Doodle Do and Doodle Don't

In the last decade we have seen a rising trend in designer dogs, two or more breeds mixed together to make a “superior” design of those specific breeds. Most popular by far are doodles. Say what you will, a Golden Doodle is far more recognizable than a maltichipooggle any day. They are everywhere, you can't go to the dog park, vet, trainer, or groomer without seeing some sort of doodle somewhere. Once upon a time I counted myself among the groomers that would roll their eyes and sigh when I found one in my schedule, but those days are no more. I have grown to love my doodles and have discovered that their people are also, generally, wonderful as long as they're given some standards to live by when it comes to caring for their dogs. I have been in business for myself for 16 months and after my first few months, seeing matted doodles at least weekly, I got fed up and said “NO MORE.” Not in the “I will no longer groom doodles” kind of way, but in the “I am determined to educate owners and make these sweet dogs ones that I'm as crazy excited to see as they are me.” And so I started to set up rules – the biggest problem I found with grooming doodles is that owners are lied to by the breeder. I have been told by many clients that their breeder has said things like “They only need to be groomed once a year” or “They don't shed.” and “They're very wash and wear” along with ridiculousness like “You don't need to brush them often. Their coat takes care of itself” or “They never smell bad!” “Oh, he'll never be matted. Don't worry about that!”

Why are these things so ridiculous? Read on, and I'll tell you. The best part is, these rules aren't Doodle specific! Many (most) of them apply to all dog breeds.

Without FURther ado, the Doofy Dog Blog Presents:

Doodle Do and Doodle Don't

A Guide to Doodle Grooming

Do:

Brush at home, at least three times a week. Don't just brush – start with a brush and go over with a comb afterward. If you can't get a comb through, more work is needed. That little snarl can and will turn into a big nasty mat, which left unchecked, will turn into pelting. Painful for your dog! A detangling spray is helpful in this – I love “The Stuff for Dogs” and Les Poochs' Prebath Brush Out Spray.

Play with your dog's ears, tail, feet and face. Make it fun and rewarding for them so that they're not likely to snap and be upset when your groomer does it.

Keep regular grooming appointments for your dog. Aim to have your furry friend groomed about every six weeks, less if you're unable to brush at home (Many groomers have a weekly or bimonthly program, talk to them about it!)

Find a good shampoo and conditioner. If your pet doesn't require a hypoallergenic variety, my favorite for Doodles is Aromacare Argan Oil shampoo. It smells clean and leaves the coat soft and remoisturized. I also love Espree's Silky Show conditioner for a follow up rinse.

Plan for a “Hard Reset” once a year. I recommend this for owners who prefer to keep their doodles in a long coat. This is when we take the coat down short (I use a 5/8 blade for dogs in good condition, a #7 or #10 for dogs who are matted) to get rid of the dryness, split ends, breakage, etc that comes from the way doodles handle their coats, and all the brushing and combing in between. The general wear and tear on coats will start to cause tangling, which as we said before leads to matting, etc. A hard reset is essential to keep the coat soft and lovable.

Don't:

Bathe without brushing. It's common for dogs of all sorts to come in matted to the skin needing to be completely stripped. One of the biggest reasons is that water actually tightens mats and will cause them to get worse and worse until you have a pelt rather than a coat. If you can't get a comb through your dog's fur from the skin level, do not put him or her in any kind of water. If you can't brush out enough to get a comb through, it's time to call the groomer and talk about that hard reset I mentioned earlier.

Trim anything yourself. I know we make it look easy. I know it looks like fun... You probably think you can do it. Newsflash, and this will sound harsh because it is: YOU CAN'T. Grooming is a skilled trade that takes time to learn. We, as groomers, are constantly learning new techniques and skills. I do not cut my bangs before I go see my hair dresser (She will trim them between cuts for a few bucks, and so will many groomers!) I do not try to diagnose my children's illnesses and then call the doctor. I do not attempt to do my own pedicures (Ok, once. Never again. This is the reason my pedicurist gets a $25 tip every time I see her!), give myself tattoos, fix my own car or anything else that I have not been educated to do. DO. NOT. CUT. YOUR. PET'S. HAIR. YOURSELF. So many things can go wrong. It's so easy to slip and cut them. It's so easy for them to wiggle around and injure themselves. It's so easy for you to cut yourself, and you will, inevitably, irritate the crap out of your groomer. Fifi's hair is hanging in her eyes? Call your groomer. Fifi's paw pads are overgrown? Call your groomer. Fifi has a mat in her hindquarters that you can't brush out yourself? CALL YOUR GROOMER!

Leave grooming until the last possible second. Most groomers I know share my philosophy of “Humanity before Vanity”. I cannot undo in two hours what you have allowed to go on since last Christmas. I will not make your dog suffer for your negligence. Walking around with his coat yanking on his skin for gods know how long has been bad enough. I will not spend hours on end yanking at his coat to make you happy – if you cannot brush regularly and keep regular grooming appointments, it is time to clip him short and keep him that way. Worse is that matting can hide other issues: Skin conditions, parasites, lumps and bumps... I have heard of groomers clipping out candy wrappers, condoms and Christmas decorations. Aunt Marge will not be happy if she is petting Snookums and finds your missing remote control.

Play rough while you are working with your dog on having his feet, face and fanny touched. They think it's a game and they will bite us. This may be cute to you. It isn't to us. It's painful and a badly placed bite can be career ending, play or not.

Shirk your responsibilities. You are a dog owner. Your dog cannot brush him or herself. Your dog cannot make his own grooming appointments (and let's face it, wouldn't even if he could). Your dog cannot bathe himself. There is so much more to pet ownership that feeding and walking. If you're reading this in consideration of getting a dog, please do not if you can't handle every responsibility. Food, veterinary care, and grooming are just a small part of the equation.

I forgot a “Do” back up there... Above all else, with everything you do, grooming or otherwise with your dog, do it with love. They can sense frustration, anger, sadness. Make it a happy experience for you and let them see that none of this is anything to be afraid of.

I've grown to love my doodle clients so much, and as I had planned, I look forward to seeing every one of them, owners included. If I had a tail to wag, it would.

All My Paws,

Annie

PS
Forgive my exhausted rantings and unfortunate grammar. This mama needed to do something for herself tonight, and writing was it. There you have it!