Why is the top knot on my dog not a perfect globe? Why are the cuffs at the bottom of my Doodle’s feet not puffy and circular? Why is the hair not falling straight down the sides of my dog? Why is the hair not super silky like my friends’ dog?
All these questions and more are like asking your hairdresser why your hair is not curly when it is straight. Your fur baby may have Poodle in their genes, but it does not mean that their fur does. Fur type and texture depend on which gene is dominant in your pet and how their fur changes as they age. When they are puppies, they may have the look of a Poodle but seem to have more Retriever fur. But once they are turning 2 suddenly you notice more tight curls and a Retriever look to their face. Every pet is different, and it is very hard to determine what mixture and texture you are going to get in your dog, but it is important to know how to deal with that fur mixture.
Many people base what they want their dog like off of a dog they saw on YouTube, or their friends’ dog. Just because the dog breeds have the same title does not mean that they share the same percentage of this mixture. Therefore, your friends Bernadoodle may have straight and coarse fur that sticks up and is able to make they look very poufy and teddy bear like. But your dog has more Burmese Mountain Dog and so their hair is thicker and wavey and will never poof up like that.
There are plenty of adorable looks for each dog, if you have an artist eye and can pick out the features that should be accentuated. Ask your Groomer to try a slightly different length to the fur cut, try longer legs and a shorter body, try shorter ears or longer ears, or simply try different bangs on your pup. All these different Groomer skills will help you achieve the look you are going for on your fur baby.
That expression we all want what we can’t have is very relevant for the dog world too. But if you are brushing your dog (ALL OVER), giving them an odd bath here and there between grooms, and love them just the way they are – they will be a very happy dog.