How To Groom An Aussiedoodle [Step by Step Owners Guide]

If you own an Aussiedoodle, then knowing how to groom them will enable you to keep their coat looking, smelling, and feeling great. In this guide today, we will be covering exactly what you will need to do, along with some of the main considerations, tips, and best practices.

As a hybrid dog, a cross between a Poodle with an Australian Shepherd, not all Aussiedoodles will have the same style and type of coat.

Either way, grooming is an important aspect of dog ownership, and being aware of your dog’s coat can help ensure you provide them with what your dog needs.

Before we walk through each step, we will begin by answering some of the most commonly asked questions around grooming for an Aussiedoodle.

We will begin by looking at the different types of coats and what this will mean for you and your dog.

Their coat will of course need regular attention and upkeep, but learning how to do so yourself from home can save you a lot of money, time, and can support the health and well-being of your dog.

So, be sure to keep reading!

The Aussiedoodle Coat

Before we can look at the grooming requirements and needs of your Aussiedoodle, we first need to start by getting an understanding of the type of coat in which they have.

Aussiedoodles can actually come in two different coats; curly and wavy. What type of coat they have depends largely on genetics, their parents, the lineage, and what they inherit.

The Aussiedoodle is the result of breeding a Poodle and an Australian Shepherd.

Therefore, it naturally follows that we can look at these breeds to get a better understanding of what their coat is going to be like.

Poodles are known for having a single coat of curly hair, one in which does not blow out at specific times of the year. Blowing out simply means ‘shedding’ or naturally disposing of their coat in response to changes in the weather or to make way for a new coat.

By not shedding, Poodles are regarded as hypoallergenic; being more suitable for allergy sufferers than dogs with other types of coat.

An Aussiedoodle may inherit its coat predominantly from the Poodle parent. If this was to occur, the Aussiedoodle could have curly hair.

Otherwise, an Aussiedoodle could inherit their coat from the Australian Shepherd lineage. Australian Shepherds wear a double coat that can blow out/shed during certain times of the year.

This coat is also wavier than it is curly – needed less grooming/trimming than an Aussiedoodle with the curlier, poodle-type coat.

Either way, all Aussiedoodles will have a single coat. This is a dominant genetic factor, so they will not possess an undercoat and will not shed much if any at all.

So, a curly-haired Aussiedoodle will have inherited their coat from the Poodle lineage, whereas a wavy-haired Aussiedoodle will have inherited their coat from their Australian Shepherd lineage.

Of course, this has ramifications for how they look, and how they need to be groomed.

Curlier coats generally require more regular and frequent upkeep – they will need more brushing than a wavy coat.

In fact, brushing is recommended daily in Aussiedoodles with curly coats. This will prevent matting, keep the coat clean, and will also keep the curls in better condition.

A wavy coat generally does not need to require as much maintenance and grooming because this type of coat naturally takes care of itself, with shedding doing a lot of the work on the owner’s behalf.

Nonetheless, brushing should be done on a wavy coated Aussiedoodle anywhere from 1-2x per week. You may even notice hair on the brush as you do so.

So, it is important that as an Aussiedoodle owner – you take their type of coat into consideration.

What Type of Coat Do Aussiedoodles Have?

Aussiedoodles have hair, as opposed to fur. For this reason, they only need occasional grooming to keep their coat at optimal length and to keep it in better condition; one which makes it easier to look after and manage.

Thankfully, Aussiedoodles do not shed their hair much, if at all. In fact, this is one of the reasons why they have become so popular among many families. Especially those with allergy sufferers. They can be classed as ‘hypoallergenic’.

For this reason, a small amount of hair is typical and found on the brush after brushing, but you should not expect to see large clumps of hair around your home – as can be the case when keeping other breeds.

How much an Aussiedoodle needs to be groomed, will ultimately depend on the owner; and how you want your dog to look.

However, matting can be painful and uncomfortable for your dog – tangled hair can even lead to sores on the skin.

So, you will want to ensure that this does not develop and is quickly brushed out when detected.

Generally, the length of the hair will determine how often your dog will require brushing. The longer the hair, the more it will likely need doing.

How Often Should You Groom An Aussiedoodle?

How often you groom your Aussiedoodle will depend a lot on their type of coat, and the level of grooming you want to provide.

All Aussiedoodles will require regular brushing. But outside of this, your dog will require their nails to be trimmed, ears, eyes, and teeth cleaned from time to time.

Undertaking the grooming at home is the most cost-effective way of doing this. However, you will need to invest in certain items and supplies upfront. This will include clippers, guards, brushes, scissors, and dog-friendly cleaning products.

Taking your dog to a professional groomer is of course the other option. While it is much more costly, it will save you time.

You can introduce your Aussiedoodle to a professional groomer when they are a puppy, and this will help them to get used to the process. Just ensure they have had all of their puppy vaccinations, so this is generally from four months old onwards.

Generally, a visit to a professional dog groomer would take place every 6-8 weeks, if you decided to go this route.

You would be expected to pay anywhere from $50-$100 depending on the service and the groomer.

Sometimes a groomer will charge by the hour and sometimes there are additional costs on top of the initial fees.

Either way, a typical standard grooming session usually includes shampooing, brushing, a haircut, ear cleaning, and trimming.

As such, some owners decide to provide full grooming service to their dogs at home. It can easily be done with some practice and confidence and the supplies aforementioned.

Regardless of how you decide to groom your dog, your Aussiedoodle will require regular brushing at home.

Aussiedoodle coats, especially the curlier types, are prone to matting. Brushing their hair daily/weekly with a specialized dog brush is strongly recommended. Slicker brushes are perhaps the best for the Aussiedoodle breed.

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Its a good idea to brush your dog from an early age to ensure they get used to it.

Haircuts and trims can be done less frequently, but you may want to consider timing this around a change in the weather.

Regarding bathing, curly-haired Aussiedoodles do best with more frequent baths – once per week whereas wavy-haired coated Aussiedoodles generally can be bathed less – once per month or so.

How To Groom An Aussiedoodle (Step By Step)

Grooming your Aussiedoodle frequently will help them to feel more comfortable and enable you to inspect them for any potential issues. Plus it serves as a great opportunity to spend some time and give them some attention.

A regular grooming regimen should include:

Inspecting

Begin by inspecting their bodies, looking and feeling out for any changes or abnormalities.

A full-body stroke works well here. Feel for any lumps, bumps, dry patches, areas of hair loss, or anything that does not feel quite right.

Brushing

This should be done frequently with this bread, but again, it’s a good idea to include this in your less-frequent grooming routine.

You need to be careful with the type of brush you use.

Some are not appropriate for their coat type and can cause pain and distress without being able to remove any mats and tangles.

This Slicker Brush on Amazon is an excellent choice and a firm favorite among Aussiedoodle owners.

Bathing

The amount you bathe will depend on the type of coat your Aussiedoodle has and whether they are dirty, wet, muddy, or smelly.

When you do bathe your Aussiedoodle, you need to make sure that you are using one designed for dogs (like this great brand on Amazon).

This will only include dog-friendly ingredients and will not harm or damage their coat/skin – like a lot of human shampoos will.

Clean The Eyes

Before doing so, inspect your dog’s eyes and look for any signs of irritation or discharge.

These grooming wipes will help you to safely and effectively remove any dirt and help to clean your dog’s eyes safely.

If the notice site problems or severe discharge, it is suggested that you visit the vet.

Clean The Ears

Cleaning your dog’s ears regularly is also recommended. This will enable you to remove dirt and wax, which can build up and cause problems.

A good indicator that your dog needs an ear clean is visible signs of pain or discomfort. Ear scratching, head shaking, and odors are most commonly observed.

This is a great ear solution product that makes the process easier and is very effective at cleaning out the ears at the same time.

Nail Clipping

Keeping your dog’s nails clipped is essential. Long nails will cause a lot of pain and can even result in your dog changing their walking patterns which further puts a strain on their joints/limbs.

Nail clipping can be a challenge to perform on your dog, but a lot of vets will do this on your behalf if you did not want to pay for a groomer. You can usually get this done on a regular visit to the vet.

Alternatively, investing in a high-quality nail grinder can make this process a lot more simple, and more comfortable for your dog.

Teeth

Oral hygiene is important to all dogs, as it is us humans. Dental plaque can even lead to heart disease if left unchecked.

Sometimes, owners will purchase a toothbrush and toothpaste designed for dogs. However, it is often a challenge to raise the lips of your dogs and to brush properly.

Instead, getting dental toys, like this one on Amazon will leave the cleaning to your dog. They will be far more likely to take care of their teeth as playing with a toy is fun and rewarding.

Otherwise, grain-free dental sticks are another brilliant option.

Clipping

When it comes to clipping your Aussiedoodle, you of course have two options; either do this yourself or visit the groomer.

Outside of the cost, not every dog groomer will be familiar with the Aussiedoodle breed; and may even struggle to provide a hairstyle that you expect.

Therefore, if you did decide to go the professional groomer route, be sure to conduct some some research ahead of time. Discuss your options openly with them and validate their experience of grooming dogs with similar coats.

Equally, you can also look for particular hairstyles that you may want to provide to your groomer for inspiration.

If you have a certain haircut you want your dog to have, be sure to take some photos with you as it can be a challenge to illustrate exactly what you want. This will ensure you get the coat you are looking for.

Remember, this is a mixed breed so there is no standard to follow.

Nonetheless, you can look to clip your Aussiedoodle at home.

If you do decide to clip your dog; it is strongly advised that you purchase specific clippers purposely designed for dogs. These are much quieter (which will help to keep your dog content and calm). They are equally more gentle through the coat.

Click here to see a complete, best-seller set on Amazon. It is very cost-effective and comes with all the extras you need. This will give you all-round flexibility when it comes to your Aussiedoodles coat length, and at various parts of their body and the coat.

How To Clip Your Aussiedoodle

Ensure your your dog is thoroughly bathed, dried and brushed. Doing so will ensure that you can safely and effectively clip through the coat.

The Body

Attach a #1 comb to your clippers and clip from the middle of their back towards their tail. Take all of the hair off. You can go shorter if desired (depending on the hair cut you are looking for).
Continue with the 1″ clipper and clip the back of their hind legs. Run from the pin-bone straight down with your clippers. Generally stop at the bend of the back of the legs.
Skim the hair at the top of the hip, towards the knee. Then pick up the legs and skim the hair in the insides as well. Do not press hard when doing so. Try to create nice parallel lines and straight columns. This will ensure an even coat.
Come to the front of your dog, pick up their ear and clip their hair down the shoulder and the front chest. Let your clipper do all the work.
Consider leaving some hair around the base of your dogs legs, and neckline. This can make your dog look better especially if they have a longer body.
Run the clipper underneath your dogs body. Consider leaving a tuck-up – this will give the illusion that your dog has a shorter back (and is shorter).
Shave under the armpit and move onto the ribs to take off the hair there.
Replicate the same clipping techniques discussed in the steps above on the other side of your dog.
Ensure you take the hair of the chest off. Some owners switch to a shorter attachment on the chest.
Again move to the back of the legs, working from the pin-bone down.
Remember that you can consider leaving hair longer in particular areas to create different illusions on the dogs framework, build.
Matting most often arises in their armpits. Be careful when shaving here and make it shorter in such areas if they are matted. Otherwise, it is best to not shave the armpits (as this can promote matting down the line).
If you want your dog to look a little ‘fuller’ you may want to consider not back-clipping them (from head to tail).
Switch to a higher attachment comb on your clippers and move onto your dogs lower legs. Raise your dogs paw and skim the hair off down the back of their legs. Do this on all of their legs. Skim all the hair down. Hand your dog to prevent them moving.
Move onto the outer part of the legs.

Its best not to switch clipper attachments throughout the clipping; keep the same attachment to create an even coat.

Equally, the more time you use your clippers, the less scissoring/trimming you will need to do.

The Tail

With a pair of scissors, carefully blend the tail neatly into the body. Take as much off as you consider necessary – but be very careful – especially if your dog is fidgeting.

The Head

Using scissors, cut the hairs from the nose to the eyes.
Use a #1 clipper attachment and shave the rest of the head, including the ears and the muzzle.
Comb the hair on top of the head over the eyes and cut the hair with scissors until the eyes are showing.
Use scissors to cut under and on the side of the muzzle – there must be no longer ends.
Use the scissors to cut around the shape of the ears.

Importance of Frequent Grooming

Regular grooming is something you should look to do. Its part of the responsibility of owning a dog. Here are the main reasons why you will want to continue doing so:

Better Appearance – The more frequently you brush and groom your dog, the better they will look.
Easier Grooming – your dog will get used to the process and make each grooming session going forward easy to do.
Bonding Opportunity – for you to spend time and give attention to your dog.
Hygiene and Comfort – regular grooming ensures your dogs coat remains hygienic, comfortable and issues do not arise.
Money saving – The more you groom your dog the lower the chances of requiring specialist professional dog grooming help to stay on top of, or rectify and matted coat.

Finally

Aussiedoodles have a beautiful coat; but only when it is taken care of and has been groomed regularly and appropriately!

Grooming is in many ways essential for this dog breed. While it can be costly to hire the services of a professional groomer; hopefully this guide today has helped to show you that you can undertake a lot of it yourself from home.

While grooming can be considered a nuisance, try to consider it in a more positive light – it enables you to bond with your dog and give them the attention and time with you that they seek.

Lastly, it will help them to look much better, feel more comfortable, and will also be far more hygienic for them and for your home.