01/21/2019
DOODLES! (And others)
The perfect photo to show how matting happens at the base (or at the skin). So many doodle owners are saddened to hear the only thing I can do with their pups coat is a shave because they thought brushing the top coat was enough. By looking at this dog, you may not see the knots and you may not feel them as you would a knot on the ends of the fur but once it starts its very difficult/ impossible to brush/COMB out... Not to mention it would be cruel to put the dog through. A quick once over will not work for these guys if you want them in a fuzzy coat. You really need to sit down with a metal comb and make sure you can get it through the entire body a couple times a week.
Often times I feel like owners don't believe groomers when they say the dogs has to be clipped. I always hear "I know he/she is matted, but leave as much as you can"... this photo shows, the only way to get UNDER the matting is nothing left.
I promise you, I'd rather not clip your baby naked either! I also don't want to hurt my reputation when the clients go around complaining about how the last groomer "scalped" their dog....But doodles are easily one of the highest maintenance dogs in reference to their coats. The combination of the soft coat of a golden, or aussie, or newf, or wheaten, or whatever they are mixing poodles with these days is a coat that is SO prone to matting. And even more so are the new "double doodles" that i like to call "double maintenance".
I even find some doodles on a regular schedule still need to be clipped once or twice a year (maybe not shaved, but maybe teddy bear length for a fresh start) because after all of the brushing and de-matting, the damaged coat seems to become even MORE likely to matt.
If you like a fluffy pup, you probably need to consider no more than 3-5 week intervals between grooming AND set aside time for regular COMBING at home. A doodle grooming is and can be very expensive! Please communicate with your groomer the “safest” way to keep your doodles happy and healthy!
Please know, if you bathe your doodle you really need to blow dry and brush out right after. MOISTURE of any kind; be it a bath, rain, swimming, snow etc are all going to amplify matting. And if you know your dog is already matted-- bathing is only going to make it worse! Brush out BEFORE the bath.
AND!!!!! "breeders" who say they can't/shouldnt be clipped and OR not to give them a hair cut until they are 1 year are out of their minds and setting you up for a SAD SAD SAD day when you finally take your pup to the groomer.
*this photo was originally shared by Paola Perez.
