll need to be shaved. It’s extremely disheartening and frustrating, we get it. I promise. It’s not a conversation I enjoy having with owners. Doodle maintenance is an absolute learning curve, and you must remain consistent with it though.
One problem owners are seeing is a halt in new doodle clients or blacklisting of doodle breeds in salons all together because of the difficulty that mixing fur and hair type breeds has caused, as well as behavioral issues.
Many people have started to ignore teaching proper obedience to doodle breeds because they are seen more as a human like companion, and improper behavior is excused as “his/her personality. At the end of the day however, you have to remember that the majority of these dogs are bred to a working breed and need to be taught at the very minimum, basic obedience.
Because many doodles come in standard (large) sizes, a large pup without discipline can be extremely hard for your groomer to handle. Especially if the fur is not properly cared for at home. As groomers, we are in charge of removing knots and taking care of matted fur which causes pain, and can provoke aggressive or unruly behavior. Matt removal is almost never a pain free process, and unfortunately we do not have magical wands. Because of this, a lot of groomers will elect to shave matted dogs because it is the most humane thing to do. Pulling at your pet for the sake of a cute haircut is not ideal and we want to create a place of comfort for your pet. They will have to be groomed for the remainder of their lives, and without their trust, we have nothing. This is why proper training and starting puppies in the grooming salon as early as possible is super important, as well as consistent at home maintenance and/or frequent visits to your groomer. If you feel as though you cannot properly manage your dogs coat at home, speak with your groomer about baths and brush outs in between grooming appointments.
One topic that groomers don’t really speak about that I’d like to shed a little light upon, is the ware and tear that large and unruly dogs have on the groomers body. Constant pressure on the hands cause trauma to the muscles as well as back pain, pulled muscles, and slipped discs. Another downfall that your groomer may encounter is biting. In large dogs, one wrong bite can ruin your groomers career. This is yet another reason why proper training, care, and desensitization to grooming is so important.
We as groomers love our job, and in my salon, you will be informed. Client education is of the upmost importance as well as continued education to help best serve you and your beloved pet. If you have any questions regarding your pet or anything you could do to better care for them at home, just ask. There is no such thing as a stupid question. In fact, we encourage it. This post is in no way meant to attack doodle breeds, so please don’t misconstrue anything said. My goal is inform anyone interested in doodles and current owners of them. I absolutely LOVE my doodle clientele!
As always, we look forward to seeing each and every one of you, and if you need anything, we are but a phone call away!
