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If you are thinking of getting a doodle puppy, make sure you have considered what your new dog will need in terms of grooming. Doodles have a wool coat which will continually grow until it is trimmed. It will also mat easily if not brushed regularly and like felt material, your dogs coat will felt when the wool hairs are compacted and rub together.
You will need to budget for your new dog needing to visit the groomer every 6-12 weeks as well as how much time you will have to look after their wool coat.
You will need to brush their coat everyday or at least every other day from the first day they arrive into your home and remember that your new dog has a lifetime of grooming ahead of them so it’s important to take them to a groomers as soon as possible, not necessarily to get a trim, but for them to get used to the environment, noises and equipment. You should ensure that your new puppy has visited a groomer at least once before they reach 16 weeks as they learn to deal with new things without fear before this age. People often leave it too late thinking that their dog only needs to visit a groomer when their dogs coat is too long and it needs cutting.
On average you can budget for £40-£60 per grooming visit. The cost will vary depending on the size of your doodle, their coat condition and what your requirements are. Depending on how short you keep your dogs coat, they will need to visit a groomer between 5-8 times per year.
Before you bring your new dog , you should research if you have a qualified groomer close by and how are you going to get there. Like hairdressing, sadly the dog grooming industry is not regulated so it is important that you establish if your nearest groomer holds the appropriate qualification and insurance.
If you want to groom your doodle yourself at home, it is important that you fully understand canine anatomy, canine first aid and how to keep yourself and your dog safe at all times.
The best way to learn to fully groom your own dog safely at home is to attend a one-day dog grooming course at a local college, where you can take your dog and learn in a safe environment. If this is something of interest to you, it is important to consider what you will need in terms of equipment. You will need to purchase the following items, as a minimum, in order to successfully groom your dog at home; A pair of electric clippers, a pair of grooming scissors, a stainless steel comb, a slicker brush, numerous clipper blades, a hairdryer, a pair of nail trimmers, a suitable table, personal protective equipment and cleaning products. You can budget for between £500-£1000.
If you wanted to reduce the frequency of grooming visits, you will need to brush your dogs coat everyday and have them trimmed very short each time they visit the groomer. If you like to have your dogs coat longer, you can have am interim visit to the groomer, where they do everything they would for a full groom except they don’t trim your dogs body or head. This schedule works well if you’re not able to brush your dog every day and reduces the amount of time your dog is in the grooming studio. Silk and wool coats are the most challenging to manage as they grow continuously. If you are concerned about grooming costs, you may wish to consider a short, smooth haired breed where you can learn to trim their nails and clean their ears safely.
If is a common misconception that doodles do not shed. Wool coats can shed, it’s just that you don’t tend to see the hair on your floor as the dead hair remains contained within the coat and needs to be removed with regular brushing. Brushing should form part of your dog’s daily routine.
