How To Groom A Cockapoo At Home [Step-By-Step]

Do you want to know how to groom a Cockapoo at home? This complete guide shows the step-by-step process to ensure that your Cockapoo is always neat-looking.

Learn all about your dog’s coat, how often Cockapoos shed, recommended hair styles, and grooming tools.

What Are The Different Types Of Cockapoo Coats?

There are three main types of Cockapoo Coats. These include the straight, the wavy-curly type, and the ones that are curled tightly.

The variation of the coat tends to vary depending on the type of characteristics traits that they inherit from both the Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle.

The Cocker Spaniel basically has a double-layered coat and consists of an outer coat that is partly wavy, straight, and quite long.

The Poodle on the other hand has a single-layered and medium-length coat, with a texture that is quite curly and coarse.

Tight Curls

The tight curly coat is a non-shedding type that requires to be kept trimmed, clipped, and perfectly groomed at all times.

This coat type sheds the least in comparison to the other types and has a greater percentage of the poodle genes in it.

Straight Fur

The straight Cockapoo coat requires clipping about four times a year because it sheds less in comparison to the other types. However, it still requires to be brushed and cleaned regularly.

This type of Cockapoo coat has more of the Cocker Spaniel genes and has hair that is straighter compared to the others.

Wavy Fur

The wavy-curly coat type has a stronger breed of the Cocker Spaniel in it and is known to be the one that sheds the most of all the coat types.

It mostly does its shedding seasonally and because it sheds more, it needs to be properly groomed and cared for.

Coat Combinations

Coat Combinations often result from cross-breeding down the chain further. For instance, a Cockapoo, which is by itself already a crossbreed of an original mix might again be cross-bred with either a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle.

The resultant breed will lead to an even stronger gene that has stronger characteristics. It results in generations that are classified using F1, F2, and so on.

The final result of these more complex crossbreeds will result in the coat combinations listed below:

• Cockapoo with a flat coat, which is far more similar to the Cocker Spaniel

• Cockapoo with a hair type that is straight and has waves that are gentle and even

• Cockapoo with a coat that is curled tightly. This particular one is more similar to the Poodle, hence its level of shedding is quite low. However, it still requires the same level of grooming just like the Poodle breed.

• Cockapoo with wavy ringlets of coat, which has higher levels of maintenance among the combinations

When Do Cockapoos Shed?

Cockapoos often shed their hair twice annually. This often happens when the coat blow starts, which leads to it getting surrounded by the fur around it, and in a way gets trapped in the coat itself.

The latter mostly happens because most of the hair does not fall to the ground. The result of the hair getting surrounded by fur and getting trapped is that it will tend to form tangles that can be quite massive.

The best thing that can be done to avoid the discomfort that comes with the tangles is to shave them off.

Why Should I Learn How To Groom A Cockapoo At Home?

There are several advantageous reasons why you need to groom a Cockapoo at home on your own. The number one reason is to be able to bond better with your dog.

The action of touching your dog during the grooming procedures, while trying to gently remove the tangles and mats will go a long way in the Cockapoo getting used to your touch. In the process, the two of you will be able to bond more and grow fond of each other.

Apart from the bonding, you will also get to save money that you would have otherwise spent on paying for the services of a grooming specialist.

Lastly, grooming your Cockapoo at home will allow you to choose the products that you want. By so doing, you can avoid harsh products that could be harmful to your Cockapoo.

What Haircut Styles Look Good On Cockapoos?

Different haircuts will suit your cockapoo depending on its age. When they are still puppies, cuts that will ensure that the coat is finer and thinner will be more appropriate.

For instance, the puppy cut, which is more of a teddy bear look, is most suitable when the Cockapoo is still a puppy.

However, as the Cockapoo grows into an adult, then you should be able to try out more versatile and adventurous haircuts such as the low maintenance look and the Poodle look.

The Teddy Bear Look

While trying to trim your Cockapoo’s face to achieve this particular look, you need to ensure that you have the cut done in such a way that the hair does not become either too pronounced or too short.

You need to make sure that the area around the muzzle is a bit long, with the eyebrows receiving a medium trim.

The hairs surrounding the eyes need to be quite short; whereas those around the crown should remain medium.

The Low Maintenance Look

This cut will ensure that you do not get the Cockapoos trimmed every so often.

This low maintenance look is achieved by ensuring that the trim is a little lower and shorter, with the eyebrows getting a trim that is medium-sized.

The crown hair for this particular look is relatively short, with the muzzle being less poofy.

The Poodle Look

The Poodles are often trimmed in such a way that their bone structure is left elaborate and the areas around the eyebrow and muzzle being cut shorter.

The hair surrounding the eyes as well as the hair on the crown are also often trimmed to a shorter length.

What Haircuts Are Suitable For The Different Coat Types?

The different coat types require specific ways of trimming. This is highlighted below in detail.

Wavy Loose Coat

Cockapoos that tend to inherit equal genes in terms of the coat from both the Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle tend to have a coat that is gentle, loose, and wavy.

Such dogs with this type of coat require quarterly trimming in a bid to avoid constant grooming and brushing at home that can otherwise be time-consuming.

You may choose to allow the coat to grow long, but this would mean that you might constantly have to deal with coat blows biannually.

Allowing the coat to grow longer may not necessarily lead to tangles. It may however lead to the surrounding hair trapping the shed hair near the skin.

Straight Hair Coat

The Cockapoos that inherit more of the Cocker Spaniel’s genes often have straight hair. It may not require trimming or even clipping at all.

However, if the hair becomes so long such that the Cockapoo’s vision is obscured, then you might have to consider giving it a trim.

The necessary trimming may have to be done around the muzzle and facial areas. Also, for both sanitary and safety purposes, you may want to consider trimming the hair around the hind quarters and paw pads.

Curly And Tight Coat

Cockapoos that inherit more of the Poodle genes have curly and tight coats. Since this hair type does not easily shed, it gives you more haircut style options.

The only downside is that it requires more care in terms of grooming and consistent brushing. This should be done to keep the coat neat and avoid matting and tangling.

Despite the fact that the coat may appear stunning and beautiful if it were allowed to be long, maintaining it could be time-consuming. It is advisable to give your Cockapoo a haircut that is short and easy to maintain.

What Grooming Tools Do I Need?

There are a number of tools that are often used to keep the Cockapoos neat and well-groomed.

These are the slicker brush, spray for detangling, rake for de-matting, bristle and pin brush, nail clippers, scissors meant for trimming, and dual comb made of stainless steel.

Slicker Brush

This brush comes with features that make it so easy to curve so that it can easily follow the contours on the Cockapoo’s body. It comes in small, medium, and large sizes and has a button for self-cleaning and single push purposes.

There is a more professional version of this slicker brush that comes with a handle made of silicone, making it comfortable to use.

Spray For Detangling

There are different types of detangling spray that can be used to detangle the Cockapoo’s coat.

You can use the Ultimate Crown Royale Detangling Spray that can detangle the coat when it is either dry or wet. Another option is the Mane ‘n Tail Detangler.

Rake For De-Matting

There are two main types of rakes that can be used for the process of de-matting.

One is the Hertzko Undercoat Dematting Comb that is used by professional groomers. It has long blades that easily remove stubborn knots while ensuring safety.

The other type of de-matting rake is the Safari Dog De-Matting Comb. This particular type is slimmer and smaller in size and is mostly used for removing smaller tangles that may be found on the paw pads in the hind area.

Bristle And Pin Brush

There are two most recommended types of bristle and pin brushes for grooming.

The first type is the Eco-Friendly Grooming Brush that often comes with a wooden handle and well-spaced bristles made from nylon. The pins in this brush are also rounded.

The other type of brush is the Premium Wahl Bristle and Pin Brush. This one comes in different sizes. It is more convenient to use since it can double as a rake meant for shedding short coats.

Nail Clippers

Keeping your Cockapoo’s nails short is also a very essential part of the grooming process.

The two most preferred nail clippers that you can use are the Epica Pet Nail Clipper and the Boshel Nail Trimmers.

The Epica Professional Nail Clipper is available in two sizes: the small-medium and the medium-large sizes. It has a lock that allows the clippers to be closed while not being used to ensure safety.

The Boshel Nail Trimmers come with blades made from stainless steel and are 3.5mm thick. It has a handle that has a safe grip.

Scissors Meant For Trimming

If you want to ensure that your dog is properly groomed every so often while at home, then you need a set of scissors to conveniently perform haircuts.

You can either go for the Vastar Pat Grooming Set of Scissors or the Alfheim Grooming Scissors Set.

The Vastar Kit comes with a comb made from stainless steel. Also available in the kit set are shears for cutting and thinning, curved scissors, and a cleaning cloth.

The Alfheim Grooming kit on the other hand has thinning scissors, cutting scissors, down-turned scissors, up-turned scissors, and a case.

Dual Stainless-Steel Comb

The Cockapoo’s coat needs to be thoroughly combed and detangled every so often to remain neat and presentable.

The recommended brands include the Andis Premium Steel Grooming Comb and the Hertzko 2 Pack Combs for Pets.

The Andis brand has different varieties of combs made from stainless steel. They are mostly rounded at the grip area, hence are easy to hold while combing through the coat.

The Hertzko Pet Comb on the other hand comes with two combs that are of different sizes and are ideal for combing through both small and large areas of the Cockapoo coat.

How To Groom A Cockapoo At Home: Step-by-Step Procedure

Knowing and mastering the step-by-step procedure on how to groom a Cockapoo at home is very important since it will enable you to take note of all that is crucial to be done.

It is important to note that the grooming method does not change, irrespective of the Cockapoo’s coat type. The only things that might be different are the grooming tools you need to use.

Step 1: Detangling The Cockapoo’s Coat

You may need to apply spray meant for detangling the coat, or you can choose to apply it on the grooming tools.

The detangling spray enables you to easily undo the mats and tangles and ensures that your Cockapoo is comfortable and in no pain.

Step 2: The Initial Comb-Through

For this particular step, you need to do a section by section comb through. This is done to locate where the mats and tangles are. Do this by gently running your fingers through the coat.

Then you can then use a stainless-steel comb to carefully run through the coat from the roots to locate the remaining tangles and mats.

Step 3: Using A Brush For Further Detangling

In this step, you need to conduct further detangling to ensure that the coat is soft and free of any mats and tangles.

You can use either a rake meant for de-matting, a pin-side brush, or even a slicker brush.

Allot 8 to 10 minutes for this step. Brushing needs to be done at least 4 to 5 times a week if the hair is long. If it is short, you can reduce it to at least once weekly.

Step 4: De-shedding Procedure

Since you have at this point removed all the mats and tangles, you now need to de-shed.

For this step, you need a slicker brush to remove any hairs that are trapped in the coat.

Step 5: Trimming The Cockapoo’s Coat And Nails

Trim the dog’s hair that has grown way too long around the hind area, the eyes, and paw pads. This is so that the Cockapoo’s vision is not obscured by hairs that have grown too long, and also for sanitation purposes.

Trimming of the nails to a size that is short enough is equally as important. Trim the nails to a size that is within 2 mm to about 4 mm. The trimming of the paw nails needs to be done every 1 to 2 months.

Step 6: Other General Grooming Procedures

Other general grooming procedures include brushing the teeth, ear cleaning, and vet checkups. You need to consult with a veterinary specialist to ensure that you are using products that are appropriate for your dog.

Hope you enjoyed this post about how to groom a Cockapoo at home.

Drop any questions in the comment section below!

If you want to know more about Cockapoos then check these informative posts:

• How Hard Is It To Train A Cockapoo? The Real Truth
• How Much Food Does A Cockapoo Puppy Need?
• How Much Is A Cockapoo Puppy: Everything You Need To Know
• What Does A Cockapoo Look Like? [25 Examples]

Thanks for reading! You can discover more about Cockapoos here!