How to Groom a Cockapoo

A Cockapoo is a type of dog that is a crossbreed between two different dog breeds, a Cocker Spaniel, and a Poodle. Cockapoos don’t shed very much, but they have tangled fur. The drawback with this is that they need to be properly groomed if you want them to look good.

Cockapoo grooming is like that of a sheep. It takes time, but you don’t have to do it daily. The tools you will need for this are readily available, and they don’t cost a lot. If you’ve just brought a Cockapoo into your home and don’t know how to go about grooming it, this article will be your guide.

We will take you through the basics of grooming a Cockapoo, as well as what tools to use and how frequently you will need to carry out this process.

The Nature of Cockapoo Fur

A Cockapoo is a crossbreed between a Poodle and a Cocker Spaniel. A cockapoo is a hybrid, and its fur remains a mystery. The fur rarely sheds on its own, like that of other puppies, and it needs to be straightened to stay in place.

Most Cockapoos feature one of three types of fur – straight, wavy, or curly. All three types of fur do not fall in place on their own. Without frequent grooming, they tangle, become thicker, and prevent proper insulation.

A Cockapoo will require more maintenance than other puppies. However, for that extra effort, you get a dog that’s cute, smart, and easy to train. Also, they’re non-barkers and won’t scare your visitors away.

The good side of this is that you won’t have to worry about sweeping fur off the floor or picking it off of your clothes. The fur of the Cockapoo is dense, long, and very curly. Its texture changes as they approach adulthood, and the upper coat will shed off to make room for the lower one.

How to Groom a Cockapoo

Your first attempt at grooming a Cockapoo will be difficult and time-consuming, but it gets easier if you have the right tools. You are going to get rid of the tangles faster and lay the fur back. We’ve made a long list of the tools you will need throughout the process, including the tools needed for bathing, hair trimming, and nail clipping.

Bathing Tools: Before you think about clippers or scissors, you need to make sure you have a grooming table. This is where you keep the puppy to restrict its movement as you run your tools over its hair. If you don’t already have one of these, you can shop for it on Amazon or other online sites.

There’s no way you can have a pain-free grooming process without a proper table. Also, you want to keep your bare hands off the body of your dog. Cockapoos are adventurous. They tend to have dust and all forms of germs glued to their hair. This is why you should get a grooming glove to act as a barrier as you work your hands over the fur.

Clippers and Scissors: Clippers and scissors are undoubtedly the most important tools you will need for grooming. Having your own set is a life-long investment, as you can use it over and over again.

The scissors you opt for shouldn’t be too sharp. That way, you can prevent inflicting wounds on your Cockapoo. A shear could help trim areas that scissors can’t reach, especially if the coat is beginning to tangle.

Comb and Brush: The type of brush you need for grooming a Cockapoo should come with a curve that suits the contour of your dog’s hair. Brushes come in different sizes – small, medium, or large. The best grooming brush is one that is automated and comes with a self-cleaning button to get rid of tangled fur.

With a comb, you can clear matted fur in a few minutes. Grooming combs don’t cost much, and they’re easy to use. You can run them over the fur after bathing.

Nail Clippers: Manual nail clippers will help you clip long nails, but it is always recommended that you get nail grinders to ensure you don’t cut deep into the skin.

Grooming Each Body Part Of the Cockapoo

The length of the hair on each part of a Cockapoo body is different, and the posture of the dog will be different as you cut through certain areas. For instance, when grooming the legs and the tummy, the dog has to stand on his feet.

However, when you get to the tummy, he has to lie on his back. For this reason, we will be taking a look at the technique to employ as you shave each part.

Grooming the Legs

The hair on a Cockapoo’s leg is shorter than that of the upper body. They tend to trap dust, debris, and grass as they run around. For this, you would want to wash the legs off before using your scissors. For this part, you want to use a clipper with a blade dimension of ⅛ inches.

The hair on the leg and belly is probably the hardest to cut. The dog will feel an urge to sit as you run the clipper through its legs. To save you stress, you want to use a saddle to put him in a standing position throughout the process.

When cutting the hair on the leg, you want to go top to bottom. Doing otherwise will likely pull the dog’s hair, creating a lot of distress for him.

Grooming the Belly

Dog’s belly hair doesn’t get a lot of attention. This is because it is short and has a slower growth rate. Nevertheless, you want to cut the hair since excessive hair could cause insulation issues.

When cutting belly hair, you want to have your dog lying on one side or on their back. It’s a good practice to start from the torso and then work your way down to the private area. You want to be careful around the pubic region, and make sure you don’t accidentally nick them. You will only need to run the clipper over this area once since the hair in that area isn’t dense.

Grooming the Ears

Along with the pubic region, the ears are an area that you need to be careful with when shaving your Cockapoo. The skin around the ear is fragile and easy to cut. You should use a small blade that is almost the same size as the one you used on the belly.

You want to start from the top down. The hair at the end of the ears is much longer than the ones at the top. In the end, you should use either scissors or shears to achieve a uniform appearance.

Grooming the Face

A larger percentage of the hair on a dog’s face is concentrated around the eyebrow. The facial hair is surprisingly longer than that of the leg and the ears. When shaving your dog’s face, ensure that you pull the ears out of the way and run your clipper from the temple down to the mouth.

Keep your clipper far away from the eyes. Rather, use small scissors to trim any long hair that is shooting from the eyes.

Grooming the Tail

Grooming the hair on the face is a stroll in the park. You can use large scissors here. Place your scissors at the junction of the buttocks and work it down to the tip of the tail. If your dog isn’t aggressive, it won’t take long before you’re done thinning the hair around that area.

When and How Often Should You Groom Your Cockapoo?

You don’t have to groom your Cockapoo every day. It’s like taking care of your hair. You don’t wash it with shampoo every day, but you have to run a comb through it daily to prevent it from becoming tangled. The same applies to grooming a Cockapoo.

There’s no specific time frame for grooming. On average, expect the hair to grow out of place within 6-12 weeks. During this period, it will start to tangle if nothing is done.

Keep in mind that fur tends to tangle faster with young Cockapoos than with adults. If you’ve just taken a young Cockapoo in, we recommend that you don’t groom until after 5-6 months. This allows the Cockapoo to adapt to its surroundings and receive needed medication.

However, as with every living being, you should know that there are individual differences. While one Cockapoo requires grooming once every 6 months, another might need to be groomed twice within the same period. It depends on how often it sheds some of its hair.

Conclusion

If you’ve never trimmed a dog, let alone a Cockapoo, we’re not going to tell you that it will be easy. The procedure is hectic, and you will make some beginner mistakes. However, it will be easier the second time you try, and it will soon become second nature.

The first time you try grooming, you have to be extremely careful with the movement of your blade. You don’t want to inflict any injuries on the body of your little creature.