Australian Labradoodle grooming does not differ much from other Doodles. Like any other Doodle breed, Australian Labradoodles can be rather high maintenance when it comes to maintaining their beautiful, luscious locks. Naturally, keeping up with the brushing and haircuts can take up quite a considerable amount of time, and of course, money. So, in this article, we’re going to discuss our best Australian Labradoodle grooming tips. Implement these hacks at home and you’ll never go back to a professional groomer again. We’ll also be sharing with you the top 3 Australian Labradoodle haircuts that you can easily achieve yourself. Let’s get started!
Top Australian Labradoodle Haircuts
Be sure to check out these two posts for tons more Doodle haircut pictures:Part 1(Doodle Body Haircut Styles) andPart 2 (Doodle Haircut Variations).
It’s now time for Australian Labradoodle grooming inspiration! These are the most popular Australian Labradoodle haircut styles that you can try out on your Doodle. And if you don’t like it, rest assured that the hair will always grow back and you can try another style next time.
Different groomers may have different ideas of what the following types of cuts are. It’s best to show your groomer a picture of exactly what you want to avoid any misunderstandings. If any of these pictures represent what you want your Australian Labradoodleto look like, be sure to bookmark this page for easy access when dropping them off at the groomer!
Australian Labradoodle Teddy Bear Cut
The Australian Labradoodle teddy bear cut is a favorite of many Doodle owners. Shorter on the body while slightly rounder and longer on the face and legs, the Australian Labradoodle teddy bear cut gives your pup the signature Doodle look.
Australian Labradoodle Shaved/Summer Cut
A popular choice in the summer months, the shaved/summer cut is exactly that – shaved or cut very short. It’s also a preferred choice for many Australian Labradoodles who live in warmer climates, as it keeps your pup cool and comfy throughout the year. It’s super easy to achieve and even easier to maintain.
Australian Labradoodle Puppy Cut
Another wildly popular Australian Labradoodle grooming cut is the puppy cut. It’s very similar to the Australian Labradoodle teddy bear cut. The key similarities are shorter hair on the body while the face and ears are kept longer. On the other hand, the puppy cut is usually easier to achieve and maintain.
It’s no wonder that this Australian Labradoodle haircut is called the puppy cut, as it sure does give them a true puppy-like look.
Australian Labradoodle Grooming Tips At Home
Can I groom my Australian Labradoodle myself? How do you brush an Australian Labradoodle? The good thing is that you can absolutely groom your Australian Labradoodle yourself! At home grooming sessions are a great way to bond with your four-legged friend. Not to mention, grooming your Australian Labradoodle at home is a lot less expensive than taking your pup to a professional groomer every month or two. Then consider the time spent on driving to and back from the groomer’s as well. The costs can add up pretty quickly!
However, it is worth mentioning that Australian Labradoodle grooming does require a little bit of practice, patience, and technique. To make the process a lot smoother for you, here are a few useful tips:
- Have your grooming tools at hand. We’ll list all the necessary tools you will need a bit later on in this article.
- Set aside plenty of time for a full-body groom, especially when you’re doing it for the first time. You can typically expect to spend around 3-4 hours on grooming. Naturally, Mini Australian Labradoodle haircuts will take you less time than grooming a larger Doodle.
- Always thoroughly brush your pup before and after giving them a haircut.
- If possible, leash your dog to keep them still and sound.
- Groom outside, in a garage, or bathroom, where you can easily clean up all the loose hair.
- Don’t yank, pull, or cause any discomfort while grooming your Doodle. This applies to everything – brushing, hair trimming, and nail clipping.
- Set the mood and tone. Always use positive reinforcement, praise your pup and talk to them, you can also have a few treats close by to keep them occupied. Additionally, you might want to put on some relaxing tunes to calm your Doodle.
- Introduce the grooming tools by letting your dog smell them beforehand. This is a great method to reduce anxiety and fear.
Australian Labradoodle Grooming Guidelines & Tutorials
Brushing
The most common activity in your Australian Labradoodle grooming routine is brushing. We recommend you brush your Dood daily or at least every other day. And that’s absolutely non-negotiable! Doodles like the Australian Labradoodle are inevitably high maintenance, as their hair is prone to matting. The easiest way to prevent it is by regularly tackling the knots, which in turn won’t let them form into mats.
Additionally, we recommend you learn the line brushing technique, which really helps you get out all the knots and tangles from the depths of your Dood’s coat. Whether you opt for a simpler brushing session or have to go in with the line brushing method, it’s best if you start brushing from the paws and move your way up towards the top. This way, you’ll be able to rid the coat of any knotted hair at a much faster pace, while your pup won’t feel as much discomfort. Here’s a useful guideline:
Shedding
As Australian Labradoodles are Multigenerational Doodles, they tend to shed very little or none at all. Most Australian Labradoodles come with either a wool or fleece coat. The first one is usually non-shedding, while the second one might shed very little or none at all. However, some Australian Labradoodles can inherit the hair coat, which is typically straight or with slight waves, and tends to shed more than the other two coat types.
Even though fleece and wool coats are usually very low to non-shedding, it’s still crucial you regularly brush their coats to rid it from dead, loose hair. Otherwise, you might notice that your pup leaves around a trail of dead hair. In addition to that, poor nutrition and stress can also contribute to shedding in Australian Labradoodles. You should also regularly bathe your Doodle. If necessary, use an anti-shedding dog shampoo.
Haircuts
Haircuts are an important part in the Australian Labradoodle grooming routine. Their hair can grow rather quickly, which can result in a dull, unkempt look. You’ll also want to make sure that there’s no hair obstructing your dog’s vision. However, it’s not all about the looks, as regular haircuts keep both their skin and coat healthy. Additionally, we also recommend you trim the hairs inside the ears to avoid ear infections.
Regardless of the Australian Labradoodle haircuts you’re going to choose, you’ll always want to pay close attention to safety, especially around more delicate areas like the face, eyes, ears, underneath the paws, and the groin area. For instance, when using a clipper, always make sure that the clipper blades do not get too hot. You’ll also want to make sure that you won’t accidentally cut into your dog’s skin. This also applies to scissors.
Grooming Specific Body Parts
So, how can you groom an Australian Labradoodle at home? In our online grooming video course, we’ll show you exactly how to get the job done and give the most gorgeous Australian Labradoodle haircuts from the comfort of your home.
See Also:
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Tools You Absolutely Need To Groom Your Australian Labradoodle At Home
If you’ve decided that at-home grooming is the way to go, you’ll have to stock up on a few grooming tools to help you get the job done like a true professional:
- Tool #1:
Brush –A high quality brush is going to be your most used grooming tool at home. In our ultimate Labradoodle brush guide we have listed the absolute crème de la crème of Doodle brushes!
- Tool #2:
Comb – Like other Doodles, Australian Labradoodles are prone to matting. To tackle this problem, you’ll need a sturdy and durable comb (see best brushes article) to work through tougher knots and tangles. A comb is also great for brushing the hair on those hard-to-reach and more delicate areas like eyes, ears, face, and paws.
- Tool #3:
Dog Clippers –If you’ve decided to give your pup haircuts at home, you’ll be needing a pair of good quality dog clippers. If you’re unsure where to start, our article on the best dog clippers for Doodles will give you a great head start. These will greatly reduce the time you’ll spend on haircuts and last you a long time.
- Tool #4:
Scissors –Although dog clippers will do most of the legwork, you’ll also need a durable pair of dog scissors for the face, ears, around the eyes, and paws. Here we have reviewed the best dog scissors for Doodles.
- Tool #5:
Thinning Shears – Dog shears a.k.a. thinning shears look very much like regular scissors. But, they’re so much more than that! With this handy tool, be prepared to give your pup salon-quality haircuts at home, as they will seamlessly blend in the different lengths of hair while avoiding that unprofessional choppy look.
- Tool #6:
Detangler Sprays – Our own favorite staple in a Doodle’s grooming kit is a good detangler spray. These will help you brush through thick Australian Labradoodle hair with no fuss. In this article, we’ve listed the top detangler sprays recommended by pro groomers.
- Tool #7:
Shampoo –A great shampoo is your best ally for scrubbing that thick Australian Labradoodle coat clean from the roots. There are lots of different dog shampoos available on the market to choose from – for skin sensitivities and allergies, to dander and odor control.
- Tool #8:
Nail Clippers – To avoid injury and pain when walking, make sure you routinely clip your pup’s nails. Make sure you check our ultimate dog nail trimming guide, where you’ll find our favorite tried and tested nail clippers for Doodles.
- Tool #9:
Ear Cleaning Products & Treatments –Like other Doodles, Australian Labradoodles are prone to ear infections due to their floppy ears restricting airflow. Our guide on the best vet approved dog ear cleaners features lots of products you can use at home.
- Tool #10:
Grooming Table –We also recommend you invest in a dog grooming table (or build a DIY grooming table). Although it might seem like a stretch, a grooming table actually has many great purposes. Mainly, to keep you pup safe and still while you groom them, and to provide you more comfort during the process.
How Often Do Australian Labradoodles Need To Be Groomed?
How often does an Australian Labradoodle need a haircut? When is it time to groom an Australian Labradoodle? Similarly to other Doodles, taking care of the infamous Australian Labradoodle coat is not for the faint-hearted. You’ll have to be prepared for routinely brushing, haircuts, bathing, nail clipping, and other grooming activities. And it’s not just about vanity. Irregular brushing will most definitely lead to matted hair. This in turn can lead to painful spots, skin irritations and infections. When you don’t clip the nails regularly, it can lead to ingrown nails, pain, injury, and infections. And so on..!
So, to make this a little bit easier for you, here’s our sample schedule that works for most Australian Labradoodles:
- Brushing: daily or at least every other day
- Nail Clipping: weekly or biweekly
- Ear Cleaning: after every swim or bathtime
- Hair Trimming: every 6-8 weeks
- Ear Hair Trimming: every 6-8 weeks
- Bathing: every 3-4 weeks or before each haircut.
- Teeth Brushing: once or twice weekly.
Australian Labradoodle Grooming: Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Best Brush For An Australian Labradoodle?
There are a few brushes that we recommend for grooming an Australian Labradoodle. You should opt for a slicker brush, a pin brush, or both! Arguably, the most popular brush for Australian Labradoodle grooming is a high quality slicker brush, which has many purposes. The main thing to keep in mind is the volume, thickness, and length of your dog’s hair. We absolutely love the Chris Christensen slicker and pin brushes, which we talk more about in this article. You’ll also need a sturdy metal comb to really target smaller areas and stubborn knots.
How Do You Trim Australian Labradoodle Eyebrows?
Thanks to their signature Doodle looks, Australian Labradoodles can often grow super long eyebrows. On the flip side, these can obstruct your dog’s vision, if grown too long. We recommend you check out this guide, where we go in-depth on grooming a Doodle’s long eyebrows with scissors. In fact, we’ve also added our video tutorial in this very article, showing you exactly how it’s done.
Why Is My Australian Labradoodle Shedding?
Some Australian Labradoodles do come with a shedding coat, which mostly comes down to their genetics and coat type. Oftentimes, Australian Labradoodles with straight or slightly wavy hair might shed some. However, shedding can also be caused by rarely brushing, bathing too little, poor diet, or stress.
To conclude, we hope you learned some interesting new tips and tricks on how to groom your pup at home. Australian Labradoodle grooming is not as difficult as it sounds. You just need to learn the know-how, have some patience, and get some practice. Hopefully the Australian Labradoodle haircuts we showed you in this article will inspire your next at home grooming session!
Parents of Australian Labradoodles: What are your best kept Australian Labradoodle grooming hacks you implement at home? Let us know in the comments below!
The information on this page is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional groomer advice. Always seek the advice of your groomer, veterinarian, or other qualified animal health provider with any questions you may have.
