New dog owner - grooming advice!

[TooManyPlatesInMotion]

We have a gorgeous 11.5 week old goldendoodle. We know he will need to go to a professional groomer, but I am slightly flummoxed re day to day grooming. Any advice as to what kind of brush or comb might be best for him? I have attached some pics but he doesn't photograph that well due to being a huge curly blob!

Thank you!

Brush every day or the curly coat will develop small matts that are hard to remove. Don’t bother with special dog brushes from pet shops. Get either a really good, but expensive one, from online shops that supply groomers & show people OR almost as good for day to day pet grooming for much less expense a Tangle Tamer from Boots etc. Don’t bother with a Tangle Teaser, won’t go through a thick curly coat deep enough, nor any regular bristle brush which just tends to skim over the surface whereas tiny matts tend to start nearer the skin.
A good detangling spray can help a lot to apply before brushing, Chris Christensen Ice on Ice is good or the brilliant Cowboy Magic, both available online from specialist shops, you’d be lucky to find them in pet shops. Surprisingly TKMaxx can be a good source of grooming sprays & shampoos as they often get the special American brands.
I’ve always shown & bred long coated breeds so you get to know what works & what’s a waste of money. Of course trade stands at Championship shows are a goldmine of products for every breed if you fancied a day out at one but don’t look for a ring showing your breed as it isn’t one recognised by the Kennel Club being a crossbreed.
Why do you assume you’ll need a groomer? You can groom him yourself with the right products, far less expense & a way of building even more of a bond with him instead of him being put into the hands of someone else, a stranger to him at least at first.

Thanks @Darklane. I assumed we would use a breeder to clip his coat but perhaps we can manage that ourselves too.

He’s a lovely little dog & that coat doesn’t look too difficult to manage

I'm a Dog Groomer and Goldendoodles are one of my faves to groom, just big teddy bears!

I have unfortunately seen a lot of matted ones that have needed to be or already been shaved. Same as with any poodle/poodle cross, if they have the poodle coat it can Matt easy if it's not kept on top of due to the tight curls.

Puppy fur doesn't matt as easy as adult fur due to being softer but it's good to get in to the routine of grooming as young as possible and to get them used to it.
Even if you decide to clip yourself in the future, I would recommend taking them to a professional groomer while young to get them used to the environment should you ever need to take them in. Most groomers will offer puppy intros.

For brushes, I'd recommend a slicker brush and a metal comb, you can get them in any pet shop or Amazon etc, doesn't need to be anything fancy or expensive. You can pick them up for a couple of pounds each. Use the comb to go right to the skin as matting starts at the skin then use the slicker over the top which also fluffs it up a bit. I'd personally recommend getting in to the habit of a thorough brush once a day if keeping the coat long. Also if he gets wet in puddles/rain etc or muddy, wipe him with a towel and make sure to give a brush as water can also make matting worse.

He's a lovely dog! ☺️

Thanks v much @Lou98@Lou98

He is indeed like a big teddy and has a temperament to match! I appreciate the advice and have ordered a brush and spray. Good tip to get him to a groomer sooner rather than later so he is used to the experience.

Lots of groomers offer puppy grooms - I would highly recommend them.