Bentley is a small doodle type with the kinky hair. The owner adopted him from a shelter, and his coat had been neglected.
So I had to shave the body for the first visit, with a longer face. Since then, the half inch puppy ct works best for him since I groom him every 8 weeks.
Labradoodles (Labrador x Poodle) and Goldendoodles (Golden Retriever x Poodle) always provide a pet groomer with a challenge. If they are groomed on a monthly basis, the hair can be left longer. But if they are not brushed out regularly by the owner, or seen only every two or three months by a professional groomer, the result is a huge mess of matted hair unless kept short.
If that is the case when I meet a new client, I explain I'll be shaving the dog this time - the length will depend on how bad the knots are - and try to convince them to rebook in a reasonable time, two months after a shave down is usually best. It's not fair to torture the dog with trying to comb out knots especially in sensitive areas such as the neck, belly and under the armpits, ears and tail.
Once the dog is groomed regularly by both the owner and groomer, the coat can be trimmed anywhere from 1/2" to 1" or longer. I still keep the sensitive areas short as they tend to knot the quickest. Using a detangler creme rinse and/or spray help with combing out after the bath.
The ears need to be plucked just like a poodle and the hair around and under the eyes trimmed by the groomer. The lower jaw may need to be short if the dog keeps his dinner in it to save for later. Also the hair on the paw pads should be shaved to prevent sliding on wood or tile floors, with the hair on top of the paws trimmed to about 1/2" and rounded. The long tail can be trimmed to whatever length is best; short if it tangles easy.
