Cockapoos are full of character! A hybrid breed that first originated in the 1960s, they’re a combination of a Poodle and a Cocker Spaniel. Bred to be friendly, people-orientated dogs, they are energetic and intelligent with a fabulous temperament, which is why they’re such a popular choice of dog breed. Cockapoo coats come in lots of different styles that can require a lot of grooming and maintenance, depending on which type your dog has
Cockapoos have single-coated fur, which comes in both straight and curly variations. They are low-shedding dogs that lose very little hair and dander, making them a hypoallergenic breed that’s perfect for allergy sufferers. How often you groom your Cockapoo really depends on what type of coat they have, usually categorised into one of the following:
Cockapoo grooming for a flat-coated dog is relatively low maintenance. Similar to that of a Cocker Spaniel, its coat is low shedding and doesn't really need to be clipped. They usually require some at-home brushing, two to three times a week.
A straight-coated Cockapoo requires medium maintenance. With low to medium shedding, these coats require regular at-home grooming, frequent brushing and clipping around three to four times a year.
Cockapoo grooming for a dog with a ringlet coat is much more high-maintenance. Cockapoos still moult twice a year even though they don’t shed their fur, so it’s important to groom them to prevent matting. The best way to do this is by line-grooming, a process that involves working with wet, conditioned fur and removing the dead fur with a bladed detangler and a flexible slicker brush. With ringlets and tight curled coats, it’s recommended that even alongside daily brushing, your dog should be taken to the groomers at least every three months. For ease of maintenance, you may prefer to keep your dog's curls short.
Whatever type of coat your Cockapoo has, it’s important to frequently brush and trim the hair around their eyes for better visibility, using bull nose scissors for safety. Also, as Cockapoos have floppy ears, we’d also recommend that you check them regularly for infection and redness and clean them with a cotton pad and a veterinary recommended solution. Never put cotton buds inside your dog’s ears, as this can cause severe damage to the ear canal and cause further blockages. As with most dog breeds, don’t over bathe your dog as this can dry their skin and drain necessary oils from their coats.
Particularly with curlier Cockapoos, it’s important to keep on top of the grooming around their face to keep them tidy and prevent them from picking up nasty infections. When planning how to groom a Cockapoo face, the three main areas to consider are the crown, the eyes and the muzzle;
This the area that sits on top of the head, between the dog’s ears. It should be kept at medium-length as too short can affect the proportions of your dog’s face. Pull the hair up between your fingers and snip away with grooming scissors at a 45° angle for best results.
Support your dog’s head with your free hand placed under its chin. Groom the eyebrow and eye hair downwards towards the nose with a comb and cut away with the middle of the scissors, with blades pointing upwards to avoid accidents. It’s important to keep eye hair short to prevent infections. Even up the eyebrows once the eye hair is trimmed.
When grooming the muzzle of your Cockapoo, don’t worry about taking too much away. The hair should fall over the muzzle in a curved-moustache style. Comb hair downwards on each side of your dog’s snout, then cut a straight line that sits level with the jawline. By pulling this hair sideways away from the nose, you’ll be able to see any stray hairs that can be snipped away. Cut away a small amount of hair to make a curve, with the hair getting shorter as you move towards the nose to create that famous Cockapoo moustache look! Remember, if in doubt, always ask your groomer for advice before attempting an at-home haircut! Take care with your dog’s whiskers too, they’re safe to trim but are sensitive and can cause your pup to flinch.
Cockapoos are beautiful dogs with really expressive faces, so you might want to consider that when deciding how to groom your Cockapoo. Usually, the most popular cuts are as follows:
Perfect for the warm weather, this cut involves trimming the fur to the same short length all over. This cut is low maintenance, lasts for a few months and keeps your Cockapoo cool during the warmer months.
With this cut, the fur on the head is kept longer whilst the hair around the eyes is trimmed shorter in a classic Cocker Spaniel style. Let a professional groomer do the first cut for your dog, which will need touching up every six to eight weeks.
This cut keeps the coat at an easy-to-maintain length but keeps the fur on the legs longer and fluffier, creating a lamb-like look. A professional groomer will be able to perfect this style for you.
Probably the most famous Cockapoo cut, this keeps the hair long around the head, with the fur-trimmed to two-three inches all over the body so it looks fluffier and more dishevelled! With this look, it’s important to keep on top of your dog’s grooming and to visit a professional groomer every two-three months. The perfect Teddy Bear Cockapoo will have medium length hair to its crown, short hair around the eyes, medium-length eyebrows and a round muzzle.
