Short Goldendoodle Haircut Ideas: 30 Before and After Photos!
Short Goldendoodle haircuts are becoming increasingly popular—and for good reasons! They’re incredibly practical and can be super cute as well.
Sadly, thanks to many negative experiences Goldendoodle owners have been through, getting a short Goldendoodle summer cut can be a stressful and worrisome experience. What if they shave your doodle without your consent? What if they “poodle your doodle?”
In this article we’ll discuss the benefits of this hairstyle for your Goldendoodle, how to effectively communicate what style you want to your groomer, and even share 30 before and after example photos that you can use as inspiration!
Short Goldendoodle Haircut Benefits
Keeps Your Dog Comfortable & Cool During Hot Weather
You wouldn’t wear a heavy coat when it’s hot outside, so why would you force your Goldendoodle to do just that?
If you live in an area where it’s warm in the summer and cold in the winter, you may want to consider a short Goldendoodle haircut once or twice a year during the summertime to keep them comfortable and cool. If you live in an area with year-round heat, you may want to keep your Goldendoodle’s coat shorter all the time.
Goldendoodles don’t have the ability to sweat well like humans do to keep themselves cool. Instead, they rely on panting, drinking water, and releasing heat through their paw pads and nose. This makes them less efficient than us at regulating their body temperature and more susceptible to overheating. Overheating can be very dangerous and result in costly trips to the vet—just one more reason to get pet insurance!
While products such as this cooling harness on Amazon can help keep your Goldendoodle a bit more comfortable in the heat, another way to help keep them cooler and safer is by giving them a short Goldendoodle haircut when the temperatures rise.
Goldendoodles in general are a fairly high-maintenance breed when it comes to keeping their coat healthy and looking nice. Some generations of Goldendoodles have different coat attributes and can be easier or harder to manage. In general though, the longer your Goldendoodle’s hair, the more challenging it becomes to keep it clean and free of matting.
On the other hand, short Goldendoodle haircuts are incredibly easy to maintain. Brushing becomes a breeze instead of a seemingly never-ending chore. Bath time takes half the time. Muddy paws are easily wiped instead of staying a dirty, soggy mess…especially when you have this MudBuster paw cleaner on Amazon! Oh, and you’ll never have to deal with the dreaded poop that can get stuck to long hair around your Goldendoodle’s rear end.
Dexas MudBuster Portable Dog Paw Washer / Paw Cleaner
Overall, you’ll be able to spend less time tending to your Goldendoodle’s coat and more time playing with them, cuddling together, or otherwise enjoying their company.
You probably are well aware by now that grooming appointments for your Goldendoodle aren’t cheap. While prices can vary significantly, I pay around $80 (before tip) each visit.
When you constantly keep your Goldendoodle’s hair long, you’ll be stopping by the groomer pretty frequently for constant trims. All those visits can add up quickly. With a short Goldendoodle haircut you can go longer without visiting the groomer, therefore saving a decent chunk of money over the course of a year.
The key to doing this successfully is making sure you are brushing frequently in between visits so you avoid your Goldendoodle’s hair matting. Even with consistent brushing, it helps to have the right tools as well. My Goldendoodle got matted so much less when I switched from a generic slicker brush to the Chris Christensen Big G Slicker Brush. It’s a tad expensive, but 1000% worth it!
Even if you choose to groom your Goldendoodle at home to save money, opting for a Goldendoodle summer cut instead of keeping their hair long will save you time and hassle.
Come On, It’s Cute!
Call me crazy, but I think a nice, short haircut on a Goldendoodle looks just as cute as a longer teddybear look. This style looks good on any Goldendoodle size. And let’s be honest—even with the worst haircut imaginable our doods will always be undeniably adorable!
What Are Goldendoodle Summer Cuts?
A Goldendoodle summer cut is simply another term for a short haircut. While some groomers may use it to describe a particular look, I’ve found that using names or terms of specific styles is risky, as different people have different interpretations of what they mean. It’s best to find one of the before and after Goldendoodle summer cuts photos below to show to your groomer as an example of exactly what you’re looking for!
What is a Goldendoodle Kennel Cut?
Similar to Goldendoodle summer cuts, a Goldendoodle kennel cut is often a term used to describe a generic short haircut. Many groomers will interpret this as the same length of hair all over from head to tail. However, to avoid confusion, it’s best to show your groomer a photo of a Goldendoodle kennel cut so you’re both on the same page as to exactly how your Goldendoodle will look and how long their hair should be.
How to Request a Short Goldendoodle Haircut
There are lots of terms that can be used to describe how you want your dog to look when talking to a groomer. We already discussed “Goldendoodle Summer cuts” and “Goldendoodle Kennel cuts” above. There are plenty of others such as “puppy cut,” “teddybear cut,” “lamb cut,” “lion cut,” etc.
At the end of the day, from my experience, those terms may do more harm than good when it comes to communicating exactly how you’d like your Goldendoodle to look. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
I always bring a photo to show my groomer how I’d like my doodle to look and I highly recommend you do the same. If you have a photo of your Goldendoodle with a previous haircut you were happy with, use that. If you don’t or you want a different look than normal, use one of the short Goldendoodle haircut before and after photos below!
As always, be kind to your groomer and take their advice into consideration. Remember that they’re the experts. If your Goldendoodle is matted and needs to be shaved, they’re doing it for the wellbeing of your dog. What matters most is that your Goldendoodle is comfortable and happy, even if it’s not exactly the appearance you imagined.
Want to Do It Yourself?
If you’re looking to save money and have complete control over your dog’s appearance, you might want to try grooming your Goldendoodle at home. It may sound intimidating, but there are beginner courses online such as this one from Udemy that will walk you step-by-step through the process with video tutorials. The instructor of this particular course is a former professional groomer and even has a doodle herself she uses as an example!
While it may seem expensive purchasing a course and grooming equipment, you’d essentially “break even” from the savings you’d pocket from skipping just one or two grooming appointments!
Short Goldendoodle haircuts are one of the easier styles to do yourself, so if you’ve ever considered DIY grooming, now could be a great opportunity to get started!
Short Goldendoodle Haircut Before and After Photos
Here are 30 before and after photos of short Goldendoodle haircuts. They vary in length as well as style. Some are completely shaved while others are merely a shorter trim.
Sort through them to find one that best aligns with how you’d like your Goldendoodle to look and use it as an example for your groomer. By being prepared with one of these photos, you’ll greatly decrease the risk of being unhappy with the resulting haircut and make the entire grooming experience more enjoyable for everyone involved!
Photos courtesy of Aeryka Jackson on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Ashlee Wright on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Aubrey Stanley on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Brittany Stokes on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Carissa Trygstad on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Claire Blake on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Leah Williams on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Crystal Norton on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Reena Nirmal on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Fred Deutsch on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Haley Vandermeersch on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Jennifer Downs Soto on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Jessica Grimes on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Kaitlin Elizabeth on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Kerri Connolly on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Kristin Brooks on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Liz Hemenway on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Maegan Foster Harris on Facebook.
