In this article, we’ve lined up the best and most popular Maltipoo haircuts that look amazing on any pup. We’ll also be talking about Maltipoo coat care and share with you our best grooming tips along with our video tutorials on how to groom your Doodle at home. Let’s dig in!
One of the many great things about Doodles is that we never know what type of hair they might end up with. Thanks to the Poodle and Maltese in their lineage, Maltipoos can come in three main coat types – straight, wavy, and curly. Now, when you’re trying to decide on the right haircut for your dog, you might want to consider their hair type. When it comes to Maltipoo haircuts, some are easier to achieve, some are easier to maintain, and some look good on just certain types of Maltipoo coats. Before we jump into the hair inspo, let’s first take a closer look at the three types of Maltipoo coats.
Inherited from the Maltese parent, the Maltipoo straight coat feels soft and silky. Typically straight or with a slight wave, this coat type can grow rather quickly. However, it won’t grow as long as the Maltese’s hair thanks to the Poodle genes in the mix.
The straight coat is more common in Maltipoos who have a 50-50 mix of Poodle and Maltese. For instance, first generation or F1 Maltipoos. Contrary to many other Doodle breeds who have inherited a straight coat from the other original parent breed, straight-haired Maltipoos do not come with an undercoat. That’s because both the Maltese and Poodle have single-layer coats.
As you may guess, the Maltipoo curly coat is mostly inherited from the Poodle parent’s side. It’s most common in backcross generations like F1b, F1bb, and F2bb Maltipoos, where the majority of the genetic makeup consists of the Poodle.
Similar to the OG Poodle hair, the Maltipoo curly coat is thick, lucious, and very low-shedding. On the other hand, it’s just as high-maintenance. The Maltipoo curly coat tends to knot easily, which can lead to matting. If your pup rocks the curly coat, but you don’t have the time to brush it out daily, you might find a shorter cut better suited.
How to Maintain a Maltipoo’s Hair at Home
Keeping your Maltipoo looking and feeling her best requires some maintenance on your part. The most important step? Brushing!
Teixeira stresses the importance of brushing your Maltipoos coat every day, like your own hair. “If not, the coat will get very matted, and youll need to get them shaved,” he says.
For dog parents interested in maintaining their Maltipoos cut at home, a few tools Teixeira says youll need include:
In addition to those items, youll also need to be patient with your dog, especially if theyre not used to being groomed just yet.
“Dogs usually dont like to be groomed—theyre moving, theyre shaking,” Teixeira says. “So, its better to prepare for that.”
Horn recommends getting your dog used being exposed to grooming tools ahead of time, offering plenty of positive reinforcement using good quality treats. “This way, your dog will associate grooming with something good and he will feel more excited during the process,” she says. Working on cues like sit, stay, lie down, and give paw (for nail trims) at home can also be helpful for the groomer so your pup stays still during the appointment.
If youd rather let your groomer take care of the haircutting, you can bathe your dog at home to keep her so fresh and so clean. Teixeira suggests using lukewarm water and making sure you wash off all the soap to prevent your dog from getting dry skin.
No matter which haircut you decide for your furry friend, its always best to communicate with your groomer to see which might be the perfect option based on your Maltipoos coat and lifestyle. (And show your groomer pictures of what you might have in mind.)
Which Maltipoo Hairstyle Should I Try?
Here are a few factors to consider when narrowing down which Maltipoo haircut ideas are right for you…
1. What’s you (and your dog’s) personality? Will you be happy with this cut a week from now? A month from now?
2. What is the weather like in your area? Warm? Cold?
3. Does your Maltipoo go outside and get dirty often? While products like the MudBuster can help make cleaning dirty paws a breeze, it’s far easier with a short Maltipoo haircut.
Dexas MudBuster Portable Dog Paw Washer / Paw Cleaner
4. How often can you commit to brushing? Keeping up with a longer hair style can be a big time suck otherwise you risk your Maltipoo becoming matted. Shorter styles still require regular brushing, just not quite as frequently.
From the day your bring your Maltipoo puppy home, you should start getting them comfortable with people touching their paws, ears, tail, etc. This will go a long way towards lessening their future anxiety at the groomer.
Brushing your puppy frequently and even getting them used to the sound of blow dryers and hair clippers can be extremely useful as well!
Once your Maltipoo puppy is 16 weeks old, you’ll want to schedule their first “puppy trim.” This isn’t a full haircut, but rather a simple trim of their face and sanitary areas. This gets them used to the grooming process, equipment, and environment early.
Once your Maltipoo has reached 6 months in age you can take them to the groomer for their first full haircut. It’s important not to go prior to 6 months, as your Maltipoo’s adult coat is still developing and a full groom this early could damage it permanently.
You may not get the same time advantage of getting your Maltipoo used to grooming as a puppy if you choose to adopt. However, even if you rescue an older Maltipoo, it’s important to ease them into a grooming routine as soon as possible.
Photo courtesy of @hala_the_maltipoo_ on Instagram.
How Often Does A Maltipoo Need To Be Groomed?
How often do Maltipoos need haircuts? What about bathing or nail clipping? Understandably, scheduling and remembering all the necessary grooming activities can seem like an impossible task. You can use the sample grooming schedule below to stay on top of your pup’s beauty routine:
For those of you curious to learn how to give your Maltipoo haircuts at home, check out our step-by-step online video course focusing on each area on the body separately.
FAQ
What is the difference between a teddy bear cut and a puppy cut?
“The puppy cut is the best choice for most Maltipoos because it is easy to maintain and it keeps the body temperature constant.” Horn also mentions how fully grown Maltipoos can become matted, and it can be time-consuming to brush and maintain your pup’s curly coat.
What does a teddy bear cut look like on a Maltipoo?