Best Brush For Cockapoo Curls - How To Tame The Mane

Finding the best brush for Cockapoo dogs is not a one-size-fits-all-dogs endeavor.

Depending on which parent dog your Cockapoo most favors, your dog’s coat may have a different texture as she matures.

During puppyhood, you can usually get away with a basic Cockapoo brush and short daily brushing sessions.

When your Cockapoo grows up and into his adult coat, it’s time to get serious about Cockapoo grooming tools. That means finding the best Cockapoo grooming brush for your dog’s unique coat!

Cockapoo grooming basics

The Cockapoo – a cross between a Poodle and a Cocker Spaniel – is one of the most popular hybrid dog breeds on the planet.

This endearing little bundle of liquid eyes and soft curls pops out looking cute and pretty much just stays that way!

Of course, there are some differences between the Poodle and the Cocker Spaniel coat that may show up as your Cockapoo sheds her puppy coat and starts to gain her full adult coat. This often happens around eight months old.

This article will look at different adult Cockapoo coats, Cockapoo grooming tools, and grooming basics.

Cockapoo coat differences

How different can one Cockapoo puppy’s coat be from another in the same litter? Quite different!

To understand how and why this can happen, let’s take a quick look at the coat for each parent dog.

Poodle coat

The Poodle’s thick, naturally curly hair is low-shedding and great if you suffer from allergies, but it cannot be considered low maintenance!

In fact, Poodles of all sizes need near-daily combing and brushing that penetrates all the way through the coat and down to the dog’s skin to remove trapped dead hair and debris.

Otherwise, shed hair will develop into tangles and mats that can lead to skin infection.

The Poodle also needs lots of special attention to the ears. Since the outer ear flops over the ear canal, this sensitive area doesn’t get much natural air ventilation and can develop infections easily.

Cocker Spaniel coat

If a Poodle is the closest thing to a hypoallergenic dog, the Cocker Spaniel may be the most far away.

The Cocker Spaniel has a very thick, full coat that sheds regularly.

Like the Poodle, the Cocker Spaniel needs daily focused combing and brushing to keep the coat free from mats and tangles.

The Cocker Spaniel also needs special attention to their floppy ears, which droop over the inner ear canal and can trap debris, wax, and infectious matter inside.

Cockapoo coat

If your Cockapoo puppy takes more after his Poodle parent, you can expect his adult coat to grow in as thick, curly hair that visibly sheds very little yet. Still, it would need lots of daily combing and brushing, as well as professional grooming.

If your Cockapoo puppy takes more after her Cocker Spaniel parent, you can expect her adult coat to grow in as long, fine, soft, straight hair. Visibly, it would shed quite a bit and need lots of daily combing and brushing as well as professional grooming.

Any Cockapoo puppy in any given litter can fall more to one extreme or the other, or somewhere in between.

For this reason, before investing a lot into high quality adult Cockapoo grooming tools, you may want to schedule an initial session with a professional groomer. This can help you learn about your dog’s adult coat and discuss the best long-lasting tools to choose.

Choosing the right Cockapoo grooming tools

Happily, you will need the same basic Cockapoo grooming tools for a puppy and an adult dog. However, how you use them may differ depending on your pup’s predominant coat type.

This is a basic list of Cockapoo grooming tools you can work from:

Steel comb with rounded tines.
Slicker brush with rounded-end bristles.
Electric clipper set (for more poodle-type coats).
Nail clippers.
Teeth cleaning supplies.
Ear cleaning supplies.

You may also want to ask your veterinarian, your breeder or your groomer for their guidance on the best dog brush for Cockapoo daily grooming!

Grooming a Cockapoo puppy

For grooming a Cockapoo puppy, all you need is a basic comb, a soft bristle brush and about 10 minutes a day several times a week.

During your daily combing and brushing sessions, you should also get your puppy used to having his teeth cleaned, and his ears checked and cleaned.

Nail clipping is another important task to include, although you probably won’t have to clip your puppy’s nails more than once every 8 to 12 weeks. Ask your veterinarian to be sure.

A quick guide to Cockapoo grooming

Just like learning any new skill, learning how to brush a Cockapoo can take some time and practice.

Always start with hand-stripping, which is easier than it sounds. Using your fingers like a comb, move them gently through your dog’s coat, removing any trapped dead hair.

Does the dog in your life have a cat in theirs? Don't miss out on the perfect companion to life with a purrfect friend.

The Happy Cat Handbook - A unique guide to understanding and enjoying your cat!

Next, you can do the same with an actual steel comb. Make sure the tines penetrate all the way down to the skin level but do not scrape your dog’s skin at all.

If you find a tangle or mat, you can try to gently work it out with your fingers. You might use a bit of detangling or conditioning spray to make this easier.

After dealing with any tangles or mats, you can use your favorite grooming brush (slicker brush or bristle brush) to brush out your Cockapoo’s coat so it is soft and shiny.

If you want to clip the coat yourself, this is where the electric clipper set comes into the picture.

Then you can turn your attention to teeth cleaning, ear cleaning and/or toenail clipping as needed.

Best brush for Cockapoo puppy

The best dog brush for Cockapoo puppy grooming is often a simple pin and bristle brush. Luckily, this is a brush that can still be useful during the adult years as well!

These are all great choices for a pin and bristle best brush for Cockapoo puppy grooming.

GoPets Professional Double Sided Pin & Bristle Brush for Dogs. This popular and highly rated professional pin and bristle brush can be used for short, medium or long coats.

The steel pin side features safely rounded ends that give your dog’s skin a nice massage as you brush. The nylon bristle side also features rounded ends for safety as you work out mats or tangles that are close to your dog’s skin.

AtEase Accents Natural Bamboo Eco Friendly Pet Grooming Dog Pin Bristle Brush. This pin and bristle brush is made from eco-friendly, sustainable bamboo wood.

The bristle side is made of soft rounded nylon and the pin side is steel with safe, rounded ends. Owners rave about this brush – it is easy to use, effective, and gentle on your dog’s skin.

Wahl 2-in-1 Combination Double Row Pet Pin Bristle Brush. You can choose from three sizes (small, medium, large) for this highly rated and popular pin bristle brush.

The handle is designed to be ergonomic for an easy grip and reduced wrist strain. The pin side features rounded steel pins and the bristle side features rounded nylon bristles.

Best brush for Cockapoo adult dog

Here is a list of popular and highly rated adult Cockapoo dog slicker brushes to help you choose the best dog brush for Cockapoo grooming.

The Perfect Companion For Life With A New Puppy

Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush. Investing in a slicker brush for cockapoo grooming can be a smart choice, especially one as easy to clean as this one!

This highly rated and popular brush has a push-button cleaning function that just pushes the hair out into a clump you can grab and put in the trash. Plus, the bristles are soft so they won’t scrape your dog’s sensitive skin as you brush.

The Pet Portal Pro Quality Self Cleaning Slicker Brush for Dogs. This is another popular slicker brush for Cockapoo grooming that comes highly rated by dog owners.

You can choose from two sizes: small/medium or medium/large. It also has a simple push-button cleaning function.

Glendan Dog Brush – Slicker Pet Grooming Brush Shedding Grooming Tools. This highly rated and popular dog grooming brush comes in two colors (blue, pink) and two sizes (small, large).

The slicker brush face can rotate to ease wrist strain and help you groom harder-to-reach areas. The brush pins also have small balls on the ends that act as a skin massage. Owners say the brush is effective yet quite gentle.