The fleece coat Labradoodle has a soft, silky coat that feels delicate when you pet it. Fleece coat Labradoodles have fur which hangs in gentle waves or loose tresses. They are relatively easy to manage compared with wool or hair coats, and are often low shedding and have hypoallergenic properties. Today we look at what makes a fleece coat Labradoodle special, and how to groom, clip, bathe and care for this cute coat. We’ll also share top tips for finding a perfect fleece Labradoodle puppy to share your home and a great Labradoodle grooming video too.
The description of the fleece coat Labradoodle sounds so wonderful, doesn’t it? Like a fleecy little lamb, so soft, cuddly and comforting. But what exactly is a fleece coat Labradoodle? How can you go about identifying Labradoodles with a fleece coat? Is there anything specific you need to know before you decide a fleece Labradoodle is your dream dog? You will learn how to distinguish a fleece coat from the other Labradoodle coat types. We will also talk about how to groom this coat and how to choose your fleece Labradoodle puppy.
What Is a Fleece Coat Labradoodle?
A fleece coat Labradoodle is not a new breed or breed line but rather a reference to a particular Labradoodle coat type. Here, it might help to first explain that today’s Labradoodles can inherit a range of coat types that fall into three broad categories: wool, fleece and hair.
The wool coat is a non-shedding single layer curly coat that resembles a purebred Poodle coat. The hair coat is a shedding single layer coat that is straight or wavy and most resembles the Labrador Retriever, Terrier or Spaniel parent coats.
And the fleece coat, which we are discussing here, is a single layer largely non-shedding coat that typically ranges from wavy to loosely curly. This coat has a soft fleecy feel and is said to resemble the Turkish Angora goat’s prized wool coat. Labradoodles that grow up to inherit this coat type are called fleece coat Labradoodles.
Grooming a Fleece Coat Labradoodle
The fleece coat Labradoodle is considered a relatively easy coat type to groom and maintain. However, there can be some variation here depending on whether this coat tends more towards straight-wavy versus curly-wavy.
Labradoodle grooming workshop curly fleece coat
Because the Labradoodle is single coated, you won’t ever have to deal with the seasonal sheds that double coated Labrador Retrievers and similar working dog breeds go through twice a year.
However, because the fleece coat sheds only lightly if at all, this means shed hair is getting trapped in the surrounding coat. This trapped shed hair can create tangles and mats that cause skin abrasion and lead to infection. For this reason, it is a good idea to groom your adult fleece coat Labradoodle daily. But be sure to start brushing your Labradoodle puppy early in life to get them used to the process.
The best way is to spritz or smooth on a bit of detangler. Next, use a de-shedding rake or tool to remove the dead, shed hair. Then run a blunt-tip wide tooth comb through the coat to gently work out any tangles or mats. Finally, a slicker brush is a great way to add shine and smoothness to your Labradoodle’s coat.
Fleece Coat Labradoodle Colors
Fleece Labradoodle dogs can inherit a wonderful variety of solid colors, parti-color or multi-color coats and color patterns. Why such a varied assortment, you might be wondering? The reason owes to genetic influence from Labrador Retrievers, Poodles and, for Australian Labradoodles in particular, Cocker Spaniels, Water Terriers and perhaps other breeds as well.
Traditional solid Labradoodle coat colors include red, white, black, brown, blue, silver, grey, cream, café, parchment, caramel and gold. Labradoodles can also inherit parti-color and multi-color combinations of these colors and color patterns including phantom, sable and brindle.
Fleece Coat Labradoodle Haircuts
The fleece coat Labradoodle has the advantage of looking great whether the hair is kept long or short. However, most Labradoodle owners find it is easier and more practical to keep their dog’s coat clipped short.
One haircut that is universally popular and looks great on Labradoodles is the puppy cut or teddy bear cut. This cut follows the silhouette of the dog’s face, body and paws and leaves between one-half and one inch of fur evenly all over the dog. Because this is a simple haircut, you can even learn to do it at home if you have the right tools.
Labradoodle Grooming Video
Finding Fleece Coat Labradoodle Puppies
Labradoodles first made headlines when breed founder Wally Conron announced they were hypoallergenic. Not surprisingly, this created an instant demand for the newly created dog breed! Unfortunately, since that time, researchers have determined there is no such an animal as a hypoallergenic dog. Reason being, the allergy-aggravating protein is found in the dog’s saliva, skin and urine, not in the hair itself.
However, dogs with low-shedding or non-shedding coats are less likely to trigger allergic episodes. This is because you will do less cleaning and thus have less physical contact with the protein allergen.
In the Labradoodle, it is the fleece and wool coat types that are said to be low to non-shedding. This has made fleece and wool coat Labradoodles very popular, sometimes to the point of creating long wait lists for puppies. But one important fact to remember here is that the study of canine genetics is still quite new. For this reason, even the most experienced Labradoodle breeders can’t always predict with complete certainty which coat type a Labradoodle puppy will grow up to inherit.
Add to this uncertainty the fact that Labradoodle puppies may not grow into their full adult coat until they are 12 to 16 months old. This is a long time to wait to know for sure if you are likely to have pet allergy problems!
So if you or someone in your family is severely pet allergic, your best bet is to work with a late-stage Labradoodle breeder – F3 or later, or multi-gen (multi-generational). This way you can feel more certain that your new Labradoodle will have a low to no-shed coat.
Final Thoughts
Are you in love with the gorgeous fleece coat Labradoodle dog? We are too! Let us know in the comments whether you are thinking about getting a Labradoodle or already have one of these beautiful dogs in your family.