As soon as you acquire a Poodle, you must set up a regular brushing and combing schedule, for these are the most essential of all grooming tasks. The easiest way to keep your Poodle’s coat in good condition is to brush and comb it regularly. A thorough brushing is a prerequisite for a beautiful finished trim.

Right away, get your poodle accustomed to being placed on a steady grooming table. If the poodle is a puppy, place your hand under the stomach for support and confidence as you gently brush through the coat. Doing this several times a
week is all that is necessary to make your dog behave and think of brushing as a pleasant experience.

Regularly brushing the coat achieves the following results:

• Massages the skin, stimulating new hair growth.
• Removes dirt, dust and dead hair.
• Helps prevent tangles and mats from forming.
• Keeps the skin clean and healthy and makes the dog less susceptible to disease and external parasites.
• Spreads the natural oils evenly through the coat.
• Keeps hair looking healthy and more glossy.

Brushing the hair three times a week is sufficient, provided that you do it correctly. Every hair must be brushed, not just the ones that are easy to reach. The mistake most pet owners make is not brushing the hair close to the skin. This means parting the coat and holding down the unbrushed hair with your free hand to separate it from the hair that is being brushed. If you can learn to do this correctly, your dog will never become matted.

Selecting and correctly using the right brush and comb plays an important part in the health of your Poodle’s skin and coat. Using the wrong tools or the wrong techniques can cause the hair ends to break off. Along with the correct brush and comb, use a protein-added coat conditioner, light oil or non-oily coat dressing. These are specially formulated products that are sprayed lightly onto the hair to moisten it before brushing.

Brushing dry hair causes static electricity; the hair will be brittle and flyaway, and often the brush bristles or teeth of the comb will snap the hair ends and cause them to break off. A little moisture helps the brush and comb pass more easily through the dog’s coat. Before you begin brushing, spray a little conditioner or coat dressing on the hair; don’t saturate it.

Here’s a step-by-step procedure for brushing and combing your pet Poodle:

1. Start with an unbrushed pet Poodle.
2. While there is no special way to brush a pet Poodle, it seems easier to start at the dog’s tail and hindquarters and work forward. Using the slicker brush, brush the back legs first, using a downward stroke. Notice that the hair is parted to the skin and that the palm of your free hand should be holding down the unbrushed hair to separate it from the section that is being brushed.
3. Pull the back leg backward carefully, and brush the hair upward, using brisk strokes that lift the hair rather than flatten it.
4. Continue working forward and brush the tail, hindquarters, back, ribs and chest, parting the hair and brushing from the roots outward.
5. Turn the dog around to stand facing you, and brush the front of the chest.
6. Gently pull each front leg forward as you brush the hair upward. Be sure to brush the area under the front legs (the armpits) and on the neck behind the ears, as most owners forget these spots and tangles often form there as a result.
7. Place the dog in a sitting position facing you. Brush the topknot upward and backward. Brush the ear feathering downward.
8. When the dog is completely brushed, comb through the coat to be sure all tangles are removed.

Brushing Aids to Use

Both coat conditioners and coat dressings are brushing aids. The basic difference is that one product contains oil while the other does not.

Coat Conditioners

These products (in both aerosol and non-aerosol form) are generally applied during brushing or combing to condition the hair. They make hair easier to brush or comb, minimize dryness and help to reduce tangling.

Most of the better brands contain an anti-static compound to keep hair from becoming flyaway, plus conditioners and oils (mink oil) to condition and add a gloss or luster which deepens and enriches the natural coat color. Some also contain an ultraviolet sunscreen to protect the hair and skin from excessive ultraviolet radiation while your dog is playing outside.

Conditioners containing protein help to rebuild and restructure the hair by bonding to the shaft. They help add body to thin hair and improve its appearance and manageability.

Finishing Spray Or Coat Dressing

These products contain a number of ingredients to make the hair shine, plus anti-static compounds to control flyaway hair (caused by the build-up of static electricity) and non-oily conditioners. They also help to repel dirt. Many contain an ultraviolet sunscreen to protect the hair from the sun’s rays. They are used during brushing and combing when no oil is desired on your Poodle’s coat.