Key Takeaways
- Teddy Bear Cut
- Summer Cut
- Puppy Cut
- Dogs & Puppies
- Dog Grooming
These styles will keep your Maltipoo looking fabulous all year round!
- How Often Does a Maltipoo Need to be Groomed?
- How to Maintain a Maltipoo's Hair at Home
With Maltese and poodle parents, it's no surprise Maltipoos are a super fabulous, friendly, and furry mixed breed. These small pooches have stolen the hearts of many, including those belonging to Ashley Tisdale, Rihanna, Blake Lively, Ellen Degeneres, and Miley Cyrus. Part of what makes their appearance so adorable are their wavy, curly coats, which can grow medium-to-long—meaning a trip to the salon is a must. Take inspiration from these 10 perfect Matipoo haircuts, plus we talked to an expert to get tips on how to maintain your dog's new look.
1. Teddy Bear Cut
Teddy bears and Maltipoos are a lot alike. As kids, we carried our teddy bears around and called them our best friends. Now look at us—carrying around our sweet furry best friends!
As the name suggests, this cut makes your Maltipoo look just like your first best friend. We can't think of a better way to take your pup's cute-and-cuddliness to a whole new level than with this medium-length haircut.
2. Summer Cut
Does your Maltipoo need a haircut that's short and sweet to beat the heat? This summer cut may just be the best option for your furry friend.
"[The summer cut] is a very short cut, so it'll be longer until a dog will have to come in for a groom," says Alessandro Teixeira, groomer and owner of Alessandro Pet Spa in LA. "It's a more economical haircut."
This low-maintenance cut keeps your dog's fur short and you two out of the pet spa for a while!
3. Puppy Cut
Hear everybody "aw" at the very sight of your marvelous Maltipoo with a puppy cut!
"For most people, this is my number one choice of cut for this dog," says licensed dog trainer and owner of Every Creature Counts, Lovelia Horn. "The puppy cut is the best choice for most Maltipoos because it is easy to maintain and 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. While you'll still need to brush your dog often, the puppy-cut length can keep potential matting to a minimum.
Horn says that, with this haircut style, your Maltipoo's fur should be long enough to look like a little "puffball" but not too long. Otherwise, your pup might look like a dust ball or snowman—still cute, of course, just not the intended look! The fur should be 1-2 inches in length all over the body.
4. Little Fringes Cut
Show off your curly-haired cutie's little waves with this absolutely adorable hairstyle. It's another style Horn recommends for Maltipoos, featuring a shaved or trimmed head in a soft, round shape that accentuates the pup's eyes. (All the better for curious pooches to see what's going on at all times!)
5. Lamb Cut
Transform your dog into a little lamb with this Maltipoo haircut style! One of Teixeira's favorite Maltipoo haircuts, the lamb cut generally keeps the fur on your dog's body short, with longer, fluffy leg fur—creating a velvety appearance. This look, he says, can vary based on how long you prefer your dog's hair to be.
6. Curled Poodle Haircut
Let those curls flow freely in the wind with this haircut that embraces your Maltipoo's poodle genes. Horn recommends this style for dog parents who prefer a curly look. "The hair should be very curly, with the body being at least 1.5 inches long," she says. "The hair on top of the head should be about 1 inch. The face should be shaved, with the ears left at least half an inch long."
7. Maltese Cut
This haircut is a tribute to your Maltipoo's Maltese side of the family. With a shorter body and fluffed ears, your Maltipoo will capture the hearts of all onlookers. The Maltese cut is a great choice for summertime, as the body boasts a close cut, perfect for hot weather walks.
8. Shih Tzu Cut
The shih tzu is a fellow small dog breed, so it's no surprise that a shih tzu cut looks incredibly fitting on Maltipoos. The shih tzu cut's distinctive features are a square cut around the head, complete with a longer 'stache, so often spotted covering up a shih tzu's endearing underbite.
9. Kennel Cut
The kennel cut is a little bit shorter than the puppy cut but still preserves your Maltipoo's fluffy, puppy-like scruff. This cut is great for the spring and fall months, the perfect length to keep your pup warm if there's an occasional cold snap or if you cannot revisit the groomer before wintertime.
10. Continental Cut
Even though Maltipoos can't compete in the Best in Show competition at the Westminster Dog Show, this haircut may be enough to convince judges otherwise. Commonly sported by purebred poodles in the show ring, this regal cut will give your Maltipoo a certain je nais se quoi, with luxurious flowy legs and ears that make your tiny dog seem larger than life.
How Often Does a Maltipoo Need to be Groomed?
The question of how often you'll need to book a visit to the groomer all depends on length preference.
Teixeira says he has some clients who bring their dogs in every week for a haircut or bath. This, he adds, is usually for dogs who have long, specialty haircuts.
Based on his decades of experience, Teixeira recommends Maltipoos get groomed every two to three weeks max.
"Maltipoos require more care because their hair grows faster, and it's a lot of hair," he says. "It depends on the length you want to keep your dog's hair. If you shave your dog, [your dog] doesn't require much grooming since there's not much hair to groom. If you do a puppy cut or a shave, after 4–5 months, your dog can get groomed again."
Teixeira says that if you want to keep your Maltipoo's hair longer, you'll need frequent grooming visits and proper maintenance at home to prevent matting. "The groomings keep the style, but the maintenance [should be done] by the owner," he says.
How to Maintain a Maltipoo's Hair at Home
Keeping your Maltipoo looking and feeling their best requires some maintenance on your part. The most important step? Brushing!
Teixeira stresses the importance of brushing your Maltipoo's coat every day, like your own hair. "If not, the coat will get very matted, and you'll need to get them shaved," he says.
For dog parents interested in maintaining their Maltipoo's cut at home, a few tools Teixeira says you'll need include:
- Scissors
- Pet clipper blades
- Dog shampoo
- A brush
- A metal comb
In addition to those items, you'll also need to be patient with your dog, especially if they're not used to being groomed just yet.
"Dogs usually don't like to be groomed—they're moving, they're shaking," Teixeira says. "So, it's better to prepare for that."
Horn recommends getting your dog used 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 you'd 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, it's always best to communicate with your groomer to see which might be the perfect option based on your Maltipoo's coat and lifestyle. (And show your groomer pictures of what you might have in mind.)
