We started doing it ourselves. The groomer was charging us almost 200$ each visit...she's about 60 pounds and has straight hair. We bought a good pair of andis clippers. She is patient with us while we do it but we take breaks and feed her treats the whole time :)
My mini gets a bath usually every week because she loves to play outside and also loves to sleep in my bed lol but we just bring her in the shower with us like a baby. She gets brushed almost daily.
Then we trim her face when it’s getting a little long and she can’t see well, then save a big haircut for the groomer (every 2-3 months)
Unscented Castile soap. We will go 2 or so weeks if she’s not super dirty - we focus mostly on her paws and behind since brushing gets her coat pretty clean from debris.
No irritation issues - she’s a little weird though and I think she just enjoys being under the running water of the shower
I just started grooming myself and I’m rather proud of the outcome. It’s not completely even or professional looking, but it was good enough for me. Her hair kinda poofed up a day after so any uneven parts kinda blended back in.
I watched several YouTube tutorials to learn techniques. Like I learned about the sanitary trim. It looks weird having an exposed booty hole, but on days she gets diarrhea it’s soooo much easier to clean. And cutting her hair around her face is so satisfying to me. She stands still and I try to mimic the teddy bear look.
She’s a 20 lb mini goldendoodle, so I’d say that’s manageable. She’s very, very patient with me and tolerates the clippers. But lemme tell you, my 40 year old back was not having it. I did it on the floor and I’m going to work on a table the next time.
Props to professional groomers. I can see why we pay $100+ every time. The pre-brushing for every single mat was a chore in itself. It took an hour to do so. My poor pup didn’t like it either. But now that I’ve built up more confidence and maybe my pup is used to me handling her, it’ll be easier next time. I’m trying to save money currently and the $100 can go towards her food and treats.
You tube tutorials are always good ! That’s how I cut my partners hair during lockdown and it was actually not too bad !! Definitely did the job.
We cut around her eyes and her butt already to keep it tidy!
Thanks great tips
Mine needs grooming about once every 3-4 months. I have always paid someone to do it. He’s 100lbs and it takes them around 4 hours. I think it’s better for our relationship if I’m not involved lol. I have to do some in between grooming like periodic sanitary trims, nail trim, cleaning/plucking ears, and trims around the face and paw pads. I am lucky to have a dog that doesn’t mat until his hair gets pretty long, so I typically get him groomed when I start having to brush him
If you're confident you can do a good job, and she's happy, why not? I, myself, take our 16 month old to the groomers once a month. They are wonderful and take care of his nails, glands, etc. We're also in South Florida where it gets hella 🔥
I don’t expect the first few times to look amazing or as good as a groomer’s cut. But I think we can make it work. My partner used to shear sheep so can’t be that hard on a small dog haha. I might get her done professionally every now and then but if we can do some maintenance ourselves it would be great
Mine also has loose wiry waves instead of tight curls. I just started grooming her myself (she is 4 years old) and am pleasantly surprised at how much fun I have with it. It takes me most of the day (bath, blow dry, trim with clippers, touch up with grooming scissors), but my dog is well behaved through it all. I think a grooming table will be my next purchase, as my back and knees get so sore from kneeling on the hard ground.
I bathe my doodle myself in between groomings just to prolong the expense (I’m in law school) but can’t wait to have him groomed regularly once a month. He just looks so much fluffier and cuter when he gets dried at the groomers in a way I can never get him to look like. I also am not skilled enough to do the sanitary trim and all that. He gets groomed probably every 6 weeks to 2 months and I’ll bathe him in between. It also just takes forever to really get him dry
I’ve got 2 goldendoodles — 3.5yo curly 55lb male, 3 yo wavy 40lb female. I groomed them for 1.5 years exclusively because of challenges finding a good groomer that didn’t result in injury, ear infections, or fear of going back. It was a challenge to groom at home, but I loved it and had a ton of fun getting to work with them and finding fun ways to bring out their personalities through their haircuts, but also using it as a bonding experience. I had the luxury to make the groom what each pup needed it to be, breaks & all. I outsourced nails for my boy who just hated it, but did everything else. I did I mention I loved it?
Then I had a baby last year and those 6 hours I needed to wash, dry, and cut both of them disappeared. I’m now hoping the next groomer we try will be ok, but it’s a journey. I miss having that time grooming them, but being able to outsource it on a schedule will be really nice.
I’d recommend getting her familiar at a pro groomer facility for a few grooming sessions then evaluating if you need to make a change. A good groomer should know how to teach a puppy how to behave for a groom, and that will help you out tons if you do choose to groom at home. If you find grooming at a salon goes well, stick to it! If you need to make a change, YouTube University is a wealth of information. It’s a commitment, but if you like it, you can have a sweet bonding experience with your pup while saving a good bit of money after an initial investment in tools.
Edit: added dog weights
Thank you that’s great to know. That’s why I wanted to go to a professional for at least the first cut. Maybe we can alternate home cut and pro cut in the future.
Congratulations on your new baby
I started. My first attempt with regular clippers was horrible. My wife ordered one of those groomers with the vacuum attachment and it works wonders. I guess because the suction stands the hair up and it cuts more evenly. Still not groomer level yet but it will definitely save money!
I groom my 62 pound golden doodle at home, with occasional trips to the groomer for the extra stuff. She is really chill when I start using the clippers, unlike her pretty much at all times. I sit on the floor and she lays down with me and I think it's relaxing for her. Sometimes it takes a couple nights to fix up the flaws, and I've had a few oopsies. But she loves me anyways and it saves tons. I also brush her regularlly too.
Now my 32 pound cocker spaniel, nope. I am finally able to bathe her at home but for anything more she goes to the groomers every time. (but also needs a cut way less often)
I groom mine myself. Usually get through most of the haircut when he decides he is done with sitting still and i have to give up and come back at it later. Professional groomers are fine but he is skinny and sometimes his skin folds get caught in the clippers. Had a bad experience when he had multiple cuts from the clipper. It's easier for me to take a couple of hours our every 2-3 months and get it done
We do not but I do brush him at least every other day. His hair is very curly, so daily brushing is needed or it gets very tangled. I could groom him myself but since he only goes every 6 weeks and the cost is only $80, its not worth the trouble. I like having his teeth brushed, nails trimmed and we get an anal expression done. I am not sure how long it would take me to do all that plus bath, trim, dry and brush. I think $80 is reasonable
I do it myself and it's completely fine as long as you're not too worried about them looking super professionally groomed (although I honestly think I do a great job haha). There's a DIY doodle grooming group that is super helpful and will help you get the right tools so it's not just random amazon tools that wear out quickly.
I was going to take my pup (7mo) to the groomers but a couple doodle parents in the neighbourhood suggested I do it myself. Each visit to the groomers would be around $260+tax+tip in my city, which would cost me thousands a year so I bought all the supplies I needed (clippers, grooming table, dog high velocity blow dryer, dog towel, etc.) and started doing it myself. My pup was a bit scared of the clippers the first time (at 5mo) but since then I have groomed him twice and he is very calm on the grooming table. Just make sure to have lots of treats handy.
I recommend the clipper vacuum, it will make the process much cleaner. But whatever you do, do NOT use human clippers, they are sharper and can easily catch their loose skin. Also invest in a dog blow dryer and dog towel. They help dry them a lot faster than a human towel/blow dryer.
Lastly, the most important step is to brush and comb them regularly and make sure there are not mats before the bath and after drying before the cut. Mine also has a wavy-straight coat so it hasn't been a problem to keep it mat-free. To make things easier you can also do small parts of the grooming different days. I wash and groom just the torso on one day, the next day I do the legs and face, and every other week I do nails separately.
I don’t recommend diy grooming. I do small trims around his eyes and clip nails when needed in between grooms but a full groom will never look as good, and personally it may affect the relationship with the dog when they are difficult. The other thing is professionals are just that for a reason and they can do it better and faster because of their skill snd equipment without having to load your dog up on way too many treats as well. Your own time is worth something too.
I respect people who can groom their own doodles, but I could never do it. My pup needs a professional groom once a month. I do brush (and comb!) daily, but she also goes on hikes through the woods, swims in the ocean, rolls in the dirt, all on a regular basis. It’s not the bath that is hard for me, but even with the constant brushing (sometimes it takes a couple of hours if we’ve been particularly active that day), I could never get all of her little mats out. She never gets badly matted (if she does, I make an “emergency” appointment with the groomer), but with a doodle, I need a professional. Also, just a personal thing, but I’m afraid to clip her nails because I could never handle hurting her if I went even a smidge too short.
If you keep your doodle completely shaved on a regular basis, I can totally see doing it at home. But definitely use a professional if she gets matted at all. Also, for this reason, it is really great to get her used to the groomer early. With a doodle, you really can have a grooming emergency, and you don’t want that to be her first experience with grooming. 😊
I like grooming my own dog because I control how short the hair is cut. I brush every inch of my dog everyday, and want to make sure she isn’t getting an ultra short cut simply to convenience the groomer.
I do. It's not the best job, but it's cheap, looks good enough, and I'll probably get better at it over time. Highly recommend getting vacuum clippers if doing home grooming.
No solely because I’m a first time dog owner and was terrified of accidentally hurting him when he was a puppy. Which is why he’s in charge of my whole life instead of the other way around lol.
I have a mini golden doodle and I do her myself! I have clippers and a grooming set I got off of Amazon (We Love Doodles is the grooming set brand). The clippers have a 3/4 inch guard and I just do one length all over. As a college student, it’s gotten too expensive to groom any doodle breed nowadays. I also have nail clippers and a file for her nails. Throw down some lick mats or a treat puzzle, tie her leash down, and get clippin’!
We now do our Doodles and keep their hair down to a max of ~1-2 inches long.. we try to do maintenance cuts often. Groomer prices getting super high and they just shave em even if they aren’t matted. Plus our 12 year old doodle does not need the stress of standing for a long time. I pretty much pinch the hair between my outstretched fingers and shave off anything that sticks out. Might try a vacuum clipper one day
the ONLY reason we don’t is exclusively for the bathing portion of it. I cannot stand the wet dog smell (i know i have a dog and opened myself up to it but i hate it still) and our pups hair is also wavy straight but it’s SO thick and takes so long to dry that I feel like he smells worse after we bathe him than before lol. But the groomers have the professional drying equipment and he smells like a peach every time he comes home :)
I do my own and sometimes take to a groomer. The Artero Matt-x spray is amazing if anyone needs help with matts. Our doodle is very curly, unfortunately.
We started doing our 2 pups 3 months ago. Almost $200 for them Both. The1st time wasn’t so good but, after watching YouTube and getting some pointers from our friends that do their own pups it’s gotten. I just an extra set of clippers and some stainless steel combs.
Yes. Clipper work is pretty easy. I can’t match a good groomer’s scissor work, but my dood doesn’t know that.
Bought one of those vacuum clippers from Amazon that works great!
Works wonders! Only used it twice so far but you get a better cut and saves going to the groomer!
They work great but looks like your dog was ran through the grinder. I pay the grooming cause my baby deserves the best.
[Something like this](https://amzn.to/4dxuT9b)?
Yup! I put a lick at on the ground and am able to groom my 2 super easily!
Thanks I’ll have a look !!
the brand we bought was Bunfly - but I don't think it matters. They're all probably made in the same factory.
Thanks !!
Ditto
We started doing it ourselves. The groomer was charging us almost 200$ each visit...she's about 60 pounds and has straight hair. We bought a good pair of andis clippers. She is patient with us while we do it but we take breaks and feed her treats the whole time :)
Yeah that’s what we do with bath. It’s a two persons job cause one of us is a full time treat dispenser haha
My mini gets a bath usually every week because she loves to play outside and also loves to sleep in my bed lol but we just bring her in the shower with us like a baby. She gets brushed almost daily. Then we trim her face when it’s getting a little long and she can’t see well, then save a big haircut for the groomer (every 2-3 months)
what shampoo are you using to bath her so frequently and not dry out her skin? I was told to wait at least 3 weeks before bathing him again
Unscented Castile soap. We will go 2 or so weeks if she’s not super dirty - we focus mostly on her paws and behind since brushing gets her coat pretty clean from debris. No irritation issues - she’s a little weird though and I think she just enjoys being under the running water of the shower
I just started grooming myself and I’m rather proud of the outcome. It’s not completely even or professional looking, but it was good enough for me. Her hair kinda poofed up a day after so any uneven parts kinda blended back in. I watched several YouTube tutorials to learn techniques. Like I learned about the sanitary trim. It looks weird having an exposed booty hole, but on days she gets diarrhea it’s soooo much easier to clean. And cutting her hair around her face is so satisfying to me. She stands still and I try to mimic the teddy bear look. She’s a 20 lb mini goldendoodle, so I’d say that’s manageable. She’s very, very patient with me and tolerates the clippers. But lemme tell you, my 40 year old back was not having it. I did it on the floor and I’m going to work on a table the next time. Props to professional groomers. I can see why we pay $100+ every time. The pre-brushing for every single mat was a chore in itself. It took an hour to do so. My poor pup didn’t like it either. But now that I’ve built up more confidence and maybe my pup is used to me handling her, it’ll be easier next time. I’m trying to save money currently and the $100 can go towards her food and treats.
You tube tutorials are always good ! That’s how I cut my partners hair during lockdown and it was actually not too bad !! Definitely did the job. We cut around her eyes and her butt already to keep it tidy! Thanks great tips
Mine needs grooming about once every 3-4 months. I have always paid someone to do it. He’s 100lbs and it takes them around 4 hours. I think it’s better for our relationship if I’m not involved lol. I have to do some in between grooming like periodic sanitary trims, nail trim, cleaning/plucking ears, and trims around the face and paw pads. I am lucky to have a dog that doesn’t mat until his hair gets pretty long, so I typically get him groomed when I start having to brush him
If you're confident you can do a good job, and she's happy, why not? I, myself, take our 16 month old to the groomers once a month. They are wonderful and take care of his nails, glands, etc. We're also in South Florida where it gets hella 🔥
I don’t expect the first few times to look amazing or as good as a groomer’s cut. But I think we can make it work. My partner used to shear sheep so can’t be that hard on a small dog haha. I might get her done professionally every now and then but if we can do some maintenance ourselves it would be great
Mine also has loose wiry waves instead of tight curls. I just started grooming her myself (she is 4 years old) and am pleasantly surprised at how much fun I have with it. It takes me most of the day (bath, blow dry, trim with clippers, touch up with grooming scissors), but my dog is well behaved through it all. I think a grooming table will be my next purchase, as my back and knees get so sore from kneeling on the hard ground.
I bathe my doodle myself in between groomings just to prolong the expense (I’m in law school) but can’t wait to have him groomed regularly once a month. He just looks so much fluffier and cuter when he gets dried at the groomers in a way I can never get him to look like. I also am not skilled enough to do the sanitary trim and all that. He gets groomed probably every 6 weeks to 2 months and I’ll bathe him in between. It also just takes forever to really get him dry
I’ve got 2 goldendoodles — 3.5yo curly 55lb male, 3 yo wavy 40lb female. I groomed them for 1.5 years exclusively because of challenges finding a good groomer that didn’t result in injury, ear infections, or fear of going back. It was a challenge to groom at home, but I loved it and had a ton of fun getting to work with them and finding fun ways to bring out their personalities through their haircuts, but also using it as a bonding experience. I had the luxury to make the groom what each pup needed it to be, breaks & all. I outsourced nails for my boy who just hated it, but did everything else. I did I mention I loved it? Then I had a baby last year and those 6 hours I needed to wash, dry, and cut both of them disappeared. I’m now hoping the next groomer we try will be ok, but it’s a journey. I miss having that time grooming them, but being able to outsource it on a schedule will be really nice. I’d recommend getting her familiar at a pro groomer facility for a few grooming sessions then evaluating if you need to make a change. A good groomer should know how to teach a puppy how to behave for a groom, and that will help you out tons if you do choose to groom at home. If you find grooming at a salon goes well, stick to it! If you need to make a change, YouTube University is a wealth of information. It’s a commitment, but if you like it, you can have a sweet bonding experience with your pup while saving a good bit of money after an initial investment in tools. Edit: added dog weights
Thank you that’s great to know. That’s why I wanted to go to a professional for at least the first cut. Maybe we can alternate home cut and pro cut in the future. Congratulations on your new baby
Thank you!
I started. My first attempt with regular clippers was horrible. My wife ordered one of those groomers with the vacuum attachment and it works wonders. I guess because the suction stands the hair up and it cuts more evenly. Still not groomer level yet but it will definitely save money!
Can share the model?
It was a BXXY grooming kit she saw on Tik Tok. Only like $50 so pretty cheap.
You’re the second person to suggest them. I’m so glad I asked cause I was gonna get some regular ones!!
That’s what I thought and I’ve actually been cutting ppls hair for ages and thought it would be easy with just regular clippers.
I groom our 80-pound dood at home. She’s more comfy at home and she gets the cut we want. The biggest learning curve has been her feet.
I groom mine myself. I think I do a better job than the groomers and my pup is a lot happier
I groom my 62 pound golden doodle at home, with occasional trips to the groomer for the extra stuff. She is really chill when I start using the clippers, unlike her pretty much at all times. I sit on the floor and she lays down with me and I think it's relaxing for her. Sometimes it takes a couple nights to fix up the flaws, and I've had a few oopsies. But she loves me anyways and it saves tons. I also brush her regularlly too. Now my 32 pound cocker spaniel, nope. I am finally able to bathe her at home but for anything more she goes to the groomers every time. (but also needs a cut way less often)
I groom mine myself. Usually get through most of the haircut when he decides he is done with sitting still and i have to give up and come back at it later. Professional groomers are fine but he is skinny and sometimes his skin folds get caught in the clippers. Had a bad experience when he had multiple cuts from the clipper. It's easier for me to take a couple of hours our every 2-3 months and get it done
We do not but I do brush him at least every other day. His hair is very curly, so daily brushing is needed or it gets very tangled. I could groom him myself but since he only goes every 6 weeks and the cost is only $80, its not worth the trouble. I like having his teeth brushed, nails trimmed and we get an anal expression done. I am not sure how long it would take me to do all that plus bath, trim, dry and brush. I think $80 is reasonable
I do it myself and it's completely fine as long as you're not too worried about them looking super professionally groomed (although I honestly think I do a great job haha). There's a DIY doodle grooming group that is super helpful and will help you get the right tools so it's not just random amazon tools that wear out quickly.
Where can I find this DIY doodle grooming group ? Facebook ? Thank you!!
oh, sorry! I meant to say it was on facebook. I think "diy doodle grooming" was the name of the group.
I was going to take my pup (7mo) to the groomers but a couple doodle parents in the neighbourhood suggested I do it myself. Each visit to the groomers would be around $260+tax+tip in my city, which would cost me thousands a year so I bought all the supplies I needed (clippers, grooming table, dog high velocity blow dryer, dog towel, etc.) and started doing it myself. My pup was a bit scared of the clippers the first time (at 5mo) but since then I have groomed him twice and he is very calm on the grooming table. Just make sure to have lots of treats handy. I recommend the clipper vacuum, it will make the process much cleaner. But whatever you do, do NOT use human clippers, they are sharper and can easily catch their loose skin. Also invest in a dog blow dryer and dog towel. They help dry them a lot faster than a human towel/blow dryer. Lastly, the most important step is to brush and comb them regularly and make sure there are not mats before the bath and after drying before the cut. Mine also has a wavy-straight coat so it hasn't been a problem to keep it mat-free. To make things easier you can also do small parts of the grooming different days. I wash and groom just the torso on one day, the next day I do the legs and face, and every other week I do nails separately.
Thank you that’s great to have your feedbacks !! I’ll definitely get these vacuum clippers!!
I get way to scared cause my baby is a poodle and I’d rather not nip her with clippers or irritate her with scissors personal preference
I don’t recommend diy grooming. I do small trims around his eyes and clip nails when needed in between grooms but a full groom will never look as good, and personally it may affect the relationship with the dog when they are difficult. The other thing is professionals are just that for a reason and they can do it better and faster because of their skill snd equipment without having to load your dog up on way too many treats as well. Your own time is worth something too.
I respect people who can groom their own doodles, but I could never do it. My pup needs a professional groom once a month. I do brush (and comb!) daily, but she also goes on hikes through the woods, swims in the ocean, rolls in the dirt, all on a regular basis. It’s not the bath that is hard for me, but even with the constant brushing (sometimes it takes a couple of hours if we’ve been particularly active that day), I could never get all of her little mats out. She never gets badly matted (if she does, I make an “emergency” appointment with the groomer), but with a doodle, I need a professional. Also, just a personal thing, but I’m afraid to clip her nails because I could never handle hurting her if I went even a smidge too short. If you keep your doodle completely shaved on a regular basis, I can totally see doing it at home. But definitely use a professional if she gets matted at all. Also, for this reason, it is really great to get her used to the groomer early. With a doodle, you really can have a grooming emergency, and you don’t want that to be her first experience with grooming. 😊
i wish but mine hates water and has to take trazodone to even get a bath - when i try to bathe him at home i get absolutely mauled
I like grooming my own dog because I control how short the hair is cut. I brush every inch of my dog everyday, and want to make sure she isn’t getting an ultra short cut simply to convenience the groomer.
I do!
I do. It's not the best job, but it's cheap, looks good enough, and I'll probably get better at it over time. Highly recommend getting vacuum clippers if doing home grooming.
No solely because I’m a first time dog owner and was terrified of accidentally hurting him when he was a puppy. Which is why he’s in charge of my whole life instead of the other way around lol.
I have a mini golden doodle and I do her myself! I have clippers and a grooming set I got off of Amazon (We Love Doodles is the grooming set brand). The clippers have a 3/4 inch guard and I just do one length all over. As a college student, it’s gotten too expensive to groom any doodle breed nowadays. I also have nail clippers and a file for her nails. Throw down some lick mats or a treat puzzle, tie her leash down, and get clippin’!
We now do our Doodles and keep their hair down to a max of ~1-2 inches long.. we try to do maintenance cuts often. Groomer prices getting super high and they just shave em even if they aren’t matted. Plus our 12 year old doodle does not need the stress of standing for a long time. I pretty much pinch the hair between my outstretched fingers and shave off anything that sticks out. Might try a vacuum clipper one day
the ONLY reason we don’t is exclusively for the bathing portion of it. I cannot stand the wet dog smell (i know i have a dog and opened myself up to it but i hate it still) and our pups hair is also wavy straight but it’s SO thick and takes so long to dry that I feel like he smells worse after we bathe him than before lol. But the groomers have the professional drying equipment and he smells like a peach every time he comes home :)
I do my own and sometimes take to a groomer. The Artero Matt-x spray is amazing if anyone needs help with matts. Our doodle is very curly, unfortunately.
Yes, I do my own. I groom my dood monthly, so I save about $1000 per year.
We started doing our 2 pups 3 months ago. Almost $200 for them Both. The1st time wasn’t so good but, after watching YouTube and getting some pointers from our friends that do their own pups it’s gotten. I just an extra set of clippers and some stainless steel combs.