How Often Should I Bathe My Maltipoo? Breed Grooming Tips
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Properly caring for a dog takes a lot more than feeding, watering them, and taking them outside for walks. It’s also important to keep your pooch well-groomed. Certain dog breeds don’t require a lot when it comes to grooming. Others are real divas. If you own a Maltipoo, you should be curious about where they fall on this spectrum.
As a good owner, you want your Maltipoo to look its best, smell nice, and be free of tangles and dirt. Bathing your pooch too much, however, can result in dry skin and other uncomfortable issues you don’t want your fur baby to face. For a Maltipoo, unless the little bundle of sweetness gets into something yucky, a bath once a month is sufficient.
What Is a Maltipoo?
Before we go over the bathing and grooming of a Maltipoo, let’s learn a bit more about the breed. Maltipoos are a crossbreed of the Miniature or Toy Poodle and Maltese. This designer dog breed is very affectionate with their families and makes ideal cuddle buddies. They are also regarded as a highly intelligent dog breed thanks to their Poodle lineage. The Maltipoo is often a sought-after breed due to its low shedding and low dander qualities. This makes them ideal for dog owners who are prone to allergies.
Maltipoos are active dogs who love to play. These little dogs enjoy the outdoors but are small enough to enjoy fun inside the home too. The Maltipoo does great with children, but due to their small size, any child around a Maltipoo should understand that they must be gentle to avoid hurting the dog. The Maltipoo only reaches 8 to 14 inches tall and 5 to 20 pounds. An overall healthy dog breed, the Maltipoo has a thick coat that is wool-like in texture and can range from wavy to curly. You’ll find that Maltipoos can have several coat colors including white, cream, silver, and black.
How Often Should I Bathe My Maltipoo?
Pet owners want to keep their dogs clean. It’s natural. However, there are ways of overdoing it. When it comes to the Maltipoo, you may look at their thick coat and worry about hidden dirt and grime, not to mention odor. However, tossing your Malti into a bath every other day isn’t good for them. A dog’s skin has natural oils that help fight dryness and other skin ailments. If you over-bathe your pet, the water and shampoo used will strip those oils. This can leave your pet’s coat looking dull and lifeless. It can also result in itchy skin or dry spots that can be quite uncomfortable.
With the Maltipoo, a good rule to follow is bathing them every 3 weeks, or once a month. This helps you stay on top of any dirt that may build up under their thick coat and avoid having a stinky dog. That doesn’t mean you can’t bathe your Maltipoo when they get into something. We’ve already mentioned how these little dogs love to play. Accidents are going to happen. Your Maltipoo is going to get muddy or roll in the grass. When this happens, feel free to pop them into the bath for a thorough cleaning. The key is to avoid doing this too often to help maintain your pooch’s skin and coat.
Tips for Keeping Your Maltipoo Clean Between Baths
Luckily, there are ways you can keep your Maltipoo looking and smelling great in between monthly bath times. Using these tips can help you avoid bathing your Maltipoo too often and stripping them of the oils they need.
Regular Brushing
Many people look at routine brushing as a way to make the coat look good. That’s not the only purpose, however. Brushing your Maltipoo the recommended three times a week can also help lift away dirt and grime that can hide under their thick hair. It also removes loose hair. Loose hair tends to stay inside a Maltipoo’s thick coat. This allows them to become coated with body oils and start to smell. Slicker brushes are ideal for Maltipoos with thicker, wavy hair. If you have your Maltipoo trimmed and their hair is relatively shorter, a bristle brush may be the best choice.
Using Grooming Wipes
Maltipoos have a lot of hair around their face. Most Maltipoo owners find that this area is the one they are most concerned with when it comes to cleanliness. If your Maltipoo is looking a bit disheveled between baths, fresh wipes are a great way to get them spiffed back up. There are even doggy wipes on the market intended for use around the eyes. These wipes help reduce matter and are safe for your pet. You can use regular wipes over the rest of your Maltipoo’s body to freshen them up when they need it.
Keep Your Maltipoo’s Ears Clean
When you bathe your Maltipoo, it’s natural to clean its ears. However, the Maltipoo has drop ears. This means their ears require attention even when it isn’t bath time. You’ll find grooming wipes that are great for your Maltipoo’s body, but to truly keep its ears in good shape, you should use ear-specific wipes or cleaners. Cleaning the ears every few days is suggested to help avoid dirt buildup and infections.
Maltipoo Bathing Tips
If you have cared for dogs before, you most likely know how to give them a proper bath. When it comes to the Maltipoo and their thick coats, it’s important to follow all the right steps. Let’s take a look at those now so you can brush up on bathing basics.
Brush Before Bathing
Using your Maltipoo’s undercoat rake to thoroughly brush their coat out before bath time is the best place to start. We’ve already mentioned how loose hairs can stick to their coat and cause issues with smells, right? Now, imagine getting all those hairs wet but not getting each one removed during bathtime. Yep, the smell will return. To fight this issue, brushing beforehand is the best option.
Mind the Temperature
Dogs are not like us humans. They are not fans of hot baths or nice cold showers. They prefer the temperature to be just right. When it’s time to start your Maltipoo’s bath water, use lukewarm water. You should also test the water several times while it’s running. This will help make sure nothing has happened and the water hasn’t turned too cold or too hot.
Do a Rinse Over
Before you lather your pooch up, give them a nice rinse down first. This helps remove the hair and grime you’ve loosened up. This can be done with a detachable shower head, cup, or bowl, whichever you have on hand. The key is to make sure you use enough water to penetrate the undercoat completely.
Lather and Rinse
Only use dog-specific shampoo when bathing your Maltipoo. You’ll find several kinds out there to choose from. Start by applying a straight line of shampoo from the neck to the tail. It’s best to use linear strokes when working the shampoo in as circular motions may cause the fur to mat. Avoid getting shampoo or suds in your Maltipoo’s eyes. Once you’ve washed your dog thoroughly, use the showerhead or device of your choice to rinse away the suds completely.
Apply Conditioner and Rinse
Again, only dog-specific conditioners should be used on your Maltipoo when following this step. However, this part shouldn’t be skipped as Maltipoos have silky, thick hair that needs conditioning. Apply the conditioner in the same method you would the shampoo and work it in. Like with humans, leave the conditioner on your pooch for a minute or so then rinse away completely.
Clean the Face
Once the rest of the bath is finished, it’s time to clean your Maltipoo’s face. Simply dampen a washcloth in warm water then wring it out thoroughly. Gently wipe around your Maltipoo’s face and under the eyes to clear away any dirt or tear stains.
Drying Your Maltipoo
While hair dryers may not be your dog’s best friend, they do come in handy thanks to the Maltipoo’s thick coat. If you opt to use one, make sure you use a low setting and hold the hair dryer several inches away from your dog while using it. The last thing you want to do is burn your Maltipoo and put the fear of bathing into them.
In Conclusion
As you can see, properly grooming a Maltipoo takes a lot. Luckily, it’s best for your pooch if you only bathe them once a month or when they have gotten into something yucky. If you keep your Maltipoo wiped down and freshened up, waiting a few weeks between baths shouldn’t be an issue. Just remember to offer routine brushings and ear cleanings each week to help your Maltipoo look and feel its best.
Featured Image Credit: Olena Yakobchuk, Shutterstock
