Short Labradoodle Haircut Ideas: 20 Before and After Photos!
Short Labradoodle haircuts are increasing in popularity—and for good reasons! Not only are they cute, but they’re super practical too!
Sadly, thanks to many negative experiences Labradoodle owners have been through, getting a short Labradoodle summer cut can be a stressful and worrisome experience. What if they shave your doodle without your consent? Not to mention the dreaded, “they poodled my doodle!”
In this article we’ll discuss the benefits of this hairstyle for your Labradoodle, how to effectively communicate what style you want to your groomer, and even share 20 before and after example photos that you can use as inspiration!
Short Labradoodle Haircut Benefits
Keeps Your Dog Comfortable & Cool During Hot Weather
Would you wear a winter coat when it was hot outside? Probably not! So, why force your Labradoodle 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 Labradoodle 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 Labradoodle’s coat shorter all the time.
Instead of sweating like humans to do keep themselves cool, Labradoodles pant, drink water, and release heat through their nose and the pads of their paws to keep cool. This makes them significantly less efficient than humans at regulating their body temperature and more susceptible to overheating. Overheating can be very dangerous and result in costly trips to the vet—just another good reason to get pet insurance!
While products such as this cooling harness on Amazon can help keep your Labradoodle a bit more comfortable in the heat, another way to help keep them cooler and safer is by giving them a short Labradoodle haircut when the temperatures rise.
Labradoodles tend to be a high-maintenance breed when it comes to keeping their coat in good condition. Some generations of Labradoodles have different coat attributes and can be easier or harder to manage. As a rule of thumb, the longer you keep your Labradoodle’s hair, the more of a chore it becomes to keep it clean, healthy, and free of matting.
On the other hand, short Labradoodle 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 Labradoodle’s rear end.
Dexas MudBuster Portable Dog Paw Washer / Paw Cleaner
If you’re looking to spend less time maintaining your Labradoodle’s coat and spend more time snuggling with them or playing with them, a short style may be right for you!
You probably are well aware by now that grooming appointments for your Labradoodle aren’t cheap. While prices can vary significantly, I pay around $80 (before tip) each visit.
By keeping your Labradoodle’s hair lengthier, you’ll have to have appointments at the groomer more often to keep getting it trimmed. All those visits can add up quickly. With a short Labradoodle haircut you can go for longer periods of time without seeing the groomer, therefore saving a decent amount of money over the years.
The key to doing this successfully is making sure you are brushing frequently in between visits so you avoid your Labradoodle’s hair matting. Choosing the right brush is just as important—I personally use and recommend the Chris Christensen Big G Slicker Brush. Yes it’s expensive, but switching to it from a generic brush has drastically reduced the amount of matting my doodle gets and saved me money at the groomer!
Even those who groom their Labradoodles at home often opt for a Labradoodle summer cut to save themselves time and a lot of struggle with a more complicated, longer style.
Come On, It’s Cute!
Call me crazy, but I think a nice, short haircut on a Labradoodle looks just as cute as a longer teddybear look. This style looks good on any Labradoodle size. And let’s be honest—even with the worst haircut imaginable our doods will always be undeniably adorable!
What Are Labradoodle Summer Cuts?
“Labradoodle summer cut” is just a different term to describe 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. I prefer using one of the Labradoodle summer cuts before and after photos below to show to my groomer so they know precisely what I’d like.
What is a Labradoodle Kennel Cut?
Similar to Labradoodle summer cuts, a Labradoodle 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 Labradoodle kennel cut so you’re both on the same page as to exactly how your Labradoodle will look and how long their hair should be.
How to Request a Short Labradoodle Haircut
There are a wide variety of terms to communicate what style of haircut you’d like your Labradoodle to have. We already discussed “Labradoodle Kennel cuts” and “Labradoodle Summer cuts” above. There are plenty of others such as “lamb cut,” “teddybear cut,” “puppy 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 Labradoodle to look. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
I always bring along a photo to show how I’d like my doodle to be groomed and I strongly encourage you do so as well. If you have a photo of your Labradoodle 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 Labradoodle haircut before and after photos below!
As always, be respectful towards your groomer and consider their advice. They’re the experts, after all! If your Labradoodle is matted and needs to be shaved, they’re doing it for the wellbeing of your dog. The most important thing is that your Labradoodle is comfortable, happy, and healthy—even if this means they don’t have the exact haircut you were hoping for.
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 Labradoodle at home. It may sound intimidating, but there are beginner tutorials online such as this one from Udemy that will walk you step-by-step through the process in a video course. The instructor of this course is a former professional groomer and even has a doodle herself she uses as an example!
While it may seem costly to purchase a course and DIY grooming equipment, you’d essentially “break even” from the savings you’d pocket from skipping just a couple grooming appointments!
Short Labradoodle haircuts are one of the most easy styles to do yourself, so if you’ve ever debated about DIY grooming, now could be a good opportunity to get started!
Short Labradoodle Haircut Before and After Photos
Here are 20 before and after photos of short Labradoodle haircuts. They vary in length as well as style. Some are completely shaved while others are merely a shorter trim.
Take a look at them and choose one the is the most like how you’d prefer your Labradoodle to look. You can then use it as an example to show 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 grooming experience more enjoyable for everyone!
Photo courtesy of Ann Fenton Affolter on Facebook.
