Bathing and drying your new puppy
It’s important to get your puppy used to having their hair brushed, nails cut, and ears cleaned on a regular basis and by different people in your household. Involve your family in the activity of grooming your puppy. This important step in socialization and puppyhood will go a very long way in order to prepare them for a professional grooming experience. Puppies are good at making messes and enjoying the thrill of the moment. If you utilize high quality shampoo and conditioner, your puppy will thrive with weekly bathes.We bathe and do nail trims onour litters of puppies at least once a week starting at 4 weeks old. We bathe them in the sink that has been lined with an old towel until the puppies are big enough to experience our large stainless professional grooming tub. You can wet your puppy’s coat fully up to his neck, but only use a wet washcloth to clean the head and face. Another aspect of professional grooming that you can aid your puppy in preparation for would be the blow drying process. While young and small, using a human hair drier for several minutes each bath is a good way to slowly introduce the drying process to your puppy. In the grooming salon, they will be expected to withstand a very loud high powered blow dryer. Taking the time to prepare your puppy with some baby steps while in the comfort of your arms will set him/her up for success when it comes time to tolerate the professional blower. This is also a good time to do a small nail trim. While your pup’s hairy paws are wet and the hair is easily pulled out of the way, take your nail clipper and trim off the very tips of their nails. If you do this every week, there will only be very small amounts of nails to clip. You should never hear your dogs/puppies nails as they walk through the house. The clipping of nails on the floor means that their nails are too long!
Ear cleaning, it’s vital!
Your pup will need weekly ear cleaning in between grooming sessions. Wax build up and excessive trapped moisture can cause infections. Poodles and doodles are known to have ear issues if the ears are not properly cared for. All pet stores and even online retailers will have a specific ear cleaner for dogs. It is important to keep water out of your dogs ears and to routinely clean them and dry them with special ear products. The cleaning and care of your pups ears is an important aspect of keeping a dog healthy and reducing vet visits!
When to visit a professional?
Your puppy will not need any professional grooming until after 18 weeks of age(when they have received all puppy boosters and are considered fully vaccinated). After your puppy has had all of their shots, you can take him/her for their first grooming appointment. Most professional groomers offer puppy appointments which include a bath and trimming of the face, feet, and fanny. Your groomer will likely set you up on a schedule to return every 6 weeks. Some groomers make it a policy for long coated breeds. Groomers do not enjoy having to shave down an ill cared for poodle or doodle. It would be a shame to be dismissed from a good quality groomer in your area, so please make sure to follow their advice and set your doodle up on a frequent schedule.
I groom all of my own dogs myself. If you are interested in learning to groom your doodle yourself, please reach out and let me know. There are certain products and advice I can share with you that would be beyond the realm of a typical doodle parent. It’s a steep learning curve with several pricy investments, so it’s not for the weak. I would be happy to aid in the decision, please reach out.
Coat Transition
Grooming your doodle puppy’s coat requires consistent and thorough grooming to stay healthy and mat-free. You will need to use a slicker brush and steel comb a few times a week during their puppy stage. Puppy coats are quite easy to brush, but as the adult coat grows in (starting around 3-4 months) it can become more challenging. As the adult hair starts to grow in, its texture and curl content can differ greatly from the soft and straight puppy coat. During this time of transition before your puppy is ready for a full groom, the hair has a high chance of matting quickly. Be on the look out during months 5-7 for this issue to pop up.
Brushing your doodle
As mentioned above, in order to properly brush your Aussiedoodle’s coat, you need a slicker brush and a metal comb. In addition, I also recommend a leave-in conditioner, detangler spray, or a brushing aid spray. Just like with your own hair, keeping the hair healthy and whole, without breakage, makes the hair look better, feel better, and makes maintaining it easier. Broken, dried, frizzy hair is terrible to brush and care for, making your job harder. Care for the hair, and spend less time ripping out mats from broken ended locks.
Check out this video which shows how to properly line brush your doodle. This will keep your dog’s coat smooth and mat-free.
