Labradoodles are a mix between a Labradore Retreiver and a Poodle. They shed very little, which make them an ideal dog for owners with allergies. While there are American Labradoodles and Australian Labradoodles, both need the same kind grooming starting at seven months old. A Labradoodle's fur will need cutting to ensure his healthy coat remains free of matting and tangles, and his sight isn't obstructed by hair.
Place your Labradoodle onto a table or someplace higher than your waist.
Hold the mat splitter and place your thumb on the curved area. Hold on to a chunk of the dog's skin. Comb the dog with the grain starting at the back near the rear end. Make small strokes downward until you've combed the whole area. Remove the hair from the comb and discard.
Move the comb up the back. Continue combing through the hair going with the grain. Brush downward while holding the skin. Remove the hair and discard. In the same area, comb the hair the opposite way in small strokes.
Place the comb at the top of the head, pull the skin up and comb in several areas. After removing the hair from the comb, place it under the neck and comb downward through the dog's chest. Release the hair from the comb and discard. Pull the hair up the other way and comb against the grain.
Examine your Labradoodle. There will likely be patches of matted hair the comb didn't brush through. Hold the matting taut in your hand and cut it with the scissors. Continue this throughout the dog's coat until the tangles are out.
Pull the hair upward at the top of the muzzle between the eyes. Cut with the scissors two to three inches above the eyes.
Trim hair around the eyes. Hold your Labradoodle's head still or give him a treat to eat and carefully cut any hair obstructing his sight. This may need to be done every three weeks, depending on how fast his hair grows.
Create a rounded look for the face. Notice where the hair sticks out a little longer around the muzzle. Hold a clump of hair in your fingers, twist the hair and cut it off with the scissors. Comb the lip hair downward. Cut with the scissors one inch below the lip.
Shave slightly or thin out the hair around the neck. This enables the ears to lay flat and reduces matting from the ear movement.
Cut the hair around the feet in a rounded style. Trim the hair short around and in between the pads, being careful not to cut into them.
Reassure the dog often. Tell the dog he's doing a good job and pet him while you're combing or during the cutting process. Give treats when needed.
Flip the Labradoodle's ear over. Shave around the ear canal until clean. Clean out the outer ear by pinching and pulling the hair on the outside. Place your fingers gently inside the ear and pluck out little clumps of hair by pinching and gently pulling outward.
Pull the hair on the ears downward between the nose and teeth. Round the hair with a scissors without making the cut blunt.
Hold the Labradoodle's paw in your hand. Place a toenail in the ring guide of the nail clippers. Squeeze the handles so the blade cuts the nail. Repeat on all nails.
Tips
- Groom your dog often so he's relaxed during the process.
- A popular Labradoodle style is to shave the coat down to one inch twice yearly.
- Hemostats help to pull ear hair out.
Warning
- Combing near the rear end and tail can be annoying to the dog.
- Labradoodles are prone to ear infections. Ear powder may help you clean the dog's ears.
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