Doodles require regular grooming to avoid matting and discomfort. They should be brushed and combed regularly at home and visit a professional groomer as part of their health and grooming routine.

WHY GROOMING IS IMPORTANT

• It prevents matting and tangling

• Helps you spot skin problems, ticks or scratches

• Helps with circulation and promotes good health

• Helps you bond with each other

EQUIPMENT FOR DOODLE GROOMING

There is a vast amount of equipment available to buy for doodle grooming but the two key items needed are a slicker brush and a metal comb.

HOW TO GROOM A DOODLE

Line brushing is the technique to use to groom a non-shedding doodle. This is where you lift the hair so you can see down to the skin and brush the hair that is revealed. You should make your way around their whole body using this technique, using a slicker brush followed by a metal comb. If you find any knots using the metal comb, go back over that area with the slicker brush before you move on. This will ensure you get all the way down to the skin and keep your doodle comfortable and mat-free.

There are lots of videos on You Tube about doodle grooming and line brushing which will show you how to groom your doodle using this technique.

Practice!

Get your young puppy used to having all areas of his body handled, brushed and combed - including tail, legs and feet - as this will make grooming easier for you, your pup and your professional groomer!

Put your puppy on a raised platform for grooming - this will help keep your puppy still and differentiate grooming from play time. Make sure you supervise and don’t leave your puppy’s side while on a raised platform.

Puppies go through a coat change between approximately 8-12 months where their adult coat starts to come through. During this period, doodles should be groomed more regularly - ideally combed through daily - as mats build up very quickly as the adult coat meets the puppy coat.

PROFESSIONAL GROOMING

You’ll need to combine home-grooming with trips to a professional groomer every 6 weeks for a bath, groom and trim.

As soon as your puppy has completed their vaccinations they should start going to a professional groomer for a bath and puppy groom. This will get them used to the salon environment and will ensure their coats stay comfortable and mat-free. Your groomer will be able to tell you if your home-grooming is hitting the spot, or if you need to adjust your technique or grooming frequency.

Make sure you ask around locally to find a highly recommended groomer and check they’re qualified and insured.

Matting is very uncomfortable for the dog and if it happens, your professional groomer won’t be able to do anything but give your dog a close clip all over. Mats can form quickly in some coats - especially when left long.

Once your doodle puppy has their adult coat, you can ask your professional groomer to give them a ‘puppy cut’ which makes home-grooming so much easier, and looks very cute! Adult coats are much more manageable if clipped regularly every 6 weeks. A puppy cut is where the coat is trimmed to the same length all over the legs and body - usually half an inch to one inch in length. The head and face will be trimmed and shaped with scissors to maintain the doodle look.