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The Curlpup Journal

Curl care,
written by groomers.

Breed-specific guides, tool breakdowns and honest bath schedules from the groomers who run our Porto studio. No affiliate fluff, no generic "brush your dog" advice — just what actually works on tight, fluffy coats.

A groomer brushing a small white curly-coated dog on a wooden table by a window

Why slicker brushes flatten curls — and what to use instead

Most off-the-shelf slickers have straight pins set at 90°. The angle grabs the curl shaft and pulls it open rather than following its spiral. Here’s the geometry that fixes it.
A white Toy Poodle portrait on a warm cream backdrop, tight curls around the muzzle

Reading your puppy’s first coat change

Between 6 and 14 months, most Poodles and Doodles trade their soft puppy fluff for adult curl. The transition window is narrow — and missing it is how most owners end up with a shaved dog they didn’t want.
Curl Definition Shampoo in an amber glass bottle with a kraft refill pouch and dried orange slices

Sulfate-free vs. clarifying: which does a Bichon actually need?

Bichon coat collects product residue faster than almost any other small breed. The answer isn’t one shampoo — it’s a rotation, and the clarifying step matters more than most grooming guides admit.
Flat-lay grooming kit on linen — bristle brush, waffle towel, grooming oil and a shampoo bottle

The Cobblestone Problem: harness fit on Porto’s streets

Uneven ground shifts a dog’s gait in ways flat pavement doesn’t. A harness that sits perfectly on a park path can chafe the axilla after forty minutes on stone. What to check before a long city walk.
A cream Maltipoo standing in profile on a warm studio backdrop after a groom

Maltipoo coat types: what F1 vs. F1B actually means for grooming

Generation and backcross percentage change curl tightness, mat speed and how often the dog needs a bath. A Maltipoo owner and an F1B owner are solving different problems, even if the dogs look similar at first glance.
Tight-Curl Slicker Brush with a cherrywood handle, beside loose cream curl clippings

Five minutes before the bath: the pre-soak brush routine

Water swells the hair shaft and locks tangles in place. Spending five minutes with a wide-tooth comb before you turn on the tap is the difference between a clean dog and a matted one. The exact sequence, coat by coat.