How Often Should I Bathe My Goldendoodle? What About Shampoo? (2024)

How Often Should I Bathe My Goldendoodle?

The Goldendoodle is one-half Golden Retriever and one-half Poodle. The latter especially can be considered a water dog.

Poodles frequently love playing in the water. They were sometimes used to retrieve ducks and other quarries from the water.

Golden Retrievers too often enjoy the water. They also were used during hunts to retrieve fallen ducks, quail, and other targets from the water for their owners.

Because of this love of water, the Goldendoodle typically has a much easier time when it comes to bathing.

Due to their keen intelligence, they’re also easily trainable for bathtime behavior. Being fun loving and friendly, the Goldendoodle is a great choice for first-time owners and families alike.

How often should I bathe my Goldendoodle? Goldendoodles should be washed everywhere once a month to once every three months. The specific answer largely depends on your Goldendoodle’s fur. Some inherit their Poodle coat more so than their Golden Retriever coat. In that case, they’ll need less washing than their counterparts.

Not all dogs love bathing. Bathing dogs is different than bathing your kids. Although my kids are pretty good at self-bathing now, my dog…not so much.

Introducing your Goldendoodle to bath time will go a lot more smoothly if you follow some simple steps.

If you’re a new Goldendoodle owner, you probably have other questions besides how to and how often you should give your little ball of fur a bath.

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Introducing a Bath and Keeping Your Goldendoodle Calm

One of the best ways to start teaching your dog good behavior in the bath is to begin when they’re a puppy.

As soon as they get into the tub, you should offer them a treat. The tub can be a scary place for a dog. The material of the tub can make it slippery for them.

For dogs who are leery about water, the idea of slipping around into the water isn’t a great time.

You can solve this problem by placing a rubber mat (like this one on Amazon) on the bottom of the tub.

This gives your dog something to grip onto and can make them more confident in the water.

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If you’re looking for a quick solution, you can lay a bath towel on the bottom of the tub. Once wet, it will stick to the tub and give them a comfortable place to stand.

For us, we did a bit of playtime in the tub before any water or splashing or soap. I probably could have done the sink or a baby bathtub, but we did the regular tub.

So playtime and treats got him comfortable. Then slowly introduce water. We used a bucket because the noise of the faucet was a bit nerve-wracking for Chachi. 

You should also praise them throughout the bathing experience. This gives them confidence and helps them become comfortable.

Transporting your dog to the area where the bath is going to be given can also cause your Goldendoodle anxiety.

You should teach them a command that they can recognize that means it’s time for a bath. That way, they’ll head right for the bathroom, and you won’t need to pick them up and carry them.

Reinforce this behavior with praise and treats.

Some dogs might run away at the prospect of a bath. Don’t chase after them. They’ll start to think it’s a game. This can reinforce bad behavior.

Calming Tips

During the actual bath, you can continue to keep your dog calm by slowly wetting them. Sudden splashes of water can scare them.

Invest in a handheld water sprayer, like this one with six settings, if you don’t already have one.

With the 5-foot-long hose, rinsing your pup’s belly will never be a challenge again, and the different pressure and pattern settings ensure that you won’t be leaving any shampoo residue behind.

Super-easy install – just screw it onto your shower arm – no tools required.

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You should begin at their chest with low pressured water. Once they’re calm, you can increase the pressure and slowly move around the rest of their body.

Sometimes, you can also include a toy. Chew toys are a great way to distract them while you clean them. It can also be a source to release some of their nerves and anxiety.

I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet, but this bath-time treat dispenser is a really good idea for keeping your pup in the tub. Simply load it with some peanut butter and stick it to the side of the tub. It keeps them entertained while you scrub them down.

Safety Tips For Bath Time

You wouldn’t want to step into an ice-cold bath or a skin-boiling hot bath. Neither does your Goldendoodle.

It’s common for owners to think that if they feel that the water is warm, then it’s perfect.

However, for humans, warm water usually rests above their body temperature. That’s 98 degrees and way too hot for a dog. Having too hot of water can cause them a lot of distress.

It also can make them overheat and increase their heart rate. For older dogs, this can put a lot of stress on their body.

Instead, you want to aim for a water temperature that’s around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Essentially, the water should feel as though it’s at room temperature to you.

Keeping Goldendoodle Ears Dry And Clean for Bath Time

The ears of your Goldendoodle are extremely sensitive and their floppy nature tends to trap problem-causing moisture in. This can cause ear infections and other ear problems.

The best way to ensure that you don’t get water in your dog’s ears is to use a washcloth around that area. This allows you to control how much moisture is in that area and where the water touches.

I use these inexpensive cotton cosmetic pads when I bathe my dog, Oliver. They work great for keeping water out of their ears AND they can be used for cleaning his ears out too.

When it comes to shampooing your Goldendoodle, simply add some shampoo into your hands and gently scrub their head and along their face.

When it’s time to rinse, be careful not to dump water directly on their ears. Tilting their head back when you rinse it helps keep water from rushing into their ears.

Can I Blow Dry My Goldendoodle?

Goldendoodles can be dried with a blowdryer. However, the noise might startle them if the dryer is placed on a high setting.

For some people, it’s also possible to make knots form in their coat if they’re holding the blowdryer incorrectly.

I tried the blowdryer on Chachi and he was “eh” about it. Not a fan but didn’t freak out. 

My wife blowdries her hair in the morning so maybe he was just used to the noise. I mostly use a towel, but a drier is an option.  

You should never keep your blowdryer close to the dog’s skin. This can burn them. Instead, stay about an inch or two away from their hair.

A good rule of thumb is to keep a distance away from the hair that correlates to how long the hair is. So, for example, hair that is 1 inch long should have a dryer that is kept at a 1-inch distance away.

You’ll also want to use a flat nozzle for the dryer to prevent knots from forming in the hair. Keep the setting low, and go slowly through the fur.

Best Goldendoodle Shampoo

When looking for a good shampoo for your Goldendoodle, you need something that can penetrate their thick coat.

It also needs to not strip the natural oils that exist on your dog’s skin. Those oils can keep their coat and skin from drying out.

Their skin can also be quite sensitive, so you should look for shampoos that are gentle.

Finally, know what kind of coat your Goldendoodle has. Certain shampoos work better on certain kinds of coats.

We explain the different types of coats Goldendoodles can have in our Complete Breed Overview.

Our Pick for Best All-Around Shampoo 

EarthBath line of Dog Shampoos. Jamie did a bunch of research for his Doodle and ended up with this one.

Natural and hypoallergenic, this is a great choice for Goldendoodles who have sensitive skin. It has essential oils and other extracts that help moisturize the skin and keep the hair fresh and clean.

It also contains aloe vera and tea tree oil to further help soothe skin that might be irritated or itchy. Best of all, it’s ‘soap free’ which is important for Doodles.

Soaps build up in their fur and leave it feeling yucky.

Organic Shampoo

For those who like organic shampoos, then you should consider 4Legger Organic Dog Shampoo.

The formula is made up entirely of vegan products and contains oatmeal, aloe, and lavender essential oil.

Because certain chemicals can sometimes dry out your Goldendoodle’s skin or make them irritated, this shampoo is a great option for keeping things natural.

The formula moisturizes the skin and can soothe any pain that occurred due to fleas or dry skin.

For Sensitive Skin

Goldendoodles who have especially bad allergies or sensitive skin might benefit from Veterinary Formula’s Clinical Care Hypoallergenic Shampoo.

This formula is completely free of parabens, dyes, fragrances, and harsh detergents. It also makes the coat shiny and soft.

If you’ve found the tips here helpful, you’ll love checking out all of our other 30+ Goldendoodle articles. Just click here to access them all.

Related Questions:

How Often Should I take My Goldendoodle to the Groomer?

How often you visit the groomer is dependent upon the coat that your Goldendoodle inherits. For Poodle coats, you can probably get away with visiting the groomer three times a year.

For those who inherited the Golden Retriever coat, then the hair will be longer and will require more grooming. Visits should occur around four or five times a year.

While professional grooming is great for sprucing up your Doodle and getting a picture-perfect trim, remember that routine brushing is super important to prevent tiny tangles from morphing into horrific mats. 

Head over to this article to see our top recommendations for brushes that work best on Goldendoodles.

How Long Does A Goldendoodles Hair Grow?

Goldendoodle hair can grow anywhere from four inches to eight inches long if left untrimmed. The coat can indicate how long the hair can become.

For hairy coats, you can expect around eight inches.

For those who inherit a fleece coat, you might expect growth around the five to six inches area. For those with curly hair, four to six inches is common.

Before you go, remember to grab your copy of the most comprehensive Goldendoodle guidebook available today.

As you watch your pup transform into a well-behaved, happy, and healthy adult Goldendoodle, you’ll be glad you did!

Last update on 2024-03-27 at 22:46 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API