# Brushing hair dry or moist



## RoyalFields (Dec 20, 2010)

I mist the coat everytime I brush.
I like Ice on Ice (Chris Christianson <SP?>).
I also like Paul Mitchell's detangling spray for dogs (my fav. but rather pricey).


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## MGA828 (Mar 25, 2011)

I normally brush my pups dry, but will use some sort of detangling spray if they seem to be matted. But for the most part I will brush there coats when dry and I have never had an issue with there coats, infact all of my dogs have beautiful and healthy coats.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

I brush Quincy using Crown Royal. Lines brush and lightly mist CR on each section. Right now we have to use something because with the heat on in the house, it is so incredibly dry, that if you brush without misting with conditioner or dressing, you can watch new mats beginning as you are working. The static causes the hair to wrap around itself.


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## Birdie (Jun 28, 2009)

Yeah, it is usually better to brush them while the hair is moist. It won't necessarily ruin the coat by brushing dry, but on a show dog especially it will be a problem. The hair can break and will take forever to grow in and look plush. On pets, it's less of a big deal. I use CC's Ice on Ice, and I really like it. It is running out though, so I just bought The Stuff- also great! It makes his hair really smooth.


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## RoyalFields (Dec 20, 2010)

ArreauStandardPoodle said:


> I brush Quincy using Crown Royal. Lines brush and lightly mist CR on each section.


Good point on line brushing .... Sapphire-Light, the Method used and type of brush/comb are also very important. ..... and then there is banding (I'm still perfecting this myself).


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

RoyalFields said:


> Good point on line brushing .... Sapphire-Light, the Method used and type of brush/comb are also very important. ..... and then there is banding (I'm still perfecting this myself).


For separating the lines for brushing and for making an beautiful, even part for banding, a small knitting needle works like a charm.


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## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

ArreauStandardPoodle said:


> I brush Quincy using Crown Royal. Lines brush and lightly mist CR on each section. Right now we have to use something because with the heat on in the house, it is so incredibly dry, that if you brush without misting with conditioner or dressing, you can watch new mats beginning as you are working. The static causes the hair to wrap around itself.


That sounds nasty, I hate mats >-<

I'm going to add conditioner to the water I use for now on thanks.




RoyalFields said:


> Good point on line brushing .... Sapphire-Light, the Method used and type of brush/comb are also very important. ..... and then there is banding (I'm still perfecting this myself).


I'm wrapping also now the hair of the tail as he has very short hair there, wit a few days it already looks better now.

I'm thinking on getting some combs from petedge, wish ones are recommended?


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## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

_We never brush dry. Like Arreau, I line brush with a pin brush, separating the lines with a knitting needle. Than I run a comb through the brushed area to be sure that I have not missed any mats. I use Miracle Coat Leave In Conditioner and Lusterizer Spray. It leaves the coat supple but not heavy with product. It also smells very nice.

I do Bill's top knot, ears and pack about every 3 days when I take his bands and wraps out, brush out and reband and wrap. Now that he is out of the matting stage (FINALLY,) I spray his entire coat and line brush every other day._


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

So when you spray the coat first, how wet are you getting the hair? 

I brush Vinnie out every day and usually just dry brush. Right now he doesn't have much hair except on his legs :biggrin:, but when I grow his coat out again, I want to give this a try.


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## faerie (Mar 27, 2010)

i lightly spritz just enough so it's not dry dry. 
if it's more matted then i'm a bit more heavy handed.
but all i have to brush right now are temperance's bracelets.


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## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

_I spritz lightly also before brushing each line. You don't want to soak the coat. However, if you have a stubborn matt, you need to wet it to encourage it to come apart.
_


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## Purley (May 21, 2010)

When you said you use leave in conditioner and then some kind of spritzer, can you tell me if this is put on the dry coat before you brush it?

Would the Crown Royal be Magic Touch grooming spray? 

Is all this stuff for dogs in show coats, or could I use it on Lucy whose hair is never going to be that long. Or is it just not necessary on a short coat?


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## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

_Crown Royal and Magic Touch are not the same product. They have the same purpose. Magic Touch comes in a spritz bottle. Other leave-in conditioners may come in large containers and have to be diluted. In this case, you would need to have a spritz bottle to pour it into.

This is Miracle Coat: Miracle Coat Leave-In Conditioner & Lusterizer Spray for dogs at PETCO

And this is Crown Royal: Crown Royale Ultimate Detangling Spray, 16oz Ready-to-Use - Cherrybrook

The product is spritzed into the hair BEFORE you brush. Use a long stroke of the pin brush ending with a tilting up of the brush at the end to avoid breakage.

I do not have dogs in short coats so I really don't know how important it is to use the conditioner on them, but I know I will always use it no matter what length my dogs' coats are. _


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## faerie (Mar 27, 2010)

i condition temperance's hair lightly where she's short when i bathe her. it makes her soft. i use the crown royale (it's diluted in a spray bottle w/ water) when i brush her coat (except topknot and tail because i'm cording them). it also worked on my own hair mats this morning tee hee.


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## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

spoospirit said:


> This is Miracle Coat: Miracle Coat Leave-In Conditioner & Lusterizer Spray for dogs at PETCO
> 
> And this is Crown Royal: Crown Royale Ultimate Detangling Spray, 16oz Ready-to-Use - Cherrybrook
> 
> [/I]


Those products look very nice, too bad we don't have them here.

But I did brushed him using an oatmeal conditioner and it felt good. :angel2:


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

I had heard of this before but am confused b/c I thought I was never supposed to allow the coat to air dry (always use a dryer).

I dry brush, but I worry what it will do to her knots. I get a fair bit of hair out which I think is just pulling out tangles instead of brushing them out. If that makes sense.

Now that her ears and top knot are growing out I really want to make sure I'm doing it properly.


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## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

Bella's Momma said:


> I had heard of this before but am confused b/c I thought I was never supposed to allow the coat to air dry (always use a dryer).
> 
> I dry brush, but I worry what it will do to her knots. I get a fair bit of hair out which I think is just pulling out tangles instead of brushing them out. If that makes sense.
> 
> Now that her ears and top knot are growing out I really want to make sure I'm doing it properly.


_After line brushing with the slicker, use a comb to detangle. Go over the same area you brushed. When you find a mat, start at the top of it to work it out. Sometimes it helps to separate it gently with your fingers. If you just pull from the bottom, you are pulling the hair out. It takes a lot of patience. Good luck!_


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

spoospirit said:


> _After line brushing with the slicker, use a comb to detangle. Go over the same area you brushed. When you find a mat, start at the top of it to work it out. Sometimes it helps to separate it gently with your fingers. If you just pull from the bottom, you are pulling the hair out. It takes a lot of patience. Good luck!_


Hmm...so is the 'line brushing' aspect the part that has the slicker not yanking out the knots? 

I do start with slicker then follow up with comb but there are rarely any knots left for the comb, except maybe in the ears and tail.


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## Underpants Gnome (Oct 12, 2009)

What does line brushing mean?


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## Lilah+Jasper (May 13, 2010)

This link has good pics to show line brushing

Step-by-step line brushing demonstration


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## faerie (Mar 27, 2010)

whew. that made me tired just looking at all those pics. that dog has A LOT of hair!!!


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## Lilah+Jasper (May 13, 2010)

No kidding faerie! Makes it seem like I am on easy street with 2 standards!


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## Underpants Gnome (Oct 12, 2009)

Wow, that is amazing. I would have to give Dudley a sedative or something to get away with that! Or else I would need a sedative after we were done. I guess that's why I keep his body short and only have to spend a lot of time on his TK and legs. If only the puppy coat lasted forever.


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