What to expect at your doodle’s first grooming
Feel free to bring pictures of what you’d like your pup to look like. But also keep your mind open and your expectations realistic. The condition of your dog’s coat, its texture and your dog’s willingness to accept grooming will all play a part in what the finished product will look like.
We will check over your dog’s coat while you are present to check for any matting. We will discuss at that time what will be possible in terms of length.
Part of the grooming process includes force-drying your dog’s coat and brushing out loose undercoat and tangles. This will result in a fluffy dog with a straighter coat. This is necessary to ensure an even cut and that your dog’s coat has been brushed out completely. If you prefer a curly coat, let us know up front. We can discuss with you what is possible with your pet’s particular coat texture.
We will discuss with you a grooming schedule that can make it possible to keep your dog’s coat in good shape from here on out.
Mats, Tangles and Dematting Fees
Mats are serious tangles in your dog’s coat that form clumps of various shapes and sizes. Mats can vary from tiny webs of clumping to serious “pelting” – matted coat that clips off in large pieces or “pelts”.
Matting can pose a serious health risk and should be dealt with immediately. Skin beneath a mat can get pulled and inflamed from the constant tension. This can cause poor circulation and skin lesions/bald spots. Mats are difficult to dry and hold moisture that can lead to trapped bacteria and even mold.
Removing mats is a time consuming, difficult process for both the groomer and the dog. The cost to demat a dog solely depends on the time it takes and is charged by the minute. It is at the groomer’s discretion whether or not we will demat a dog or if a shave-down is required. Owners of dogs with serious mats will be required to sign a release form stating that they understand the risks inherent in dematting their dog or the difficulty presented in shaving.
Dematting a dog is painful and stressful, therefore we will only offer a full dematting process on a dog once. If the dog returns in a matted state, we will insist that the dog be shaved down for a fresh start.
Three Basic Types of Doodle Coat
Flat
Flat coats favor the “golden retriever” in a Goldendoodle. They are the highest shedding of the doodles, but also the lowest maintenance.
Loose-Wavy
Sheds less than the “flat” coats, but is also higher maintenance. Requires brushing every day in high friction areas (neck, between the legs, base of the tail) to remove loose coat and prevent matting.
Curly
Very curly coats that most closely resemble the “standard poodle”, these are the lowest shedding coats but also require the highest daily maintenance. Full body brushing every day is needed to keep this coat in manageable shape.
No matter what type of coat your doodle has regular brushing is a necessity. These are not “low maintenance” breeds and if you want to keep that cute, shaggy appearance you will need to commit to keeping the coat in shape.