Doodle grooming
Goldendoodle grooming in Gloucester: teddy bear cuts and de-matting
Goldendoodles are the coat our groomers see most at 210 Eastern Ave, and the coat that hides the most trouble. This page explains how we cut them, what a doodle costs by size, how matting changes the appointment, and how to keep the fluff between visits.
Who books this
For the doodle whose coat grows faster than the calendar
Goldendoodle coats range from loose waves to tight poodle curls, and every version traps sand, salt and burrs. A doodle who ran Good Harbor Beach on an even-numbered day in November comes home with a damp undercoat that felts against the skin behind the ears, under the collar and in the armpits within a week. Owners who book with us tend to fall into three groups: the six-week regulars who want the same length every time, the beach and trail doodles who need the coat shorter for practical reasons, and the doodles who arrive after a long winter with mats the brush no longer reaches.
A teddy bear cut suits most of them. It leaves a rounded face, longer ears and a body length you choose, from a half inch to two inches. Bring a photo and we will tell you honestly whether the coat can hold that length right now. Puppy doodles are covered on our puppy's first groom page; bernedoodles and standard doodles over 90 pounds are covered under large dog grooming.
- Regular doodles on a four- to eight-week cycle who want a consistent teddy bear length
- Beach and trail doodles who need a shorter, practical coat for salt and sand
- Winter doodles with mats behind the ears, under the collar and in the armpits
- Doodle owners who want plain advice on what length the coat can hold today
The appointment
Bath, dry, brush-out, then the cut: two to four hours for a doodle
A goldendoodle groom begins in the tub, not on the table. Cutting a dirty doodle coat dulls blades and pulls hair, so the bath comes first: a warm wash, a conditioner for the curl, then a high-velocity dry that straightens the coat so scissors and clippers can move through it. Drying is the slow part of a doodle appointment. A wet 60-pound doodle takes far longer than a lab, and we would rather dry properly than send home a damp dog who mats by Thursday.
After the dry comes the brush-out, where we find out what the coat is really doing. Small tangles get worked through with a comb. Genuine mats are a decision we make with you: remove them by hand at $15 per 20 minutes, or take the coat shorter. Then the cut: body length with clippers or scissors, a rounded head, the ears blended, feet tidied and the sanitary area cleaned up. Expect two to four hours from drop-off to pick-up depending on coat condition and size.
- 01
Drop off inside a window and tell us the length you want; a photo helps more than a description
- 02
Warm bath and conditioner, then a full high-velocity dry to straighten the curl
- 03
Brush-out and coat assessment; we message you if mats change the plan or the price
- 04
The cut: body length, rounded teddy bear head, blended ears and tidy feet
- 05
Nails, ears and any add-ons you booked, then a final fluff
- 06
Pick up, and rebook at the desk to take $5 off the next visit
Prices
$75 to $120 for a full-service doodle groom, by weight
Full service is priced by size. Most adult goldendoodles land in the medium and large bands: $85 for 26 to 50 pounds and $110 for 51 to 90 pounds. A mini doodle under 25 pounds is $75 and a doodle over 90 pounds is $120. The price includes the bath, dry, brush-out and haircut. De-matting is the add-on that changes a doodle bill most, at $15 per 20 minutes, and we confirm the final figure at check-in after a coat assessment rather than surprising you at pick-up.
Popular add-ons for doodles are a face trim at $10 between full grooms, nail clipping at $16, teeth brushing at $10 and a sanitary trim at $10. If your doodle also comes to daycare, book the groom onto a daycare day and collect one clean dog at the afternoon window. Overnight guests on the Dogtown Classic bundle take 10 percent off grooming and Deluxe guests take 15 percent.
| Goldendoodle size | Bath only | Full service |
|---|---|---|
| Mini, up to 25 lb | $55 | $75 |
| Medium, 26 to 50 lb | $65 | $85 |
| Standard, 51 to 90 lb | $75 | $110 |
| Over 90 lb | $85 | $120 |
| De-matting | $15 per 20 minutes | $15 per 20 minutes |
| Face trim between grooms | $10 | $10 |
Why here
A studio that handles doodles all week, and tells you the truth about the coat
Doodles are the everyday work of the Dogtown Grooming studio. Our groomers know the difference between a wavy coat that will fluff at two inches and a curly coat that needs to come down to one, and they will say so before the clippers start. The studio sits inside our 10,000 square foot building on Eastern Ave, so a doodle who is nervous on the table can take a break, and a doodle who comes for daycare already knows the smell of the place.
We do not shave a coat without telling you. If the mats are tight to the skin, the kind option is a short, even clip and a fresh start; we explain why and show you where the felting was. For a doodle who needs slower handling, the $20 behavior or handling surcharge buys extra time and a second pair of hands rather than a rushed groom. Between visits, the line brushing guide in our how-to section keeps the coat workable.
- Groomers who work doodle coats every day and set realistic lengths
- A coat assessment at check-in, with the price confirmed before work starts
- Room to pause; the studio is inside the daycare building, not a van
- A $20 handling surcharge instead of a rushed groom for nervous doodles
Getting here
Drop-off windows, the Pup Van and the salt problem between grooms
Grooming appointments are dropped off inside our regular windows: weekdays 6:30 to 9:30 AM, 12 to 1 PM and 4 to 6:30 PM, Saturdays 8 to 10 AM, 12 to 1 PM and 4 to 6 PM. The Pup Van will collect a doodle for grooming in Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea at $10 each way, which many owners use for the early slot on a Boston commute day. Rockport line riders know the MBTA bars dogs during the 7 to 10 AM and 4 to 7 PM peaks, so the van earns its fee.
Between grooms, rinse the salt out. Gloucester beaches open to dogs from October 1 to April 30, with Good Harbor on even-numbered days and Wingaersheek on odd days, and a doodle who swims there needs a fresh-water rinse and a full dry the same day or the undercoat felts. From April through November, check the coat for ticks after Dogtown Common or Ravenswood; the curl hides them well, and our groomers flag any they find at check-in.
At Dogtown
Grooming, and the daycare day around it
The studio behind the teddy bear cut, and the playgroups a doodle can join on the same day.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
How often should a goldendoodle be groomed?
Will you shave my doodle?
What is the difference between a teddy bear cut and a puppy cut on a doodle?
Can my goldendoodle be groomed during a daycare day?
Do goldendoodles cost more to groom than other dogs?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Book your doodle's next cut.
Choose a full-service groom online or in the Dogtown app, add de-matting or a face trim if you need it, and drop off at any window. No evaluation for grooming.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
