Puppy Coat Care 101
Doodle pawrents' pocket guide to essential coat care at home.
for puppies 0-4 months
You want to fine-tune home grooming to be efficient and harmonious right from the start.
So much so that when it's time for brushing or a bath, your doodle will run to you to enjoy every second of it. You can create a joyful experience that extends beyond the dog park and lasts a lifetime.
Puppy pampering
Understanding your puppy's grooming needs, choosing tools that work, and last, knowing how to use them so your puppy will stay still for the spa days at home go a long way.
Did you know?
Puppies need about four Face, feet, fanny trims, and nail care before they get all their puppy shots.
WOW, right? But if you think about it, infants need a few mani-pedis at home early on to avoid scratches on eyes and skin. Some babies even need a mini haircut not long after birth to avoid hair getting in their eyes. Moms and dads can care for their babies at home, there is no need to call a professional.
Puppies also need a similar kind of attention from early on. With a bit of training, you will totally be able to care for your puppy safely.
Here you come to the rescue!
Good to know! But now what?
Let's detangle this! You want to protect your baby from illnesses, yet he/she needs to see and get a good grip while taking the corners at full speed in the house. You probably could use some less sharp nails on him/her, easier to clean tush, and less wet PP when you perform a butt scoop to deliver a heartfelt smooch. Sounds about right?
Options to cover Face, Feet, Fanny trim & nails
Nail trimming at the vet
Nails can be trimmed at the vet's office, though I've yet to hear about one that did nail filing with dog nail files for puppies as well. (Some offer nail grinders, but that's not a puppy level tool -ask what they use!) So some touch-up on your part after the nail trimming will be likely needed to avoid going back rather sooner due to a scratched cornea. It's worth asking, but most vet offices do not offer Face, Feet, Fanny trims.
Face, Feet, Fanny trim, and nails at the groomer
All the Face, Feet, Fanny trim, and nails could be done at a grooming salon or mobile groomer if you feel comfortable with (and your groomer offers) a "first of the day with no ground contact" appointment. You really need to trust your groomer on this and have rock-solid knowledge they will do it for you as you request it.
Ostrich policy
Many pawrents get stuck in this stage, for several reasons, like they don't know their puppy's needs and either won't pick up on the clues or consider it the "prices of living with a puppy". From the puppy's perspective, life is harder with slippery pads, getting scolded for scratching on you or the kids. Having wet pp, UTIs, running into the screen door, being less confident around other pets, or not liking swimming or water sports due to visibility issues has a toll on those fast-flying puppy months. Others choose the ostrich policy because they can't find a groomer who'd do the "first of the day, no ground contact" appointment for them or they don't trust them with their newest puppy just yet. Their vet doesn't offer FFFanny trims, only nail care. Or maybe the breeder told them no grooming is necessary until several months. As surprising as is, this was the general policy for decades, since going to the groomer was taboo that young, and there was no option for groomers to teach pawrents how to do a FFFanny trim themselves, safely.
In case any of the above won't work out for you or you want to groom your puppy right off the bat yourself, there is hope and there is another way. Your way.
DIY - You can learn to do it yourself
If you can't find others to get the FFF trim and nails done for you gently and safely and in detail your puppy needs it, I encourage you to read on and take matters into your own hands.
Fun fact
For an 8-10 weeks old puppy, eye area trim takes 1 well-placed snip per eye, PP and anus area needs 1-1 snip, paw hair trim takes about 2-3 snips per paw. Your worry can be gone and done in about 12-16 snips. And, you don't even need to do all that in one day.