A multigenerational Australian Labradoodle’s coat requires a regular grooming and brushing routine. We feel that grooming goes much easier when puppies are familiar with various grooming activities before their adult coat comes in at about 8-12 months of age. Texas Australian Labradoodles breeders start introducing your puppy to vibrating toys, clippers and toothbrushes early on to make your job easier as an Australian Labradoodle parent. We offer individualized instruction at our Open House and again when you are picking up your puppy to ensure that you are as comfortable with these tasks as possible. Familiarity with grooming activities will also make your puppy more comfortable when the time comes for their first trim as they will understand that they are safe and the expectations. In addition to the basics of bathing, trimming nails, teeth brushing, and brushing their coat, a summer haircut two to three times a year allows you to inspect their skin and helps keep your Labradoodle coat look fantastic and feel their best. Your preference, the seasons, and your Labradoodle’s coat type will determine how often a haircut is necessary.
Before trimming or clipping your Labradoodle’s hair, it is important to know its coat type. Australian Labradoodles can have one of two coat types: wool and fleece coat. Each requires different trimming techniques. A matted or choppy looking haircut doesn’t make for an attractive Labradoodle and severe matting can cause discomfort and skin problems. With some practice, it is possible to do the trimming yourself but this requires patience from you and your Australian labradoodle.
If you are nervous about trimming your puppy’s coat, seek help from a professional grooming expert. The expert will focus on the clipping of hair around the muzzle, tail, paws, ear, groin area, back, and other areas that you probably would have overlooked if you did it yourself. However, make sure you inspect your Australian Labradoodle’s ears before you leave. Although we do not recommend that you pour any cleaners into the ear itself, we feel that removing excess ear hair by gentle plucking is the best solution to keep your dog’s ears healthy and help the ear breathe. Although this may sound intimidating, taking a few strands at a time should make the procedure uncomfortable but not painful. Also, the ear hair will come out much easier the next time you’re removing the ear hair.
Apart from their seasonal haircut, your multigenerational Australian Labradoodle will require weekly maintenance including tooth brushing, nail clipping, wiping the ear clean with damp gauze, and brushing. Proper weekly grooming is needed to keep your puppy’s nails from ripping or causing problems that may impact his ability to walk properly. They will also help your puppy avoid ear infections and skin problems down the road.
How to Properly Maintain Your Labradoodle’s Coat
Step 1: Use a detangling spray
Lightly spray some detangling spray evenly over your dog’s coat. As you do this, shield your dog’s eyes so he does not experience any irritation caused by the spray.
Step 2: Remove the dirt
Run a de-matting rake over your dog’s coat to pull out any dirt or debris trapped in your Labradoodle’s coat since the last brushing and grooming session.
Step 3: Use a comb with the Line Brushing technique
Line brushing is a basic method that lets you groom your dog’s coat through to the skin, in sections, layer by layer. Start in one area, such as at the back of the head or the feet. Separate your dog’s coat in a line, down to the skin and brush out one small section until it is completely smooth. Brush the coat well, Once that section is done, move to the next section over. Isolate an area in a line and brush through that. Continue brushing section by section, stopping to work out tangles.
Step 4: Use your scissors, if needed
You can use scissors to cut out stubborn areas carefully not to cut the skin. Cutting out small areas should not be visible and will make your dog more comfortable during the grooming process.
Multigenerational Australian Labradoodles, like other types of doodles, need a regular brushing and grooming routine. However, this does not have to be a chore. You can pay attention to different parts of your dog’s coat each day and then do a brush over once a week. This extra attention will make your pet happy and will work in your favor by increasing his comfort level with grooming tasks. For more helpful tips and tricks to taking care of your Labradoodle puppy, visit the Texas Australian Labradoodles blog.