Welcome to our Grooming recommendations!
Although everyone likes something a little different, we thought we would put this page together as a starting spot for you! Nail trims, baths, brushing and combing, clipping, eye care, and ear care——we’ve tried to cover it all! Hopefully this can help you get an idea of size and types of things to purchase for use in your own home!
nails
Cockapoo Puppy Nail Trimmers
These are the nail clippers we use and recommend for Cockapoo puppies! They are easy to use and at $8 - $15 for a trim at your vet's office, they save you money! We do have a YouTube that we hope will be somewhat helpful…..although it does involve a very wiggly puppy :)
Small to Medium Breed Nail Trimmers
These are the nail clippers we recommend for small to medium breeds (like our adult Cockapoos)! They are easy to use and at $8 - $15 for a trim at your vet's office, they save you money! We do have a YouTube video on how to trim nails!
Large Breed Nail Trimmers
These are the nail clippers we recommend for large breeds (like our Great Pyrenees)! They are easy to use and at $8 - $15 for a trim at your vet's office, they save you money! We do have a YouTube video on how to trim nails!
Styptic Powder
This is something you should have on hand if you are going to trim nails at home....and something that is really handy anyway :) In the case that you trim nails too short (which happens.....even at the groomers!) this will stop the bleeding.
bath time
Shampoo & Conditioner
There are TONS of choices out there——and it often requires some trial and error based on your preferred ingredients, scents, and even hardness of your water! However, NuVet Labs (same place we get our NuVet Plus vitamins and NuJoint supplements!) actually makes our favorite :) There are a couple of scents, but we just stick with the “Puppy and Kitten” and use the conditioner as well! If the website asks your for a code, use 52720.
www.nuvet.com/52720
Grooming Gloves
These gloves are great for bathing, brushing, and helping to remove any loose hair. Great for dogs, cats, horses, you name it! They also help shampoo suds up better while bathing your dog, in our case, allowing us to use less every bath! We recommend highly!
brushing & combing
Small Coated Slicker Brush
To have either of our breeds, you WILL need a slicker brush. Although we have used traditional slickers many times, we really recommend a COATED slicker brush——especially for young puppies, as a slicker brush can damage their skin. A coated brush simply has a tiny dip of plastic on each pin of the brush so that it is not sharp. This is the slicker style we recommend for our Cockapoos, as well as Great Pyrenees puppies.
Large Coated Slicker Brush
To have either of our breeds, you WILL need a slicker brush. Although we have used traditional slickers many times, we really recommend a COATED slicker brush——especially for young puppies, as a slicker brush can damage their skin. A coated brush simply has a tiny dip of plastic on each pin of the brush so that it is not sharp. This is the slicker style we recommend for adult Great Pyrenees.
Detangler
This is my favorite detangler. I recommend it for both of our breeds. It actually must have “Magic” as an ingredient…..because is truly is amazing!
Steel Comb
This is something both out Pyrenees and Cockapoo families will need!
Undercoat Rake
Great Pyrenees MUST HAVE!
Dematting Comb
AND the Cockapoo equivalent :)
Tangles & Mats
This is another style of brush that helps with matted areas. I recommend getting this along with an undercoat rake (Pyr) / dematting comb (Cockapoo) and some of the Cowboy Magic detangler! It is better to brush a couple of times a week to avoid mats…..but they do happen.
home grooming / between professional grooms
Clippers
First, let me be clear——this is a recommendation for our COCKAPOO families, and NOT our GP families. A Pyr’s double coat is a complex thing, and our suggestion is that you do NOT shave your Pyr——even if you live in a very warm climate.
So, for our Cockapoo families, this is a totally optional thing, and depends on your level of wanting to learn a new skill or not :) Many Cockapoo owners do work toward grooming their own pup, as having them groomed can get expensive, and is hard as a pup as some groomers require more shots than a family is comfortable giving at a certain age or stage. Either way, out of want-to or necessity, these are GREAT clippers! This is what we use for all of our mamas and daddys. On my first Cocker groom (poor Sarah!) it took me TWO DAYS of off and on work to complete the job. I purchased these clippers, and my second groom took less than an hour!!!! Like a hot knife through butter :)
Curved Scissors
Whether you choose to home-groom or not——these and the next item listed are still what I consider to be a necessity with the Cockapoo. These curved scissors are perfect for safely trimming the hair that grows over their eyes in between groomings. I find that spending less than two minutes with these scissors ever week to every-other-week with our Poodle boys and furnished Cocker girls makes a hug difference! This is also how I keep the puppies eyes clear from about 5 weeks on! I consider these a must have.
Curved Thinning / Blending / Chunking Shears
These scissors are a borderline must have :) If you are home grooming, or looking to stretch your time between professional groomings——these are EXACTLY what you need to shape the face and “mustache” area on your Cockapoo!
Blunt Tipped Scissors
These inexpensive scissors are a must for ALL dog homes. They are useful for so many things——from trimming around foot pads to trimming mats or burrs out!
Guards for clippers
These are the guards to control how long the hair is cut. Do take note: the clippers recommended are “Andis” and the guards are “Wahl”. They are compatible, and this is our recommendation based on what we have enjoyed using :)
Replacement Blades
These are the replacement blades that go with the clippers. They are very easy to replace and require no tools. I recommend a “40” blade as, when you use it without a guard, it is perfect for trimming around foot pads and underside of the ear if you wish. If you clip your dog after a bath and brush out, and keep you blade oiled——a blade in home use should last you for quite some time, but keep an extra on hand as you don’t want to be caught mid-groom with a dull blade!
Spray Lubricant
This is the spray lubricant we like for the clippers. This helps keep them cool and running smoothly. Using a lubricant will help your clippers work better, and extend the life of your blade as well.
eyes, ears, and teeth
Eye Wipes
This is a product you will want to have around——especially if you end up with one of our light colored Cockapoos. Although tear stains are not harmful—-they can look unappealing. Wiping daily, keeping the hair trimmed, and combing with the tear stain comb listed below will help very much if your pup is prone to staining. Raw apple cider vinegar in their water, using distilled water, and using non-plastic food and water bowls are also known to help!
Please note, we have tried several brands, and truly don’t have a favorite—this is just an example of one of several kinds we like :)
One caution——while there are daily chew supplements available for tear staining, please do your research prior to using them. Many of the well reviews brands work because they contain an antibiotic, and we do not recommend having your pup on an antibiotic long term in this fashion. Just be aware :)
Tear Stain Comb
This is a great comb for keeping your pup’s eyes clean, especially with daily use in combination with the eye wipes listed above. This is an especially helpful tool if you end up with a light colored Cockapoo puppy.
Mister Ben's Ear Wash & Tonic
With any breed of dog that has ears that flop down, ear care is often overlooked, but very important! We LOVE the ingredients and effectiveness of Mister Ben's. These products are easy to use and provide relief from ear infections, itching, odors, bacteria, mites, fungus, and yeast. AND they do all of this while still using natural ingredients----including cold pressed, organic aloe to soothe immediately!
If there are no issues, we do this with each dog every 3 to 4 weeks, and use the ear wipes listed below in between!
Ear Wipes
We love these moistened wipes for use in between actual ear cleanings. They are great for keeping any build up down. It depends a bit upon the individual dog—but in general I shoot for using these weekly, and doing a complete clean on a monthly basis.
This is the brand we use and like.
Toothbrush & Toothpaste
This is something that is often overlooked, but we do recommend staying on top of. Dogs don’t need their teeth brushed daily, and giving your dog real bones also help to keep their teeth clean——but, in our opinion, veterinary dentals that dogs have to be put under sedation for are worth avoiding whenever possible! We like this 3-sided style that covers more of the tooth at once, although it is a little large for Cockapoo puppies when they first comes home :)
Always be sure you choose a toothpaste with NO XYLITOL as it is a common toothpaste ingredient for people, but deadly even in small amounts for dogs!
Puppy Toothbrush & Toothpaste
This is the young puppy version we prefer for baby teeth :)