Tips during the coat change

Every doodle puppy and similar dog will experience this: the coat change . It's impossible to say exactly when it happens, but your puppy can experience this change as early as six months old.
During the shedding process, the puppy coat changes into the adult coat.

The puppy coat is often a bit straighter, stands out beautifully, is wonderfully soft, and requires little maintenance. The adult coat is coarser, thicker, and can curl more. Once the adult coat emerges, the puppy coat is still on top. These two layers of different coats can easily become tangled and extremely matted. This can lead to a felted coat. This can happen very quickly during this period.
It's quite strange, because at first you barely have to maintain the coat, and then suddenly it's covered in tangles. If you catch it too late, or if you accidentally don't groom the coat properly, clipping it short is often the only solution. Fortunately, you can prevent this with proper coat care! We're happy to give you some tips on how to care for a Doodle's coat during its shedding season .

Tip 1: Brush your doodle regularly
During this period, brush the coat a few times a week with the right brush, using the layer-by-layer brushing method. Make sure the brush is suitable for your dog's coat. We personally prefer Activet brushes . These last a lifetime and are very good for Labradoodles and similar dogs. Read more about this in this blog post: Which brush does my dog ​​need ? Get your puppy used to brushing before this time.

Tip 2:
After brushing, use a comb to check the coat for small tangles.

Tip 3:
Use a mat splitter to safely cut through the mats, minimizing shedding and reducing the need to pull on the coat with the brush. We believe the mat splitter is the ideal tool for removing mats.

Tip 4:
During this period, bathe your puppy with the right products and use a water blower to blow dirt and loose hair out of its coat. This will help prevent tangles. A water blower we highly recommend is the Furdryer premium water blower . This is a great water blower with a two-year warranty and adjustable temperature and airflow. Don't fan it too much, as this can actually cause tangles. Gently move the water blower back and forth.

Tip 5:
Make sure the coat doesn't get too long during this period. The longer the coat, the more likely it is to develop tangles, especially large ones.

Tip 6:
Get your Doodle pup used to grooming before their coat change. Brush and comb their coat from an early age and get them used to being blown dry with a water blower. Be careful with Activet brushes , though; they're too sharp at first and puppy fur often doesn't need them yet. You can certainly introduce them, but keep it superficial to help your puppy get used to them. Alternatively, you can use the Artero bass brush or slicker brush.

Want more information, need more tips, or could use some well-intentioned advice? We at Doodle Essentials are happy to help. Feel free to email, call, or text us!