When should a goldendoodle puppy go to the groomer?
If you’re wondering when to take your fluffy goldendoodle to the groomer for the first time, you’re not alone! She’ll only have cotton-ball-like puppy coat this one time, and you’re not quite ready for her to look all grownup. But she seems kind of hot and, if you’re honest with yourself, you know her hair is looking a little out of control. What do you do?
The first trip to the groomer
Your puppy has (hopefully!) had her nails clipped and hair trimmed during her time at the breeder before joining your home. She should have already had her initial introduction to her lifetime of being groomed. Your goldendoodle puppy should visit a professional groomer for the first time after her 16-week immunizations. Be sure to request a “puppy clip.” The groomer will bathe her, trim the hair out of her eyes, give her a sanitary clip, and trim her nails. Since she will need regular grooming throughout her life, both she and her groomer will benefit if she is accustomed to being groomed from a young age.
The first big girl (or big boy) haircut
The wavy, curly adult coat will start replacing the soft, fluffy puppy coat around 5-6 months of age. You’ll notice the new hair coming in is kinkier than the pure fluff on top. Waiting to cut the hair until the adult coat makes its debut beneath the layers of puppy fur helps ensure that the adult coat remains soft. Poodle groomers and poodle fanciers claim that shaving a poodle or goldendoodle down before her adult coat starts coming in could damage the adult coat, affecting the texture. While there isn’t any substantiated evidence that this is true, it’s worth avoiding just in case. Take your goldendoodle puppy for her first full big girl haircut at 5-6 months of age, once her adult coat has started coming in. That doesn’t mean that your puppy might not benefit from a puppy clip in the meantime! Don’t let your puppy’s hair get out of control! As aforementioned, take her to the groomer for a puppy clip after her 16-week immunizations.
Before your first big trip to the groomer for that full haircut, spend time looking through pictures of goldendoodle haircuts. We’ve also broken doodle clips down into face, feet, tails, and body styles so you can mix and match for design precisely the perfect haircut for your furry friend. You can also read about what to expect when you take her to the groomer and how to avoid a poodle-style haircut.
Grooming at home
Waiting until 6 months for the first full big girl clip does not mean you’re off the hook for grooming at home! You should regularly groom your puppy: brushing her hair, cleaning her ears, brushing her teeth, clipping her toenails, and checking her for any anomalies (i.e. ticks, cuts, etc.). You want your puppy to become accustomed to being brushed from a young age. Do the brief bonding exercise with your puppy each night before bed to ensure she is used to being touched and handled. Your groomer with thank you. Trust me. You’ll find two videos of puppy bonding exercise at the end of thePuppy Owner Resources post.
Still have questions about goldendoodle puppy grooming?
Learn more about what shampoos and brushes to purchase for grooming your goldendoodle from a professional goldendoodle groomer. Want to trim your goldendoodle’s face yourself? This step-by-step guide has pictures to walk you through trimming the hair out of her eyes and eliminating that Santa Clause beard she’s been growing.