# New Cockapoo Foster Mom! So many questions!



## CarmensFosterMom (Aug 25, 2012)

So a week ago, I started fostering a 6 year old cockapoo (unknown parents, but I'm 90% positive she's a cockapoo). Her name is Carmen, and she gets along fine with my 3 y/o female beagle now. Anyway, she's sort of in poor grooming condition, and I've never had a long haired dog of any sort so I'm looking for pointers. She had really caked on tear stains near her eyes, so I just trimmed that off. I figure it will grow back, and I'll keep wiping at her eyes every day to start fresh. Do you just use water to wipe at their eyes? I've read so many things (water, saline solution, hydrogen peroxide, apple cider vinegar, diluted tea, etc), but I don't know what's best. 

I also trimmed the hair over her eyes to see if that helps keep her hair out of her eyes some so she doesn't have as much tearing. Her fur isn't very long at all, maybe an inch at most, but how long is their fur normally when you go get them groomed? I know every 6-8 weeks, but since I don't know when she was last groomed, I'm wondering how long their fur is when you take them.

And any tips for brushing out her tail? It's got a few small mats in it, but she doesn't want to sit still for me to do it. Also, she has a slicker brush, but runs away from that so she's been letting me use a long metal pin brush (not sure what they're called), is that ok?

Here is a picture of her after I trimmed (butchered?) the fur around her eyes.


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## RubyCockapoo (Feb 5, 2011)

She looks great, and definitely looks like a Cockapoo to me.

I have no grooming skill, but lots on here do...

Good luck and welcome 

Ian


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## Mogdog (Feb 6, 2011)

Hi and welcome, Carmen looks lovely. I don't have a problem with tear staining with my dogs but someone else may be able to advise, I just remove sleep with my fingers and use plain water if needed.

How often you groom and how long you keep her coat will depend on her coat type and how prone to matting it is. I have a poodly-coat cockapoo and one with looser waves. I find combing more effective than brushing and use a simple metal (quite fine) comb on the poodly tail ... I sometimes cut through mats with scissors in the direction the hair grows, then brush it out.

I bath using Tropiclean Papaya Plus 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner and also Tropiclean Tangle Remover which makes combing and grooming so much easier.

http://www.rlpetproducts.co.uk/store/dogs/brands/tropi-clean

There's also some info on here that you might find useful - http://www.cockapooclubgb.co.uk/grooming.html

Good luck!

Sue x


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Similar to Sue, even the coat types of the dogs and the sleep, Im not a slicker fan and obviously Carmen isnt either. You look to have done a great job with her eyes, Id just see how her coat grows and how you manage it, different people keep their coats at different lengths, see how it goes and what you prefer x


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## theaccessman (Mar 12, 2012)

I use warm water and a cotton ball for cleaning around the eyes
And we now use bottle water instead of tap water which has reduced the eye discharge significantly


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## glitzydebs (Jun 10, 2011)

Hi there welcome and your pup is gorgeous and does look like poo
Pushca grew out of her stained eyes but used warm water to clean them when they seeped.
I brush Pushca every day and especially try to get under her legs,ears and neck as this is prone to matt. If you can brush every day it will save you money at the groomers. She gets groomed every two months as her coat is very wavy 
Hope this helped.


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## Lynn<3 (Jul 4, 2011)

I use warm water and a wash cloth every morning on Amiee Jane's eyes and it helps keep the gunk from building.


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## Skyesdog (Jun 7, 2012)

What a gorgeous Cockapoo!!! Can't help with the grooming as Lola is still little but I found that when I changed her food from Beta to Barking Heads her staining seemed to stop. Good luck and welcome x


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Carmen is so sweet and looks exactly like a cockapoo. I'm afraid I don't even attempt to groom mine I send them off to a groomer.


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