Daily Grooming Instructions and Recommendations 

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When should I start grooming my puppy?

By the time your puppy goes home he or she will have been exposed to some aspects of grooming, such as a few baths and a “sanitary” trim at approximately 3.5 weeks and at 7 weeks.

Although they have been introduced to a few aspects, it’s best to bring them to a groomer before 16 weeks of age. Ideally during the 10-14 week age period even if it is just for a bath. Many places offer a lower price on a puppy cut. This experience is extremely important because everything your puppy is exposed to in a positive way, before 14 weeks is more likely to remain a positive experience for them as they get older. A puppy bath/groom is a short visit and helps get your puppy accustom to the loud hair dryers at the salon and the groomer!

In order to take care of a full coated Goldendoodle properly – and avoid dreaded mats – they need to be groomed every 4 -8 weeks by a professional groomer or at home depending on the coat length you like and how well you keep up on brushing and grooming.

In between grooming, Goldendoodles with long coats need to be brushed every day. This is a huge commitment and some people end up deciding to go for a shorter, less labor-intensive coat after they try a long coat. For busy families it might just be too much work to be practical. The long coats are beautiful but they are not practical for everyone. I choose to keep my doodles shorter for the ease of care.

Haircuts for Goldendoodles

Short coat – this is the easiest option. Goldendoodles need to be groomed about every 6 – 8 weeks. This also means that the coat is short enough that you might not have to do any daily brushing at home. Depending on the length and the type of hair your pup has you may be able to brush every few days or once a week. Pay special attention to areas behind the ears, in the groin, under the chin, and behind the elbow. Make sure those areas are brushed regularly!

Medium coat – this is a more work but still an easier option than the long coat. Some groomers will hand cut Goldendoodles to give them a medium-length coat. Goldendoodles with medium coats need more frequent brushing at home but maybe not daily – it will depending on the type of coat, how often your pup mats, the types of activities your pups does (swimming will require more combing and brushing).

Long coat – this is the most labor-intensive option. It can also be the cheapest since you don’t have to pay for professional hair cutting, but if done improperly you could end up paying for haircutting anyway. The coat needs intensive daily grooming.

Note: Even if your Goldendoodle doesn’t require daily brushing at home, initially you should brush your pup at a minimum every couple days to get them accustom to being handled.

Tools You’ll Need for Grooming 

I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. 

Chris Christensen products – These products are loved by groomers and doodle owners alike. They are top of the line products and priced accordingly. 

Comb – a metal comb with teeth close together on one side and further apart on the other.
Slicker brush – start out with a soft one or one for puppies being careful not to brush too hard– you can irritate the skin without noticing. I really like the Miracle Care Brush which I found on Amazon. Other’s (including groomers) swear by the Chris Christensen Brush. Curved head brushes with bent pins generally work well on doodle coats.
Dematting creams and treatments  – such as The Stuff and Cowboy Magic
Bypass Nail Clippers
Ear Cleaner such as Zymox or ear wipes 
Cotton Balls

Complete list of various grooming products on Amazon can be seen here: Grooming Products

Grooming– if you want to keep your Goldendoodle’s coat long, you need to do these steps every day and every few days for shorter coats:

1. Take the slicker brush and brush through the coat, starting at the legs and working your way up. Concentrate behind the ears, under the jaw, the scruff of the neck, behind the elbows, in the loin area (where belly meets leg) and down the legs, basically, anywhere mats typically develop.

2. Take the comb and first use the side with the further apart teeth. Make sure to concentrate on small sections so you can get down to the skin. Start with the legs and work your way up.

3. Flip the comb over to the side with the closer together teeth.

4. If you want a really fluffy look, use the slicker brush for a nice and fluffy finish – this is optional. The slicker brush is also good for getting out the weeds that your dog will pick up when playing outside.

****Warning!**** No matter how diligent you are about daily brushing of your Goldendoodle’s coat, it’s very hard to avoid matting when going through the coat change.

The coat change will happen when the puppy is 9 – 12 months old. The adult coat grows in to replace the baby coat. As the new coat is sprouting up it gets tangled in with the baby coat, creating a felting of the coat. Most people will shave their dogs coat at this time and then let it grow back again after the coat change takes place. Don’t worry, the new shorter coat will look strange to you at first but the coat will grow back quickly.

Most common mistake made: ONLY grooming the outer layer – even if you do this every day, it still won’t prevent mats. Make sure that you’re brushing then combing all the way down to the skin.

Another tip to prevent matting: Only use a rolled leather collar around your dog’s neck – make sure it’s rolled leather, not flat.

Mat Removal

You can use a dematting comb or tool. Be careful as these items are sharp and can cut you or your puppy. Safari brand makes a tool for small mats – this is good for sensitive areas around the face. Make sure you hold the skin so the comb is not pulling the dog painfully. The dematting comb is great to run down the legs before brushing to loosen up the hair.

Bathing Your Goldendoodle At Home

You need to brush first before you wash. Make sure that all mats are removed prior to bathing! Use an unscented shampoo that is made especially for puppies. Use shampoos that are as natural as possible – the fewer ingredients the better.

**Don’t use human shampoo – dog coats require a different Ph balance.**

After you wash the dog, blot dry with a towel, DO NOT RUB as this can cause matting! you need to blow dry the coat while you brush it out. You need to dry the dog with a high quality/high velocity blow dryer (not your personal blow dryer! You need to get a special one for dogs.) If you find your pup tends to mat, try “The Stuff” concentrated after bath rinse or Cowboy Magic.

Goldendoodles should be washed when they look dirty, which will probably be about every 3-5 weeks. Active puppies will likely need more. Also dogs that go to the beach or get wet and dirty often will require more frequent bathing.

Nails, Ears, and Eyes

Grooming your Goldendoodle doesn’t just involve brushing its coat – taking care of the nails, ears and eyes are also part of keeping your pup healthy and happy. With just a few supplies, all of these techniques can be done easily and safely at home – they should all be part of your regular routine.

Nails: Goldendoodles’ nails need to be trimmed a little bit on a regular basis – cutting just the tip off once a week or every other week will keep your dog’s nails nice and short by keeping the quick from growing long. To trim the dog’s nails use a dog nail clipper or a dremel. Don’t forget to clip the dew claws!

Ears: Goldendoodles’ ears should be cleaned every 2 – 3 weeks. Use an ear flush that you can get from the vet (not an ear cleaner!), ear wipes (I love the wipes!), or Zymox ear cleaner. Fill up the ear canal with liquid and let the liquid stay inside for at least 30 seconds so that the cleaner has time to loosen any debris Massage from the base of the ear canal upward. Use a cotton ball stick it as far down the ear canal as you can reach.

**Do NOT use Qtips – you can’t see what you’re doing and you can go too far.

** Wipe the inside of the ear with a fresh cotton ball several times to clear out all the liquid.

When you think the ear is clean and dry, do one more swipe.

As with any floppy-eared dog, if you take a Goldendoodle swimming, you need to clean the ears when you get home.

Ear Plucking: Goldendoodles often grow hair inside their ears. Plucking is a controversial topic, Some say to use ear powder and keep the ears plucked clean and others say that plucking can cause more issues. If your dog isn’t having a problem and has very fuzzy ears you may opt to not pluck them. Professional groomers don’t always properly clean ears, so even if you get your dog groomed you should still clean its ears every 2 – 3 weeks.

Eyes: Trim the hair away from your Goldendoodle’s eyes – it doesn’t have to be dramatic, just so your dog can see and so that crust doesn’t build up.

Gently wipe out any crust (or “sleep”) build up with a warm wash cloth.

Getting Your Goldendoodle Professionally Groomed

The best way to find a groomer– just like finding a vet – is to ask other Goldendoodle owners or vets in your area who they go to. There’s no rule of thumb about which type of store has better groomers – one of our favorite groomers worked out of Petsmart, one we had a bad experience with worked at a fancy doggy salon. As with everything, it depends on the person. Groomers will not do a hand scissor on a Goldendoodle when they’re too matted. It takes too much time and is painful for the dog. Professional grooming prices vary widely.

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Reference – Information adapted from this article – https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/goldendoodledogbreeder/how-to-take-care-of-your-goldendoodles-coat-daily-grooming-instructions-and-recommendations