Help – my Cockapoo is seriously messing up my house!!

[poppyandella]

My 15 month old cockapoo Bessie is an absolute joy – mostly. However, we chose this breed because it doesn’t malt and I’m pretty house proud (most of my carpets and furniture are cream). However, I hadn’t banked on every time we go for a walk Bessie rolls in mud and makes a bee-line for every puddle. She really needs to have a bath after every walk but to cap it all, you would think I was murdering her every-time I put her anywhere near the bath. She fights and struggles and tries to jump out (causing even more mess and chaos in the bathroom). I’ve tried washing her down with a hose in the garden but feel really mean doing this whilst its so cold outside – and she isn’t impressed with this either. How do other dog owners manage to have a dog and a clean house?? P.s. getting rid of her isn’t an option – my children would never forgive me!! 😊

Do you have a side entrance? Get a warm water feed out to your hosepipe and wash her outside. Get a really good dog towel to dry her... also put a coat on her

To explain - my DM and DF got their hot water pipes out. Ext to the outside cold tap- so they had a warm hose as they had a large elderly dog with lots of hair - and cold water would have increased arthritis and rheumatism

Surely sometimes (if you know you don’t have time for a hose down upon your return) you can walk her on a lead so that she can’t get quite so muddy?
Or invest in a coat that covers her underside - then less of her fur will get muddy. Just use a wet sponge to get any mud off and towel her down after.
I can’t stand it when people just hose down dogs without drying them off thoroughly afterwards. It can risk health problems as well as being uncomfortable and smelly.

I recommend getting an equafleece its the best thing I ever bought for my little sponge.
I have the dog suit and it covers everything the only bit of my dog sticking out are his little feet and head. The rest of him is kept bone dry its a life saver!

www.equafleece.co.uk/dogs/fleece/dog-suit

I 2nd an equafleece coat, covers the tummy and legs, looks like an all in one. Best thing we ever bought, I only need to wash my cavapoo's feet.

For washing the dog in the bath, you could buy a licky mat which is approx 15cm square rubber groved mat which you can put paste or dog safe peanut butter on and put it on the side of the bath which will keep her occupied whilst being washed and she will asssociate bath time as enjoyable.

We had similar (but our cockatoo loves a bath!) And the dirt was just a pain. He got a little long in the coat so my DH took him for a cut and he brought him back shorn!!! Coat right down to less than 9mm thick. He looks so cute and is rocking all his new hoodies and coats for warmth! He loves his hoodie... Lots of extra cuddles too as he wants the body heat. Best thing is that he doesn't bring the dirt back with him in anywhere near the same way so house is cleaner and he doesn't need a bath after every walk.

Since your cockapoo would happily swim in a cold river I think you can be confident that washing their feet with a cold hose is not going to be a problem. Just make sure you treat it as a training exercise so she learns what you expect of her and not to be bothered by it.

Thanks but not too keen on outside in this weather. Also, she runs around a lot

Oh I know! My cockapoo is showered almost every day!

That'd be the Spaniel side of her coming out. Getting wet and muddy is a big Spaniel trait!! It's their favourite.

Invest in a good shower kit near a back door, in good towels. And a good groomer.

Just spray her down in the garden and get one of those dog towelling robes to put on her while she dries. Honestly, the cold won't bother her - like you said she already makes a beeline for muddy puddles so a cold hose really won't be an issue I promise!

The alternative is something like an equafleece, or at least a coat that covers her belly so all you have to do is wipe her legs and paws. My beagles belly is a mud magnet but luckily he has short fur so just needs a towel down!

My Cockapoo has always been a nightmare for mud and puddles. Whereas sil's (same type) will tiptoe around the edge of any puddle, mine will take a flying leap from a distance.
Agree with those who said a cold hose won't be any colder than the puddle or river they've just rolled in, but I didn't fancy the cold shower of spray as he shook himself off afterwards.
He's 8 now and for some time he knows that once I've got the worst off his paws in the porch, I fix him with a steely glare and say "bath" and his tail goes between his legs and he shuffles upstairs and jumps in. He stands stock still whilst I shower him down, squeeze all the excess water off his legs and then towel dry him.
Then it's playtime and he races round the house all pleaded with himself.
I've never got him a coat, but am wondering if I should invest.

You need an equafleece and a mud daddy.

My poo hates mud so keeps fairly clean apart from her paws which we wash at the front door when we get back.

My friends on the other hand has been known to slide down a muddy hill on his stomach, roll in the puddle at the bottom then run back up for another turn!!! He's a little bugger for getting as filthy as possible! She has a mud daddy which she fills with warm water and leaves beside the door (or in the car boot) before walks, then as soon as they get back, holds him by the harness and gives him a quick scrub, works wonders.

My Cockapoo is exactly the same, loves a puddle and a roll in the dirt. I can not recommend an Equafleece suit enough, total life saver. Ours isn't keen on the bath but will let us pop her in the shower.

A cockapoo is a mix of 2 working dogs. They love water and mud. It's what their breed are meant for. I would hose her down outside.