Goldendoodle coats are a big reason why these dogs have gained such popularity in recent years. With many combinations of hair, curly or straight, and a wide range of colors, the only thing more fun than choosing a Goldendoodle is picking out a new hairstyle! But do you know all the ins and outs of your Goldie’s coat?
Websites like WeLoveDoodles can give you valuable information. Let’s start from the beginning: what exactly can you expect to find when you look at your dog’s coat up close?
Puppy Fuzz
You’re probably used to seeing fluff on your Goldendoodle as a puppy – it’ll likely seem to explode from their body! This fluff is called “puppy fuzz” and is easy to confuse for a full coat.
Goldendoodle puppies come from a single coat, sometimes with a bit of fluff on the face in the shape of a pompom. The puppy fuzz will shed out with age – in some cases. It’ll happen as soon as your dog’s adult coat starts to grow in.
Some Goldendoodles won’t ever have noticeable “fuzz,” though. Those dogs with less fluff usually have an adult coat close to their skin color and are similar in feel to human peach fuzz.
The Adult Coat
Many Goldendoodles lose all their fluffy baby fur when they’re about three months old, but not all dogs do; you might find that your puppy is still relatively fluff-free at six months old.
If your Goldendoodle has lost all the fuzz, it’s time to start looking for adult coat characteristics. Check for individual hairs sticking up straight from your dog’s skin if you look closely. These are referred to as “guard hairs.”
The guard hairs are usually very soft and downy, but they’ll become more coarse over time. They’re the part of the coat that sheds out most efficiently.
Goldendoodles can have curly or wavy guard hairs. These curls often start forming when your dog is around a year old (or older). Curled guard hairs can make it harder for air and dirt particles to pass through them, which means that a furry Goldendoodle can have a ton of dead skin cells left in its coat.
Some Goldendoodles will have fur that feels more similar to human hair than dog fur, especially if their parents were Poodles. They’ll need regular brushing and lots of extra TLC from you.
Grooming Your Goldendoodle
The Furminator is your best friend when it comes to dealing with shedding Goldendoodles. The guard hairs loosen up quickly with this brush, allowing them to fall out easily into a pile below where your pup stands or sits. The FURejector button takes the hassle out of cleaning this brush.
Use websites like WeLoveDoodles for grooming tips. The undercoat is a layer of thicker, denser fur that’s underneath the guard hairs. The undercoat traps heat and helps to keep your dog warm in cold weather.
Undercoats can be soft or coarse; if yours has a shaggy coat all over its body, chances are you’ll find an undercoat beneath the fluff!
Some Goldendoodles have thin or patchy undercoats that show through their adult fur.
These dogs need extra protection from the chill when they’re outside for long periods. It may even be a good idea to get them a lightweight jacket to wear on chilly days.
If your Goldendoodle has a full undercoat, it might shed out less often than its furrier brethren. You may find hair left behind by the undercoat in your vacuum cleaner, on your couch cushions, or even all over your clothes after petting your pup.
Goldendoodles with full undercoats are also more likely to suffer from “blowouts,” where their entire undercoat is shed out at once, leaving them temporarily bare.
Dogs with lighter shades often have less fur than darker dogs. It’s one of the reasons why big puffy white Goldies are so popular. Sometimes, these lighter-colored dogs will need regular haircuts so they don’t get too hot.
Goldendoodle Coats in Motion
Some people think that Goldendoodles are hypoallergenic dogs. The truth is, they’re only less likely to trigger allergic reactions than most other dogs!
The Golden Retriever in your Goldendoodle’s DNA can mean that he sheds more profusely, making him “drier” and less furry. The Poodle part of his heritage increases the chance that he’ll have a soft undercoat or light coloring, both of which make him easier for people with allergies to tolerate.
Having said all this about coats, there are plenty of Goldendoodles out there whose coat characteristics don’t quite fit into any mold. It’s impossible to predict what kind of hair your pup will grow or how it will look.
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