Many families have been seeking a solution for pet allergies and a dog that doesn’t make quite as much of a mess in terms of shedding for decades. In an effort to provide that perfect dog, the first designer breed dog was made. A mix between an American Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle, the Cockapoo was a breeder’s answer to pet allergies and shedding problems. Friendly, small-to-mid-sized, intelligent, and affectionate, the Cockapoo has since become a beloved member of many families.
Do Cockapoos Shed? Do they have a puppy coat? Yes, Cockapoos shed because all dogs shed to some degree. However, the Cockapoo can shed significantly less than other dog breeds. It mostly depends on what kind of coat they inherit. The cockapoo also has a puppy coat that has to fall through once they grow older.
Knowing just how much your Cockapoo might shed depends primarily on their genetics. There are also other methods that you can utilize to reduce the amount of hair in your home. Read on to find out how you can control your Cockapoo’s shedding.
At the end of the article we share what real owners are saying. Some say yes they shed, others say no! So remember that not all Cockapoos are the same.
Why Is My Cockapoo Shedding?
All dogs shed throughout their life. You, yourself, shed. However, since dogs have a lot more hair than a human, their shedding is more noticeable. There are numerous reasons why a dog might shed more often than at other times. For one, it might be because they’re shedding out their puppy coat. At around eight months of age, the Cockapoo starts to inherit its adult coat. It’s thicker, a bit more durable, and less dewy than their puppy coat. In order to make room for that new coat, the puppy coat has to go. This is often considered a form of molting. Once all of the puppy hair is gone, their adult coat will typically shed a lot less.
Another reason that your Cockapoo might be shedding more frequently is because of the coat that it has inherited. Like humans, dogs are individuals. They also have individualistic tendencies for either shedding a lot or hardly shedding at all. Depending on which coat they inherit the most from their parents, Cockapoos might shed more often than other Cockapoos.
One last reason that the Cockapoo might shed is because of the season. While this is a trait more commonly found among other dog species, it’s still possible that the Cockapoo might be responding to weather changes. In the summer, for example, in response to the increasing temperatures, the Cockapoo might shed a bit more in order to reduce the amount of insulation it receives. This helps keep the dog cooler. It also means you might see more hair than usual in the home as the temperatures rise.
Grooming Requirements for a Cockapoo
Because Cockapoos can have curly or wavy hair, they require a bit of grooming to ensure that their hair doesn’t matt. If the coat is left untouched for too long, your Cockapoo’s hair might start to form matted dreadlocks instead of healthy and good-looking curls or waves. The best time to introduce them to simple grooming is when they’re a puppy. At least 10 minutes of brushing the puppy’s coat should be done four or five times a week. While puppies don’t need this high of grooming, it serves to familiarize them with grooming.
In terms of bathing, you can bathe them as often as you like if you don’t use shampoos that have either soap or detergents in them. This is gentle on their skin and also doesn’t dry out their coat. Otherwise, it might be best to take them to a professional groomer.
Depending on the kind of coat that they have, each Cockapoo has a different grooming requirement. For those who inherit a straight coat, one that isn’t very curly or wavy, they’ll only need to be brushed two to three times a week. In terms of bathing, you can get away with only bathing them once every two to three months. However, you’ll need to visit the groomer in order to have their hair cut a bit more often than other coat versions. The area around their eyes can become especially long and make it difficult for them to see.
For those who have a Cockapoo that has wavy or even ringlet-like coats, then you might need to visit the groomer a bit more often. A lot of owners like to keep the hair long on this coat because it can look pretty incredible. However, you need to up your grooming game in order to keep their hair looking nice rather than matted. This coat also typically molts twice a year. Careful brushing needs to be done. This coat can take several hours to groom, especially during molting season, so it’s best to leave it in the groomer’s hands.
The tight-curly haired Cockapoo can mat very easily. Most owners like to have the teddy bear cut performed on this kind of coat because it makes the hair more manageable and also looks incredibly cute for the dog. This coat requires a visit to the groomer every three months.
Which Generation Cockapoo is Best for Shedding?
Generation can be discussed in two aspects. The first is generational breeding within the Cockapoo line. For example, whether the Cockapoo is a first generational Cockapoo or a second, third, fourth, etc. The second aspect is the initial cross between the Poodle and the American Cocker Spaniel.
MultiGenerational Cockapoos are easier to predict, and thus generally considered better examples of a very low shed dog.
In regards to the first aspect, Cockapoos that are a result of multigenerational breeding with other Cockapoos are better for less shedding. This is because as the generations go on, the same kind of coat is typically held from generation to generation. First-generation Cockapoos are a bit of a gamble in terms of what kind of coat they’re going to inherit from the Poodle and Spaniel. Multi-generational Cockapoos are a bit easier to predict. Typically, second and beyond generational Cockapoos shed less.
In regards to the second aspect, Cockapoos that came from a Poodle with short and curly hair are less likely to shed than those who come from a Poodle with longer hair. However, the American Cocker Spaniel might end up overtaking the coat gene, anyway, and the resultant Cockapoo might have longer, wavier, hair that sheds more than curly-haired Cockapoos.
Do Cockapoos Shed More as Puppies?
Because they need to molt from their puppy coat, Cockapoos do end up shedding more when they’re puppies. That puppy coat has to be removed in order for their adult coat to come in instead. You can help the amount of shedding by regularly grooming them through this time in their life. Instead of the hair flying about your house, it’s collected on your brush instead.
The only time that a Cockapoo might shed more as an adult rather than as a puppy is if they have a ringlet or wavy hair. In terms of ringlets, because they have multiple molting seasons, they’ll shed a lot more hair overall than when they were just a puppy. Wavy-haired Cockapoos might also shed more than when they were a puppy. Their longer hair is more susceptible to falling out over time. They also have a molting season of their own that outpaces their puppy shedding.
What Real Owners Are Saying…
“I have a 3 year old male cockapoo. No shedding whatsoever but he does require daily brushing. “
“We have a 10 month old girl cockapoo. She does shed though, I’m not sure if its something she will grow out of or if she will always shed so be aware that could happen.“
“I have two cockapoos that just turned 9. They never shed, very sweet with all people, including children, and will settle down once they have had their play time.”
Related Questions
How often should I bathe my Cockapoo?
Cockapoos only need to be bathed once every three or four months. If they roll in anything nasty, obviously they’ll need to be washed more often. However, because of the coat that they inherit from the Poodle, they have a lot of oil and minerals in their hair. Those can be stripped away with too much bathing.
Are Cockapoos hypoallergenic?
There’s a lot of confusion about what hypoallergenic means in regards to dogs. People seem to think that dogs are able to be hypoallergenic. This is not true. All dogs have hair and dandruff. Some just produce less of it. Those that do produce less typically make less of an impact on allergies. Cockapoos fall in this category and thus can be considered hypoallergenic.
