Since they have a lot of Poodle genetic traits, most Labradoodles are nonshedding and excellent for people with pet allergies. The drawback of owning a nonshedding Labradoodle is that, because the hair doesn’t shed, you have to constantly groom your dog. Bathing, brushing, haircuts, and nail trimming all fall under the category of grooming. Once your Labradoodle gets used to using scissors, haircutters, and nail cutters, grooming them is usually quite simple.
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Do Labradoodles Need Grooming?
Contrary to popular belief and expectation, not all Labradoodle dogs shed very little. There are some Labradoodles that shed a lot. Additionally, all Labradoodles—shedders or not—need weekly or biweekly brushing in addition to more thorough grooming every few months.
In fact, as we will explain in more detail in the sections that follow, the less your Labradoodle sheds, the more brushing and grooming your dog is likely to require. Labradoodles are typically active, high-energy dogs who enjoy swimming, running, and playing.
Because of these factors, you might discover that you need to bathe, brush, and groom your dog more frequently after playing or going on walks.
How Often Should You Groom a Labradoodle?
When your Labradoodle reaches adulthood, the coat will have changed from the short, fluffy coat of a puppy to the full coat of an adult dog. You will know for sure at this point what type of coat your Labradoodle has inherited and how much grooming it will require.
You can plan on doing a good basic brushing and combing session twice a week for general purposes. You might want to up this frequency for Labradoodles with a high shedding rate during seasonal sheds.
What Type of Fur Do Labradoodles Have?
A hybrid dog called a labradoodle has a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle parent. Very different coat types distinguish these two dogs. This can make predicting the adult coat type of a Labradoodle rather difficult because there is no way to know in advance how much genetic influence each parent dog will have over a specific puppy.
Labrador Retriever Coat
The Labrador Retriever’s coat is straight, thick, coarse, and of medium length. Additionally, the coast is soft and insulating underneath and water-repellent on top.
Labs shed year-round. Twice per year, they shed a lot when they “blow coat.” If you are highly sensitive to pet dander, a labrador is not a good choice for you.
Poodle Coat
The Poodle’s single-layer (i.e. dense and curly) coat is thick and long., Poodles lack an undercoat that serves as insulation. Although Poodle dogs do shed, the coat collects the hair to prevent it from falling to the ground.
This has given Poodles a reputation as “hypoallergenic” dogs. Poodles may be a good pet dog choice for some people who are extremely sensitive to pet dander.
Labradoodle Coats
The coat is likely to be closer to a single layer, dense, thick, curly, and mostly non-shedding if your Labradoodle receives more genetic influence from the Poodle parent. This type of coat is often referred to as “fleece” or “wool.”
Tips Before Your Labradoodle Grooming
1. Labradoodle Bathing
The best place to start when grooming your Labradoodle is with a bath. It is easier to brush, which will help to remove mattes and tangles, after washing with a cleanser and conditioner. Even if this is your first time, you can easily bathe your dog. Spray some water on your dog and then rub in the shampoo and conditioner as you would for a typical shower. The eyes of your dog are typically a delicate area to clean, so try to avoid them. Apply the hair conditioner after thoroughly cleaning your Labradoodle with water. Finally, give your dog a rinse and pat them dry with a towel.
2. Prepare Grooming Equipment
- Attach the grooming leash or grooming table to your Labradoodle. By preventing your dog from leaping off the table, using a raised surface is extremely helpful. Additionally, you won’t have to stoop over all the time, which will protect your back.
- So that your Labradoodle can see it, arrange all of your tools on the table. It will be simpler to groom your Labradoodle as they become more accustomed to the equipment.
- As you begin grooming your Labradoodle, treat them with bully sticks or horns for chewing as a form of positive reinforcement.
Labradoodle Grooming Tools
- Slicker Brush: Among Labradoodle owners, a slicker brush is considered to be the best daily brush. This brush will be used to remove mats and tangles from your dog’s coat after bathing your Labradoodle because it penetrates deep into the coat.
- Dog shampoo and conditioner: The We Love Doodles shampoo and conditioner also include a detangler, which helps to stop mats and tangles from developing later.
- Steel Comb: This tool, which is very affordable, is used to remove mattes. Each Labradoodle dog owner probably already has one of these because they are so inexpensive.
- Only use ballpoint or blunt-tipped scissors for grooming. We can all agree that the Moontay Dog Grooming Scissors are the best.
- Cutting Shears: Shears are useful for shaping areas where the razor cannot reach. Applied to the face, as well as the armpits and leg pits.
- Dog nail grinders or clippers work best and ensure that you don’t remove too much of your dog’s nails and cause them to become dehydrated.
- Most Labradoodles will not remain still while being groomed, so a pet grooming table or pet leash is necessary. To keep them from moving, you’ll need to purchase a grooming table or at the very least a leash for your pet.
How To Groom A Labradoodle?
These are the suggested procedures for performing a simple Labradoodle grooming session at home.
1. De-mat Your Dog’s Body Using The Rake.
- Simply remove any dead, shed hair, dirt, or other debris that has accrued in your dog’s thick coat since the last time it was brushed and groomed.
- It may take a few tries to get the hang of using the undercoat rake, particularly since this grooming tool can initially appear to be quite frightening.
- A well-made rake will be made to remove excess hair and debris without yanking on your dog’s coat or skin.
2. Spray Some Detangling Liquid On Your Dog.
- Be careful to protect your dog’s eyes as you do this to avoid irritating them.
- Your dog’s body should receive light, even spraying from the detangler. While brushing, if you encounter tangles, stop and spritz on a little more detangler to make them easier to work out.
3. Use The Slicker Brush To Groom Your Dog.
- For dogs with thick coats, such as the Labradoodle, different groomers use different techniques.
- As a beginner, one of the best ways to start is to brush “feet first.”
- One section should be brushed until it is smooth, starting at your dog’s feet.
- Continue brushing in this manner, stopping to clear tangles as you come across them before moving on.
- Use the larger size of the slicker brush you bought on your dog’s body and the smaller size on his face and legs if you bought different sizes.
4. Then Comb Your Dog’s Coat Thoroughly.
- Once you’ve finished using the slicker brush, it’s time to comb your dog’s coat.
- You can find smaller tangles that you might have missed with the slicker brush by using the comb as a tool.
- If you encounter any more tangles, pause, spritz a little more detangler, and then remove them with the slicker brush.
- Finally, make sure the tangle is gone by going over the area one last time with the comb.
5. Use The Scissors To Thin Or Trim Your Dog’s Coat.
- Not every owner of a Labradoodle feels confident and at ease shaving their dog’s hair at home.
- Choosing this is definitely a personal matter. You can ask your dog’s groomer for a brief tutorial if you do want to try it but are unsure.
- Most groomers are eager to assist in this regard.
6. Perform Any Additional Maintenance.
Brushing and grooming sessions offer a good time to do all of the following:
- Check and clean the ears
- Trim the dog’s nails
- Brush the dog’s teeth
Perform any additional required health and hygiene upkeep tasks.
- Start by using a longer blade attachment on your dog hair clippers. Size #10 blades, which measure about 1 and ¼ inches, are where I usually begin. Depending on the appearance you want, you can go either shorter or longer. You will need to shave your dog with a much shorter blade if its hair is really matted.
- Your Labradoodle should be seated. One of the simplest positions for back grooming is this one.