Goldendoodle shedding is generally known to peak twice a year, but the truth really is that they will shed all year round. But if you groom your Goldendoodle often enough, it is possible to limit the amount of dog hair that ends up all over your home. How often should Goldendoodles be groomed?
You should aim to brush your Goldendoodle at least once every day. Bathing your Goldendoodle twice a month is also an essential part of grooming. If you have a dog that often runs on pavement or cement, then you won’t have to trim his nails. If not, expect to trim them once a month or so depending on how fast they grow.
A Goldendoodles coat demands quite a bit of maintenance and will have to be cut approximately every 6 to 8 weeks.
Let’s have a look at all of the different parts of grooming your Goldendoodle and when it’s the optimal time to do all of those parts.
Why Should You Groom Goldendoodles?
Besides brushing out mats, tangles, and furballs, there are several reasons that you should regularly groom your dog.
Some people rarely if ever groom their dog, while other dog owners treat their pups like royalty and give them a thorough bathing and grooming every single week.
There are several reasons why it’s a good idea to groom your Goldendoodle regularly, but then the question is typically when and why?
Controlling Goldendoodle Shedding
Having an appropriate grooming schedule can really help you cut down on the amount of shedding from your dog.
The right schedule means that you won’t have to constantly run the vacuum over your home or having the lint roller working overtime.
Keeping Your Doodles Coat Healthy
Another reason why it’s important that you groom your Goldendoodle is the myriad of benefits it gives your dog.
Regularly brushing and bathing your pup, will ensure that you spread all of the naturally produced oils all over their coat, helping you keep your dogs’ skin constantly hydrated and give the coat a superb shine.
These natural oils allow your Doodles’ coat to repel any water when you go for a swim and they also help shield your dog from any sunburns on a sunny day.
A Goldendoodle depends on having a healthy coat to keep them warm during winters and as cooling on hot summer days.
Be aware that it is possible to groom your Goldendoodle too often, which will result in most of these oils being stripped out of the coat and undo all of your previous good work. Make sure that you aren’t risking destroying what nature has already given to your pup.
Socialization and Trust Building
It’s not only the health of your dogs’ coat that will love grooming, but another reason to groom also is something that you probably didn’t think about at first, and that is that it’s an excellent way to help your Doodle building a strong bond and a solid relationship of trust with you.
The more time you’re able to spend together with your dog, the stronger the bond between you will be, and grooming also allows your pup to get accustomed to people touching him/her.
This ensures that the risk of it reacting poorly when a vet has to check on him, or when a toddler suddenly pulls his tail as they don’t know any better, is a lot smaller.
Grooming your Goldendoodle is a very important part of the socialization process.
How Often Should Goldendoodles Be Groomed?
So, let’s take a look at the question of “how often” as it’s probably also the most critical.
Every component of dog grooming (nail trimming, bathing, brushing, etc.) should be done at different times.
Some of the additional factors that you will have to consider includes:
- Diet: What you feed your Groodle will most certainly affect the health of the coat and nails. A rich and nutritious diet will support a normal growth rate and the subsequent shedding. But if you mostly feed your pup cheap trashy food, the hair and nails won’t grow at the preferred normal rate.
- Health: If your pup has any chronic illnesses, schedule an appointment with your vet who can help make an informed decision on how frequently you should groom him.
- Activity Level: If your dog is extraordinarily active you probably won’t have to even consider the regular part of grooming that nail trimming usually is.
- Time of year: Every six months your Doodle will require some special attention when it comes to grooming. Your dog will shed more intense when the seasons shift from cold to hot and then back again.
- Odor: Like most dogs, Goldendoodles absolutely loves to roll around in a lot of somewhat “interestingly” smelling objects, resulting in your dog ending up with a nasty odor. Stuff like dead animals, excrements from other animals, and numerous other revolting things.
- Filth level: A Goldendoodles typically also loves mud. It can be just a puddle for rolling around in, or better yet if there’s any chance for them to be able to splash through a stream of it.
How Do You Groom Goldendoodles?
Brushing it is the most significant part of Groodle-grooming.
Frequent brushing helps keep a lot of the shedding under control and it also gives you a chance to have a look at your dogs’ body. Every time you start brushing your pup, see it as an opportunity to check if there perhaps are some irritated spots or new injuries.
Constant attention like this will make sure you’re on top of your dogs’ well-being and makes it easier for you to catch possible issues before they grow too severe.
When brushing your Goldendoodle, you should be by just checking things out with your two bare hands and no brush just yet.
With your hands, you can run over the entire body of your pup, and lightly massage all the large muscle groups while also paying close attention to just how he responds to your every touch.
Perhaps you find a spot that seems unusually sensitive or tender? Take note of these areas so that you can avoid them when you’re using the brush afterward. If your Doodle seems remarkably uncomfortable, it would be a good idea to schedule a trip to your vet just to ensure that everything is fine.
I always like to start brushing at my dogs’ neck before slowly working towards his rear end.
Remember that you should also brush out your dogs’ tail. You might even be shocked at just how much loose hair it’s possible to get out of that swinging pendulum.
Should I Groom Goldendoodle Puppies?
Grooming a puppy isn’t as important as it is with an adult dog. The chance of a puppy being guilty of stinking up your home isn’t nearly as high as it is with a 12-year-old Doodle being the perpetrator.
Typically a puppy is also kept on a shorter leash when going on walks, so the possibility of him getting into a lot of nasty and smelly stuff isn’t nearly as high.
Shedding also isn’t as big of a problem when you have a younger pup compared to an older dog.
Should You Still Groom Your Puppy And If So, How Often?
As with most dogs, the process of socialization is absolutely crucial in making sure that your pup is prepared for his everyday life — and grooming is an important part of this.
The earlier you’re able to get your Doodle accustomed to the grooming process the higher chance you’ll be able to give your dog thorough grooming without any hassles as an adult.
When dealing with a puppy, you should limit your grooming sessions to about twice a week and only for a couple of minutes every time. Each time you’re practicing the grooming of your puppy, work on a new area of his body.
Be aware of not forcing your puppy to allow you to groom him as fun and short sessions are the key to success with socialization. And when your pup gets older, you can try to extend the sessions just a few minutes every time.
Finally, you will have a grown Goldendoodle that will love sitting still while you’re working your way through that lovely coat they carry.
When Do You Need to Groom Goldendoodles the Most?
The worst times for shedding in a Goldendoodle are during fall and spring.
But generally speaking, if you want to limit the amount of shedding for even just a bit, you should consider brushing your dog at least once every day. Also, consider getting one of the numerous different types of de-shedding shampoos and conditioners that can help you in your struggle against shedding hairs.
You should not that there are different phases where you’ll have to increase the attention you’re giving to your dogs’ cleanliness, and these periods include:
- When your pup is sick
- Whenever they smell more than usual
- If they’re injured and unable to move for a longer period of time
- If your dog has rolled in something disgustingly foul
In reality, you should consider doing occasional spot checks every once in a while. And once you find a good routine for grooming, it’s not necessary for you to change it up constantly.
Best Grooming Brush For Goldendoodles
When searching online you will find a lot of claims as to what is the best grooming brush for Goldendoodles, and 99,9% of those claims are from people who’ve never even tried using them but are just looking to get a commission from their affiliate links.
During more than 20 years of being a dog owner, I have tried numerous different grooming brushes and for the past many years my favorite has been Chris Christensen Big K.
I completely love this brush as it’s not only able to do an incredible job of removing all of my dogs’ dead hair, but it manages to do so without being overly aggressive and hurting my dog.
With previous brushes I’ve owned, I’ve even managed to get my dog to bleed, and the feeling of guilt I felt from that immediately made me throw that brush into the trash.
This product certainly isn’t the cheapest you can get, but considering it’s some that will last you for years, without ever hurting the dog, it means I certainly won’t look for any other model for a long time.
- GROOMERS MIRACLE BRUSH - Made for professional groomers and show dogs, this premium dog slicker brush has a cushioned pad that retracts the soft and scratch free pins to grasp tangles and knots. Plus, designed with larger than standard pins to grasp hair and save time and energy during pet grooming.
- GROOMGRIP - The unique GroomGrip rubber coating is great for using in the bath to prevent the brush from slipping in your hands and its ergonomic handle will help prevent brushing fatigue.
- DOG BREEDS - It is the best dog slicker brush for Poodles, Goldendoodles, and Labradoodles because of its ability to remove tangles and mats with ease. Fluff, detangle and style with one tool. Available in three sizes to fit your breed and size of dog.
- SIZING - Baby - Head: 2 3/8" x 2 3/8". Body: 7 1/2", Medium - Head: 3 7/8" x 2 3/8". Body: 7 1/2", Large - Head: 3 7/8" x 3 3/8". Body: 8"
- WHY CHRIS CHRISTENSEN - It all started in 1996 when Chris Christensen developed the first true color correcting shampoo for canines and felines. White on White was a catalyst in the evolution of canine coat care. The momentum that followed has allowed Chris Christensen Systems to bring you the finest grooming products ever available in the dog show and pet care worlds.
How Often Should I Bathe a Goldendoodle?
Bathing your Goldendoodle isn’t as necessary to do often as it is brushing them.
The reason is that bathing your pup too frequently will usually lead to the skin drying up, resulting in a lot of bother for your dog that will most likely ultimately lead to severe scratching and itching.
A good and quick solution to bathe your dog can be to just do a quick hose down in your yard or perhaps even a short swim in a nearby river.
These natural baths without any added detergents will help improve the natural oils found in your pups’ coats and will, in turn, give them a healthier coat.
If your dog ever experiences any problems with spring or fall molting, I would recommend that you find a de-shedding shampoo and conditioner you can use once or twice a month in addition to a natural swim.
Shampoo and Conditioners For Goldendoodles
Find the best shampoo and conditioner to prevent shedding is quite confusing, but one product that I can recommend personally for you to consider is Furminator.
Furminators’ shampoos and conditioners are remarkably popular all over the country and in every pet store, and they are that for a reason.
With all of the professional groomers, I’ve talked with through my many years as a dog-owner pretty much all of them recommended one of these particular products.
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- Packaging may vary. Furminator deShedding Ultra Premium Shampoo
- Works to reduce shedding
- Promotes healthy skin and coat
- Enriched with Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids, Calendula Extract, and Papaya Leaf Extract
- Use monthly as part of the Furminator at-home professional grooming regiment
Cleaning your Dog’s ears
Ear infections are also something can you might experience your Doodle having issues with.
Their adorable wobbly ears have a particular way of working as a cover on their ear canal, so, if some kind of debris or water gets in there, they can risk being stuck in there and eventually start to fester.
There is an easy solution to clean out your dogs’ ears and it’s just to put together a 1:1 solution of vinegar and water.
If that’s not successful for you, you can also purchase products that are specifically designed for this purpose. I would suggest that you take a look at the ZYMOX Ear Solution, which is widely regarded as the best product in the current market for that specific task.
How you use this is that you add the product to your pups’ ear canal and then close the lid over the opening. Then you should start massaging the ear canal while the solution is inside as a method to loosen up the muck in the ear.
If the infection your dog is experiencing is severe, it can be quite painful for them, and you may have to begin doing this method by using some kind of disinfectant or possibly even a prescription on anti-biotics from your vet. Check out this article for more info about ear infections.
You can actually even expect that your Doodle will greatly enjoy having his ears massaged.
After stopping the massage, you will most likely end up with a bit of gunk in your room as your dog will most likely start shaking his head in an attempt to remove the liquid from his ears.
But just grab some paper towels once he stops shaking his head and put the end of the towel into your dogs’ ear canal and wring the towel. This should help remove whatever might be left in there.
Trimming a Goldendoodles’ Nails
Most Goldendoodle owners will at some point experience that their pups’ nails have become too long, luckily for us that the perfect cure is both healthy and cheap.
Simply put, the best nail files you can get are concrete and the pavement, and running or walking on those surfaces more often will ensure that your dogs’ nails are kept at the correct length.
So, just by getting your furry friend outside and about more frequently, it will mean that it won’t be necessary for you to worry about how often you should consider trimming their nails.
But if you are the owner of an older or injured dog that won’t be able to do much, if any, exercise for a while, then you may have to consider adding some additional nail trimming to the grooming.
If your dogs’ nails have become too long it will almost certainly cause some problems with your dogs’ pads and can turn even the slowest and calmest walking session into a very painful experience.
When clipping your dog’s nails, be sure that you are cautious and do it slowly so that you don’t risk cutting too far down. If you cut too far and get into the hyponychium(also known as quick), quickly apply some chapstick to help stop the bleeding. And make sure that you keep an eye out for the wound so your dog doesn’t risk any problems with infections later on.
If you are regularly trimming the nails, the quick will actually withdraw closer to the paws of your dog making it a lot less likely that you will cut into it in the future.
When deciding what nail trimming tool to get, you’re looking at two different options. You can get an electric trimming tool, or a guillotine cutter, each with its different pros and cons.
I’ve personally tried both options several times, and a bit of general advice would be that you find the tool you’re the most comfortable with and then keep using that tool for a good amount of time to also allow your dog to get just as comfortable with it.
Don’t Forget To Check Your Dogs’ Eyes During Grooming
A lot of people have a tendency to overlook their Goldendoodles’ eyes when grooming them, and that would be a mistake.
Goldendoodles are prone to various different eye issues such as cataracts which can cause the eyes to get a cloudy look to them, and the earlier you’re able to catch the symptoms of this, the more likely it is that your vet will be able to help ensure that your dog won’t lose his eyesight.
If your dogs’ eyes look like they could use a bit of cleaning, just grab a cotton pad or ball and soak it in some saline solution or basic water. Don’t worry too much about the standard “staining” that often occurs around the corners of a Goldendoodles’ eyes, as that’s just something that is typically due to moisture and it isn’t something you should be all that concerned about.
Tooth Brushing Is an Important Part of Grooming
While it can definitely be annoying, bad breath and yellow teeth aren’t the most concerning issue when it comes to dental hygiene in a dog. If you’ve personally experienced it you will know that a chipped tooth or a deep cavity isn’t something to scoff at. And that’s the same thing with a pup.
There are several different methods for you to stop tooth decay in your dog. For some people, the easiest option is to just get a normal dog toothbrush.
But if you’re not too fond of the idea of having to brush every single one of your dogs’ teeth by hand, there are a lot of other and perhaps also better options available.
A few years ago, I chose to have my dog in for a checkup at the vet, and even though everything looked fine on the surface, the vet suggested that I should consider booking a dental appointment to remove any plaque and tartar.
When asking, I was told the price was going to exceed $550.
That’s when I decided to look for more cost-efficient and equally effective methods to control my dogs’ teeth issues.
The first, and lucky for me, is also the cheapest alternative is the Pedigree Dentastix. At first, I was a bit skeptical, but my dogs’ teeth were remarkably cleaner after using just one of these boxes.
The next option I tried purchasing was a toothbrush that dogs are able to use entirely by themselves.
It is the Wisedom Dog Toothbrush. This dog toothbrush has bristles on it that are flavored to make sure your dog will be addicted to some serious chewing on this thing.
And while your dog is happily crunching away on the “toy”, the groves and bristles in the brush will help clean your dogs’ gums and teeth.
Conclusion
A Goldendoodle demands quite a bit of love and attention to avoid having hairs all over your home, but grooming sessions are the perfect opportunity to form a strong and loyal bond with your dog.
And as time goes by, those grooming sessions will only be easier and easier to perform as you, and your Goldendoodle becomes more experienced, and also a lot more enjoyable for both you and your pup.
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!
