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Puppy first groom: what to expect at 12 weeks and how to make it not traumatic

An apricot Cavapoo sitting on a cream studio backdrop, wavy coat and feathered ears

The first appointment decides how a dog feels about grooming for the rest of its life. What actually happens in the hour, why the haircut is the least important part, and how to tell if your puppy is ready.

Picture of Marta Reis

Marta Reis

Marta has groomed small curly dogs in Porto for eleven years. She co-wrote the Curlpup Curl Care Guide and looks after four Toy Poodles of her own — one of whom objectively hates bath day.
An apricot Cavapoo sitting on a cream studio backdrop, wavy coat and feathered ears

How often should a Cavapoo actually be bathed?

The "every 4–6 weeks" rule you’ll find everywhere was written for Labrador-density coats. Cavapoo curl porosity changes the equation — and bathing too often is the single most common reason coats start to mat faster, not slower.
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.

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