Grooming and coat care
A practical guide to keeping your dog’s coat healthy, clean and tangle-free.
How much grooming your groodle needs depends largely on their coat type and lifestyle. If you’re not sure which coat type your groodle has — wool, fleece or flat — our Coats & Sizes page explains the differences.
As a general rule, groodle coats pick up small amounts of debris from the environment, and regular brushing helps prevent tangles and matting. The areas that need the most attention are behind the ears, in the tail plume and around the mouth.
Brushing and trimming
Wool coats mat easily and benefit from weekly brushing, with two to three professional trims a year.
Fleece coats are lower maintenance but still benefit from regular brushing to prevent knots. A trim around twice a year is usually enough.
Flat coats are the easiest to manage — a brush once a month will generally keep them in good shape.
Some owners choose to have their groodle’s coat shaved short twice a year, which reduces the need for grooming in between. Others prefer to let the coat grow longer for the classic shaggy look. Either way works well — it comes down to personal preference and how much time you want to spend on upkeep.
Getting your puppy groomed
It’s worth introducing grooming early so your puppy becomes comfortable with being handled and with grooming tools. Short, regular sessions with plenty of positive reinforcement — treats, praise, a cuddle — are the best way to build good habits. This pays off in the long run, especially for wool and fleece coats that need more frequent attention.
Ear care
Groodles have floppy ears that don’t allow for much airflow, which means they can be prone to ear infections and are worth checking regularly. Get into the habit of flipping the ears back for a quick look — the openings should be clean and free of any unusual odour.
To clean them, try wrapping a soft cotton swab lightly soaked in a suitable ear cleaner around your index finger and gently wiping the inside of the ear.
Avoid cotton buds, as they can damage the delicate structures inside the ear if used incorrectly.
After any ear clean, bath or swim, make sure the ears are properly dried. Moisture trapped in floppy ears can lead to infections.
Eyes
A small amount of daily eye discharge is normal for groodles. Wiping gently with a warm, wet cotton ball each day helps prevent build-up and reduces tear staining. Keeping the hair trimmed carefully around the eyes also helps avoid irritation.
Bathing
Bathing is only needed as necessary — usually no more than once a month. When you do bathe your groodle, use a gentle, veterinary-recommended shampoo that won’t strip the natural oils from their skin or coat.
A towel dry followed by a quick blow-dry is usually all it takes. Brushing the coat while you blow-dry can speed things up and leaves the coat looking its fluffiest.
Nails
Most groodles with an active lifestyle won’t need routine nail trimming. When they do, you can either do it yourself or have a professional handle it. It can be tricky to get right, particularly with groodles who have dark toenails where the quick (the sensitive core of the nail, containing blood vessels and nerves) is hard to see. Your local vet should be happy to walk you through this if you’re unsure.
