About the breed
Coat care
It is important to keep the Australian Labradoodle’s curly coat healthy, so invest time and effort in caring for its coat. What should you bear in mind? We share a few handy tips!
Length of the coat
The desired length of the coat depends on the coat length, coat density, coat change period, frequency of maintenance, and the environment. The longer the coat, the more maintenance it requires.
Coat change period
8 to 24 weeks: puppy coat. Gradually build up coat care. Ensure a safe place for grooming, blow with a coat blower and brush the coat daily with a soft puppy brush, such as a wooden pin brush, so you get used to grooming together in a positive way, and wash monthly until 24 weeks.
6 to 24 months: coat change. Tangles can form easily during this period. Blow the coat open daily to check for this. Are there any tangles? Protect the coat with coat spray, brush it out gently and use a comb to check whether the tangle is out. It is preferable to brush on a washed coat. Wash the coat weekly with a nourishing shampoo and a nourishing conditioner to prevent tangles. It is best not to let the coat grow longer than four centimetres so you can brush from the skin more easily.
From 24 months. The coat is stable and requires less care. Washing and brushing once or twice a month may be sufficient, depending on the length and other factors. It is advisable to check the skin and hair every day.
Brushing
Brush your dog thoroughly once or twice a month, preferably after washing, with a universal brush with a springy base; a brush with curved steel pins from Activet or Les Poochs, for example, or a ChrisChristersen Coral Brush.
Brushing tips
First, blow the coat thoroughly, so it is airy and any tangles are detected. Protect the coat with coat spray before brushing. This makes the coat smoother and much easier to brush because it closes the hair cuticles. Make it a relaxing experience, preferably with the dog lying down. Start at the bottom, with a hind leg for example, and work your way up calmly. Hold the hair up with one hand and brush away small tufts from under your hand, starting from the skin. Let the brush do the work, don't press on the skin or hair. If you need to apply force, you have too much hair in your brush. When brushing the tail, brush from the tip closer and closer to the base, brushing from the skin.
Always check the coat with a comb after brushing. It should glide through without any problems. Keep snagging? Then there is still a tangle. Brush it out gently.
If your Labradoodle far too fluffy after brushing, spray the coat with a coat spray or water, and run your hands through it. That will make it nice and shaggy again.
Tangles
If you come across tangles while brushing, gently tap the brush into the tangle until it glides through easily Is the tangle too big? Cut it with a dematting comb, after which you can brush out the small tangles. If the tangles so bad you can no longer see the skin, there is matting. This pulls on the skin and is painful. It is best to have these tangles removed by a professional. Do not just cut them out, as this can easily damage the skin.
Washing
You should wash your doodle every two weeks, but at least once a month, with a nourishing dog shampoo and nourishing conditioner. Shampoo cleanses hair and skin, and opens the hair cuticles. Conditioner nourishes the skin and hair, and closes the hair cuticles. It is advisable to wash weekly during the coat change period.
Trimming
An Australian Labradoodle's hair grows quickly; about a centimetre a month. It is advisable to trim the coat regularly (every four to eight weeks) to ensure you can maintain it properly.
- Head. To keep seeing your dog's loving gaze, keep the eyes nice and clear. Trim the corners of the eyes short and tidy up the arch. As with the bridge of the nose - don't cut it too short. Keep the chin nice and short.
- Ears. Trim the ear canal and the hair under the ear nice and short.
- Moustache and beard. These should form a nice round whole with the head. The moustache can be cut in a curve from the nose to the ear canal. This prevents food remnants getting stuck in the moustache.
Paws. Trim the paw pads free of hair. This prevents water and dirt from being carried indoors. Trim around the paw, but leave the nails covered for a nice bear look. - Armpits and belly. You can keep the hair in these areas nice and short.
- Tail. Keep the part of the tail that touches the anus short, so no faeces get stuck in it.
Note: it is best not to trim the coat shorter than 1.5 centimetres to protect the skin. Between two and five centimetres is a nice cuddly length. Need help with trimming? Then find a groomer in your area.