Beryl came in for the first time on Saturday afternoon — eight years old, a Labradoodle, and (as it turned out) a complete sweetheart. Her owners had asked for a short summer clip ahead of the warm months; she'd come through the winter in a generous wavy coat and was probably starting to feel it by May. Most first-timers, especially older ones, need a bit of winning over. Beryl decided we were alright within a minute or two and settled onto the table like she'd been coming here for years.
Before
After
A Settled First-Timer
We'd planned a slower introduction with her — extra time settling on the table, a few sniffs of the shampoo bottle, no rush — and most of it wasn't needed. She let us check her over, popped into the bath without a fuss, and stood for the dryer as if she'd done it a hundred times before.
A Labradoodle's coat is a wonderful thing in winter and a bit of a project by May. The wavy mix sheds far less than a Lab's smooth coat — lovely on the carpet, less lovely for the dog, because everything that does shed stays woven through the rest. Regular brushing keeps things manageable; a short summer clip resets the whole coat, helps her cool off through the warmer months, and gives the new growth a clean start. Many owners grow the coat back out by autumn.
From there it was a calm hour-and-a-bit on the table — bath, full dry, clipper work, and a finishing tidy. Once we'd taken the wiry outer coat off, we found a denser undercoat than the outside had suggested, impacted in places — particularly around her hind legs. That's the Poodle half of a Labradoodle quietly making its presence felt — Poodle coats shed inwards rather than out, so a perfectly manageable-looking wavy outer can have a much firmer, denser layer hidden underneath.
A Labradoodle's coat is a bit like a thick winter coat someone forgot to take off... cosy enough in February, less fun by May!
The back end needed some patient brushing-through before we could safely clip the rest of the coat down. We left her head, ears and beard longer for breed character; it's the look that makes a Doodle still look like a Doodle, even with most of the fluff gone. Her ears got a thorough clean — Doodles can grow hair down into the canal itself, so it's always worth a proper look. Feet were tidied around the feathers, and the nails got a quick once-over. Beryl, it turns out, is very motivated by treats — she had quite a few once we were done, as a thank-you for being such a good girl on the table.
The Reveal
The transformation is genuinely striking. The "before" Beryl is all volume — tousled, dense, twice the dog she actually is. The "after" Beryl is a lean, dark, alert pet who you can suddenly see has rather lovely lines under all of that. She left lighter on her feet, visibly cooler, and trotted off looking exceedingly pleased with herself.
It's always a small relief when a new arrival turns out to be such a sweetheart on the table. Beryl, you're very welcome back any time — and we'll see you when the coat starts to grow back!
Carrie x