How Often Should I Bath My Cockapoo

Bathing your Cockapoo should be a fun experience for both of you. Yet, while dogs love jumping into the river or sea, they often hate bathing at home. While humans tend to have a shower a few times a week, how often should your cockapoo enjoy the pleasure of soapy water?

How often should you bathe a cockapoo? Every six weeks. Otherwise, you risk damaging their fur and skin if you bathe them too often. This can be challenging when the weather is terrible.

The fact that every cockapoo is different means it is difficult to know precisely how often to wash him. So let’s look at how often you should bathe your Cockapoo.

How Dirty Does Your Cockapoo Get?

Not every cockapoo gets equally dirty. For instance, do you take him for regular walks along muddy paths, or do they love nothing better than rolling around in the dirt? If your cockapoo seems like a dirt magnet, you will want to bathe him more regularly than you would with a cockapoo who never seems to get dirty.

Some dogs will also get an unpleasant smell on their coats quicker than others, no matter what they do. Unlike their feline friends, cockapoos can’t clean their coats thoroughly when they get dirty.

There are no specific health reasons for bathing them when they get dirty – unless you think they have been rolling around in something toxic or unhealthy. However, getting him all lovely and clean will make it far more enjoyable to be around your Cockapoo and to hug him.

Where you live can also make a difference. Is it a natural country setting where they get out and about, or is it a built-up, urban neighbourhood?

If your cockapoos are getting too dirty, we recommend looking at this PortaShower which can be put in the car’s boot to give your dog a rinse down before they get into the car.

How Much Does Your Cockapoo Enjoy It (or Hate It)?

As mentioned earlier, some Cockapoos hate bathing, while others don’t mind it. Others might even love it if you try to get them used to it and make it as enjoyable as possible.

Therefore, you will want your dogs preference into account. If bathing seems like torture, then there is no need to put him through this anguish more than is strictly necessary.

On the other hand, if your cockapoo loves getting into the water and washing away the dirt, you can keep him happy by getting a lovely bath ready far more frequently. If they are still a puppy, bathing him frequently will get them used to it and enjoy it sooner or later.

As mentioned earlier, some dogs love bathing in the river or sea but not at home. In this case, perhaps you could find a way of simply doing it the way they most enjoy. Take their shampoo and towel out with you and ensure your cockapoo doesn’t get dirty again while drying out.

Of course, if they go swimming in dirty water or doesn’t dry out well, then this can cause their coat to get smellier rather than cleaner and fresher.

Cockapoo Coat Drying out?

People tend to avoid bathing their Cockapoo regularly because they worry about drying out their skin by doing this. This is a valid concern, but there are also some points to bear in mind.

For a start, if you use a type of shampoo that doesn’t have soap or detergents, you can bathe him as often as you (and he) want to. Letting their coat dry out naturally will help lower the risk of their skin getting dry and irritated. If, however, you want to use a nice dog towel, there is one here that we recommend.

Their Type of Coat

How often should you bathe a cockapoo – this depends on the type of coat your cockapoo has, as it will dramatically affect how often you need to wash him to keep him looking great. Cockapoos tend to have curls, although how curly they are will depend upon the exact mixture of Cocker Spaniel and Poodle blood coursing through their veins.

Curly hair tends to matt easily after the adult hair has grown at eight months. Generally speaking, if you bathe them once every month or two, they will look fantastic, and their coat will be lovely and shiny.

How Often Should I Wash My Cockapoo Puppy?

You should bathe your puppy only if necessary and no more than once a month. Bathing cockapoo puppies too often can strip away their natural oils, which are essential for preventing brittle or damaged fur and keeping it soft and silky.

How Often Do You Have Time for Bathing?

No matter how keen you are bath your dog, it may be that you simply don’t have time to do it as often as you would like. This is a shame, as bathing him can be a real bonding experience that will let you grow closer together than ever before.

However, if time is a problem, it is far better to wait patiently for a better moment than to rush into it. As we have already seen, bathing your Cockapoo is more about getting him looking good than serious health issues.

If you try and rush through this job when you don’t have the time, you risk not doing it well and possibly even putting him off bathing. On the other hand, when you are both relaxed, it can be a fantastic few moments to spend together.

Don’t forget that you can then help to dry out their coat simply by taking them for a nice walk if you don’t want to use a hairdryer for this task.

How to Bath a Cockapoo

As we’ve already highlighted, some cockapoos, like other breeds of dogs, love bath time, while others don’t. You will not know which category your cockapoo falls into until you give it a go. If you choose to bathe your dog at home, you may wonder how best to do it. To help, we’ve put together easy-to-follow tips on how to wash a cockapoo:

Get Ready

Before running the tap, you need to ensure you are fully prepared and have everything you need to bathe and dry your dog from start to finish. The last thing you want is your cockapoo running around like a headless chicken getting everything wet because you had to leave him or her unattended.

Run A Bath Well in Advance

Rather than calling your cockapoo into the bathroom and then making them wait while you run the bath, do it before calling them in. That way, you have time to check the temperature and make any last preparations.

Use a Non-Slip Bathmat or Towel

Plastic tubs, lino and ceramic tiles are not the most accessible surfaces to stand on while your dog is wet. So, place a non-slip bathmat or towel outside of the bath. We would also suggest you put something on the inside of the bath too because when you and your dog don’t need to worry about them having an accident, it could mean they enjoy the whole experience more.

Stop the Plughole and Pipes Clogging up With Steel Wool

Due to its long and curly nature, cockapoo fur can easily clog up the plughole and even the pipes and drains of your bath. This can be easily avoided by using a piece of steel wool in the plughole to catch all that hair.

Washing

Start by ensuring your dog is thoroughly wet, reassuring him/her as you do it. Take the dog shampoo you prefer and apply a reasonable amount, spreading it down their spine first, then start working it through their coat. Shampoo the back first, then each leg, the stomach and the bottom.

Change the water and then rinse off the shampoo gently. Start from the front and work backwards to ensure no soapy water gets into their ears and eyes.

How To Dry a Cockapoo

Use the towels to pat dry when finished. Make sure you have plenty of hand towels and some treats for when they’ve been a good boy or girl, and let you wash them.

How Often Should I Wash My Cockapoo?

The question of how often you should bath your cockapoo is not easy because all dogs are different from one another. So, if your dog is prone to getting dirty regularly, you might need to wash him or her more than another cockapoo owner.

It also depends on the type of dog shampoo you are using. For instance, natural shampoos are made from organic ingredients and are not as strong or intense as soap-based products. Therefore, they can be used as often as you like. However, because of the ingredients and their strength, soap-based shampoos are best only being used once a month to be on the safe side.

Cockapoo Shampoo

You’ll know if you have ever typed cockapoo shampoo or dog shampoo into Google or Amazon that there is more than a fair share of different products out there. How can you choose the best shampoo for cockapoo, then? Well, as with most things concerning grooming and care for your dog, you need to base it on what’s best for their coat.

You should also consider what we already discussed in the above paragraphs about soap-based and natural shampoos. Many people prefer to use a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner, and it’s a good idea to use one with vitamins and essential oils that will help moisturise your dog’s skin and fur to help it retain that natural lustre and healthy glossy look and feel.

FAQ

Question: Can I bathe my cockapoo once a week?
Answer: No, you should not bathe your cockapoo each week. If your dog is getting muddy from their walks daily, we suggest a quick rinse with just water to get the main parts of mud and dirt off them.

Question: Can I use human shampoo on my dog?
Answer: No, we would not recommend using human shampoo. There are special dog shampoos out there on the market.

Final Thoughts

We hope that our article on how often should you wash a cockapoo has been helpful to you. Just remember not to wash them too much, or you risk damaging them. It’s better to give them a quick rinse with no shampoo if they have been to the field and are full of mud.