Grooming

Every Miniature Doodle puppy has a certain amount of grooming that is required to keep the mini doodle puppy in tip-top shape. Some Mini Doodles require more effort than others, and it can be confusing since there are variations of coat types in Mini Doodles.

The majority of grooming will come down to the coat of the Mini Doodle.  This means there will be individual variations in grooming requirements  based on the type/style of coat your individual Miniature Doodle has. Generally speaking, the grooming can be broken down like this:

CURLY COAT:  

Curlier Miniature Doodle coats don’t shed normally at all.

What curly coats do is continue to grow! It’s just like our hair, and  if you leave it fully alone without any type of trimming, it will grow,  and grow, and grow! 

What curlier coats do is require is a trip to the groomer for a trim  once every 6-8 weeks depending on the look you desire for your Mini Doodle. You may be able to wait 12 weeks in between visits  if you prefer a less trimmed appearance and a more shaggy look to your Mini Doodle. A groomer will be able to not only trim your Miniature Doodle’s hair to a more manageable length, but she will  also be responsible for creating “the look” of your Mini Doodle. Ideally, you  should provide photos you like of groomed Mini Bernedoodles , Mini Aussiedoodles , Mini Goldendoodles or whatever the case may be, for the groomer’s  reference. Miniature Doodles are often cut into a “teddy bear” or “full face” cut so that their faces are not as close cut as a poodle’s face.

These coats should be brushed quite frequently. Ideally, your Mini Doodle should be done everyday. Without this brushing, the Mini Doodles curly coat will easily tangle and matt close to the body. Particular care should be taken to brush out the face, behind ears, tails, legs, and under the tummy. These areas are  more prone to matting.

WAVY COAT:

 Miniature doodles that have a more wavy coats require less routine professional groomer maintenance. Depending on how neat you want your Mini Doodle’s hair to be, one or two groomer visits a year to shape the coat, especially around the face,  may be desired.

A wavy coat doesn’t necessarily have to be brushed everyday, but it  should be well brushed 2-3 times a week. This is important to prevent tangling in the hair.

 Additional Grooming Requirements 

 For every hair style of Mini Doodle, there are a few other important aspects of your grooming routine: 

• Bathing: Too frequent bathing can dry out the dog’s coat and skin as  it removes natural oils.  A monthly bath should suffice  for mini doodles that are fairly clean dogs. If your Mini Doodle tends to be a  mud-puppy, your Miniature Doodle would require more baths.
• Blow Drying: It is not a requirement that you fully blow dry your freshly washed dog, but blow drying (using a blow dryer and brush) tends  to straighten out the coat and make it fluffier. It also helps ensure you don’t miss any errant tangles.
• Ear Care: As dogs with ears that don’t stand upright, special care needs to be taken. A weekly ear wipe out with a paper towel moistened  with liquid pet ear cleaner or warm water will cut down on oils, wax, and buildup.  Only wipe out the portion of the ear you can see! You will also want to  wipe the inside of ears dry after a bath or swimming . Ears left moist can be a breeding ground  for fungus or bacteria and lead to chronic ear issues. Lastly, your Mini Doodle’s ears should have the hair on the inside of the ears clipped or plucked to allow better air flow.
• Feet: Toenails must be trimmed on a schedule. As a puppy, the toenails will grow very quickly and lightly trimming once every 1-2  weeks keeps them at an appropriate length. When your Mini Doodle is an adult,  his nails should be trimmed once every 2-4 weeks. It is important to  maintain this schedule because nails left to grow long can damage a dog’s foot. Additionally, Mini Doodles have hair on the bottom of the foot and in between the toes. This hair is best kept short and so should be trimmed at toenail trimming time. Otherwise, this hair often matts into  little tangles in between the dog’s pads.
• Teeth: All Miniature Doodles should have routine dental care. The ideal  recommendation is to brush your dog’s teeth everyday, but if you can brush your dog’s teeth 1-3 times a week, this will greatly help reduce plaque on your dog’s teeth. Following this routine while your Mini Doodle puppy is still young will help your dog be use to this and easier to do as an adult.