Hair Care

Australian Labradoodle coat

I first encountered Australian Labradoodle hair in 2008, in Australia, when I spent 5 weeks at Rutland Manor. When I was combing Beverley's dogs, I wondered how to grow a dog like that? A quilting tug, combing took several hours a day.

Then I got my first puppy with a beautiful, curly coat in shades of apricot. It was soft, silky and didn't require combing at all! I took care of her coat, combed it diligently every week. Until….just….until she was 10 months old. It was then that Caramel began to tangle. I feel like it happened overnight. The more I combed, the more tangles appeared. Then I remembered what Beverley had said to me one night during evening chats: "They can get tangled up through the night," "Yeah...I thought to myself." And I had mine.

I gave up and my first Labradoodle was ... shaved. Oh how I regretted it, I couldn't wait to see that fur was growing back. It grew ... but it was never the same as the puppy's coat.

Get your puppy used to combing

You must know that the puppy you will get has beautiful, shiny, silky coat. It's hard to believe that one day it will begin to tangle. Around 8-11 months, however, the coat changes and then requires careful care. What have I learned all these years?

First of all - to get your puppy used to combing from the very beginning. Don't be tempted ... ..aaa, we still have time, because one day the coat will simply start to tangled, and your dog will not be able to stand on the trymer table for so long.

Secondly, do not shave your puppy's hair before his first birthday. Someone once told me that it changes the hair structure. I don't know, I'm not an expert in this field, but there is something to it. Imagine that this first, puppy hair should simply be combed. He won't fall out alone. If you shave a dog because it tangles, unfortunately you will not brush out the hair that requires it.

Third, don't comb your hair everyday with a box. Such a procedure also destroys their structure. If you like (and your dog also), indulge in such activities, choose a comb for the dog (it will not work on tangles).

Fourth, don't bathe the dog often. Frequent bathing removes the protective barrier and the hair gets dirty even more. Sand and mud can be removed by rinsing with clean water, or using so-called doodlebooster (about this later).

Fifthly, use good shampoos, conditioners and ingredients to help you comb your hair. The ends of the hair will not split so easily.

Trim your hair

Sixth, trim your hair regularly. I know that the longer it is the more beautiful, but it does not mean that it is healthier, more comfortable for the dog and more practical for the owner. Long hair simply splits (we - the people also trim the ends). The dog can also be too warm in the summer, and in the fall he will bear branches, thistles and God knows what else.

Seventh, do not cut the dog too short for the winter. He will be cold and hence, really not far from cystitis.

Eighth, worship the dog regularly, as far as the dog needs it, so as not to lead to huge tangles. Depending on the type of coat, 2-3 times a week (for some it is enough once).

Ninth, use good, proven brushes adapted to the type of coat and its condition (brushes for daily care, brushes for combing tangles).

Tenth, dry your hair after each bathing. Do not be fooled that it is summer and they will dry outside. Strands of hair that dry themselves, twist and clump together. Unstucked hair after bathing will unfortunately turn out very quickly. When drying the hair, comb it out. With such a procedure, the hair will straighten and puff up, but everything will quickly return to normal.

Eleventh, use good Omega 3,6,9 acids that will not only make your dog's coat beautiful and shiny, but will also be good for developing bones. I used to use the EFFEKTRI SMALL DOG supplement. Unfortunately, it is only available abroad (Netherlands, Finland)

Well, I have almost 10 commandments :-)

The good news is that with diligent work, around 3 years of age, the coat is again easier to care for (provided that the dog was not shaved every time it got matched, but we actually combed its puppy fur neatly). Of course, it will never be a puppy, easy to maintain coat - nothing to delude. Certainly, however, it will not be tangled as much as during the exchange of puppy hair. For example - my adult dogs can be combed once a month.

Don't let them convince you that the sterilized and castrated Labradoodle change the structure of the coat and it becomes unbearable. This is huge nonsense. Both the coat of the castrated and non-castrated dog is difficult to maintain after the first year. Yes, it was and will be. I saw and touched a lot of hair of castrated dogs and there is no difference in its structure compared to non-castrated dogs.

Problems with the hair result from neglect and not following the above rules conscientiously. How do I know that? Because while learning myself, I made the above mistakes and I can see the difference in my "personal" dogs.

And now something about the tools that I use

Les Poochs (Acti vet) - powder brushes. I use purple for regular combing and red for matted hair. (photo on the bar next to it)

As you can see, these puddles are in two sizes and I can't advise which is better. Why can't i Because everyone will pay attention to something else.

At first, the smaller brush seemed too small. I combed my dogs for hours.

Then I got the bigger ones. These, in turn, seemed unwieldy. I couldn't get everywhere. They are hard, do not have a movable head, it seems to me that they are "aggressive" for the dog. But I know people who use the bigger ones and would never part with them.

For me, the intermediate solution was the SLICKER BRUSH Furmunator brush (photo on the bar next to it). It has a movable head and although it is large, its upper part is narrowed. For me it is cool, handy and combs quickly. This is the brush that every future dog owner gets from me. On the other hand, I heard an opinion from a person whom this box did not captivate and prefers Les Pooch.

Scissors. I have been using ROSE LINE 82066 and 88080 scissors for years and I am very happy with them. I use them in my kennel and the course is already quite big;) (photo on the bar next to it).

Shaver. The shaver I use is ANDIS AGR + (photo on the bar next to it), ceramic blade number 10. The mileage is also quite large, and I only replaced the blade after 8 years of work :)

Hair dryer. Here I have to recommend fantastic equipment. It's called Doodle Booster (photo on the bar). Perfectly suited for walking in the mud, sand. In the blink of an eye, it removes sand from the dog's limbs and lower abdomen. It also works great in preventing tangles.

Arguments against - high price and noise. Because it is loud equipment, dogs need to get used to it relatively early.

Doodle Booster is great, but of course it's not a necessity. Not everyone must have such equipment in their possession. I recommend it to those who have more dogs and it's just hard for them to take care of a dog that from the walk brings a lot of sand and mud on its long coat.

To be honest, for years I used an ordinary "human" hair dryer to dry my dog after bathing. Yes, it takes much more time then than with a dryer typically designed for dogs, but it also works.

The last scream of fashion is the automatic brush invented by the Dutch breeder. This is a brush designed for Australian Labradoodle hair. Because I personally do not have it, I consulted foreign clients who use it. And, as always, opinions are divided. Some love it and they would never part with it, and some just sold it;) Particularly good for long hair, with short hair not necessarily. Of course, with this great brush we will not reach some nooks, because it is simply uncomfortable and then you need to use another brush.

Hair care products?

I recommend PSH care products and fantastic ARTERO conditioner

A nice remedy to help people with allergies is PENTALCLEANSE (photo on the bar next to it). A cleansing liquid for cats and small animals to prevent allergies in humans is a product that eliminates Fel D1 sensitizing agents and exfoliated epidermis from hair.

I also recommend my friend's book on Labradoodle grooming

“From Scruffy to Lovely” by Wanda Klomp – English version. Wanda also runs professional grooming workshops for Australian Labradoodle owners.

And now how to trim a dog? I will say this, there are various photos on the Internet with an exact pattern. On my site, however, I would like to focus on how to trim, nurture the dog's coat so that it feels just comfortable.

Head

We remember to trim the mane, because the falling on the eyes limits the dog's vision. When we wait too long with the crop, the dog begins to sniff more, and then after removing the hair suddenly afraid of the world. Unfortunately, the dog must see and be focused on various visual stimuli, especially at the stage of socialization and adolescence. Hair also grows from the mouth towards the eyes - they should be cut regularly. The head should be shaped round, trimming not only the fringe, but also the hair on the ears and chin. Still moist ears and a warm, moist mouth (from soaking in a bowl of water) is a great habitat for yeast.

In order for your ears to have ventilation, it is worth shaving the shaver running from ear to ear through the neck. Such a procedure will not affect the appearance of the dog, but will ensure adequate air circulation.

Ear hair - WARNING - we do not pull out! Yes, we don't tear it out! Despite the widely known view disseminated by veterinarians and groomers. There is hair in this ear for something. Maybe it is just protection against microorganisms?

I know a lot of bagpipes that got otitis after pulling out the hair. My Onyxe sometimes has a thicket that tangles, then I don't hide it, I'll cut it a bit, but I never tear it out.

We do not wash the dog's ears every week. Ears should be washed when they are dirty. We clean the outer ear - the hanging part. There is no reason to dig deeply. I learned myself that the dogs had problems with their ears, which I washed often. I have dealt with different dogs that joined my kennel. And so Onyxe (9 years old) never had otitis, he has a thicket and a bush in his ears, and I cleaned it maybe 8 times in my life. And not because I'm lazy, but I just didn't need to.

Caramel was eagerly cleaning my ears once a week and these ears ... well, they are problematic and the yeast comes back several times a year.

A nice ear cleaner is CUE (can be purchased at a regular pharmacy). I use it when the ear begins to get dirty (2 drops in each ear 2 x a week). Note - cannot be given to the ear irritated by cleaning.

Groin. It is good to shave a groin dog. Rubbing the chest and abdomen of the limb simply tangling the fur in these places. The tugs pull the skin, the dog hurts.

Paws - claws should be cut regularly. Hair between the pads should be shortened. Especially in the winter when snow balls cling to these places. The dog is then hard to walk. Some very shortly cut their paws hair like a poodle (photo below).

Hair should be regularly shortened along the entire length - it can be a little longer on the limbs. Shorter hair is a convenience for the dog and the owner. They do not capture the charm of the dog at all. See for yourself: