# Scissor or clip cockapoo coat?



## Fiver

Milo is at a new groomers tomorrow. I have decided to go quite short all over including legs, about 1 and half inches. I thought clip all over and solve matt problem. Now I have a dilemma as at training this week we had a groomer come to give a short chat about grooming. She maintains that a clipped dog's fur can change and always grows back more curly, where as a scissored cut the coat grows back the same and doesn't alter. She pointed out a collie in the class that had been clipped in the past and it's coat was indeed a bit curly. Milo has got curlier after every groom, whether this is coincidental and he was always going to be very curly I don't know. To those of you who groom your own dogs, has the fur grown back more curly?

Val


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## dollyonken

I would be interested too as Hattie was clipped yesterday. She was rather matted and sadly had to go very short, the groomer has always scissor cut her before but yesterday said it would not be possible. She warned me that she could grow back coarser.

I have to say today I have been feeling bad about her fur going, which was a mixture of big lose curls(nice) and fuzz like candy floss (not so nice) before.....will be very interesting to see how it grows back


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## Fiver

I've nipped out of work and have just taken Milo to the groomers. She thinks he may have to be groomed in 2 sessions and she will be using clippers because he can't be scissored due to his poodle coat. To keep him the length he his,I would have to brush him 3 times a day to keep him matt free. She also said he his going to look very different when I collect him  Not looking forward to picking him up.

Val


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## JoJo

I think it just depends on the coat type and texture rather than the tools used ... but hey I am not a groomer. 

I use clippers on my dogs and I wouldn't say the coat has become curlier at all, and all of my dogs have different coat textures and types.


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## JoJo

Val we will want to see photo please after Milo's grooming session  

Hey will look gorgeous ... he will be soft, sweet smelling and matt-free


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## wilfiboy

I did hear this when Wilf was little and he did get curlier, and a friend of mines coat was straighter and was always scissor cut. But I hoped Mable would get curlier and she hasn't, but having said that I do sometimes just use scissors x


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## DB1

What a shame I didn't read this before going to my grooming training today, can't wait to hear what you think of Milo's groom - why did she think it would need 2 sessions? just because it would take a long time and she thought he may get stressed? (only reason I can think of). We clipped a golden doodle today, she came in with a heavy coat but the owner wanted her done pretty short - It did look better actually as she was a bit of a large fuzz ball beforehand, it was the first time she had been there but she had been groomed elsewhere before. She had loads of really tiny matts so took a lot of preparation before the clipper could go through the coat, if I had been doing her on my own it would have taken ages.


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## Janev1000

Biscuit is clipped regularly and does seem to get curlier with every cut, especially around the top of his legs. However, I love him short and have been going shorter and shorter and now like him about 3/4" - 1". As his coat is so thick and soft, he doesn't actually look that short but it feels so lovely to the touch. It also gives him a bit of shape too as a longer coat makes him look very tubby! x


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## Fiver

Jane I've sent you a pm, check your inbox please

Val


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## kendal

Fiver said:


> I've nipped out of work and have just taken Milo to the groomers. She thinks he may have to be groomed in 2 sessions and she will be using clippers because he can't be scissored due to his poodle coat. To keep him the length he his,I would have to brush him 3 times a day to keep him matt free. She also said he his going to look very different when I collect him  Not looking forward to picking him up.
> 
> Val





what on erth is she on about poodles are a scissor breed they only have clippers used on parts of the body. 

what moat groomers would do is use the clippers to take off the exess length then neeten eerything up with scissors.


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## DB1

How does Milo look Val? still can't work out what she would do in the separate sessions, when she said that he couldn't be scissored it was probably because it is much harder to get an all over even look using just scissors and if you were going under 2" then clippers would be the norm - like Kendal says the clipper would go over most of the body then scissors would be used for tidying up/ finishing. As Milo looks quite a chunky boy I think the short coat may really suit him and you may prefer to keep his coat very short - in which case you wouldn't see so many curls anyway so the clipper versus scissor question wouldn't matter so much. Hope you are happy with what he has done anyway.


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## Fiver

DB1 said:


> How does Milo look Val? still can't work out what she would do in the separate sessions, when she said that he couldn't be scissored it was probably because it is much harder to get an all over even look using just scissors and if you were going under 2" then clippers would be the norm - like Kendal says the clipper would go over most of the body then scissors would be used for tidying up/ finishing. As Milo looks quite a chunky boy I think the short coat may really suit him and you may prefer to keep his coat very short - in which case you wouldn't see so many curls anyway so the clipper versus scissor question wouldn't matter so much. Hope you are happy with what he has done anyway.


Dawn, I think she thought she may have had to wash, dry and brush in 1 session and maybe a little cutting, finish clipping in 2nd session. She said 2 to 3 hours is enough for for him and any more would be too stressful. Milo's coat is so curly and thick and he did have matts in armpit and by his dangly bits, obviously she thought they were worse than they were because he was finished in 2 and half hours....no need to go back! 

The only problem I've got with Milo's curls is it is so difficult to get a brush or comb through, hence he matts easily. In an ideal world, I would have his coat longer but with the snow and wet weather we've had it's been a nightmare. If we were to have a hot Summer I think Milo would be uncomfortable, so short it is, me thinks.

Do I like what she's done....no, not really. Her 1 and half inches is a lot shorter than mine...but it will grow and he's comfy. I took in a ginger cockapoo and came home to a apricot poodle! 

Will take some photos 

Val


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## mairi1

I'm sure it will be so much more manageable though Val and you will get used to him looking shorter, it'll just be a bit of shock just now. 

Look forward to seeing pics, is he lighter or do you just mean he looks more poodley!! 

I'm sure you weren't expecting both a length AND colour change all in a oner!!!

I'm sure he's still gorgeous 

xxx


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## DB1

Has she managed to keep his head looking similar? - I can imagine that is when owners freak out the most, if they seem to have completely changed. I keep thinking I should cut Dudley down by 2 or 3 inches (his coat is about 6" long), especially when I see some of the nice after pictures on here, but I would hate to not like it as much as I doubt it would ever be quite the same again. But i'm sure the short cut must be nicer for them in the summer (if we get one that is!).


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## Jedicrazy

Im not sure the clippers make them more curly than scissors. I've done both and don't see any difference. I do think cockapoo coats change so much in the first two years. Obi has a thick curly coat and even when longer it looked like it had been crimped, especially when wet. About 3/4 months ago I clipped and scissored him the shortest I've ever gone with him which was about an inch and as it has grown back its falling in to bigger curls/spirals. I changed the grooming products I was using at the same time so it could well be that too. I use Groomers detangle shampoo and Detangle spray as a stay in conditioner. His coat is lovely and soft.


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## Mogdog

I'm sure you'll find a shorter coat more practical to manage. I haven't found much different between clipping and scissoring, my two just have very different coat types.

I have to keep Maisie shorter and now I've got used to it I much prefer it on her - she has a poodley coat and I can't manage it once it's gone boyond a certain length (about 3cm). I always take her collar off indoors as she mats having it on all the time. I try to clip or scissor her coat 'little and often' to save the need for major, drastic grooms ...she's had a few of those! Maybe the little and often approach would work for Milo too?

Bess is different, just loose waves, and is a doddle in comparison. x


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## colpa110

Personally I think a curly coat will get even more curly in time / with more cuts whatever you use...Betty certainly has ( soooo poodley when short) Ted on the other hand is still pretty straight coated despite being clippered


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## DB1

Where I have trimmed the hair on Dudley's head it now has the crimped look, on his neck where the collar has rubbed some of his coat down it is quite curly, On his body it is wavy - I think I could trim it to half its length and it would stay similar but it will grow again and i'm thinking it would probably get curlier if I cut it back a second time - I expect with some length it may have the crimped look, I remember seeing a small labradoodle last summer that almost looked like it had long dreadlocks all over!
(actually under the top coat Dudley's back legs are like that).


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## MillieDog

I try and keep Millie's coat longish and use clippers every couple of months. Her fur hasn't changed much over time, its still shaggy bordering on fluffy, except for the black patch on her back, thats always been more curly and still is.


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## JoJo

Seems to be more about the coat texture, rather than what is used to cut it  

Need to see Milo photos ... No more matts is brill Val, his coat will grow back and best of all he will be comfortable. 

Can you imagine how a tight matt feels against a dogs skin? I am just so pleased when I comb one out


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## Kipling krazy

Alfie started with a scissor cut when younger but has also been clipped. A general all over cut every 8 weeks 'ish'. Not too shaved. Haven't noticed much difference. Always soft, silky and sweet smelling when he returns!


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