# Washing and brushing



## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

Mannerdus said:


> If i want to grow out my poodles coat- I should wash it once a week? And in-between is it necessary to comb the dry coat or is it bad for the coat?
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> Obviously a novice poodle owner. :shame:



It's up to you if you want to wash it every week. I don't think it is necessary unless your pup gets real dirty. I usually wash my Tpoos every week to every two weeks. I can't handle anymore than two weeks because they are way to dirty by then. As for combing yes yes yes! You want to comb every day to make sure there are no mats or tangles in the fur. Make sure he is brushed and combed out completely before his bath. Any mats or tangles will get worse if they are not taken out before the bath. If you want to lessen damaged hair then yes you want a nice conditioning spray to spritz on the hair before brushing and combing. That way it will stretch the hair when brushing instead of pulling and snapping the hair. Also make sure you are using a good shampoo and conditioner. 


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

I was always taught to completely brush out the poodle BEFORE bathing and then blow dry while brushing or brush completely after. Also brushing everyday really helps. Just make sure to use the right brush/comb to not damage the hair.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Oh my Goodness YES! Combing and brushing EVERY DAY if you want to have a long and mat free coat! Down to the skin and always before a bath like everyone has said. I bathe my dog every 7-10 days because I like her clean since she sleeps on my bed!
Do get a good pin brush, metal comb, and slicker brush! Oh yeah, when you brush a dry coat, always use a spritz of water or anti-static spray so the hair 'stretches', not breaks!


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## pgr8dnlvr (Aug 7, 2011)

I' ve had my toy in variations of full coat her whole life and I brush usually every 2-3 days. More often if I put clothes or a collar on her. For bathing I get away with once every 3 - 4 weeks (unless the weather has been particularly bad). 

I feel that feeding a good quality food and sometimes adding in a bit of an oil supplement can help cut down on matting and grooming frequencies needed.

Rebecca


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## Anntig (Jun 9, 2010)

Well I'm going to go against the general trend here and say do not brush every day if you're trying to grow coat unless your dog's in coat change (during the cc you may have to brush several times a day to prevent matting).
I was taught if you want to grow good thick poodle show coat brush it as little as you can get away with, as every time you do you put stress and wear on it.
When I had Shadow in coat (12 inches of mane) I found that every 3-4 days was perfect to brush out and reband, any longer and he'd start to tangle which damages the coat.
Clean hair stays strong and tangle free for longer. 10-14 days between baths is usually sufficient although weekly (or even daily) wouldn't hurt if you're using good quality shampoo.
As others have said never brush dry coat, get yourself either a good quality spray or a spray bottle and add a tsp of conditioner to it and mist that over the coat before brushing.

If you have a decent HV dryer don't worry about brushing before bathing, with modern shampoos and equipment it's really not necessary and often does more harm than good.
As a groomer I never brush dogs before bathing (although during my apprenticeship I was taught that you had to) all my dogs get an apple cider vinegar rinse (10:1) after their shampoo and the majority of tangles and minor matts just blow out during drying.

Make sure you have a good quality pin brush and a comb, line brush your dog all over and always check with the comb after to ensure you've got it tangle free right down to the skin


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## Carrie-e (Oct 23, 2012)

N2Mischief said:


> I was always taught to completely brush out the poodle BEFORE bathing and then blow dry while brushing or brush completely after. Also brushing everyday really helps. Just make sure to use the right brush/comb to not damage the hair.








Yes,that's exactly what I was told when I got my first poodle,always brush right through before bathing as mats will set when washed if you don't. I use grooming spray every day on my two before they are brushed thoroughly,them combed through afterwards to check for any lurking knots! and I always brush them the whole time I am drying them after a bath. My daughter holds the hair dryer above them and I brush away like a madwoman!


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