# Brushing



## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

yes, and comb too.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

The important thing is to brush it properly - all the way down to the skin, and all over. The comb is really useful for making sure you have got all the little knots and tangles out. Whether you need to do it every day rather comes down to your dog's coat, how long it is, and what sort of life you lead - a pup going through coat change with a longish coat will need brushing at least once a day; an adult even with a short clip may need daily brushing to make sure you get any grass seeds out of the coat before they can work their way under the skin; an adult with a harsh coat, a short clip, and a sedentary life may need rather less frequent grooming. The main thing is never to leave the tiny knots and tangles that form each day long enough for them to turn into big tangles, and from there into mats!


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## katbrat (May 8, 2011)

I brush or comb Lexi about every five days. I do her ears, topknot, the knap of her neck, bracelets if she has them and tail more often. The rest of her is pretty low maintence, even when she is long. When she was a puppy, I did brush or comb her every day. I wanted her to keep used to being brushed and her fur needed it.


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## hunny518 (Jun 5, 2012)

I brush Aria everyday, sometimes 2 times. Especially now that she has started her coat change. She is extremely thick coated and getting thicker and thicker. I am so afraid of her getting matted so I am sure I over do it. Sometimes the second combing is just her topknot ears neck and tail. I use Isle of Dogs vanity series conditioning spray to brush her out with to reduce risk of breakage and it softens and strengthens her coat. LOVE THAT STUFF!! I have so far found their line of shampoo and finishing products to be my favorite. I am a VIP member so I can get discounts because they are also incredibly expensive, but I have discovered that their products deliver exactly what I'm looking for and live up to their claims.


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## hunny518 (Jun 5, 2012)

I also bathe Aria every Sunday, so I don't worry about product build up, but to be honest, her coat always feels clean and soft and I've never noticed any build up with a daily spray down with the conditioning spray


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

If you have a long coat the answer is YES! Molly has started coat change so she gets line brushed, then combed everyday! Then before bedtime she get a quick all over. Pay attention to behind ears, back of legs & under legs, belly and butt! I usually start at the sides, work up to the center of her back, then turn her over and do the other side. Then I lay her on her back and do her tummy, under her legs, and her chest. I do the lower part of her legs and her paws last. Then I comb to double check that I got all matts! Here's pic of what I do! WHEW!:faint:


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## Lily's-Mom (May 31, 2012)

Molly looks so soft - I love her wavy coat. Do you band Molly's topknot or leave it loose like in the photo? Or does she wear her tiara most of the time


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## Specman (Jun 14, 2012)

Wow, her hair is so straight. Max is a black and I don't think I have ever seen his coat that straight except for 5 minutes after I blow dry him!


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Molly is VERY soft, she has a 'cotton' puppy coat ! Her coat in the above photos IS blown out cuz when she gets wet her coat is tight waves! She's also a poodle mutt, so that's why she doesn't have a 'proper' poodle coat! I wish she did so I could have her clipped into a CC for fun! And yes she's got a tk everyday! Tiara just for fun!


This is what happens in the dampness!!!!


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## Bunny (Jun 14, 2012)

Cookie is super curly, and I really just figured out I need to brush her way more often than I was. I don't mind the curly look, but her fur is very dense as well, and I recently noticed a bit of matting near her skin in several places. Yikes!

What is a good brand/type of brush and comb? How long does it take to brush your dogs? Cookie's a mini. She stays with me for about 45 minutes, but then she's done with being brushed! LOL


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## Lily's-Mom (May 31, 2012)

Lily is the same way. I can keep her still to brush/comb for 45 minutes or so, then brush her teeth. But any more than that, and it can be a struggle to keep her standing still to brush. She also has a lot of very curly hair! I brush/comb her about every third day when she's clipped short and more often when she starts to get longer (that's when I know it's time to call the groomer). I bought a Madan pin brush which seems to work well. I have a cheap comb, but want to upgrade to something better. I actually prefer to comb her and she seems to prefer being combed too.


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## martyna (Jan 10, 2009)

We need a help! What spray would you reccommend for daily brushing show coat? I've CC ice on ice but i am looking for something more hydrating, maybe with any light oils? ( he's coat doesnt look well after heavy oils)


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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

I need help too. I only comb Bridget and Poppy. They never look as good as they do when they come home from the groomer. Most of the time they are curly. I have tried various brushes, but I don't know what is a good brush to use on a poodle coat. Could someone post a photo of a good brush so I can see if I can get one in New Zealand. I really need to get Poppy more used to being groomed. She hates it. The groomer does such a marvellous job with her but that is only every six weeks. I bath her and her curls dry naturally. They look cute but I can see they can tangle very easily. Help and advice appreciated.


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## Angl (Nov 9, 2012)

A good slicker brush believe it or not. Have someone show you how to line brush. My groomer did first time I took Max in. You brush a small section using that technique and then go over it with a comb. 


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## pinkteaji (Dec 7, 2012)

I'm pretty sure someone already posted about this in a different topic/thread but I was wondering what sorts of brushes should be needed? Some people around here seemed to have a pin brush, slicker brush, and comb. When do you use slicker brushes and when do you use combs? Which one do you use first before the other?

Thank you for all your help! 

also, any good brands of slicker brushes and combs?


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## martyna (Jan 10, 2009)

I have a doggyman slicker and maxi pin pin brush  Love them both! 
I am not sure if maxipin is available in the US but maybe try Madan? I have heard a lot of great opinions about them. I also want to buy a Madan for my dogs  i use pin brush for long neck, head and ears hair slicker for the rest and then comb.


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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

*This thread motivated me.*

I just went down to the local vet clinic to look at brushes and the only slicker brush was a small one for rabbits etc. I bought it and came home to work on Poppy. Surprisingly she wasn't too objecting. She squirmed a bit but I just did small flick and before long her curls become fluffs. I think if I do this daily on both Toys they will quickly learn to like the attention and it will help me with keeping grass seeds and stuff under control.
Photos show before and after coat.


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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

*Second photo*

Only one photo would post do here is the after brushing photo.


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## kcp1227 (Jan 25, 2013)

It's amazing what a brush can do! 


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## Anntig (Jun 9, 2010)

A slicker brush is used for shorter pet coats to get tangles out and fluff the coat,
the comb is used afterward to check for missed knots.
A pin brush is used on longer show or competition coats to keep coat from tangling and minimise hair loss, again the comb is used afterwards to check your work.

As for how often it varies depending on the length of coat, thickness and your preference, for example our pack matriarch who is getting older and whose coat is starting to thin gets clipped into a basic lamb every four weeks and doesn't need any brushing in between, my Shadow on the other hand is in an hcc and needs to be thoroughly brushed out every two to three days.

I personally prefer the cc and les poochs brushes, and Qarza a tip from one kiwi to another, if you want a good brush or anything nice for your dogs you're better off buying online from amazon or other overseas wholesalers the prices over here are ridiculous and the range pathetic:act-up:


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## pinkteaji (Dec 7, 2012)

Anntig said:


> A slicker brush is used for shorter pet coats to get tangles out and fluff the coat,
> the comb is used afterward to check for missed knots.
> A pin brush is used on longer show or competition coats to keep coat from tangling and minimise hair loss, again the comb is used afterwards to check your work.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much! I always get confused when I should use a slicker brush or not and your post really cleared it up for me, thank you again! . 

Do you know the "correct method" of using a slicker brush to fluff the hair up? I usually just skim it downward his entire body or leg. I heard about the line method but wasn't sure of that's for slicker brush or just comb/pin brush 



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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

Thank you for all the information. I am off to the groomer today so is she is not too busy I will try and ask her more. 
After using the slicker brush yesterday I woke up and the first feel of the dogs was "oh you both feel so fluffy".


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## Anntig (Jun 9, 2010)

pinkteaji said:


> Thank you so much! I always get confused when I should use a slicker brush or not and your post really cleared it up for me, thank you again! .
> 
> Do you know the "correct method" of using a slicker brush to fluff the hair up? I usually just skim it downward his entire body or leg. I heard about the line method but wasn't sure of that's for slicker brush or just comb/pin brush
> 
> ...


Line brushing is used with either brush and is the best method of ensuring the coat is matt free to the skin.
Have the dog stand or lie in front of you, starting with the foot circle the leg with your hand gathering up most of the coat but leaving a small amount of hair below your hand, using your slicker or pin brush brush the hair below your hands in a 'pat and pull' motion repeat until the brush glides through the coat without catching and you can see the skin, next raise your hand so more hair falls below and repeat with this section, continue over the entire body paying special attention to the areas between the front legs, behind and under the ear and the underside of the tail-all areas that matt faster than the rest of the coat and are easy to miss.
when finished run the comb over the entire body checking that it glides freely and doesn't snag anywhere.
I have had many new clients come in who swear their dog is matt free when the dog is in fact pelted at the skin level with 1-2 inches of unmatted hair at the end that the owner has been skimming over, line brushing prevents this as it goes right to the skin, you should at the end be able to part the hair at any point and see clean skin.

Hope that helps:act-up:


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## MaryEdwards (Oct 29, 2012)

someone suggested Chris Christensen. i tried ice on ice even when brushing because it helps detangle. i like it alot


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## Bunny (Jun 14, 2012)

Qarza said:


> I just went down to the local vet clinic to look at brushes and the only slicker brush was a small one for rabbits etc. I bought it and came home to work on Poppy. Surprisingly she wasn't too objecting. She squirmed a bit but I just did small flick and before long her curls become fluffs. I think if I do this daily on both Toys they will quickly learn to like the attention and it will help me with keeping grass seeds and stuff under control.
> Photos show before and after coat.


Wow, her coat looks exactly like Cookie's! Same color and tight curls. I had her groomed a couple of weeks ago and so her coat is pretty short (except for her tail which I'm going to try cording). Now that it's short, I'm making an effort to brush her much more often. It was taking a while when it was as long as Poppy's.


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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

My Poppy's tail is silky and long. The first two inches near the base is wool and could curl, but the rest is straight and silky and doesn't curl. I quite like it because it has not been docked, but then Bridget's has been docked I think and kind of cute too.


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