# Grooming



## xoxluvablexox (Apr 10, 2007)

I was wondering if anyone has personal experience with poodle grooming. I take my dog to a groomer when it's needed but inbetween just wash my doggie when he's dirty and brush him. There are a few things I was wondering about thoough..

Are there breed specific shampoos? I thought I heard about a poodle specific shampoo, and if that were true that'd be great. 
What brushed are best for that kind of coat? Is there any brush made specifically for matts that you find works well? 
Also my dog seems to get matts even with brushing everynight. It might just be since he plays outside a lot and gets his fur pretty messed up on a daily bases but is there anything I could do to get the matts out? Possibly with a brush or some oil or something?


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

I groom a neighbor's poodle every month. I don't use any specific shampoo, just any good dog shampoo seems to do. I like to use a conditioner after the shampoo as well. Be sure to rinse well. 

I have found that the best brush for blowing her out after her bath is a slicker brush or a pin brush. It really brings up the fluffy coat nicely as I blow dry her. 

They brush her every night with a slicker brush and a stainless steel comb. With mats, you might try a mat spray. If you can't find it at the pet store you can try PetEdge.com or JeffersPet. You can also try one of the hair detangle products for children which you will find near shampoos and such specially made for kids at Walmart or whatever. And lastly, I have mixed a tablespoon or so of regular human hair conditioner in a spray bottle of warm water and shake well. Any of these can be sprayed on the mat, rub it in with your fingers and it will help you comb out the mat. 

Just remember never to bathe your poodle when he is matted. You will just end up with a felted dog! And then the mats are nearly impossible to comb out. And lastly, I would consider keeping the dog clipped short if he is outdoors a lot and matting is a problem. He will be much easier to keep clean and well groomed.


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## xoxluvablexox (Apr 10, 2007)

Thank you!
Actually I just got him cut the other weak. He barely has any coat at all except a lil puff on his head and tail. It's actually really cute but I think a little longer would be nice. I have a slicker bruch but it just seems to be to big for my dog. Maybe they sell smaller sizes? I'll look around the petstore and see if I can find one.


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

They sell slicker brushes that are about 2" wide. You may have to go online to find one or ask your groomer. Sometimes if they are going to place an order soon with their supplier they will be happy to add your item in.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

> I was wondering if anyone has personal experience with poodle grooming. I take my dog to a groomer when it's needed but inbetween just wash my doggie when he's dirty and brush him.


I have two Standard Poodles, and groom them at home myself. You didn't say how old your Poodle is, but if he's a puppy or young adolescent, it's possible the matts are a result of coat change, which can be a real PITA! It's very important to rinse out shampoo/conditioner and thoroughly dry the coat after a bath, and brush the hair out straight. Do you know how to line brush? If the hair is left even slightly damp next to the skin, you're going to end up with matting. You need to spray the coat with a leave-on conditioner before brushing, or you'll damage the coat (it also helps prevent matts from forming). A good dryer is essential. I use the K9 II (around $349). 



> Are there breed specific shampoos? I thought I heard about a poodle specific shampoo, and if that were true that'd be great.


I prefer EQyss shampoos, conditioners, and conditioning sprays because they rinse out easily, promote healthy skin and coat, and decrease the possibility of matts. 



> What brushed are best for that kind of coat? Is there any brush made specifically for matts that you find works well?


Pin brushes are used for long hair. You will not find a good one at a pet store - they have little "balls" on the ends, and this will tear and damage Poodle hair (and be one cause of matting). 

Slicker brushes are good for thick, heavy, or slightly matted coats, but the curved "Universal" style is rough on the skin. A better choice of slicker is "Ever Gentle," "Warner's," "DoggieMan," or Chris Christensen's line. I like the CC line, and paid $32 for my pin brush. It's 3 yrs. old, and in perfect condition. You get what you pay for! Again, you won't find these at your local pet store. Try PetEdge, KvVet. BTW, KvVet carries the EQyss product line (not all products, though), it's often cheaper than through EQyss, and, they don't charge for shipping. 

Greyhound Comb or Poodle Comb - Use to comb through hair after brushing to ensure you've removed any tangles or matts. 




> Also my dog seems to get matts even with brushing everynight. It might just be since he plays outside a lot and gets his fur pretty messed up on a daily bases but is there anything I could do to get the matts out? Possibly with a brush or some oil or something?


Are you using a conditioning spray before brushing? You should never brush the hair without using one. If you're using the wrong kind of brush, it could be damaging the hair, and this will contribute to matting. 

A great product for removing matts is from EQyss, called The Survivor. It has no silicone in it, and your Poodle's coat will look gorgeous. 

A really great site to learn how to take care of Poodle coat, and to groom (complete with instructions AND photos) is www.ridgewoodpoodles.com Scroll down a bit, and click on "grooming" on the left of your screen. She gives you step by step instructions on how to properly brush, bathe, dry and clip your Poodle. You'll also see pictures of all the equipment you'll need, and how to use it.


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## xoxluvablexox (Apr 10, 2007)

Briteday- 2" wide would deffinetly be better. I'll have to check online but I think my groomer does sell some products so I'll check there first and see if I can get it there. Thank you for the help!

Poodleholic-He's almost 2 so I'm not sure that it would be a caot change but maybe. I don't use conditioner just shampoo so I'll deffinetly start doing that and I'll look for a good dryer. My dryer has a cool setting wich I use to get him not so wet but then I just let him dry off himself the rest of the way. I thought dogs were good at drying themselves off but if it's the cause of his matt problems that I'll stop doing that. I also don't use a conditioning spray so I'll try to find that. I use a slicker brush so I don't think it's a problem with the brush I use but I'm looking for a smaller size. So I guess I'll have to go shopping for dog grooming products soon. Thank you so much, I'll look at the website as soon as I get a chance.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

You'll be able to find a narrower slicker brush at KvVet - I like to order from them because there's no shipping charges on many items, and they ship quickly. 

Do you have a Miniature Poodle, or a Toy? What's his name????

For the ultimate slicker, go to Les Pooches! Here's the site:

www.lespoochs.com/BRUSHES.asp

It's a fun site to brouse even if you don't buy (the brush for my Standard's was $85).


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## xoxluvablexox (Apr 10, 2007)

He's a mini, his name is Pepper. 
$85? hmm... I think I'm gonna start putting money aside for Pepper and then by the end of the month I'll have enough to get everything I need for grooming.
I got him some conditioner and your right there is no conditioning spray at petstores, all they have is doggy perfume that kind of stuff. The conditioner is specifically for preventing matts so I'll have to see how well that works. 

Thanks for the website link, I already found some stuff I would love to get for Pepper. 

-EDIT-
Can I mix a little conditioner in with water and spray that before brushing? Atleast untill I find a conditioning spray.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

> Can I mix a little conditioner in with water and spray that before brushing? Atleast untill I find a conditioning spray.


Sure. You can also buy the baby no more tangles stuff until you get your order. I go to Sallys Beauty Supply and buy African American hair conditioners - like the Pink Lotion. Use a small amount for daily brushing, or a *glob* when you've got matts in Pepper's hair. Just rub in the palms of your hands, and work it into the hair - clear down to the skin. Then, using your slicker brush in small sections, start gently brushing from the tips down to the skin. Don't start at the skin, you'll just make the matt worse. Use the comb, too, to pull the matt apart.


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

I'm curious, since I groom the neighbor's poodle, once you put this lotion in the hair, do you have to bathe the dog to get it out? Or is it a "leave in" type product?


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

briteday said:


> I'm curious, since I groom the neighbor's poodle, once you put this lotion in the hair, do you have to bathe the dog to get it out? Or is it a "leave in" type product?



Depending on the amount, you can leave it on until the next bath. When I've used a little "too much," on tail or bracelets or topknot, I ue a damp cloth to remove excess, and then just use plain water to mist the hair for the next few times of brushing. Even if, at first, it looks or feels a little greasy, give it a few hours, and it's fine! The last stuff I used (on sale) was some greasy looking stuff in a jar that smelled like coconut (for African American hair), but it worked great! Smelled good, too! LOL

My favorite products are EQyss - The Survivor, Mega-Tek Rebuilder (fabulous conditioner that many humans use to regrow hair after chemo treatments), and Micro-Tek, for skin problems.


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