Cockapoos are renowned for being friendly, easy-to-train, and relatively low-maintenance dog breed – something that often extends to their grooming needs.
Regardless of whether your Cockapoo has a straight, wavy, or curly coat, giving them a trim is relatively straightforward and won’t take too much time compared to other dog breeds; however, given that Cockapoos are a low-shedding dog breed with a variety of different coats, it’s crucial that you’ choose the right set of dog clippers to complete the task safely and efficiently.
But which dog clippers should you choose?
Well, in today’s piece, we’re going to discuss everything you need to know about dog clippers for Cockapoos and make our recommendations based on our expert knowledge. Firstly, we’ll look at the best clippers for straight, curly, and wavy coats, following that by exploring the pros and cons of cordless and corded dog clippers.
By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you’ll be armed with every single piece of information you need to make an informed purchase where Cockapoo-friendly dog clippers are concerned. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
Cockapoo Coat Type and Why It Matters
The most common ‘look’ for a Cockapoo is that of tightly curled hair, often referred to as the ‘cute teddy bear’ look. However, Cockapoos come in various shapes, sizes, and coat types, and which coat type your Cockapoo has can impact your choice of dog clippers.
Let’s take a look at the three predominant coat types:
Straight: The coat is comprised of straight, loose hair.
Curly: The coat is comprised of many tight ‘bouncy’ curls.
Wavy: The coat is a combination of curls, with most being looser and more ‘windy’.
The type of coat your Cockapoo has matters because tighter curls require more power, simply because there is a greater quantity of (tightly-packed) hair to cut through. Furthermore, Cockapoos with curly coats commonly have micro-knots in their fur, caused by curls curling around each other. Although brushing may remove some of these, they certainly won’t remove them all; therefore, it’ll be down to your dog clippers to work through and remove them.
If your Cockapoo has a straighter or more loosely curled coat, you’ll likely require less powerful clippers. That being said, if your dog has areas of tight curls or a combination of all three coat types, investing in a powerful pair of clippers is a wise idea.
What Are The Best Clippers For Cockapoos With Curly Coats?
Our number one choice is…
Wahl Basic Pet Hair Trimmer Set (corded)
Top of the tree is this clipper set from Wahl. Don’t be misled by the word ‘basic’; it is a seriously quality pair of dog clippers that comes with four different comb attachments, blade oil, a cleaning brush, and a durable carry case. It’s low noise, has self-sharpening blades, and it’s adjustable lever arm makes light work of big knots – every you want for a trouble-free, low-stress trim!
In our opinion, this is the perfect choice for trimming your Cockapoo’s curly coat in between trips to the grooming parlour. Wahl is one of the leading brands of clippers for both animals and humans, so you can rest assured that you’re getting a quality product.
What Are The Best Clippers For Cockapoos With Straight and Wavy Coats?
Our number one choice is…
Wahl U-Clip Dog Grooming Kit (corded)
If you’re the proud parent of a wavy or straight-coated cockapoo, Wahl’s U-Clip dog grooming kit is one of the best out there for keeping your four-legged friend’s coat looking neat and tidy. With eight colour-coded comb attachments, you’ll be able to trim your Cockapoo’s coat to the exact length you like, and the powerful motor will make doing this a breeze. Its high carbon steel blades make light work of knots and matted areas, and the U-Clip’s low noise will help to keep your dog as less stressed as possible.
A Guide To Different Types of Dog Clippers
If you’ve browsed online Pet stores, Amazon, or other suppliers of animal and pet products for dog clippers for your Cockapoo, it’s possible that you may have become a little overwhelmed at the sheer amount of options available. After all, this is the health and well-being of your pup we’re talking about and making sure you make the best choice for them is critical.
Within the realm of dog clippers, there are three main types that are available on the market today: corded, cordless, and hybrid. In this section, we’ll examine each in turn and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each type.
Cordless Dog Clippers
As you can probably tell from the name, cordless dog clippers are cord-free and are powered via an internal battery/batteries – typically rechargeable. Cordless clippers are really easy to use and simply require a charge before use.
What are the pros of cordless dog clippers?
Firstly, they afford greater freedom of movement, allowing you to reach all areas of your dog’s coat without having to worry about where the cord is going or if the cord is long enough. This is why cordless dog clippers are perfect for easy grooming in all environments: the home, the studio, dog shows etc.
And secondly, models available in 2021 are just as powerful as their corded counterparts and are now more affordable than ever. In years gone by, cordless dog clippers were often viewed as inferior due to their lack of power (compared to corded dog clippers), but in today’s market, you can find exceptional clippers that are powerful and affordable.
What are the cons of cordless dog clippers?
The main disadvantage of cordless dog clippers is that the battery life isn’t particularly long, so if you’re clipping for more than twenty minutes, you may experience a decrease in power or, alternatively, a complete loss of power, meaning you’ll have to recharge halfway through a job. Obviously, the last thing you’d want is your clippers running out of gas in the middle of grooming, as some can take a while to recharge to provide full clipping power.
What Are The Best Cordless Dog Clippers for Cockapoos?
Ultimately, the ‘best’ clippers for your Cockapoo are the best you can afford. The two corded dog clippers sets listed earlier in this article are certainly very good options if your budget is under £100.
However, if you’re looking for the absolute best pair of dog clippers bar none, i.e. professional dog clippers, OSTER is a brand well worth looking at.
Our top pick is the OSTER A6 Heavy Duty Pet Grooming Clippers set:
This clipper set is the crème de la crème of dog clippers. If you’re truly looking for the best clippers money can buy, this set from OSTER should be your first port of call. Its powerful yet super-quiet motor makes for uber-smooth, efficient, and (almost) silent clipping, and its three variable speeds provide versatility, so you’ll have no issues trimming your Cockapoo’s coat regardless of their coat type and condition. Plus, these clippers stay cool even when used for prolonged periods.
Corded Dog Clippers
Once again, the clue is in the name, and once again, they’re really easy to use; all you need to do is plug them, and you’re good to start clipping…and continue clipping until you’ve finished. Corded dog clippers are often the go-to choice of professional dog groomers as they offer optimum power without potential battery issues.
What are the pros of corded dog clippers?
As mentioned above, the two main benefits of corded clippers are optimal and consistent power, i.e. you can trim indefinitely without having to worry about a loss of power. Furthermore, corded dog clippers often offer a wider array of cutting speeds and are renowned for being long-lasting than their cordless brethren; however, this will vary from brand to brand.
What are the cons of corded dog clippers?
Corded clippers are often more expensive than cordless clippers; however, as they tend to last longer, they will typically offer a better return on your investment that cordless or hybrid clippers. Of course, this isn’t a hard and fast rule, i.e. not all corded clippers will always be better than cordless regardless of brand, but it is certainly is something to take into consideration.
What Are The Best Corded Dog Clippers for Cockapoos?
If you prefer the freedom of cordless dog clippers, there are plenty of options available. However, many cordless dog clippers simply don’t offer enough power and battery life to make trimming your Cockapoo’s coat as easy as it should be.
After scouring a wide array of cordless dog clippers, we’ve found one that ticks all the boxes and is also very affordable.
PetKing Premium Dog Grooming Clipper Set
Why we’ve chosen this set above all others is for several reasons:
- It’s low-noise, which is perfect for Cockapoo’s who are spooked by louder clippers.
- Its sharp ceramic blade makes relatively easy work* of all types of coats, regardless of how type or condition.
- Its battery life is better than many of its competitors, with a four-hour charge provide an hour of operational power.
- It comes with a range of high-quality accessories, such as comb attachments, two pairs of scissors, a comb, a nail file, and nail clippers.
*The only downside of this model is its lack of lever arm, making getting through particularly tough, tangled knots more difficult but not impossible.
Hybrid Dog Clippers
Hybrid dog clippers can be used as either corded or cordless clippers, meaning you can plug them in when you have a plug socket available and use them when you’re out and about with any available power.
This sounds ideal, right? On the face of it, yes; however, hybrid dog clippers haven’t been on the market for very long, and as a consequence, the quality doesn’t (currently) match the levels set by the numerous corded and cordless options out there. Most experts wouldn’t suggest using a hybrid dog clipper set to trim your Cockapoo. Instead, opt for a high-quality corded or cordless set that fits your budget.
Should I Buy Single Speed or Variable Speed Dog Clippers?
Depending on their brand and quality, some dog clippers will have a variety of ‘added extras’. By this, we don’t the extra accessories manufacturers typically include with the clipper set to make their product better value, but the ‘added’ extras’ of the clipper themselves. The most important of these is the speed setting, so it’s important to look at dog clippers speed settings in more detail.
Dog clippers will either offer a single speed or variable speeds. While most would assume that variable speed dog clippers would always be superior, this isn’t always the case. For example, if you’re merely looking for a set of clippers that will allow your Cockapoo to stay cool during summer months or if you’re not too fussed about a professional-looking style, a single-speed set of clippers will more than suffice.
Single-speed dog clippers are typically lighter and more compact and often don’t (over)heat as much as models that offer variable speeds.
Multi-speed dog clippers are more suited to professional dog groomers, given that they’ll typically experience a wide range of breeds, meaning they’ll need different settings to cope with the various coat lengths and densities, as well as requested styles, etc. It’s also important to remember that multi-speed dog clippers offer faster and slower speeds – which is a good thing – but this also means they often tend to be heavier and bulkier, so this is something you should take into consideration.
Are There Low Vibration/Quiet Options?
Another essential feature that some dog clippers come equipped with is a silent or almost-silent motor, which don’t produce as much noise (obviously!) or vibration as regular models.
Many brands offer this option simply because some dogs become stressed or anxious if clippers are too loud or vibrate too much. This is why most professional dog groomers will have at least one set of low-vibration dog clippers – to accommodate nervous dogs. If you don’t trim your Cockapoo’s coat that often, a loud, heavily-vibrating, and potentially hot pair of clippers isn’t exactly going to instil confidence in your four-legged friend, so a set of quiet clippers is a wise idea.
Low vibration/low noise clippers are also a great choice if your clipping around your dog’s ears.
How Much Should I Spend on Clippers for My Cockapoo?
As we mentioned above, it’s always wise to buy the best clippers you can afford. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrases “You get what you pay for” and “Buy cheap, buy twice”, and even though we don’t want to sit here and bombard you with cliches, it really is important to opt for quality. Luckily, there are some great options that are really affordable. Two of the four clipper sets listed above are under £45 (both a corded and cordless option), so buying a high-quality set of clippers doesn’t have to cost the earth by any means.
What Are The Best Dog Clippers For Cockapoos? A Summary
Hopefully, the above guide has given you sufficient knowledge of dog clippers to help you make an informed purchase. Ultimately, each person has slightly different needs and budget – even though we all share the common pleasure of owning a Cockapoo – so it’s important to consider several factors before committing to a purchase.
- What is your budget?
- What is your reason for wanting to buy dog clippers?
- What type of coat does your Cockapoo have?
- Do they often suffer from tangles and knots?
- Are the tangles and knots particularly tough to trim?
- Are you bothered by having a cord?
- Are you a professional dog groomer or a dog owner who wants to trim their pooch every now and again?
- Is your Cockapoo particularly easily stressed or sensitive?
- How often (if at all) do you take your dog to a professional dog groomer?
Although this may seem an almost endless list of questions, it’s essential to answer these honestly and in as much detail as possible, as this will give you an idea of which clippers will be best for you. The four sets of clippers we’ve listed in this piece should cater for everyone, regardless of their circumstances and needs, but it’s always wise to speak to dog groomers or other Cockapoo owners to see what clippers they use or if they have any grooming tips or suggestions. Remember, knowledge is power (sorry, another cliché!) and will put you in the best position to make the right purchase for you and your dog.
