To groom a goldendoodle at home, work in this order: brush and comb to the skin, work out any tangles, bathe, dry completely, then clip the body with a #10 blade and a snap-on comb, and finish the face, ears and paws with a shorter blade or a small trimmer. Most doodles need a full groom every 4 to 8 weeks and brushing several times a week in between.
A curly or wavy doodle coat comes from the Poodle side, and it behaves like one. The hair keeps growing, sheds very little, and the loose hair stays trapped in the coat, where it tangles near the skin. The AKC's warning about full-coated Poodles applies: if you don't brush and comb completely to the skin, "the hair will mat near the roots and will have to be shaved off".
Our take. We haven't groomed a doodle with this gear ourselves. The steps come from the AKC, Groomer to Groomer (a trade magazine for professional groomers) and Whole Dog Journal; the gear comes from our roundups.
Do goldendoodles require a lot of grooming?
Most do. The Goldendoodle Association of North America (GANA) says doodles with a furnished coat (curly or wavy, with the beard and eyebrows) are typically non-shedding, while flat-coated doodles shed more. Non-shedding sounds easy, but it means the loose hair has to come out with a brush, or it mats.
| Coat (GANA) | Brushing | Full groom | Closest to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curly | Several times a week, to the skin; daily if long | Every 4–6 weeks | A Poodle |
| Wavy | Several times a week | Every 4–8 weeks | Between the two |
| Flat (straight) | Weekly; more when shedding | Tidy feet and face as needed | A golden retriever |
The groom intervals are our reading of the AKC's Poodle advice (many owners use a groomer every 4–6 weeks; a Poodle groomer suggests a bath and trim every 4–8 weeks). A shorter clip buys you more time between grooms and makes brushing faster. Size and coat details for your doodle are on our goldendoodle gear guide.
How to groom a goldendoodle at home, step by step
1. Brush out to the skin (line brushing)
Line brushing is how groomers make sure they reach the skin on a thick coat:
- Start at a back leg. With one hand, push the coat up so you can see a line of skin.
- Brush the hair below that line down and out with the slicker, a little at a time, until the brush glides.
- Move up half an inch, make a new line, and repeat. Work up the leg, then over the body in rows.
- Use a light hand. Firm slicker pins pressed hard scratch the skin (groomers call it brush burn).
- Comb every section afterward. If the comb slides to the skin, move on. If it catches, go back with the slicker.
Hot spots for tangles: behind the ears, the armpits, the chest and belly, the "pants" on the back legs, and wherever the harness or collar sits.
2. Work out tangles and mats
- Small tangles: hold the hair at the base, between the knot and the skin, so you don't pull. Work the knot apart from its outer edge with the slicker or the end of the comb, in short strokes.
- Tight mats against the skin: don't try to brush them out, and don't try to cut them out with scissors. Groomer to Groomer warns against pulling mats up into the clipper blade, where the skin can get caught. A clipper under the mat with a short blade is a groomer's job.
- A coat that's matted all over: the AKC's answer for Poodles is that it has to be shaved off and started again. That's a professional groomer's job, and your vet's if the skin underneath looks sore.
Brush out before the bath, always. Water tightens tangles into mats.
3. Bathe
Follow the AKC's bath basics: warm (not hot) water, a shampoo made for dogs, worked through to the skin in the direction the hair grows, and rinse until the water runs clear. Cotton balls in the ears help keep water out. Our bathing and brushing schedule has the full routine.
4. Dry completely
Groomer to Groomer calls a good bath and blow-dry "critical" before clipping, because clippers glide through a clean, straight, dry coat and snag in a damp, curly one.
- Towel off by squeezing, not rubbing, which tangles a curly coat.
- Use a dryer on low, kept moving and away from the face and ears, and brush as you dry. The AKC says skip the hottest setting and hold the dryer at least a foot away.
A dog dryer with a variable-speed dial makes this much easier on a young or nervous doodle.
5. Clip the body
Blade numbers run backward: the higher the number, the shorter the cut. These lengths are from Andis's blade and comb pages, the same chart as our dog clippers guide:
| Blade or comb | Leaves hair about | Use on a doodle |
|---|---|---|
| Snap-on comb over a #10 | 1/8" to 1" | The body, for any "teddy bear" length |
| #4FC | 3/8" (9.5 mm) | A fuller, natural-looking body clip |
| #5FC | 1/4" (6.3 mm) | A tidy, low-maintenance body clip |
| #7FC | 1/8" (3.2 mm) | Short summer clip |
| #10 | 1/16" (1.5 mm) | Sanitary area, under the ears; under a comb for everything else |
| #15 or #30 | 3/64" or 1/50" | Face, feet and tail on Poodles (an AKC Poodle groomer's choice); paw pads |
How to clip:
- Start with a longer comb than you think. You can always take more off next time. A comb leaves more coat than any bare blade.
- Clip in the direction the hair grows, with the blade flat, and overlap each stroke a little so you don't leave ridges (Groomer to Groomer).
- Hold the skin taut with your free hand so it can't bunch into the teeth.
- Go slowly around thin skin: armpits, belly, groin, ears and the base of the tail. Whole Dog Journal warns that clippers can snag or burn sensitive skin if handled carelessly.
- Check the blade on your wrist every few minutes. If it feels hot to you, it's too hot for your dog. Swap blades or take a break.
6. The face, ears and paws
- Face: comb the hair forward and trim around the eyes with blunt-tip scissors, pointing the tips away from the eye. Shape the muzzle round with scissors or a comb attachment. If your doodle won't hold still near the eyes, leave this part to a groomer.
- Ears: clip or scissor the ear leather to the length you like; keep a finger behind the ear edge so you know exactly where the skin ends.
- Paws: trim the hair between the pads short with a small trimmer or a #30 blade, and round the hair around the foot with scissors.
- Nails: finish with a trim; our nail guide covers the quick and black nails.
The goldendoodle teddy bear cut
"Teddy bear" isn't one fixed length. It usually means the same moderate length all over with a round, fluffy face. To do it at home:
- Clip the body and legs with a longer snap-on comb over a #10. A longer comb gives a fluffier bear; a shorter one is easier to keep tangle-free.
- Leave the head a little longer than the body and scissor it into a circle around the eyes and muzzle.
- Round the feet so they look like paws, not slippers.
How to groom a poodle at home
The same order works for Toy, Miniature and Standard Poodles. The AKC's Poodle advice adds a few points:
- Brush daily unless your Poodle is kept in a short trim, always to the skin.
- Bathe and trim every 4 to 8 weeks, says Poodle groomer Gail Wolaniuk, depending on how long you want the coat.
- Use #15 or #30 blades for the face, feet and tail, and groom on a table or other raised surface for control.
Size details and gear for each variety are on our Poodle gear guide.
When to take your doodle to a groomer
- The coat is matted close to the skin, or matted all over.
- Your dog panics at the clipper or dryer, even after slow introductions.
- You can't safely work around the eyes.
- You see redness, sores, lumps or broken skin under the coat (that's a vet visit first).
Gear that helps
Chris Christensen Big G Slicker Brush
Best slicker for doodle coats. Evidence level: specs only. The maker markets it for doodle and poodle coats; it's handmade in Germany with long, dense pins (30% more than other slickers, per the maker) that reach into a curly coat. Medium suits Petites and Minis, Large suits Mediums and Standards. Use a light hand.
Pair it with the Andis Stainless Steel Pet Comb (specs only) to check you've reached the skin.
Andis UltraEdge Super 2-Speed Clipper (AGC2)
Best clipper for doodle coats. Evidence level: specs only (Canine Journal's "Best Professional" pick). A corded two-speed rotary clipper (3,400 or 4,400 strokes per minute) with a 14 ft cord that takes A5-style detachable blades. It ships with a #10 blade and no combs, so add Andis's universal snap-on combs (1/8" to 1").
For a Petite, or just the face and feet, the cordless Wahl Bravura Lithium (specs only) has a 5-in-1 adjustable blade and six guide combs; Wahl lists it for full clips on small and medium dogs only.
SHELANDY Dog Grooming Dryer
Best budget dryer. Evidence level: tested by Whole Dog Journal, which named it its best budget dog dryer. Variable speeds let you start very low with a young doodle, and the heater is optional. WDJ notes users report it's loud.
A grooming table like the Master Equipment 36" (specs only: pebbled rubber top, folding legs, arm and loop) puts a Medium or Standard doodle at waist height. Never leave your dog alone on it.
This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. If you're worried about your dog, talk to your vet. Mats can hide sore or broken skin. If you find redness, sores, lumps, a bad smell or parasites under the coat, or you nick the skin while clipping, have your vet take a look before you carry on grooming.
FAQs
How do I groom a goldendoodle for beginners?
Start small. Brush and comb to the skin a few times a week, and for your first clip, do only the feet and sanitary area. When you're ready for the body, use a #10 blade with a long snap-on comb, so mistakes are long ones. Always bathe and dry fully first.
How do you groom a goldendoodle with clippers?
Bathe, dry and brush out first. Clip the body in the direction the hair grows with a snap-on comb over a #10 blade, overlapping strokes, holding the skin taut. Use a shorter blade or trimmer for paw pads, and check the blade's heat on your wrist every few minutes.
How do you groom a goldendoodle with mats?
Small tangles: hold the hair at the base and work them apart with a slicker. Tight mats against the skin: don't brush or scissor them out, and don't pull them into the clipper. A coat matted all over needs a short clip by a professional groomer.
How often should a goldendoodle be groomed?
Brush several times a week, and plan a full bath and clip every 4 to 8 weeks, sooner for a curly coat or a longer cut. The AKC says many Poodle owners use a groomer every 4 to 6 weeks, a fair guide for a curly doodle.
Brush to the skin, dry before you clip, start long, and remember: it grows back.
