Instead of spending a lot of money taking your labradoodle to a professionel dog groomer, it would be way more fun if you could actually do it yourself.
And you certainly can, if you follow this guide, I will outline the best and cheapest method on how to groom your labradoodle yourself.
In a previous post, I talked a bit about what to do if your Labradoodle had a bad smell surrounding following it.
After you’ve given the dog a bath, it’s a perfect opportunity to also give it a good grooming.
With this
Start With the Brush
Before you start cutting anything, it is always a good idea to start by brushing the Labradoodles fur. In general, it is considered a good idea to use a brush pretty much every day. This will prevent your Labradoodles fur ending up with painful knots.
When brushing your labradoodle, make sure that you pay special attention to the armpit, ears, and the back of the legs. Those areas are especially prone to knots and mats.
When you are dealing with a labradoodle, you have a dog which fur is generally curlier that most other types of dog, and you should use a type of brush with a slicker type of surface.
I’ve been using the FURminator. (affiliate link) and can honestly say that I love using it. It’s great for getting the knots and matting under control, without pulling the dog’s fur. And it is also pretty brilliant that you can clean it just by the push of a button!
On To the Grooming
Now that the preperation is done, it’s onward to the fun part.
When grooming your Labradoodles fur, always remember that it has to be dry before starting. Unlike humans, where cutting the hair usually gets easier when wet, a dog’s fur should be dry when cut.
For grooming, I would recommend you use a clipper instead of scissors. For one thing, they are safer, and they also get the job done much faster.
Just as long as you properly clean your clipper after each use, and make sure that the blades remain sharp, so they
Both before and after using the clipper, you should also use some oil on the blade. This will help the blade stay sharp and running smoothly.
The clipper I’ve purchased and have been using for the past few months, is the Oneisall Dog Clipper. (affiliate link)
Among other things, it comes with 4 different lenght of guards, so you can always find the right length to use. If you are not sure which guard to use, start with the longest and work your way down the list.
The clipper is also very quiet and has low vibration, so it won’t scare the dog byt sounding like a jet engine unlike some other clippers I’ve previously tried.
Go slow when starting with the clipper. And follow the direction of the hair growth down your dogs’ body starting somewhere around the neck area.
Continue until all the big areas of your Labradoodles body is trimmed.
For the final touching up and trimming the hair around your Labradoodles face, ears, genitalia and legs, this is when I would recommend you use the scissors that are already in the kit with the Oneisall clipper.
Only use the tip of the scissor, as you will be able to quickly move your hand away if your dog suddenly makes a sudden move.
When cutting near the dogs face, it is also wise to hold down it’s ears, so they doesn’t get near the blade of the scissors.
It might also be wise to have an extra set of hands helping you out when using the scissors. This will minimize the risk of anything bad happening.
If You Have a Nervous Labradoodle
It’s a good idea to let you labradoodle get used to the sounds of your clipper. No matter how silent a clipper you purchase, they all make a buzzing sound.
Try turning the clipper on for short periods of time, even when you’re not going to groom the dog, and be ready with praising words and delicious treats to reward the dog whenever it manages to be still.
Even if it only manages it for a short period of time.
Trimming the Nails
Usually smaller dogs needs to have their nails trimmed more often than larger dogs. But some large dogs also requires to get their nails trimmed once in a while.
A method to see if your dog needs to have it’s nails clipped, is by looking at the paws when it is standing on a flat surface. The dog is supposed to stand on it’s foot pad, and not the nails.
With some dogs, using a regular nail clipper is more than enough, because their nails aren’t so thick. If that is the case with your dog I would use a clipper like the BOSHEL Nail Clipper. (affiliate link)
It is a fairly standard nail clipper, which has been getting good reviews from lots of buyers.
I have also bought it for myself, but haven’t had the chance to really use it yet. (I will update this when I get the chance to test it some more)
But if your dog has some solid nails, you will have to look into getting something a bit more effective.
For a job like that, there is a tool which is pretty much considered the golden standard of dog nail grinders. It’s the Dremel 7300-PT. (affiliate link)
Using a grinder my require some attempts until your labradoodle has gotten used to the buzzing feeling when used on its nails.
If you have any questions or aren’t sure how to properly cut your Labradoodles’ nails, ask your vet, and they will quickly be able to show you how it is done.
So if you’ve ever asked, can I groom my labradoodle by myself. Hopefully this have helped you on your way. Because of course you can!
And finally remember: Practice makes perfect!
Some of My Favorite Products For Dog Owners
I hope this article has helped you just a bit in everyday life as a dog owner. Being a dog owner for more than 25 years, I’ve tried many different products with varying success, but these products below are some that I can highly recommend to every dog and their owner without hesitation!
These links are affiliate links, so if you do end up using the links, I will earn a commission. But it’s products that I use daily myself, and I have the utmost praise for.
Dog Food: Every dog needs to eat correctly, and finding the best food for your dog can be challenging, as the market is absolutely flooded with products. But since 2015 when the company was founded, I’ve been using Ollie Petfood. With their product being tailor-made to suit every dog’s specific needs, and as my dogs love the product, I’m pretty sure I’ve found a product I will continue to use for many years more. If you use my link you can get 50% off your first order.
Dog Training: If you’ve ever owned a puppy, you know that it requires a lot of training to grow into a well-behaved adult. Brain Training for Dogs has helped me immensely with the mental training part of raising a dog, and it’s something I strongly recommend you consider.
Grooming: If you have a dog in your home, you’re going to need a brush, and for this, I recommend a Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush. For that price, you simply can’t beat this brush for everyday grooming.
If you’re looking for the most up-to-date recommendations, check out my recommended products section that I’ve created to help every dog owner!
