Cockapoo Grooming Styles UK 2026 - Cuts, Routine, and Cost

The 4 most popular Cockapoo cuts

Four cuts account for the majority of Cockapoo grooms in the UK. Most owners pick one and stick with it across the dog's life; a few rotate by season.

Teddy bear cut

The most popular cut. A round face with the eyes and nose visible, a soft body of equal length all over, and a fluffy tail. Length: 2 to 3 cm across the body, slightly longer on the face for the round effect.

• Maintenance: the highest of the four. The face needs a tidy every 4 to 6 weeks, otherwise the round shape disappears.
• Best for: Cockapoos with a curlier coat (F1b, F2), where the curl holds the round shape.
• Difficulty: the hardest to maintain at home. Most owners book a 4 to 6 week face tidy between full grooms.

Lamb cut

A close body clip (around 1 cm) with a longer, slightly rounded face. The dog looks like a lamb: neat, tidy, and low-maintenance. Length: 1 to 1.5 cm on the body, 2 cm on the face.

• Maintenance: the lowest of the four. The close body clip means less matting, and the face is easier to tidy at home.
• Best for: active Cockapoos (walks, swims, beach trips), and owners who want a low-maintenance coat.
• Difficulty: the easiest to maintain at home.

Summer cut

A very short clip (under 1 cm) for hot weather. The body is clipped close, the face is short, the tail is fluffy. Often used as a one-off summer trim, with the dog back to a teddy bear or lamb cut by autumn.

• Maintenance: very low. The short coat does not mat.
• Best for: Cockapoos that overheat easily, or owners who want to skip a full groom over summer.
• Difficulty: the easiest. Most owners can maintain it themselves for a few weeks between grooms.

Kennel cut

A practical short clip (around 1 cm) all over, including the face, ears, and tail. Originally a working cut for kennel dogs; now the most common "I do not have time to brush" cut. Length: 1 cm all over.

• Maintenance: the lowest of all. Less than 5 minutes a week of brushing.
• Best for: owners with limited time, working Cockapoos, or a dog with severe matting that needs a fresh start.
• Difficulty: the easiest, but the dog looks much shorter than the typical Cockapoo "fluffy" look.

Cockapoo coat types

The cut that suits a Cockapoo depends on the coat type. A Cockapoo is a Cocker Spaniel and Poodle cross, and the coat can lean either way.

| Coat type | What it looks like | Best cuts | Brushing | |-----------|---------------------|-----------|----------| | F1 (first cross) | Curlier, more Poodle-like, often sheds a little | Teddy bear, lamb | Every other day | | F1b (back-cross to Poodle) | Very curly, low-shedding, mat-prone | Teddy bear, lamb, kennel | Every day for the curls | | F2 (F1 x F1) | Variable; can be curly, wavy, or straighter | Lamb, summer, kennel | Every 2 to 3 days | | F1bb (back-cross to Cockapoo) | More Cocker-like, sheds more | Lamb, summer, kennel | Every 2 to 3 days |

The curlier the coat, the more often you brush and the more often you groom. An F1b Cockapoo with a teddy bear cut is the highest-maintenance combination; an F2 Cockapoo with a lamb cut is the lowest.

Brushing routine

Cockapoo coats mat fast. The matting starts behind the ears, in the armpits, and around the trouser area. Once a mat is in, brushing it out takes 10 to 20 minutes. Letting it grow to a clipper-out mat costs a full groom at the next visit.

A practical Cockapoo brushing routine:

• Daily: a quick 2 minute brush of the high-risk areas (behind the ears, armpits, trouser area). Use a slicker or pin brush.
• Every 2 to 3 days: a full 5 to 10 minute brush, with a metal comb at the end.
• Weekly: a thorough 15 to 20 minute session, with a bath if needed.

The slicker brush is the workhorse. Pair it with a metal comb to catch what the slicker misses. See our best slicker brush guide for picks.

Coat change

A Cockapoo puppy starts losing the soft puppy coat at 4 to 5 months and finishes the change by 9 to 12 months. The change is the most mat-prone time of the dog's life. Daily brushing during the change is not optional.

The first full groom is usually at 5 to 6 months, after 2 to 3 short "puppy tidy" visits to introduce the dog to the studio. See our puppy first groom guide and puppy coat change guide.

Cost

A Cockapoo full groom in the UK in 2026:

• Small Cockapoo (under 8 kg): £45 to £60
• Medium Cockapoo (8 to 12 kg): £55 to £80
• Large Cockapoo (over 12 kg): £70 to £100
• London premium: +£10 to £20

A face tidy between full grooms is £10 to £20 at most salons.

For a full breakdown, see our dog grooming cost by breed UK guide.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the brushing because the dog "does not mat". All Cockapoos mat. Even a tight lamb cut mats behind the ears.
• Clipping the coat too short in summer. A Cockapoo's coat does not grow back the same after a very short clip. A 1 cm summer cut is fine; a 5 mm clipper cut may change the coat texture for years.
• Bathing without brushing first. A wet mat is much harder to deal with. Brush before the bath.
• Skipping the ear tidy. Drop-eared Cockapoos collect hair inside the ear canal. Most groomers pluck the ear hair as part of the groom. Ask if your groomer does this.

FAQ

Complete UK dog grooming guide Cocker Spaniel grooming at home UK Dog grooming cost by breed UK Puppy first groom Statham's 23, NW11