Different types of Cockapoo Coats

The overall look of a Cockapoo can vary, and so do their coat types. There is not one standard guide to grooming, it all depends on the coat of your Cockapoo. So when you hear things like, well I do this, or you should do this, it is all relevant to the coat of YOUR type of  Cockapoo. No one method works for all Cockapoos.

• Some coats are the shaggy coat. This coat is typically a low shedding coat.

• Some coats are thicker wool and can be curly like the poodle. This coat is a low shedding coat.

• Some coats are flat coated and straight just like the spaniel. This coat is normally a shedding coat and not suitable for those with allergies.

Grooming - Puppy Coat

No matter the coat type of your Cockapoo, grooming the puppy coat is easy and simple. The most important thing is to get your puppy used to being groomed, so run the brush over your Cockapoo, around the paws, ears, and all over at least twice a week.  You will receive a basic brush ideal to run through the coat of your Cockapoo puppy when you collect your pup. At about 4 months, it is also advisable to take your pup for its first puppy groom, you don't need the coat cut, other than maybe a tidy up, but importantly it gets pup use to going to a groomer, then it will not be so daunting in the future.  

Grooming - Adult Coat (shaggy and wool)

At about 7/9 months of age, your pup will start to gets its adult coat. At first all appears fine, but then all of a sudden you will feel a thickness developing at the roots, and this is what causes the mats to form if left. If you wish to leave your Cockapoo long, it will take some grooming time. You may see some moulting at this point, it is the puppy coat allowing the adult come to come through. 

To prevent the mats, you must comb all the coat - it is called "line" groomed. Start at the paws and work upwards It is best to do this when the coat is wet and please use an anti-tangle coat conditioner. The entire coat needs to be groomed, from root to the end, using a rake brush and a metal comb.  Use a mat/knot detangler if you come across a knot/mat and then a normal slicker tool to brush through. All quality grooming tools are available at our Raffles Shop and some  videos to watch. 

If you do not wish to do this, then the most popular thing to do is to take your dog to the groomers and ask for a teddy bear cut. It leaves a lovely shorter cut all over and a tip is ask for a scissor cut not a blade,  ask for the ears, beard and top of head to be left longer.  We would suggest twice/three times a year for this type of cut., this is based on you grooming and keeping ontop the coat yourself at home. If you leave it and do nothing, then your dogs coat will matt.

If you leave your dog to have matts, the groomer may suggest you shave the coat completely and re start over. If this happens, and it happens to the best of us, don't worry, it soon grows back really quickly and you can then groom regular before it knot/mats again.   The secret is DON'T LEAVE the ADULT coat to Matt, go to your groomers before the matts appear. Keeping on top of it is what works.

Personally all our adult Cockapoos are kept short, especially in the summer months.

Tick Tool

Having a tick tool at home is vital.  We sell them at our shop, and also we have a  video so you know how to use them.

SPANIEL STRAIGHT COAT

Normally this coat type may shed, so you will need a regular brush to remove loose hairs. This type of coat normally does not have a undercoat, but we do recommend regular visits to the groomer to keep coat tidy and nice.  It is common to see a cockapoo, bred from an English show cocker with lovely long ears, and a slightly straighter coat, but they normally get their coat a little later and turn out lovely.

Puppy/Adult Ears

Make sure you clean your pups ears using ear wipes and ear cleaner. Again it is important that this is begun at a young age.  Cockapoo ears can get lots of hair growth and a build up of wax, and to prevent ear infections it is important you clean out there ears. If you can get your puppy used to having its ear cleaned out it will be a much less stressful experience when your puppy is older. 

Ear Cleaner - squirt in the liquid into the ear canal, massage in, leave for 5 minutes, then left the ear flap, and wipe out with a moist ear cleaner wipe.  Normal ear wax is brown.  We recommend this ear cleaner available at Amazon HERE. 

Ear Wipes HERE

Thornit Powder - This is a really good product to help prevent ear infections and ear mites. Simple sprinkle some Thornit powder into the ear on a weekly basis to keep ear infections at bay. Available at Amazon HERE

You can easily detect an ear infection, there is a clear foul smell that comes from inside the ear. If you smell this, your Cockapoo will have an ear infection, either caused by dirt, heat, sweat, ear mites or many other causes, and you will need antibiotics from your vet. The good news is, the drops you will receive will clear up everything really quickly, normally within a week. The antiobiotics are only available from the vet. Ear mites are easily sorted and it is common to get these in a pup and also from a cat. Mixing your pup at puppy classes or another dog they can easily be passed.  Your pup will keep scratching it's ear all the time, have a look inside the ear, and if you see brown what looks like coffee particles, we would suggest you get a vet to check for ear mites. Also something to note, we treat all pup's and adults with "Advocate" which kills everything in 12 hours, it is a vet prescription, and quite expensive, so if ear mites are detected by the vet they will already be dead and you won't need anything from your vet. Just wash out the ears with ear cleaner.  So always advise your vet your pup has had Advocate and the date it was given is on your health paperwork. 

Why Advocate - an interesting short video HERE

TOP TIPS

• Take your puppy for a puppy groom to get them used to going.

• Ask other Cockapoo owners for groomer recommendations.

• Ask the groomer if they are used to doing Cockapoos? If so have they got pictures?

• We suggest you leave the ears and beard a little longer.

• Don't allow the eyes to be shaved around, only a trim using scissors only.

• Teddy Bear cut, leaving ears and beard and a little bit on the head longer, this is a nice cut for a cockapoo, twice a year.

• Groom using the right tools for the job, see our store and watch our videos.

• If you allow the adult coat to come through without grooming, you will end up with a matted coat, and the ONLY thing a groomer can do is shave the coat off and start again, so don't leave it! This is not the groomers fault.!

• If this does happen to you, and it has happened to the best of us, don't worry - it soon grows back.