Home Grooming Info
This page is made to inform new owners about tips, tricks, and product recommendations for at home poodle care in between grooms. It also gives information on grooming your poodle at home.
Brushing:
All poodle owners must know about the line brushing technique. There are plenty of good groomers that have made videos on line brushing. Comb through the coat after brushing to check for any missed tangles.
Bathing:
I recommend a weekly or biweekly schedule for bathing your poodle at home. When doing this, be sure to use a gentle conditioner and to blow dry your dog.
If you are grooming your poodle, I suggest using a deep cleaning conditioner and performing the groom every 4 to 6 weeks. Taking your pet to the groomer’s every 4 to 6 weeks is recommended if you are not going to groom the poodle yourself
Always be sure that after you wash your poodle you are drying it thoroughly. Not fully drying the coat and allowing it to air dry can cause matting. It can also remove dirt debris that is otherwise tangled in the coat.
This schedule will really help cut down on the amount of brushing and detangling you might need to do. It helps wash out that oil in buildup and dead hair that causes matting. This way you can really reduce brushing to when needed and before the bath.
Another great trick I would recommend is to blow dry your poodle dry. This helps remove dirt debris and helps find small mats before they can truly take hold. (It also helps resist the urge to bathe your poodle too much)
Tools for Basic Care
This is a list of tools and products that are great to have for regular maintenance of your poodle's hair.
All the products listed are linked. Click the bold underlined text (e.g. Product Name)
Combs
It good to have a great basic all around comb to your brushing, hold back hair, or remove dead hair from your brush.
• Comb #1- a basic metal comb with wide teeth on one end and denser teeth on the other.
• Comb #2 - Fluffer or finishing comb. Having a comb with wide teeth can assist in lifting sections of hair or holding them in place while scissoring.
Slicker Brush
A slicker brush is a must have for any poodle owner. There are many styles a slicker brush can come in, but listed below are a few I enjoy using.
• Tougher than tangles,- Long firm pin brush This is a great brush all around. I love using it to remove knots and tangles. It works for all coat lengths.
• Tougher than tangles- Soft long pin brush. This brush is best for poodles that have sensitive areas and for brushing puppies.
• Chris Christiansen - Coral slicker brush. This brush is great for very long coats. There are a few knock off brands that I have not personally tried.
Brushing/Detangling Spray
I don’t have a specific one that I recommend, but they are good to have around.
Sometimes I just use watered down conditioner in a spray bottle before a bath.
High Velocity Dryer
A good dryer is a must have if you’re looking to bathe your poodle at home. You don’t have to spend too much money on one, but I do recommend the dryer below. The difference in price can be drying your dog in 45 minutes versus drying your dog in an hour or more.
Shernbao High Velocity Dryer
Has two temperature settings, adjustable speed, insulated handle, and 5.0HP. The nozzle connection is very secure and won't pop off and the hose is very wide compared to other brands.
Many people also use the Flying Pig dryer.
Shampoo & Conditioners
When it comes to shampoos, there’s two brands I use; Nature’s specialty and Bark2Basic.
Remember that these shampoos are concentrated and will have to be diluted. Be sure to check the product for the intended ratio. Keeping the diluted solution in a bottle will make the bathing process much easier.
Shampoos Natures Specialty
• “Pitch perfect” Smells great and is perfect for puppies. (Or other dogs)
• “High concentrate” This I typically will mix with some of the conditioning/gentle shampoos unless they’re super dirty.
Most of these products can be found on Amazon as well.
Conditioners Natures Specialty
• “Coat conditioner with aloe”
This is the one I use, but all their products are great.
Conditioning-Shampoos Natures Specialty
• “ plum silky” I use this a lot
• “ aloe premium”
• “Hypo”Alo”genic” This one is actually recommended as a good shampoo for a weekly bath.
Others Natures Specialty
Also check out their coat enhancers VANTABLACK NIGHT for black coats and BLUING SHAMPOO for white coats.
They also have some colognes, face washes, conditioning sprays, and brushing/detangling sprays.
Shampoos Bark2Basics
They have so many different sents and products.
So far I've used the Greek yogurt, protein shampoo
Conditioners Bark2Basics
• Re-Moisture Conditioner
Love this one! I will always have this on my shelf. During the summer my dogs swim and it can really dry out their coats. This makes them feel so soft every time.
Conditioning-Shampoos Bark2Basics
• One step silky.
This is currently the one I use for my weekly or biweekly baths and I’ve really been enjoying it.
Others Bark2Basics
There is 16 oz. version of all the above products.
They also have dog colognes, face wash, and a Bright White coat enhancer.
Black Pigment Depositing Shampoo Reviews coming soon
I will be testing a few different black coat enhancers with the goal of finding one that removes sun bleached pigmentation and stray white hairs.
Clippers, Blades, & More
Here’s an overview of what products in this category I recommend.
Remember to see the blade care section below!
These are great to use for faces, feet, and sanitary shaves. If you’re just looking to do some touchups between pro grooms, this is a great clipper for you.
It’s an adjustable blade which reduces the need for multiple blades on hand.
When just starting out, I suggest using the #10 length. This will be either the first or second longest setting depending on your clippers.
If you would like a cleaner look I recommend the #30 length. This will be the second to last setting on the right. I would only go shorter on the face, feet and top of the tail.
These are what I use for the body and bulk of the groom. They’re powerful, easy to clean, and have lasted a long time for me. Some don’t like the cord, but I personally like not having to rely on a battery. This also reduces the worry of my clippers dying mid-groom.
You can also easily swap out different blades. I recommend getting the Andis brand blades, as they are a guaranteed fit for your clippers. The best deals for them are found on Ebay.
Ceramic blade replacement
When looking for replacement blades, I recommend ceramic edge blades.
Replacing your steel blades with this can help your blades act and stay a little sharper. And I personally prefer to use them over the steel ones as they last longer and stay cooler.
One will come with your clipper set but it never hurts to have two. This is good for face feet sanitary
This one looks super clean and is short without being naked. It also gets under most matting or tangles in a pinch. I prefer this for a Miami over a #4 blade.
#15 Blade
This one isn’t so much of a necessity, I prefer to use this one when it comes to doing feet and face and the top of the tail. It just looks a lot cleaner. I wouldn’t use it until you’re comfortable doing the 10 though and never on the sanitary area. The whal arco has this length included and its adjustable blade.
This one leaves a fluffy, but short coat that is easy to maintain and looks good as one length all over. I often use this one on puppies on their body as their coat changes to kind of give the lamb clip.
This blade is perfect for if you’re going to be using any guards to achieve a variety of lengths. It cuts a lot cleaner, but I would not use it directly on the skin.
This one’s a very common choice for a short, but a little fluffy look. I’d probably use this in the winter over the #7. It doesn’t look as good in a Miami clip but it’s still a nice and super easy to maintain length.
These allow you to do longer length with one blade (#10 or #30)
The coat must be completely tangle free to use them.
I really like this set, they’re big enough that they work well. They’re sharp and inexpensive and having two curved shears is awesome. They are the heavy lifters when it comes to shaping pom-poms, tails, topknots, and ears. When it comes to scissoring, I recommend looking up a video or pictures for the cut you want. References can help a lot.
Blade Care & Cleaning
This video gives a great explanation on blade care and how to use these products. Blade care is super important and will help your blades stay sharper and last longer.
Coolant spray
This is to use during the groom to cool, lubricate and sanitize, but is not to be used as the only product it can cause buildup on the blades on it own.
Blade oil
Use before, during, and after grooming to keep blades, moving and working well. Always oil your blade before storing it.
Blade Sanitizer/Cleaner
This is important to use after every groom to sanitize and help remove debris from your blades so that they can maintain their sharpness and quality.
Coming Soon!
Two new sections on ear care recommendations , grooming tables + other equipment.
Questions, tips, tricks? Contact me
If your have any question about home grooming or any of the products above let me know!
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