Guide
How Often Should a Dog Be Groomed? Intervals by Coat Type
Poodles and bichons need a full groom every 4 to 8 weeks, poodle crosses every 6 to 12 and long silky coats every 6 to 8. Double and smooth coats need a bath every 8 to 12 weeks; wire coats are stripped 2 to 4 times a year.
How often does a dog need grooming?
It depends on the coat, not the size. As a guide: poodles and bichons every 4 to 8 weeks; poodle crosses such as cockapoos and doodles every 6 to 12 weeks; long silky coats and spaniels every 6 to 8 weeks; double coats every 8 to 12 weeks for a bath and de-shed; smooth coats every 8 to 12 weeks, or as needed, for a bath and nails, with no haircut; wire coats hand-stripped 2 to 4 times a year, or clipped or given a maintenance strip every 8 to 12 weeks. The coat check uses the same intervals, and lists each breed's source. Brushing at home in between matters more than the interval.
How often do curly and poodle-type coats need grooming?
Every 4 to 8 weeks for a poodle or bichon; Petplan puts a poodle at every six weeks or so. Poodle crosses vary more with the coat: every 6 to 12 weeks, at the shorter end for a curly or long coat. The Cockapoo Club of GB suggests a professional wash and clip about every three months for a cockapoo, with grooming at home in between. These coats keep growing and shed little, so loose hair stays in the coat and tangles; without brushing to the skin, mats form behind the ears, in the armpits and on the legs. A shorter clip buys a little more time between visits.
How often do spaniels and long coats need grooming?
Every 6 to 8 weeks, the figure the clipper maker Wahl gives in its grooming guide for silky coats. Cocker and springer spaniels, setters, shih tzus, Lhasa apsos and Yorkshire terriers in a longer trim need their feathering, feet and ears kept in order. Spaniel ears in particular trap moisture and matted hair, and are worth checking weekly.
How often do double coats need grooming?
Every 8 to 12 weeks for a bath and de-shed, and more often during the moult. Huskies, German shepherds, golden retrievers, Labradors, Bernese and collies have a dense undercoat that sheds heavily, usually twice a year. A bath and de-shed removes far more loose undercoat than brushing at home. These coats should not normally be shaved.
How often do wire and smooth coats need grooming?
Wire-coated terriers (border, Westie, cairn, Airedale, schnauzer, wire dachshund) are traditionally hand-stripped. The Border Terrier Club says a Border needs it about twice a year; two to four full strips a year is usual for a wire coat, or a clip or maintenance strip every 8 to 12 weeks to keep the coat in layers. Smooth-coated dogs (Staffordshire bull terriers, whippets, pugs, boxers) need no haircut: PDSA notes that short-haired breeds do not usually need regular haircuts. A bath and nail trim every 8 to 12 weeks, or when they get dirty, suits most.
Common questions
How often should a cockapoo be groomed?
Every 6 to 12 weeks for a full groom, at the shorter end for a curly or long coat, with brushing at home two or three times a week. The Cockapoo Club of GB suggests about every three months.
Can you groom a dog too often?
Bathing too often can dry the skin. Professional grooms at the intervals above, with brushing in between, are fine for most dogs.
Do short-haired dogs need a groomer?
Not for a haircut. A bath, nails and a de-shed every 8 to 12 weeks, or as needed, suits most smooth coats.