# Combing verses brushing



## creativeparti (Mar 9, 2009)

allways use the slicker or a pin brush first and then go thought with a comb if you can get the comb though you have brushed him enough 

thats the way i brush every dog i groom


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## Debbyd (Aug 20, 2009)

Beau yelps and tries to bite me when I use the slicker brush. He doesn't mind a regular brush that is on the other side. I believe that the slicker brush hurts him. When I comb him, there are no tangles, he combs out real smooth.

Debby


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

Take the slicker across your arm, some have sharper teeth than others. I have two slickers, and I only use one on thick hair/long haired dogs since its teeth are so sharp it'll rake the skin, but I have a much gentlier one that most dogs don't mind at all.


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## Debbyd (Aug 20, 2009)

I will try out some different ones next time I go to petsmart. Thanks Debby


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## Debbyd (Aug 20, 2009)

Fluffyspoos said:


> Take the slicker across your arm, some have sharper teeth than others. I have two slickers, and I only use one on thick hair/long haired dogs since its teeth are so sharp it'll rake the skin, but I have a much gentlier one that most dogs don't mind at all.



I did as you said and one of the slicker brushes I had was terrible. The other was a whole lot better. He did fight me when I tried to brush him, though. But he has be in a bad mood all day. He has been playfully biting all day. I have scolded him. Next it will be time out.

Debby


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

I tend to use a brush purely to fluff out the coat and loosen it all up for combing. Paris' legs get so curly that they need a good fluff up before I put a comb near them, or the comb will be catching and pulling on the curls!


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## Aidan (Mar 4, 2009)

A slicker brush when used properly does not hurt the dog, your dog is probably just training you. He knows when he whines and cries you stop and he gets what he wants so naturally anytime you do anything he doesn't approve of he is going to think he can whine and get away with it. Not just for you, for the vet, the groomer, anyone. It's a bad habit to start and a very hard one to break!

Slicker brushes are designed to help get mats out, if you brush properly it makes getting tangles out much easier than just using a comb.

I brush from the bottom up, on the legs start at the bottom and work up it breaks up the mats easier, starting at the top and working down or across can actually tighten the knots.

I brush first and then follow through with a comb! The brush will loosen up all the tangles that it can and then the comb will make sure you got them all. If you need more help getting out mats that a brush/comb can't handle there are several ways but hopefully with regular brushing/combing it will never come to that.

However, should Beau get too matted I would suggest letting him see a professional groomer for dematting or even a shave if needed!

Don't let him fool you. Poodles are extremely smart and be careful what you are teaching him! You could be letting him know what he has to do to get out of being groomed and it will make it a lot harder on his groomer and you later when you need to brush him out.


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## Debbyd (Aug 20, 2009)

Oh dear. I hope he is not playing tricks on me. Tomorrow we will go at it again. One of my slicker brushes isn't as bad as the other so I will use that one. The first one I got was real bristly. It hurt me when I tried it on my arm. The second one didn't. So here we come tomorrow. Debby


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

You do need a light hand with a harsher slicker. You don't need to be overly firm to be breaking up knots & seperating the hairs out nicely. You should never be pressing it against them, let your wrist stay 'soft' as your brush so as it isn't 'brush burning' the skin.
Also with slicker brushes, use the base/heel of it to do the bulk of the work (I mean the edge closest to the handle) and don't 'flick' or dig the front edge into the dog. I know before I learned that, I used to sorta dig the front edge around a tangle cos it seemed like I should, but I quickly found dogs don't like that, and using the heel of the slicker makes a huge difference to their reaction!!

Test it on your arm first, work out what is _actually_ 'gentle' and also see what I mean about not flicking or digging the front edge in.


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## Bella's Momma (Jul 26, 2009)

Bella hates the slicker, too. She always tries to mouth my hands when I use it but doesn't if I use the 'finishing brush' or the comb.


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## cybercat (Nov 15, 2008)

Most slicker brushes sold in petstores are terrible for dogs with sensitive skin. Try a pin brush instead or buy the better slickers that teeth are ground down on. Sometimes pups will just act up too. My dog was terrible with slicker brushing. I had to put her in her place more than once for acting up. Now she loves it. She used too bite and scoot and whipe around fast to get away from the brushing. She is sensitive so I used my cat slicker instead on her. It helped but now that she is older it does not matter as much for she loves a good back scratch now. LOL


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## Bella's Momma (Jul 26, 2009)

cybercat said:


> Most slicker brushes sold in petstores are terrible for dogs with sensitive skin. Try a pin brush instead or buy the better slickers that teeth are ground down on. Sometimes pups will just act up too. My dog was terrible with slicker brushing. I had to put her in her place more than once for acting up. Now she loves it. She used too bite and scoot and whipe around fast to get away from the brushing. She is sensitive so I used my cat slicker instead on her. It helped but now that she is older it does not matter as much for she loves a good back scratch now. LOL



Hmm...I bought ours from the breeder who also shows poodles. I assumed it would be the right one, I'm going to try to see if I can find it online. 

I think part of our problem is 'grooming' on the floor, which is a play space. I need to get one of those fold up grooming tables I think.


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## Debbyd (Aug 20, 2009)

Back stratch huh cool.. I have gotten a muzzle to use for a couple of times until he gets use to it. He sits still there and I get to brush and comb him thouroughly. 

Debby


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## Bella's Momma (Jul 26, 2009)

So it turns out our brushes and slicker are from 1 All Systems.
http://www.1allsystems.com/doc-eng/brush_comb.html

Is this a good brand?
I have the pin brush from the first photo, one of the slickers (maybe a small or medium?) and the big & long metal comb at the bottom which is called "THE ULTIMATE POODLE COMB." She really prefers the comb in the first photo but the groomer said if we only used that she could get mats. Is that true? I mostly use that and the comb. I was worried since the slicker troubles her so that maybe it was hurting her. Of course I don't want her to get matted. RIght now she still has puppy fur but I want to form the right habits early. It's not even winter but I am seeing what a damp morning lawn does to her fur and it makes me think to get things in order now!


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## MericoX (Apr 19, 2009)

I would focus more on desensitizing him to the brush now when he's young and not to use the muzzle.. but that's just me.


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## Debbyd (Aug 20, 2009)

I agree, I am not going to use the muzzle. It makes him so anxious. I don't like that. I used a pin brush on him ok. I think I will stick with that for now.

Debby


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## MericoX (Apr 19, 2009)

I made grooming a game when my pups were young. I'd first get them use to the table (they'd crouch down, not use to being up high) and got toys up there and put treats around it and got them used to just being on the table so they associated that table = fun. 

When I started using brushes I first used the slicker with the pin side up, basically combing them with the back of the slicker. So they were used to a brushing method on them but not being hurt by it. They stood up brave and *took* it they got praised and treated. Lots and lots of treats. I eventually turned the brush around (I'd say 2nd day of starting this process) and I had soft treats in my hand I squished between two fingers. They were so busy trying to get the treat they didn't even notice the slicker. If I hit a mat, more treats and praise for standing still. Afterwards I went over them with a comb. 

I did this slowly over 3 days, always making it a game. No rushing. I like leaving it on a good note versus bad. If I got only their head, so be it. I don't like associating stuff that can sometimes be done on a daily basis be a fighting battle.


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## Debbyd (Aug 20, 2009)

Good idea. I don't know how Beau's breeder did him. When he came to me, he was terrified of the comb and brush. So now I am trying to get him used to them. He now accepts the comb all be it reluctantly. But the brush is a ways to go. He will let me use the pin brush for a few minutes.

Debby


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## cybercat (Nov 15, 2008)

On the Les Pooch web site there is a video showing how to brush without touching the skin. It is called pat and pull. they demo it with their brush but one can use it with any brush. Basicly you tap the brush in the fur and pull it away from the body towards you, so you are brushing in the air not down the boday of the dog. This is a great method for sensitive poodles. They demo it on a poodle too.


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## spoofan (Dec 11, 2008)

Grooming is a part of poodle's life.
They grow out of hating it once they realize they have NO choice.
I use only slicker brush,even for dematting.
It should not hurt them.
Having said all that,there are some really bad slickers out there...you have to get a good one.


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