How much grooming do they need?

Labs need to be brushed on a regular basis (about once a week) to keep them clean. This will also help keep the shedding under control. A "slicker" type brush, which you can buy at any pet store, works nicely. Labs, like all dogs, need to have their toenails clipped regularly. You can get a canine nail clipper at any pet store and your vet can demonstrate to you the best way to clip their nails. Labs do not need to be bathed frequently. The Labrador coat does not need constant attention. A true bath, which includes shampooing the coat, is only necessary if the dog smells bad. Generally, if a dog is merely dusty or muddy, you can rinse them off with plain water or wait until they are dry and brush the dirt out to restore them to cleanliness. Shampooing them too often is not a good idea as shampoo tends to strip the natural oils out of their coats. A properly oily coat repels dirt and sheds water easily. In general, Labrador coats are low-maintenance. ... more

Border Collies are fairly low-maintenance dogs when it comes to grooming because their coats actually shed dirt very nicely. Generally, a good 10-minute brushing two or three times per week helps to keep their coats clean and in nice condition; more frequent brushing while they are shedding helps to control the amount of hair that ends up on your carpet. Because Border Collies should not have a strong odor, bathing should be necessary only when your dog starts feeling dirty to you, or if the dog has rolled in something noxious. If your Border Collie starts to smell bad soon after a bath, a trip to the vet for a check for skin and ear problems is probably in order. Like all dogs, they also need to have their toenails clipped regularly unless they do a lot of running on hard surfaces. In that case they often wear their nails down on their own. However, even then it's a good idea to check the nails once a week, just to make sure. ... more

The Siberian is fastidiously clean and is free of body odor and parasites. Siberian's clean themselves like cats. In fact, a Siberian that gets soiled with mud will clean himself/herself up. Therefore, bathing requirements are minimal. Most Siberian owners only have to bathe their dogs once a year or less! Twice a year, Siberians "blow" their undercoats. They will shed their undercoats completely. It is a very intense shedding period that can last three weeks from start to finish. The good news is it only happens twice a year! The remainder of the time, Siberians are relatively shed free. Some people feel that this problem is easier to cope with than the constant shedding and removal of many smooth-coated breeds. The hair usually comes out in large and small clumps. During the intense shedding period, if you brush the dog every day, to help get out the undercoat, it should shorten the shedding period. Other than during the shedding season, the Siberian needs very little grooming. ... more

Yes, Labradoodles are the ultimate family companion. They adore the attention and company of children and they love to join in and play games. Labradoodles are patient, intelligent, sociable, loving, loyal and kind. They are non-aggressive and love to make you laugh and will go to great lengths to make you happy. They also thrive when living close to you and tend to gravitate towards the younger members of the family. However it is important to give young puppies a safe place so they can have "time out" from playing with young children. ... more