First grooming: Your puppy will come to you groomed and started on training around grooming equipment, but at a young age they like to push boundries especially with their owners. They learn very quickly that screaming like it hurts will get them their way!!!!!  Your puppy should get its first professional grooming once they are fully vaccinated. The sooner the better as they will be entering their fear stage of brain development, and its essential to expose them before that development period is over. Their first grooming will be a puppy intro which will get them used to the sights and sounds and will include a bath, brushing, nails trimmed and trimming around the face, feet and sanitary. That's a lot for their first visit and they will be exhausted!

How often to brush?

The answer depends on the length. Brushing and combing while they are completely relaxed is the best way to get started. You will need a slicker brush to fluff them out and loosen any matts, and a metal comb is a must because matts start at the skin. Combing all the way to the skin is the most important part of maintaining the coat. Make sure you get areas where there is constant friction like the armpits, behind and under the ears, the collar area, and the tail. 

How often to get haircuts?

Typically a full haircut is recommended every 8 weeks. There are a lot of different styles so it highly recommended that you look at pictures online with a doodle with a similar coat type and bring it to your groomer for reference. Fluffy doodles are adorable but they do require daily brushing/combing. The shorter you go, the less you have to brush! Finding and sticking with a groomer that you like is best for your dog. We do recommend that you go to a private owned grooming salon near you as they are much more experienced groomers than the big name chains like Petsmart.