Irish Doodle Grooming

The Irish Doodle will have moderate grooming needs overall. These hybrids' coats can be more like the Irish Setter's (medium to long and silky) or the Poodle's (medium-length and curly)--or most often, somewhere in between: medium-length, soft, and wavy.

The coats don't shed very much, but they do tend to tangle pretty easily. Brush your Irish Doodle 2-3 times per week with a pin brush, moving in the direction of hair growth. If you run across a tangle, try working it out with either your fingers or the end teeth of a greyhound comb (or both).

Bathing will generally be necessary every three months or so. When bathing an Irish Doodle, be sure to use shampoo made for dogs, as the human kind has a different pH and can irritate the dog's skin.

And depending on coat length and texture, a variety of Irish Doodle haircuts are possible. (See below for descriptions of several Irish Doodle hairstyles.)

In addition to its coat, your Irish Doodle will need maintenance in other areas. Brush the dog's teeth 2-3 times per week; clean the ears monthly; and trim the dog's nails every 2-3 months.

Though owners can learn to perform all aspects of Irish Doodle grooming themselves, it's good to take the dog to a professional groomer at least once. The groomer can give the dog a nice makeover, and provide tips on how to groom an Irish Doodle at home.

A number of Irish Doodle haircut styles look great on these hybrids. Depending on the Irish Doodle cut style, the dog will need a touch-up trim every 2-3 months.

A few popular Irish Doodle grooming styles:

• Puppy Cut: A low-maintenance style. The entire coat is clipped short (to about two inches). Some like to leave the hair in the legs, face, and head a bit longer. Can be done at home with some practice.
• Show Cut: Leaves most of the length, but requires some precision. The coat is scissor-trimmed by only a half-inch or so, and often thinned out with some thinning shears; the face, head, and tail are rounded and even. Requires a groomer's expertise.
• Teddy Bear Cut: Similar to a Puppy Cut, but the hair on the legs, face, and head are left longer, and carefully rounded to make the dog resemble a stuffed animal. Probably best done by a groomer.
• Town and Country Cut: This sophisticated style is better for dogs with curlier Poodle-like coats. The hair on the body is clipped short; the hair on the legs is left longer and sculpted in cylindrical patterns; the hair on the face, head, and tail is rounded and teased out. Definitely needs a groomer's skill.