How Do You Brush a Maltipoo Hair – Care Tips

A Maltipoo has a low shedding and reasonably easy to manage coat. Simple maintenance and brushing at home will keep your dogs coat groomed and perfectly soft. You will need to brush your Maltipoo 2-3 times per week using the correct equipment. At-home brushing is a fun and simple part of DIY Maltipoo grooming.

Why focus so much on brushing?

Imagine that the weather is beautiful but windy. You are watching Netflix on the couch. It has been a good day – you went for a walk, and even did some gardening and yard work. A productive day!

While idly playing with a strand of your own hair, your finger gets tangled in it, and you realize that you have a twisted knot of hair. 

What do you do? You probably would get up and brush your hair. Right? Comb or brush away the knot, so it doesn’t cause trouble.

Well, your dog can’t do that.

We are responsible for protecting our Maltipoo dogs from hair knotting and mats. We are accountable for making sure their coat stays healthy and soft. They are responsible for being cute and sometimes fetching toys. That is about it!

So how do you brush a Maltipoo hair and coat effectively? Are there things that can go wrong? We will go through every step together to ensure that you obtain the skills and information needed to groom your cute little pup and maintain a shiny, soft, non-shedding coat. 

Is Grooming a Maltipoo challenging? 

Grooming your dog shouldn’t be difficult at all. Done correctly, it is completely comfortable and enjoyable for the dog.  

A crazier fact is that brushing your Maltipoos fur will actually improve your own health. Seriously!

Studies have shown that interaction with animals, especially with a pet dog, can improve mood, lower hypertension, and fight depression (Study). So brushing and DIY grooming your Maltipoo is a win-win situation for all.

Risks when brushing a Maltipoo

If we are going to brush our Maltipoo – let’s do it the correct way!

There are a few things that can go wrong when handling a Maltipoo, and the best way to provide the best care to your pet is to learn about its needs.

• Incorrect brushing can cause pain to the dog
• Using cheap or broken tools can scratch the skin and cause irritation.
• Incorrect brushing can confuse and frighten the dog – anxiety, and fear is difficult and time consuming to repair

Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, and so do their hair and personalities. Maltipoos have a strong character, and a dog’s temperament can affect their hair maintenance.

Want to see photos of the different color Maltipoos?

How Do You Brush a Maltipoo Hair?

Brushing Maltipoo hair shouldn’t be difficult if you follow our tips. Your will be brushing Maltipoo coats an average of two-three times a week. Soon you will have the process down to an art form.

Common Maltipoo Coat Types

The type of coat your Maltipoo has will determine how tricky it will be to groom your dog. There are two common types of Maltipoo coats.

1. Straight and silky
2. Curly and wavy

Imperfect coats that are wiry also exist – but these are rare as most breeders will be trying very hard to avoid this undesirably rough coat.

Straight and silky coats will need less grooming overall, and regular combing and the occasional slicker brush will be adequate.

The popular and non-shedding curly wavy coated Maltipoo will require the usual 2 or 3 times per week brushing. 

Shorter coats are easier to brush – but all coats will need brushing.

While you can shave down a Maltipoo, many let the coat grow relatively long. If you do shave down your Maltipoo – you might need to brush their hair even less often than twice a week.

For most of us, though, we will have a Maltipoo with standard length hair. This means it to be brushed 2-3 times per week to avoid tangles.

Regardless of the type of coat – you will need two pieces of equipment (and maybe a third sometimes)

• A quality steel comb with blunt milled ends
  • You will need the comb for when your dog has medium to long hair. It helps to remove tangles, and it would be best if the comb was wide-toothed. 
• A quality built slicker brush;
  • The slicker brush has small pins, made of flexible metal. These untangle medium length hairs and massage the dog’s skin. 
• A Pin Brush is an alternative (but seriously buy a good slicker brush and never look back)
  • The pin brush is great because it doesn’t build a lot of static electricity, and it effectively removes dirt from your pet’s hair.

Investing in a quality slicker brush and a single blunt-ended comb should be more than enough to keep any type of Maltipoo hair in line. 

The best type of brush for a Maltipoo is a slicker brush. These are used to remove tangles, debris, and hair. Dirt and soil are easily brushed away – and you can do this before shampooing for the best effect.

Quality slicker brushes are rectangular or oval in shape. They have even length bent wire bristles that detangle and align the hairs. The angled bristles are designed to avoid irritating the skin. High quality slicker brushes like the two listed below are carefully and consistently blunted ends to avoid damaging the skin.

A very well made slicker brush will last for a very long time despite having incredibly thin wire bristles. Choosing a high-quality assembly means that these bristles are resilient and made of quality metal.

An alternative method is to pick a budget-friendly option and instead closely monitor for pin bends. Grab a replacement brush whenever you see the pins bend or break.

The best long-lasting slicker brush we have ever reviewed is the Chris Christensen medium/large slicker brush . It works a treat with non-shedding Oodle dog hair. Even large breed owners like Bernedoodles love it. When I spoke with Bernedoodle owners – it was the number one recommendation of brush they had for their dogs.

Small dogs like a Maltipoo (or my miniature Labradoodle Max) also suit this brush perfectly. You can get smaller Chris Christensen brushes, but most groomers recommend sticking with large or medium size.

When it comes to stainless steel combs, there is only one you will ever need

The Andis steel comb just knocks it out of the park. It is so simple, and it will last a lifetime. Super simple stuff! I (and groomers I interviewed) like it because this consumer-grade product is milled to perfection with comfortable blunt ends. It is hardy and durable.

Get to know your Andis steel comb, because as long as you don’t lose it – this one will be in your life for a long time to come.

Whether your Maltipoo has straight hair, curly, or wavy – use these two devices to keep the hair soft and tangle-free.

Brushing a Maltipoo’s Hair Technique

When you brush Maltipoo hair, it is essential to be gentle and to move with the fur. 

Going against the fur can cause tangles and can even be slightly unpleasant for the dog. 

You need to cover all the tricky spots like the chin, the tail, behind the legs and…the magic spot. Yes, I am talking about that special one that makes your dog lose control. The belly. (Fun fact? Dogs DO have belly buttons – and here is how to find them).

Brush with the fur, and be careful when you encounter entangled hairs. You will need to gently release the tangle rather than applying force. If you are slow and gradual, you can untangle even the most challenging knot with a slicker brush. Bust out the stainless steel comb for particularly stubborn areas. 

The areas most prone to knots for Maltipoos

• Under the arms where a harness sits
• Under the collar areas
• Around the feet, if not trimmed frequently
• Around the butt! Vitally important to trim this area and brush often.

This kind of complete body grooming needs to start when your dog is a puppy. By brushing and combing early and frequently – we desensitize them. Getting your Maltipoo used to grooming is really important. Not only will it pay off when you DIY haircut your dog – it also prepares them for a lifetime of Veterinary visits, professional grooms, or nail clips.

Gently play with the feet and ears in particular. These are the spots that dogs dislike being groomed the most. 

Don’t Maltipoos Hate Dirt?

One of the best aspects of owning a Maltipoo is that they dislike being dirty.

Have you ever seen a dog rolling in mud? Some dogs love that. Luckily, Maltipoos often don’t. Don’t get me wrong – yours might be unique, and that is A-ok – but in general, Maltipoos don’t love mud. (Though water and the beach… they often love!)

Some owners get a little carried away and compare their Maltipoo to cats from this perspective. They reckon their Maltipoo will avoid getting dirty at all costs. 

Even if your Maltipoo is a clean one – dogs still need a bath once every three-four weeks. If you live in a highly polluted city, you will need to wash them more often because certain pollutants get trapped in their fur.  

After every bath, a Maltipoo dog will need to have his ears cleaned with a cloth. Always make sure that you leave their ears clean and dry since they are prone to otitis. Most dogs get otitis caused by different fungus and bacteria, so keeping the ears nice and dry should keep your dog safe.

Make sure not to brush your dog’s hair while it is wet because this can break some strands.

Maltipoo’s ancestors, Maltese dogs, have fur that breaks easily. Sadly this feature is passed on to many Maltipoo crossbreeds. Blow drying your Maltipoo’s hair isn’t the best option since it will cause the fur to lose its shine.

You also need to pay attention to see any negative changes in your dog’s fur. If it becomes pale, if your dog starts to shed, or if you notice something similar to dandruff, you will need to contact your Veterinarian. 

It may be something as simple as your dog needs a diet change. However, some conditions require treatment, and the sooner you notice any changes, the sooner your dog will return to his usual, healthy self. Here are the 5 best dry foods specifically for Maltipoos.

Can Maltipoo’s Lose Hair from Stress?

This breed of dogs simply loves their owners. Well… all dogs love their owner, but Maltipoos often take it up a notch. They are companion dogs, meaning that their purpose in life is to be with their owner, play with their owner, and live with their owner.

This means that when the owner is not around, they suffer a bit and might develop separation anxiety. 

Even if Maltipoos don’t usually shed, a stressed dog might lose some fur. Not only that, stress encourages shedding, but nervous dogs might develop an anxiety disorder that makes them bite their tails or pull their own hair with their teeth.

This is why it is crucial to avoid and treat separation anxiety. To address this issue, you should follow these steps:

• Establish a routine that you will stick to and use it before leaving the house. Dogs that develop separation anxiety tend to exhibit it when they see their owner preparing to leave. So you need to turn this around in your favor. You can do this by asking your dog to do something like “sit” and “wait.”
• “A tired dog is a good dog.” Make sure that your dog gets plenty of exercise. Even if the Maltipoo doesn’t need a lot of activity, they still need to get rid of some energy. If you know that your dog is anxious when you leave the house, try to go for a walk before you leave. If that is not possible, play with your dog indoors. See our list of 35 indoor games to play with your dog. 
  • One of our favorites? Tug-of-war is always a great way to get rid of lousy mojo and to connect with your dog.
• Make a positive association with you being away. Offer your dog a special treat when you leave the house. Some dogs aren’t usually allowed to sleep on the bed, but they enjoy that luxury when their owner leaves the house.

Brushing a Maltipoo’s hair keeps its fur clean and untangled, but it also improves your dog’s mood. When you brush a dog’s coat, they don’t know that you are doing it to make their fur pretty and neat.

They might be smart dogs, but they don’t think about such frivolous things. In your dog’s mind, you are offering attention, and Maltipoos are very affectionate and love every bit of attention they get out of their owner. 

If done right, a dog would enjoy hair brushing just as much as petting. Probably they would enjoy it a bit more since it is kind of a petting and belly-scratching combo.

Brushing a Maltipoo’s hair is essential for a variety of reasons:

• They shed very little, meaning that they need help to remove dead hairs;
• Even if they don’t shed that much, they have a lot of fur. It is layered in such a way that it traps dirt and dust. Brushing removes some of the particles trapped between their hair strands. This stops a Maltipoo from becoming stinky.
• Brushing improves blood circulation. Thus your dog’s skin and fur will be healthier.
• It improves mood.
• It untangles your dog’s hair. Maltipoos have a lot of energy, and they often play without a care in the world. This gets their fur tangled, and if it isn’t brushed in time, clumps can appear. Often clumps can be ‘untangled’ only with the scissors. (Snipping a problem away is not a great solution)
• Any debris caused by peeing or pooping (how often should a Maltipoo poop?) is identified early and removed to maintain health

Use brushing time to check for fleas, insects, and skin conditions.

Make sure that your Maltipoo is well protected against fleas. Even if it lives in an apartment and never meets other dogs, it still needs protection. Fleas are a threat as an infested dog can spread flea eggs by shaking, and a dog that passes the same place an hour later can get those nasty parasites. 

Ask your vet what the best flea protection is for your Maltipoo. 

Life with a dog is much more beautiful as your fur friend will never let you down and will always enjoy your presence. The feeling of coming home to a dog that is happy just because you returned can’t be replaced by anything.