One of the best reasons to get a Doodle pup is for the low to non-shedding lifestyle. What a joy to not have dog hair sticking to your clothes and furniture all the time! No more dust bunnies rolling across the floor and you can finally have that carefree dog life you’ve always wanted, right? Not so fast. Absolutely your Doodle pup will leave less traces of themselves around the house but where is the trade off? All that hair has got to go somewhere.
Depending on what type of doodle cross you have, and the type of hair they inherit from their parents, you’ll have at least some upkeep on your hands. Basic maintenance of their coat will be consistent, no matter what cross you have, but will require more time and energy where the hair grows the longest. If maintained properly, your doodle can have a variety of shapes and looks that make you happy. What does this upkeep look like and will you inevitably be a slave to your pups coat?
WHAT DO I NEED?
To best take care of your Doodle coat you will need a variety of tools. Most of these can be purchased at a local pet store. If you can’t find them locally there are a variety of online stores that can ship them right to your home.
You’ll need a stainless steel straight comb to help untangle and separate the hair. This comb can be used on short or long coated dogs and is best used at least weekly to go through your pups coat.
Another necessary tool is a slicker brush that helps get rid of small mats and also will fluff and style your pups coat. This brush has lots of tiny metal pins that look like they may hurt the skin but are designed to sit on top of the hair to detangle and fluff.
If you have missed the chance to get rid of a mat when it’s small, a dematting comb works wonders to get under the mat to detangle. A dematting comb works wonders to cut large mats into more manageable pieces so you can then use your metal comb or slicker brush to completely untangle the hair.
A good shampoo and conditioner that’s made for dogs will also go a long way to keeping your pup detangled and clean.
HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO TAKE?
These tools don’t do much just sitting in a drawer. A proper grooming schedule is necessary for doodle’s health and happiness. This is started by simply using your fingertips to check for mats while you are petting your pup everyday. You are feeling for lumps or mats