The coat that needs a plan.
Poodle mixes are family favourites such as your cockapoos and cavapoos. They are wonderful dogs but with demanding coats: soft, curly and quick to knot. Here’s how we groom them at our one-dog studio in Wickford, and how to keep the coat easy between visits.
Soft, curly, and quick to knot.
A poodle cross can inherit anything from a loose wave to a tight curl, and most sit somewhere in between. What they share is a coat that doesn’t shed much — the loose hair stays in the coat instead of on your sofa, and that’s exactly why it knots.
The knots start where the coat rubs: behind the ears, under the collar or harness, in the armpits, and on the backs of the legs. Left alone, they tighten into mats close to the skin, which pull every time the dog moves.
Little and often beats long and matted.
Most poodle mixes do best with a groom every four to six weeks, and a proper brush-through at home a few times a week. Stretch the gap much longer and the coat usually arrives matted — which means a shorter clip than you wanted and a harder day for your dog.
A regular slot also keeps the price where it should be: a coat that’s been kept on top of grooms more quickly than one that hasn’t.
For brushing properly at home — line brushing, the right comb, the trouble spots — see our grooming-at-home guide.
Unhurried, finished by hand.
Your dog is the only one in the studio, and the slot is booked for the time the coat actually needs. A full groom includes:
- A bath with products chosen for the coat.
- A full blow dry, which straightens the curl so it can be cut evenly.
- Styling to the length and shape you ask for — the cute rounded muzzle, a short summer trim, or somewhere in between.
- A nail trim and an ear clean.
If the coat is matted, we’ll tell you before we start and agree the kindest plan. We never de-mat further than a dog can comfortably sit through — sometimes a short clip and a fresh start is the kindest answer.
The coat grows back. Trust is harder to regrow.
Priced by size.
Your poodle mix will vary in size compared to others, have a look at the chart below for a guide to book. Coat condition matters as much as weight, so we confirm the price at your first meeting — before any work starts.
- Extra smallup to 7kg
- from £38105 min
- Small8–15kg
- from £45120 min
- Medium16–25kg
- from £55135 min
- Large26–40kg
- from £65150 min
- Extra large41kg +
- from £80180 min
- Can you do a specific cut?
- Yes — tell us the look you like, or bring a photo. We’ll talk it through at the consultation, including what the coat will realistically allow.
- Why might my poodle mix need to be clipped short?
- Only if the coat is matted close to the skin. Brushing out tight mats is painful, so the kind option can be a short clip and a fresh start. We always discuss it with you first.
- When should a poodle mix puppy have their first groom?
- Early, before the adult coat comes through. Our puppy intro, for puppies up to six months, gets them used to the table and the dryer first.
- Do poodle mixes shed?
- Usually very little — but the hair that would have fallen out stays in the coat, which is why regular brushing and grooming matter so much.
A handful of slots each week. We’d rather yours be a good one.
We typically book two weeks ahead. We may ask to arrange a meet and greet with you and your dog before the first appointment — at no extra cost.