# Advice on keeping the coat "natural"



## cockapoo_peanut (Feb 19, 2013)

I'm curious if anyone has any advice on keeping their cockapoo's coat natural (aside from the occasional trim for hygiene and vision). I love the look of a fluffy/scruffy cockapoo and would love to keep Peanut's coat as natural as possible as she grows in to an adult. I have a feeling she is going to be pretty curly/wavy, but it's hard to tell at this stage.

Any specific brush recommendations? How often are you brushing? Anything I need to careful or aware of?


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## emmelg (Mar 4, 2012)

Id have loved to have kept bailey long and shaggy but as time has gone on I have had to give him a trim a couple of times as he can get matted quite a lot, he's not very short and I have kept his face and head quite long and shaggy looking ( I was determined to keep him long )  but it can get on top of you, I use a metal comb as it's the only thing that will go through his coat as its quite thick and wooly, I groom bailey once a week, but if I find a matt when stroking him etc I will get it out while it's small as they will get much worse if left for too long...


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

I think there are a lot of us that would love to keep the coat longer, I've managed it so far, Dudley is just a year old and his coat on his body has never been clipped or scissored, just a little off underneath, occasional trim to his feet and face and one trim on his legs - but - it has been really hard work, most people don't realise just how matted they can get and how quickly the number of matts increase, I have decided I will take his coat back to about half its length after I do a grooming course which I start in April. I have to give him a good brush at least every other day, which is hard as he still attacks the brush! then later when he is sleepy I stroke him all over working out where the matts are (there are always some), and either get them then or remember where they are to get them the next day, I have a matt breaker, a matt splitter and scissors which I use to break them up or cut them out. It is about 8-10 months before the matts really start.


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## mairi1 (Mar 12, 2012)

I was full of good intentions of keeping Molly's coat long and scruffy looking and believe me it is that at times...but not in a nice , natural way...more in a messy, unkempt way 

She has a thick curly coat and it matts so badly, I thought she'd past the worst stage but its still just as bad at the moment. Therefore I need to have her clipped, never too short and always with nice fluffy legs. She looks better with it as it looks cleaner and tidier. I do her head and face myself and try to achieve a mix of feminine/scruffy if that makes sense!! 

I think with time, you'll get to know the look you want to achieve, unfortunately this can often mean experiencing bad grooms to realise what you definitely don't want!!! 

There are lots of threads on here regarding combs , brushes etc depending on what type of coat she has. 

Good luck 

xxx


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Its very difficult to keep their coat really long and natural. At the start you think it will be easy as the puppies coat is lovely a silky and easy to maintain. Then at around 8 months the coat changes and the adult coat comes in. It is then the fur can matt, quite badly in some cases. Although after grooming, you may well get the coat back under control, there is always a tendency to matting unless you are dedicated to grooming every day.

Some people keep the coat half way between short and fully natural, with grooming several times a week. Others, keep the coat shorter with occasional grooming.

It does however, very much depend on the type of coat your cockapoo has. As a rule of thumb, the straighter the coat the easier it is to keep longer. The nearer to a curly coat it is, the harder it becomes.

As regards brushes etc, its a litter bit of trial and error to find out which pieces of equipment work with your cockapoo/coat.


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

I think it’s all about caring for the coat and maintaining the look you choose for your dog .... I would rather see a short cut coat with no matts for the dog than a luxurious looking long coat with lots of matts, so in between works for me with lots of combing and brushing to maintain a matt free coat


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## Jedicrazy (Apr 26, 2011)

Love long but somewhere in between has become the practical choice for me with two Poos to maintain and young kids.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

You will only be able to keep it for so long then you will probably need to gibe un to a shorter cut. 



just enjoy the puppy coat while.you can.


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## Hfd (Aug 19, 2011)

I would love the longer look but it is so hard to keep in good condition - Billy's coat is more curly than wavy so it does matt, they just appear from nowhere! We have him clipped on the body and hand cut on legs / face / tail. We then keep on top of it for around 10 weeks and then it's off to the groomers again. Good luck


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I love the natural look but there is no way I can keep their coats long. I brush them every other day with a slicker brush and detangling spray but the matts will suddenly come in with a vengeance. If I dont take them to the groomers just before they matt then there is a high risk of them having to be shaved, which I dread!


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## cockapoo_peanut (Feb 19, 2013)

it's good to hear what you're all doing with your pups, I guess I'll probably have to suck it up and get her trimmed! In the meantime, yes, I will enjoy her soft and easy to maintain puppy coat.


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Sara, as you have already read from the lovely owners on here, it is hard to manage a longer coat... we all have to be practical and do what is best for our dogs.... lots of combing and brushing will prevent matts, but trust us when the adult coat comes in, it is tough going to stay on top of it  

Enjoy Peanut xxxx


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

A lot of it depends on the coat type. I have just given Ted his first proper clip at 10.5 Months but only because it was looking a bit dry and straggly. He has quite a loose wave and is pretty easy to maintain. Betty on the other is very thick and wooly and I have to compromise on her coat length.


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## janj (May 16, 2012)

I think I've been lucky with Winnie so far nearly nine months trimmed round her eyes so she can see but otherwise eau natural I did use hair serum the other day which did seem to help the brushing I use a tangle tease brush on her my daughters although not anymore , not sure if she has her adult coat yet fingers crossed she stays like this .


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## Janev1000 (Oct 4, 2011)

It definitely depends on coat type. If I let Biscuit's thick and woolly coat grow long then he'd end up looking very tubby as it would grow outwards rather than downwards and I now prefer him shorter and neat. Honey on the other hand has (at the moment) a very easy loose wavy coat but she's 8 months so who knows what's round the corner. I am enjoying it while it lasts! x


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