How Do I Keep My Goldendoodle’s Hair Soft? 15 Ways That Always Work

Whether you already have a Goldendoodle or are thinking about getting one, you already know about their cute and fluffy coat.

Goldendoodles’ coats are what makes them unique and it needs some work to stay that way, so I am going to give you some tips on how to keep their coats soft and healthy.

How do I keep my Goldendoodle’s hair soft? You can keep your Goldendoodle’s hair soft by making a routine for their grooming needs, brush them once a day, bathe them regularly, use a proper shampoo and conditioner for their coat, and don’t forget to give them a haircut every 6 weeks.

Of course, there is a lot more to that routine, so keep reading to learn more about how to make their hair softer and healthier.

15 ways to make your Goldendoodle’s hair soft

goldendoodle to show how to do I keep my goldendoodle's hair soft

Before anything, you need to know that you will not see results unless you are consistent and have a routine.

Daily brushing
Check for parasites or mats
Bathe them regularly
Give them a haircut every once in a while
Try to use the blow dryer
High-quality food
Proper shampoo
Good conditioner
Leave-in conditioner
Spray
Herbal supplements
Coconut oil
Honey
Good grooming tools
Healthy treats

Daily brushing

Brushing your Goldendoodle daily is a great way to keep their coat soft and tangle-free, it will only take 10 to 15 minutes of your daily.

Goldendoodles have double coats so make sure to brush them both to remove any loose hair, make sure to get the right brush to help you detangle both coats, and if you need a little help choosing one, I personally use the Hertzko self-cleaning slicker brush with all of my dogs and so far so good. You can check all my brushes recommendations here.

Checks for parasites or mats

Parasites and mats can affect your Goldendoodle’s coat greatly, it will cause hair loss and can cause dryness and dandruff as well.

Mats are easier to handle than parasites, but if you find the tangles too much to handle and no un-matting spray seems to be working, just take them to a groomer and they’ll handle it fine.

Bathe them regularly

You shouldn’t bathe your Goldendoodle too frequently because it can dry out their skin, so try to bathe them once a month and only when needed, such as when they come back all covered in mud.

You should make a regular time for their bath every month, also if you trimmed their hair, it’s better to give them a bath after it because it can be itchy, which will be easy to notice.

If your Goldendoodle has a bad smell seemingly out of nowhere, you should check for yeast infection, or it can also be allergies or hormonal imbalances. If the bad smell is something you have been suffering with for a while, you should definitely check out my guide to making your dog smell amazing here.

Give them a haircut every once in a while

Goldendoodles are not heavy shedders but their hair grows fast, so you should trim their hair every six weeks, it will keep their coat fresh and easier to brush.

Trimming their hair every once in a while will keep their fur from matting.

However, if you are in the winter you can leave them a few more weeks without trimming to help them tolerate the cold.

If you don’t know how to cut your Goldendoodle’s hair, you can take them to a groomer to do it professionally but it’s not hard and you can learn how to do it by following a video on how to cut your dog’s hair.

Try to use the blow dryer

After giving them a bath, you can dry their coat with a blowdryer, it will make their coat a little softer and more fluffy because drying them with just a towel can make their hair a little frizzy.

The only problem with the blow dryer is that most dogs are afraid of its sound, so make sure it’s not too loud. I have more on that in my guide on how to dry your dog quickly after a bath here.

High-quality food

High-quality food has a pretty big role on their coat, a balanced diet is always the key to a healthy life.

Here are the most important things to add to their diet to make their coat softer.

Fresh food is always a good thing
Beef
Turkey
Chicken
Salmon
Lamb
Carrots are the perfect veggies for both dogs and humans
Green beans
Add eggs to their breakfast
Tuna (salt-free and in small potions)
Spinach
Broccoli
Salt-free sardines
You can add fish oil or omega 3 fatty acids to their meals, it works like magic

You should definitely check out my guide to the best dog foods here, as it even has homemade recipes that have been very good for my dogs’ coats so far.

Proper shampoo

When we choose a shampoo for ourselves we put some thought into it, such as what ingredients are the best for your hair and what to avoid, well, it’s the same thing for your dog.

So here’s how you can pick the right shampoo for your Goldendoodle.

First of all, check if your Goldendoodle has any allergies and if they do make sure that ingredient isn’t in the shampoo.
Avoid shampoos that have one of these ingredients, parabens, surfactants, solvents because they can cause an allergic reaction.
Look for a shampoo that maintains the right skin pH, it should range between 2.2 to 7.5 so it can actually work on their fur.
Avoid shampoos with chemicals that can damage their hair and skin such as artificial colors, preservatives, fragrances, and alcohol.
Always check if the shampoo has been approved by the FDA.

I personally have been using Burt’s bees shampoo for my dogs, and it has been nothing less of splendid. They never seem to have any reaction to it, it gets the job done, and it leaves them smelling so good I can’t stop hugging them. You can check its latest price here or by clicking on the image below.

Good conditioner

A good conditioner is your shampoo’s best friend, the conditioner will leave your dog’s coat with that soft feeling you crave. There are many options to choose from, and it’s hard to find a bad conditioner as most of them are just the same. Any conditioner from a well-known brand should do just fine.

Leave-in conditioner

For extra smooth hair, you can get your dog a leave-in conditioner, you can only use it after bathing them but I personally prefer using it every two days to see a big difference.

I’ve tried many of them, and while most of them seem to do fine, nothing is quite up to the level of Warren London’s Leave-in conditioner, so I highly recommend you check it out here.

Spray

Sprays are great for your Goldendoodle’s hair but more importantly, they will make brushing their hair much easier.

The spray will make it easier to detangle their hair so it’s much better for their cut because you can damage their hair while trying to detangle it and can also lead to hair loss.

You can check the BioSilk spray for pets on Amazon here.

This spray, in particular, does a pretty good job of detangling the mats of Goldendoodles better than its competition, so I do recommend trying it out.

Herbal supplements

Herbal supplements can have so many benefits for your dog but the most important part is that it’s going to work on their coat from the inside.

However, herbal supplements are not suitable for every dog so maybe before giving them to your Goldendoodle, you should consult their vet to see if they are suitable for the dog and what your dog needs exactly.

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is the ultimate natural conditioner, what can I say is that coconut oil is literally perfect for every hair ever, it also moisturizes their skin and can provide them with lauric acid which repairs damaged hair.

It makes their fur shinier and helps fight infections as well, and here is how you can apply it to their coat.

After their bath, massage it on their fur, it will leave a nice smell on their coat that will last for a while.
You can also add a teaspoon of coconut oil to one of their meals.
You can add a few drops to their shampoo or conditioner for faster results.

Honey

Honey is perfect for damaged hair, it can repair their hair and make it in a better shape than ever but you just need to be consistent with it and give it some time.

Here is how you can use it.

Give them a bath, and apply the honey on their coat while it’s still wet, and leave it for 20 minutes.
Rinse the honey with warm water, if the honey is too thick you can add coconut, olive, or lavender oil to it.

Good grooming tools

Grooming tools can be your best friend or your worst enemy so it’s really important to choose them carefully.

You don’t have to get tools that are ridiculously expensive just to make sure it’s a good one, you can always balance between the quality and the price, there are lots of great tools that you can get for your dog and they will last with you for a while.

You can also check this 2-sided rake on amazon here.

When it comes to sharp metal or plastic objects that you are going to use on your dog’s body, saving the most money tends to be a bad strategy that only ends up with a hurt dog, so please don’t do that. You can always check out my recommendations page for good stuff that doesn’t cost much but are still of very high quality and are safe to use.

Healthy treats

Even the treats can affect your Goldendoodle’s hair, so try giving them healthy treats instead of the canned ones.

I used to give my dogs canned treats all the time, till my vet recommended trying healthier options such as homemade treats and I did notice some changes in my dogs’ energies and they also started shedding less.

It doesn’t have to be complicated recipes, you can start off with the easy ones and they will be just as delicious as the other treats for your pup.

So try adding more fruits and veggies to your dog’s diet.

How do I make my Goldendoodle fluffy?

For a fluffy glowing look, follow these tips.

Change your drying method
Use slicker brush
Blow Dry their hair

Change your drying method

First of all, when you are bathing them, make sure to wash their coat properly because their coat has to be really clean to respond to the fluffing.

After the bath, instead of rubbing their hair with the towel, try to pat it because rubbing their hair can lead to matting and it can also damage their hair so try patting their coat nicely.

Use slicker brush

Instead of just brushing their hair after the bath, try to use a slicker brush and brush them up not backward, it will give their coat more fluff and shaping.

Again, the Hertzko brush is just the undisputed champion of slicker brushes, so definitely give it a shot if you have not already.

Blow Dry their hair

You can also blow-dry their hair, use their slicker brush to lift their hair up by the roots while you are using the blow dryer.

Then you can apply the spray on their coat and just let it sit.

However, make sure to avoid getting close to their eyes or ears.

How to keep your Goldendoodle coat shiny?

First of all the key to a shiny coat is a clean coat, so make sure that their coat is free of dirt and mats.

Second of all, after lots of methods, I tried with my dogs. Here are the ones that actually worked.

Lemon juice
Vinegar
Aloe vera
Plain yogurt
Avocado
Baking soda

Lemon juice

Lemon juice can make your pup’s fur shinier than ever, and here is how to do it.

All you need is some lemon juice, water, and olive oil.
Make sure that the three ingredients are in equal quantities
Massage that mixes into your pup’s coat
Leave it for 10 minutes
Then rinse it with their shampoo

Vinegar

Vinegar has two really important benefits for your dog’s coat, one; it’s a great treatment for dandruff, and two; it will make their coat shinier.

Here is how to use it:

Use one or two tablespoons of unfiltered apple vinegar
Mix it with 6 cups of water
Boil the water
Add 2 tablespons of chopped rosemary leaves and chopped lavender leaves (each)
Let the mix sit for a few hours
Then pour it into a spray bottle
Spray it on their coat after every bathe

Aloe vera

Aloe vera is also perfect for every hair, and you can use it for so many causes.

It will make their coat softer and shinier, you can also apply it on their skin if they have an infection and inflamed skin because it soothes and moisturizes the skin.

Also, it’s really easy to use, all you have to do is add any oil you want to the aloe vera and mix it, apply it on their coat, leave it for at least an hour but make sure that your dog doesn’t lick it then rinse it.

Plain yogurt

Plain yogurt is also great for conditioning and repairing hair so here is how you can use it:

You can massage the plain yogurt into their coat, you can also add honey to the plain yogurt.
Leave it for 20 minutes
Make sure that your dog does not lick it because it can upset their stomach
Rinse it with warm water and shampoo

Avocado

Here is how you can use the avocado to make their coat shinier and softer:

Mash up an avocado
Massage it into their coat
Leave it for 15 minutes
Rinse it with water and shampoo

Baking soda

The baking soda can keep your Goldendoodle’s coat shiny and clean.

It can be used in multiple ways so here is how you can use it.

You can add some to their shampoo
You can just sprinkle it on their coat, it will keep the parasites away and can prevent itching.
You can mix the baking soda with some vinegar and rub it into their coat.

17 things that could be harming your Goldendoodle’s hair.

If you think your Goldendoodle’s coat is in a worse condition currently than it has been before or than it should be, you may be right. There are too many factors that can affect their hair without us noticing, and these are the 17 most common things that could be harming their hair:

Heat
Not getting enough exercises
Wrong diet
Hormone imbalances
Digestive disturbances
Stress
Chronic diarrhea
Cleaning products
A shampoo with lots of chemicals or wrong ingredients for your
Body soap
Metabolic problems
Anxiety
Cancer
Tea tree oil
Allergies
Parasites
Shaving them

How much does it cost to groom a Goldendoodle?

It kinda depends on the size of your Goldendoodle, the bigger your dog gets the more expensive it will be but in general you can expect to pay between $50-$80.

If you liked this article and found it useful, you can share it with your friends and family and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.