Goldendoodles have a lot going for them. With a blend of golden retriever and poodle parentage, they have the former’s frisky and friendly nature and the latter’s superior smarts, so they’re easy to train. They’re beautiful dogs, too, especially when you opt for one of the dozen goldendoodle haircuts you’ll find ahead. According to Julia Benning, Grooming Advisory Board Leader at Well Groomed Pets in Chandler, Arizona, goldendoodles have one of the most challenging dog coat types to maintain, so choosing the right cut for them is important.
Goldendoodle fur can be anything from straight to curly as well as a mix of long and medium hair, which, Julia says, “makes the coat much more susceptible to matting and tangling. This is why many goldendoodle owners struggle to maintain their dogs’ coats. Taking your goldendoodle to the groomer regularly ensures its coat is healthy and tangle-free to protect your pup from the elements, leaving it looking as good as it feels!”
Shorter clips, such as the “Take it All Off” and even the popular Lamb Cut we’ve included ahead make caring for your goldendoodle a little easier than a longer, pouffier style, like seen in our Topknot example. Of course, you could also always go a little funkier and opt for a Mohawk or a special dye job for your best friend. But no matter what look you choose for this very special breed of doodle dog, be prepared for some upkeep.
“Regular brushing is crucial to maintaining this breed’s coat,” Julia says. Using a conditioning spray on the coat, then brushing with a slicker brush is extremely important. Once you’ve gone through with a slicker brush, comb through every area with a metal comb. If you snag any tangles with your comb, go back in with the slicker brush to remove the tangle. If you can run a comb through your goldendoodle from nose to tail (don’t forget the armpits and behind the ears!), they are tangle-free and well-maintained.”
Well Groomed Pets ChandlerTeddy Bear Cut
One of the most popular cuts for goldendoodles, this super sweet style is all about making the pupper look cute, cuddly, and more than a little bear-like. (Isn’t this fellow a total ringer for your favorite stuffed animal from childhood?) According to Julia, the term “Teddy bear” typically “refers to a shorter style on the face that is more rounded. It does not refer to the style of the body haircut at all.” However, she adds, “There is a lot of personal interpretation here.”
There’s another benefit to this look: it’s a good way not to poodle your doodle. “Many goldendoodle owners don’t want their doodles to look like poodles but don’t know how to avoid that,” Julia explains. “Poodles have big fluffy heads, which we call top knots, so having a shorter teddy bear-style head will help maintain the classic doodle look.”
Keeping Fido’s ears short is another way to avoid giving your doodle a poodle look. “Poodles have long, fluffy ears,” Julia says. “Trimming your goldendoodle’s ears shorter and following the ear’s natural shape will help keep your doodle looking like a doodle.”
Well Groomed Pets ChandlerTake It All Off Cut
This cut is ideal for pooches living in hot, humid climates—and for pooch parents who want the ultimate low-maintenance clip for their furbaby. The good news is, it will definitely help your goldendoodle stay cool even through the, er, dog days of summer (sorry, we just couldn’t help it.)
However, as Julia says, “This is not the most flattering haircut. Leaving the head and ears a bit longer can help your pup stay looking cute, but skinny-looking legs are unavoidable with this style. But this is the lowest maintenance option.”
For short cuts like this one, you might be able to get away with taking your doggo to the groomer every 6 to 8 weeks, as long as you’re brushing and bathing them at home. Go any longer than that, Julia says, “and you run the risk of your goldendoodle suffering from uncomfortable matting that can cause further problems, such as skin irritation, hot spots, or even skin infections.”
Well Groomed Pets ChandlerPuppy Cut
A puppy cut sounds simple enough, right? But Julia calls it a rather “controversial” clip in the grooming world. It seems that if you want to get technical about it, this canine coif is a recognized style used on poodles, which, she says, “creates some confusion and debate around this name. However, what a ‘puppy cut’ means for most pet cuts is a style where the dog’s coat is about the same length all over, as it would have been when they were a puppy.”
Intended as a low-maintenance ‘do, a puppy cut can range in length from 1/8 of an inch to an inch or longer. Of course, there’s a trade-off if you don’t opt for a shorter puppy cut. The longer the length of the cut, the more difficult it is to maintain.
The goldendoodle in this image is sporting a puppy cut “that is about a half-inch all over the body and legs,” Julie adds. “The muzzle and head have been trimmed short, and the ears are trimmed almost to the edge of the ear, to create more of the ‘puppy’ look.”
Well Groomed Pets ChandlerLamb Cut
Another coif that is technically a poodle hairdo, the lamb cut in this case is a “very flattering style that many doodles rock,” Julie says. The ideal blend of easy upkeep and dapper design, this cut is about keeping the goldendoodle’s hair shorter on the body and longer on the legs.
“Many times we want a short haircut on our pup,” Julia says, “but taking the legs as short as the body can leave our dog with ‘chicken legs’ that are not flattering. By leaving the legs slightly longer than the body, we can provide a low-maintenance clip that leaves our pups looking much more balanced and beautiful.”
Well Groomed Pets ChandlerPuppy’s First Haircut
New pet parents are all about babying their little furballs, and that caring, considerate treatment should extend to your puppy’s first experiences with professional grooming sessions. Julia suggests taking your doodle to the groomer as soon as he’s received his vaccinations and before he needs a haircut.
“Puppies need to be desensitized to grooming and trained to tolerate and hopefully enjoy the experience. Because of this, groomers often don’t do haircuts for a pup’s first visit to the groomer. We start by introducing them to the environment, the process, and the tools to ensure they are comfortable.”
This way, by the time your puppy needs his first haircut, he’s familiar and more at ease with the grooming process than he would be if it was all brand new. For that initial cut, Julia advises going with a style similar to the lamb cut.
“Oftentimes puppies are comfortable with clippers on their body, but not their legs or head,” she says. “This haircut not only makes it easier on your pup during the grooming service, but it also provides an easier maintenance option that keeps their hair shorter while still looking adorable.”
Well Groomed Pets ChandlerLong Ears Cut
When you’re thinking about what kind of haircut you’d like your groomer to give your goldendoodle, don’t forget to ponder ear length. According to Julia, it can make a huge difference in your dog’s expression, with longer ears appearing more feminine. “They tend to give dogs an ‘older’ look, compared to the short little ears that provide more of a puppy look,” she says.
“If your pup’s ears are left too long, it can also leave them with a ‘droopy’ expression,” she continues. “However, sometimes the long ears can make your pup look super luxurious. When leaving the ears long, they can either be trimmed to be straight or round on the bottom. Be sure to let your groomer know you have a preference.”
Well Groomed Pets ChandlerShort Ears Cut
Or, you can choose to keep your goldendoodle’s ears shorter, which is not only easier to maintain, it gives them a youthful and high-spirited vibe. As with long ears, your groomer can trim them straight across the bottom, or give the ears a rounded shape. There’s also a third option Julia likes: ears trimmed to follow the shape of the “leather,” the term for the skin on a dog’s ears.
“This helps a lot when preventing doodles from looking like poodles,” Julia says, “because poodles are typically associated with an oval ear shape from their long fur. Trimming the fur with the shape of your doodle’s ear can give them more of a golden retriever-shaped ear.”
Well Groomed Pets ChandlerAsian Fusion/Donut Muzzle Cut
Just like the way your dog’s ears are trimmed affects his expression, so will the way his muzzle is trimmed. This Asian Fusion cut includes a jazzy donut muzzle, which is created by scissoring the hair into an oval shape. It gives this fellow a chic and classy look that’s still totally cute. You can also opt for a short and round muzzle shape on your doodle, or short and square.
One thing Julia recommends against is going with a long beard on your dog. “It can get really tangled and dirty,” she says, “and can trap moisture and bacteria, leading to various problems.”
Well Groomed Pets ChandlerMohawk Cut
Who says you can’t have fun with Fido’s fur? The following looks are for pet parents who want to turn some heads with their doodle’s hair design. The Mohawk seen here, for example, lets you not only relive those high school glory days when you wore safety pins in your face, but also play up your four-legged offspring’s frisky, frolicsome nature. If you want to take it a step further, you can even do a longer strip down the middle of the back, too!
Well Groomed Pets ChandlerBusiness/Party Cut
We call this one the canine equivalent to the mullet, the “business in the front, party in the rear” human haircut re-popularized by Miley Cyrus. It has a distinct upmarket vibe, thanks to what Julia describes as “a really tight, clean style” over the body. But the ears, which she says are “natural and untouched,” keep it refreshingly unpretentious. Kinda like Miley herself.
Well Groomed Pets ChandlerTopknot
The favored ‘do of samurai warriors in feudal Japan, the topknot famously made a comeback as a certified hair craze during the pandemic. For doodles, groomers leave hair extra long on the head and tie it back from the face in a ponytail or knot, which can be dressed up with a blingy barrette or a sweet little bow. You’ll note that the coat on this sweetie’s body was left a little bit longer, too.
It’s a lovely look, but remember that the longer the coat, the more often you’ll need to get Rover into the groomer. “Every two weeks is ideal for maintaining fluffier coats,” Julia says. “Especially if the pet parent doesn’t brush daily at home—which many don’t, because who has time for that?!”
Unless your dog is shorn super short, you should be taking your dog to the groomer, at minimum, once a month. “When we wait longer than four weeks to get our goldendoodles groomed,” Julia says, “we typically see more matting, leading your groomer to need to give the pup a shorter haircut.”
Well Groomed Pets ChandlerColor
We admit it. We’re totally and completely head over paws for this super festive look. Ideal for white and light-colored doodles, non-toxic dog dye your groomer can apply comes in a rainbow of colors, including not just blue, but also hues like pink, purple, green, red, orange and yellow. They’re available in both semi-permanent and permanent formulas so you can switch up shades and patterns for special events, holidays (helllllooo, red, white and blue for the 4th!!) and whenever the mood strikes you.
