Cockapoo owners - puppy grooming

[MidnightSheep]

Hello ......can any of you cockapoo owners offer me a bit of advice re: puppy grooming please?

MidnightPup is 11.5 weeks - when do I need to get him groomed for the first time? I don't want him cut/clipped yet, but should he be. getting used to the groomers? I brush and comb him, clean ears, eyes and do a hygiene clean at home.

All the groomers around us have a 4-6 week waiting list is 15 - 18 weeks about right? Also when would be the best time to have him clipped (it's almost winter so don't want him to be cold, but there again don't want a matted coat).

Never had a high maintenance dog before - labradors were easy to keep clean/tidy!!

Hi Midnight, can recommend For the Love of Cockapoos forum on Facebook, really informative and lovely, slightly obsessed, cockapoo owners. From what I can remember, some people do a puppy visit about 16-18 weeks, for an eye and bits trim and maybe a bath just to get them used to it. Others hold off until about 6 to 9 months and ask for a teddy cut to keep them neat.

Others have to go for a full on shave if they've become too matted.

If you keep on top of the brushing/combing and can't feel any matts, and trim the eyes yourself you probably don't need to go, but if you intend for it to be a regular visit for your poo then I think it's best to go early before they develop any fear of it all.

My pup is 18 weeks and I've just trimmed her eyes, slightly haphazardly it must be said! I've bought bits of kit to try and do it myself rather than visit a groomers, might do a one day course, but we shall see how she grows, I might be being a tad optimistic!

Hi Sparkly - I've managed to tease out a couple of matts from under his arms where the harness goes. His coat is quite soft but very thick - his body and belly are wavy, but his legs are more curly like a poodle coat.

I don't think I'm brave enough to try and trim him myself (his eyes could do with a trim though).

I'll have a look at the FB page - we're on the Cockapoo Club of GB page.

Thanks

We took ours to the groomers when he was 5 months old. He goes every 6 weeks now and has a #4 all over but leaving the head longer and shaggy. 6 weeks is pretty frequent but I found that if I leave it any longer than that he goes from having no matts to having matts overnight, even with daily combing! Up to 6 weeks I only need to do his tail every once in a while, his body doesn't matt. He has a fairly curly coat and I found the grooming needs became much less once he was around 15 months. The puppy/adult coat transition was a nightmare!

Hi Noofly - looks like I need to get him booked in soon. I'm hoping to keep his coat fairly long - I love the scruffy look of cockapoo's. But as he is a muck magnet this may be unrealistic!!!

Really hoping his adult coat is like his mums (American cocker) - thick and wavy as this might be a bit easier than a full on curly poodle coat!