We suggest that your new puppy not be bathed for a least one (1) week after the puppy has been brought home in order not to put more stress him. Try to make bath time a pleasant experience for the puppy – it will be easier for both of you now and into the future. It can be a happy, pleasant and loving time and a little preparation goes along way. You can make it fun by being a little excited, talk to you puppy in happy tones have all that you need readily at hand, i.e. shampoo, conditioner, rinsing cup, metal flee comb, lots of towels. The good news is the once again the goldendoodle linage is on your side. Both the Poodle and Golden Retriever are water dogs and generally easily take to water. One of our Mini-doodles loved bath time so much that since she was a puppy virtually falls asleep in bath; another lays in the water and looks like she is in a spa. After the bath we towel dry them drain the sink, line it with a dry towel and blow dry our doodle right there; this way it’s a little easier on your back. Hold the blow dryer 12 to 18 inches away from the dog and move it quickly back and forth while initially using you other hand to fluff her har followed by brushing while still blow-drying, until their coat is dry to the touch. One trick my wife used to get the puppy used to the hair dryer was to sit on the bathroom floor while she blow drys her hair after her morning shower. Of course the puppy naturally wants to come up and play and she would play by turning the blow dryer on the puppy in short bursts and talking excitedly with them and pretty soon the puppy learned to enjoy the warm air.
Young puppies should not be bathed too often, as it can dry out their skin and beautiful coat that the breed has been blessed with. Once every 7-10 days should be sufficient, unless the puppy gets into something.
A good brush to use is the #1 All-System pin brush with metal pins (no ball on the end) set-in flexible rubber and a medium-toothed comb. You MUST brush your dog at least three times a week to keep him, clean, free of mats, beautiful and comfortable. If small mats develop and cannot be easily brushed out it is ok to cut them off because they will continue to get larger. Brushing daily is best. If you wish to avoid the bother of a long coat, it is perfectly permissible to cut his coat. Your local groomer will show you the various styles a Mini Goldendoodle can wear well. If you choose to keep him “in coat”, you must keep him clean and mat free. Start brushing and combing your puppy as soon as possible and he will soon learn to love the grooming routine and the time he spends with your full attention.
Some helpful hints:
1. Make sure the area is free from drafts – turn down your air conditioner or turn it off so as to take the chill from your home. Make certain the puppy does not get chilled during the bath. You may want to place a small piece of cotton into each ear to help keep water out.
2. Our Mini Goldendoodle are small enough to be bathed in the kitchen sink. Place a rubber mat or a towel on the bottom of the sink to give the puppy a more secure footing. Then fill the sink with warm water to a level she can stand and comfortably keep her head out of the water, then place the puppy in the sink and wet her down with warm water using a plastic cup, being very careful not to get any water in the nose or mouth. (You can drown your puppy if not careful.) To wash the face, apply a tearless shampoo from the applicator bottle. You have more control this way in order to keep shampoo out of the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Dip a toothbrush in the soap to clean the facial hair and rinse with clean water. If you use a human shampoo, use one formulated for fine hair. Following the shampooing drain and refill the sink and then the puppy may be rinsed usind the cup. After the puppy gets a little older and more relaxed in the bath the faucet sprayer attachment used to wet and rinse her. It is very important to rinse all the soap off the puppy as any residue can cause dry skin and itching. She should feel “squeaky” clean when all of the soap has been rinsed off.
3. After the puppy has been thoroughly rinsed, use a cream rinse or hair conditioner to help de-tangle and condition the hair. Dogs are designed to drain off excess water pretty well, simply use you hands to run down her back, follow by her legs, tail and ears and finally gently squeeze the hair around her paws and you will eliminate most of the water. Then wrap her in a thick towel and gently squeeze the hair to absorb most of the remaining water (do not rub back and forth to dry as this will mat the hair). Then blow dry as described above.
4. Cut the puppy’s toe nails as needed, being careful not to cut into the pink quick as this is very painful for the dog. (Snip off the white, clear end only- you can see where the pink vein ends).
5. Grasp the hair growing inside the ears between your thumb and forefinger and gently but quickly pull out the excess hair, making certain to only pull the hair inside the ears.
6. With a hair dryer set on the warm setting, blow dry the puppy, brushing the hair constantly with the #1 All-Systems pin brush until the section you are working on feels dry. Be sure to brush only in the direction of the hair growth. For best results, dry the head, ears, and top coat first, then turn her on his back or stand him up to dry the legs and stomach area. When your Mini Goldendoodle is dry, turn the dryer to cool or air setting and blow through the coat to cool it. Now feel for any damp spots. If she’s left with any damp spots in the coat, this area will turn into a mat and be almost impossible to comb out. Never let them dry naturally as they can become chilled. Make sure the dryer is not too hot as you can burn the puppy’s skin (if it feels hot on the back of your hand then it’s too hot). Hair dryers manufactured specifically for animals are the safest to use because of the temperature control.
If your dog gets fleas, use a flea shampoo, but keep it out of their eyes. Since fleas run to the face, look for them and pick them off. Advantage or Advantage-Multi works great and can be purchased from your veterinarian.
This information is intended as a reference only, not as a medical, training, or grooming manual. The information given here is designed to help you. It is not intended as a substitute for any care or treatment that may have been prescribed by your veterinarian or other animal professional. If you suspect that your pet has a medical, training or grooming problem, we urge you to seek competent, professional help as soon as you can.