Haircuts
Maltipoo Haircuts
Overview
There are two basic Maltipoo haircuts, long and short; although each can be adjusted to make them as unique as your dog is.
The style that you choose will often need to depend on which type of coat your particular dog has. This hybrid dog can have 1 of 3 different textured coats…
1. Soft and silky - A Maltipoo with this sort of coat will have hair more similar to a Maltese. However, there will be a wave and this limits the length that can be achieved. You will not be able to have a full 'show dog' hair style that flows to the floor, but it can be grown out rather long. This coat can also be trimmed into a puppy cut.
2. Thick and curly – This type of coat is similar to a Poodle. This sort of coat can grow dense but not long.
The curls will be too tight to part in the middle or fall to each side.
3. Wiry and Wavy – This is not often seen with this hybrid dog. It is seen as a negative aspect and with proper breeding
a dog will have 1 of the 2 other types. This hair texture is hard to control and if a Maltipoo does have wiry hair, it will best be controlled with a moderate puppy cut that keeps the hairs short.
A nice, long hair style. Almost daily grooming must be done to keep mats at bay.
Khaleesi, Photo courtesy of Kristina
Short VS Long Hair Styles
Since, as you know, the Maltipoo is half Maltese, those that have more of the Maltese in them than Poodle will have soft, flowing hairs that are wavy yet silky. It will not be possible to keep the coat in a long, flowing style to the floor due to the wave. With most Maltipoo, the hairs will never be completely straight. After they reach a certain length, they will curl back into the coat.
However, if you allow the coat to grow you can achieve a 2 to 4 inch length on an adult. This makes for a super fluffed appearance. In fact, it can just about double the perceived size of the dog.
Do keep in mind that it takes quite a bit of time for a puppy to grow his/her hair to any sort of length. The first step is to wait for the puppy coat
to be replaced by the adult coat. Then, once that adult coat is in, it can at least a year to reach the 3 to 4 inch length of this long style. Patience will be needed, since the wavy hairs will tend to stick out oddly during the growing stage. Once they are long enough, gravity will cause them to fall down rather than out.
Many owners give up on the road to growing out the coat for this style as it does take a lot
of work to keep the coat clean and free of tangles.
If your goal is a hair style with length, keep an eye out for knots that will form in the coat. Despite being a 'no or low shedder' hairs do indeed fall out. There is a constant process of renewal. Hairs will grow, rest and then fall out. Many will fall out back into the coat. These can become intertwined with roots of live hairs, and this can cause knots that form near the skin. Do, if you do grow the coat out, brush and comb it often to avoid this.
If a tangle is found, one should cover their hands with a quality canine leave-in conditioner and work the knot out. Patience is a must. Only as a last resort should it be clipped off. Doing so will hinder your goal of having a longer, sleek style for your dog.
Short Maltipoo Hair Styles
Due to the soft, silky wavy hair of the Maltipoo, most will need to be kept in a short to moderate trim. However, there is a lot of room to make personal touches. With soft wavy coats, both Maltese and Maltipoo dogs
can have an array of unique styles. You can keep the forehead hairs short or long... shave the coat but keep the ear hairs long... go for a close shave or for a moderate trim.
Do keep in mind that if you favor a certain hair style, you should plan ahead on the fact that it will need maintenance. Shaved coats start to fill in after 2 to 3 months. If you decide to give your Maltipoo some length to the coat and allow the hairs to grow out an inch or so, it will be 3 to 4 months when you'll notice they need a touch-up to keep everything looking neat and tidy.
Moderate length, full body hair cut.
With this, the coat is roughly 1 to 1.5 inches long. Hairs on the forehead are long enough to part to the sides. This is a cute 'puppy cut' because the fluff of the coat give the dog a puppy-like appearance, but it is not so long that one would need to worry about tangles forming.
Falcor, Photo courtesy of Stephanie Joubert
Squared, shaved cut. modified tail.
With this style, the coat is shaved down, but the facial hairs are squared off, giving a very neat and tidy appearance. This owners chose to keep the tail plume in place, which adds a cute touch.
Athos, Photo courtesy of Anna Liechty
Squared, shaved cut with modified tail plume- high ear set, This is the same style as the previous, however if your Maltipoo's ear
set is high, the ears hairs will fluff out like this as opposed to falling with the curve of the face. This gives a cute, alert appearance.
Misty Marie Heckman, photo courtesy of Terri Heckman
Puppy cut, long top hairs.
With this style, the coat is trimmed to a medium length, but hair atop the head are allowed to be long. This adds a dash of pizzazz. If the forehead ears grow out just a bit longer, they can be pulled back into a topknot.
Sophie, photo courtesy of Melanie Smith
Moderate shave; curly hair.
If a Maltipoo has the curly coat of the Poodle, it can be shaped like one. This is a medium shave with a rounded top.
Rosie,Photo courtesy Jill and Doug Grant
Short trim, rounded, layered top.
This is a really cute style. The coat is kept short and the entire head is rounded to create a dome. Feathering is done to give the ear tips the inward curl.
Abbie, photo courtesy of Sandra Mayeux
Shaving & Style Tips
1) If you choose to shave your Maltipoo at home, it is best to obtain a canine clipper set that offers you at least 10 attachments of various lengths. Begin at least 2 sizes up from what you consider to be your desired cut.
This way, you can decide if you want to go shorter; If you just start off short, you certainly can't decide to then go longer!
2) Dogs that have not been shaved and have only had trims may not do well with a close shave until the body and skin has become accustomed to a shorter coat. So, to avoid skin sensitivity, allow for a slightly longer style, wait one or two months and then shave closer if desired.
3) If you see a certain hair style that you'd like for your Maltipoo to have and you'll be asking the groomer to do it, be sure to show her photos first. Discuss if your Maltipoo has the same hair texture as the picture; if not, even with the same cut and trim, the outcome may be much different.
