Do Labradoodles Need Haircuts? (Best Advice and How Often)

Labradoodles have a beautiful coat. We love how soft and teddy bear-like Max, our Miniature Labradoodle, is. We all to keep this looking as brilliant as possible?

So, do Labradoodles need haircuts to stay looking fantastic?

Will you need to do any additional grooming? We will answer all questions that you may have about keeping your dog’s hair in pristine condition on this page. Seriously.

Read this advice to have a fantastic looking Labradoodle 365 days of the year!

Do Labradoodles Need Haircuts?

Yes. Labradoodles, like most dog breeds, will need to have their hair cut reasonably frequently. There are several reasons for this:

• Looks (maintaining that teddy bear vibe)
• Health (matts and skin conditions)
• Comfort (vision, toilet, heat and cold)

Teddy-bear Looks Require Maintenance

For starters, the Labradoodle coat is beautiful. Most Labradoodle owners love the fleece-texture of the coat. The only way you will be able to keep that coat looking brilliant is by regular cutting.

Sure, there will be a few weeks after a haircut where your dog will have lost their coat volume and might look less teddy-bear than usual. But when it grows back, it’ll grow back as thick as ever.

Health Reasons

There are health reasons as to why the Labradoodle will need to have its coat trimmed regularly too.

Labradoodles do not have many health issues. This is because they really have taken the best of two amazing breeds of dog. However, the Labradoodle has gained one small problem from the Poodle genes. This is ‘Poodle Eye.‘ 

The hair around a Labradoodle’s eyes can grow quite long and thick. If it isn’t cut, then your dog will struggle to see through the hair. You also have to remember that the fur is also going to get into their eyes. This can cause severe eye irritation. If the problem is not dealt with, it is not uncommon for this to result in serious eye infections. 

You also need to remember that matted fur is a significant issue. It isn’t just unsightly, but it can cause some severe issues for your dog. Matted fur traps moisture. This can lead to sores on the skin of your dog. This will not only be painful for your Labradoodle, but this can also result in a serious infection.

How Often Do Labradoodles Need Haircuts?

On average, a non-shedding Labradoodle will need around five-seven haircuts per year. However, this is the average. Some dogs may need a little more, while others less.

If you have a decent grooming regime for your dog, e.g., you are brushing them every other day (we will talk more about this soon), then your dog may need fewer haircuts in a year.

For now, stick to the ‘once every 2-3 months’ rule. It won’t be long before you can tell whether this is enough for your Labradoodle. If you are working with a professional groomer, then feel free to ask them any questions. They will be happy to tell you whether the dog is receiving a haircut often enough.

If you can, try to schedule the Labradoodle’s haircuts for the warmer months. After all, if you are cutting the dog’s hair amid winter, they will get quite cold indeed! This, and the fact that shorter coats are much cooler for the thick-haired Labradoodle, so they will love having it chopped off during the warmer months.

If your Labradoodle enjoys adventure, e.g., loves rolling around in the mud, enjoys being outside in the rain, and really loves swimming.

Your adventure loving dog will probably need a haircut more often. This is because their fur is going to be a lot more prone to becoming matted.

How Can You Reduce the Need for Labradoodle Haircuts?

Perhaps the best way to reduce the need for your Labradoodle to have regular haircuts is to establish a proper grooming regime.

You should be brushing your dog’s coat at least once every couple of days. This will help to straighten out any matted fur. There are some problem areas on the dog, which are more likely to suffer from mats. You need to target these the most. We will talk about those in the next section.

Regular bathing of your dog certainly wouldn’t go amiss either. You will especially want to make sure that you bathe your dog after they get dirty outside.

If they are wet, then make sure that you dry them off as soon as possible. Always select a Labradoodle appropriate shampoo.

If you notice that the hair around your dog’s eyes is getting a little bit too long and maybe impairing their vision, then give it a small trim. You can do this with a small pair of scissors, but make sure that you are careful.

If your dog is not used to you cutting around their eyes, then they could be quite jumpy. This can lead to a rather severe accident. 

Remember, no matter what you do, this will only delay your dog’s next haircut. Almost every Labradoodle will need to have at least a couple of haircuts each year.

It is the only way that your dog can continue to rock that beautiful coat and be healthy.

What Are the Problem Areas for Labradoodles?

As we said before, there are certain problem areas on your Labradoodle. These are the areas that are more likely to suffer from matted fur. They are also the areas that a lot of people will end up missing.

When you have a good grooming regime in place, you will want to ensure that you pay special attention to these problem areas. If you take your Labradoodle to a professional groomer, then this is where they will be spending most of their time.

We have already discussed the length of fur around the eyes. However, this is not the only area where the fur can grow quite long and cause some issues.

Paws – Fur can often grow quite long around the paws. This will cause the dog to slip around when they are running. This, of course, can be very dangerous for the dog. Therefore, you may need to clip around your dog’s paws every couple of weeks.

Butt – Your dog may also suffer from long hair around their butt area. This is a hygiene issue. Dog poop will get stuck to the hairs around the butt. This will become a breeding ground for bacteria, or it may even attract flies. In either case, this will cause irritation for your dog, and it may even lead to an infection.

Places Labradoodles Get Matting

If you are looking to clear up matted fur, then make sure you pay special attention to these areas:

• Chest
• Neck
• Armpits
• Ears 

If you want to groom your dog correctly, then you mustn’t do this too fast. Be gentle, and make sure that you groom their fur in small sections so that you can ensure that all matted fur has been straightened out.

The one issue many people have when they are grooming is that they will only brush the top of the coat. This may remove some matted fur, but it is certainly not going to remove all of it.

Most matted fur is hidden in areas that you cannot see. So, spread the hair a little bit and brush the base coat. This will remove most matted hair. 

We know that this is going to be a lot of effort, but we promise you that this really is going to be the best way to keep your dog boasting a perfect coat and, above all, keep them nice and healthy. A Labradoodle that doesn’t have a regular grooming routine in place is far more likely to suffer from health issues.

Can You Cut Your Labradoodle’s Hair Yourself?

You can. The job isn’t too tricky. DIY grooming follows the same sequence pretty much every time. Get the right tools – and practice will make perfect.

Another strategy is to outsource the effort. Take your Labradoodle to a professional groomer. You can be confident knowing that the job will be done correctly. It also means that your dog is going to look decent when the haircut is done.

If you do not have a basic brushing and grooming routine in place, then it is crucial that you work with a professional. Without regular brushing and grooming, your Labradoodle is going to have a lot of matted fur. It can be quite painful for your dog if you try to remove the matted fur on your own.

If you must give your Labradoodle a haircut ‘DIY-style,’ then invest in a good pair of clippers that have been made for dog grooming. Make sure that you know how to use them before you get to work on your dog. It will make the experience much more pleasant for both you and your furry friend.

How to Prepare Your Dog for a Haircut?

If you are lucky, you will have a Labradoodle that won’t care about haircuts. It will simply sit still while somebody is going over them with a set of clippers and some scissors.

Sadly, most people are not lucky enough to have a dog this well-behaved. This is understandable.

Haircuts can be quite a scary experience for dogs. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to make your dog more comfortable. 

If you can, try to desensitize your puppy to haircuts from a young age. If a puppy experiences something at a young age, they will be much more comfortable with it as they get older. 

The scariest part about a haircut for a dog is often the sound of the clippers. Try to purchase the quietest set if this is an issue. You will also want to introduce the dog to those clippers slowly. Just introduce them to the sound. Don’t cut anything. They will eventually get used to it.

Playing with your dog’s ears may also help to prepare them for the experience. If you are giving your dog a haircut, then you may want to try and play with their ears as much as you can throughout. This will help to calm your dog down.

Finally, make sure that you have treats on hand. Try to make the whole experience as fun as possible. Talk to your dog. Give them a reward when they do something good. It won’t be long before they enjoy the whole haircutting experience.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. Labradoodles are going to need to have a haircut on occasion. Several times per year, in fact.

However, as long as you groom them regularly, you may be able to keep the number of haircuts that they need down to a minimum. For most dogs, it is vital to get these haircuts. Otherwise, you are going to end up with an unhealthy dog.