Different Styles to Groom Goldendoodles

A goldendoodle is a hybrid breed between a golden retriever and a poodle. These dogs tend to have thick coats that are typically curly or wavy, much like poodles. Due to their coat, few grooming styles are attractive, easy to manage and work well with their highly textured hair. The common grooming styles for goldendoodles are short, shaggy, lion, and retriever cuts or clips.

  1. Shaggy

    • Many owners prefer a long and shaggy clip on their goldendoodles due to the natural look of the cut. Use a blending shear to achieve a natural shaggy look and avoid a more precise scissored cut. Generally, shaggy clips leave the hair on the crown of the head with a bit of height, the hair on the back of the head blended into the neck and no separation on the tops of the ears. The hair on the feet is neatly trimmed and left a bit shaggy. The key to a natural, untrimmed look is to blend the coat to achieve a uniformed look throughout the coat.

    Short

    • A short clip on a goldendoodle is useful for avoiding the exaggerated look of a poodle as well as making it easier to keep the dog̵7;s coat from matting. A close trim, with the hair no more than 2 inches from the skin on the body and legs of the pet, is not only attractive on a goldendoodle but also keeps your pet warm in cold weather and protects the pet̵7;s skin from the sun and insects. Typically, most owners will keep the dog̵7;s full facial beard intact with the shorter cuts.

    Lion

    • The lion clip is commonly used for goldendoodles, as this cut works well with thick and curly coats. To achieve a lion cut, first let the hair grow long. Once the hair is at a desired length, trim the hindquarters, muzzle and the middle part of the coat, leaving the tail at full length. After completing the lion clip, your goldendoodle̵7;s coat should resemble a coat of a lion.

    Retriever

    • As the goldendoodle is part golden retriever, generally, the typical retriever cut works well with a goldendoodle̵7;s coat. To achieve a retriever clip, scissor the entire coat in a smooth and unbroken line to give a natural appearance. Scissor the coat by following the outline of the dog, leaving the coat no longer than 1 inch and the tail at full length.