# Basic Grooming Supplies



## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Slicker brush and metal comb are the must haves.
Shampoo is whatever pet brand you prefer. 
Brands really depend on personal preference.
If you're getting your dog groomed every 4-6 week you likely don't need to bath in between unless he gets really dirty, but you can if you want to. My mini poodle gets bath every 4-10 weeks depending on when I feel like taking the effort to groom him (and no bathing in between or brushing except maybe his long topknot as he doesn't matt/tangle much), my show standard gets bathed once a week.
Important thing is to dry the dog after bathing or any tangles the dog has will tighten and get worse. For pet owners it's not a bad idea to brush/comb before the bath and then again after.
Youtube 'Line brushing'


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## scooterscout99 (Dec 3, 2015)

Good for you in planning ahead! Grooming is definitely a bonding experience as well as saving money in the long run. It was also stressful for me to find a local groomer that could handle a spoo with my grooming requirements. I'm looking forward to taking on more of my spoo's grooming once his conformation showing is over.

The long pin sized slicker was recommended and works well for me, here is one of several brands available. (Unfortunately, this was the third slicker that I purchased and I use it the most.)

https://www.cherrybrook.com/transgroom-tuffer-than-tangles-slicker-brushes/

A hardware-style dremel (not a pet dremel) for nails. For applying shampoo I've used both a sponge and mixing bottles for the dilute mixture. Found some cheap bottles locally when there was no time for mail order, but my breeder reuses a water bottle (the kind with the quick close top). Here's an official version.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Top-Perf...34491&wl11=online&wl12=42872080&wl13=&veh=sem

I have a 36" portable grooming table with grooming arm. My boy is 27" and this works. If I were to purchase new, I would buy one with adjustable leg height and also a longer arm. The portable table folds easily for stowage or transport.

With a boy, you may be washing front legs-only at some point as they learn to "aim." This seemed daunting to me until I watched my breeder do this quickly at a conformation show. The force dryers really make a quick job of drying. I don't much like drying but wish that I had bathed more at home when my boy was very young as he doesn't like drying either!

Lastly, my groomer uses these and now I do as well.

Happy Hoodie For Dog Anxiety Relief

IMO, there are a lot of opinions about grooming gear and products, and it will be personal preference (and maybe trial and error) that will inform your choices. Large conformation shows offer opportunities to speak to company reps and see some of the equipment before purchase. You could also speak to local groomers for advice.


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## Sammy the spoo (Jul 7, 2016)

I have a slicker brush, pin brush, and a metal comb. My guy did not like the slicker brush when he was tiny so we have been using the pin brush. I think it was a bit painful for tender puppy skin? Anyways, good for you for thinking ahead!!


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Sammy the spoo said:


> I have a slicker brush, pin brush, and a metal comb. My guy did not like the slicker brush when he was tiny so we have been using the pin brush. I think it was a bit painful for tender puppy skin? Anyways, good for you for thinking ahead!!


The kind of slicker makes a difference. I bought an Oscar Frank (?) to start with, and it was much too rough. Then I got a Chris Christensen round slicker and the dogs don't mind it nearly as much.


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## Sammy the spoo (Jul 7, 2016)

zooeysmom said:


> The kind of slicker makes a difference. I bought an Oscar Frank (?) to start with, and it was much too rough. Then I got a Chris Christensen round slicker and the dogs don't mind it nearly as much.


Ahhh the phantom Chris Christensen items!!! I looked up amazon.ca and they are crazy expensive compared to US amazon. They don't seem to carry them in Canada or I haven't looked enough. (If any of the Canadian friends can point me to the right direction that would be amazing!). I really want to try using CC products!


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Mysticrealm said:


> Slicker brush and metal comb are the must haves.
> Shampoo is whatever pet brand you prefer.
> Brands really depend on personal preference.
> If you're getting your dog groomed every 4-6 week you likely don't need to bath in between unless he gets really dirty, but you can if you want to. My mini poodle gets bath every 4-10 weeks depending on when I feel like taking the effort to groom him (and no bathing in between or brushing except maybe his long topknot as he doesn't matt/tangle much), my show standard gets bathed once a week.
> ...


This is a very good post and I completely agree with it. 
I've learned a few things because I've been bathing Lucky almost every two weeks. 
1. Splurge on a slicker brush but don't pay extra for a comb. The slicker brush metal actually wears out on the cheap ones relatively quickly. I don't regret getting the big K slicker brush from CC. By comparison, the thick metal teeth on a comb can be made from any material and it will never die. 


2. Get a brush with long pins or teeth. I have a 27mm slicker brush because it reaches further into his coat. I also have a long teeth comb. Not sure about the length but it is great getting to the root of the hair. 
I got these: 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KAJTPZ2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F247IO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The reason I've been bathing Lucky every two weeks is because I've decided to bring him back to the dog park, because he has so much fun there. He is always the cleanest dog going in and dirtiest coming out. LOL You have to see it to believe it! I'll post some photos next time. I've never come out of the dog park without at least one joke about where my white dog went every time. :aetsch:


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Sammy the spoo said:


> Ahhh the phantom Chris Christensen items!!! I looked up amazon.ca and they are crazy expensive compared to US amazon. They don't seem to carry them in Canada or I haven't looked enough. (If any of the Canadian friends can point me to the right direction that would be amazing!). I really want to try using CC products!


Can you order it directly from Christ Christensen's website? Everything will ship from Texas.


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## pudellvr (Dec 1, 2016)

snow0160 said:


> 2. Get a brush with long pins or teeth. I have a 27mm slicker brush because it reaches further into his coat. I also have a long teeth comb. Not sure about the length but it is great getting to the root of the hair.
> I got these:
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KAJTPZ2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F247IO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Does this matter as much if you are not going with a show grooming style verses a pet grooming style?


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

pudellvr said:


> Does this matter as much if you are not going with a show grooming style verses a pet grooming style?




I actually have a poodle mix and can't show him. It probably isn't necessary but it makes life easier. I've have a lot of pets and nothing harder to groom than a poodle imho. Hehe. It is either hard to groom or lots of vacuuming... tradeoff 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## Sammy the spoo (Jul 7, 2016)

snow0160 said:


> Can you order it directly from Christ Christensen's website? Everything will ship from Texas.


Ok, I just looked up their Canadian distributer. It looks like I can buy it from them at a much more reasonable rate . I must put it on my wishlist now


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## pudellvr (Dec 1, 2016)

My girl Phoebe was very low maintenance in a Miami/Clown. She didn't even shed until the last few months of her life. She was pure spoo though


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

pudellvr said:


> My girl Phoebe was very low maintenance in a Miami/Clown. She didn't even shed until the last few months of her life. She was pure spoo though


A sporting or Miami is really the way to go for pet spoos if you don't want a lot of maintenance. I am counting the days until I clip Frosty down LOL


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## lexiz (Dec 30, 2016)

zooeysmom said:


> A sporting or Miami is really the way to go for pet spoos if you don't want a lot of maintenance. I am counting the days until I clip Frosty down LOL


Thank you all for the great advice. I looked up the photos of the Miami and sporting clips on Google. What makes certain clips easier than others?  Sorry, like I said, I know basically zero about grooming.


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## Verve (Oct 31, 2016)

I love my Doggyman slicker for my *adult* pet coats. As somebody else said, you don't need a slicker for soft puppy fluff. A pin brush is useful for that or adult hair you'd like to hang onto (e.g., topknot). I use CC pin brushes for my show coats, but I think there are other good quality pin brushes out there for less money. 

For puppies, I like the Tropiclean puppy shampoo--it is super mild. Otherwise, I like clarifying shampoos (CC makes one called Clean Start) or a mild oatmeal shampoo if I am bathing more often (CC Day to Day). 

At some point, if you are tempted to try your hand at clipping face and feet between grooms, I love the Wahl Bravura clipper. 

If you are going to bathe an adult poodle, you'll really want some sort of doggie dryer. You can spend anywhere from $100-700 on that.


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## lexiz (Dec 30, 2016)

Verve said:


> I love my Doggyman slicker for my *adult* pet coats. As somebody else said, you don't need a slicker for soft puppy fluff. A pin brush is useful for that or adult hair you'd like to hang onto (e.g., topknot). I use CC pin brushes for my show coats, but I think there are other good quality pin brushes out there for less money.
> 
> For puppies, I like the Tropiclean puppy shampoo--it is super mild. Otherwise, I like clarifying shampoos (CC makes one called Clean Start) or a mild oatmeal shampoo if I am bathing more often (CC Day to Day).
> 
> ...


Would you say that it's very difficult to do face and feet trimming between regular grooming? From the research that I have done, it seems that poodles have to be fully groomed every 4-6 weeks. Do little trims extend that time? 

How often do all of you get your poodles fully groomed? What do you do in between regular grooming?


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## mjpa (Dec 11, 2016)

Great thread as I am wondering the same thing!
My goal is to learn to groom the *fingerscrossed* spoo myself.
How important is a grooming table?


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## oshagcj914 (Jun 12, 2016)

Sammy the spoo said:


> Ok, I just looked up their Canadian distributer. It looks like I can buy it from them at a much more reasonable rate . I must put it on my wishlist now


 I've seen them at shows for a few bucks cheaper than online. You might want to see if there are any shows close to you and it might save you a little money.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Just as an fyi this is the slicker brush I use for my show dog and my grooming clients and it lasts for years
Madan Slicker Brush - Medium

and for the ears and tail on my client dogs I use this brush (it's very stiff pins for an amateur so you would want to be careful)
hudsonpetsupplies - Millers Forge Grey Universal Slicker

I don't spend a ton of money on brushes. These ones last me forever and do the job I need.
I'd like to try the long pin brushes like the CC ones, but for 90 bucks, nope haha. These work just fine.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

lexiz said:


> Thank you all for the great advice. I looked up the photos of the Miami and sporting clips on Google. What makes certain clips easier than others?  Sorry, like I said, I know basically zero about grooming.


Short means less matting/tangles so less need to brush. Means you can go longer between haircuts before the dog gets too long.


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## Sammy the spoo (Jul 7, 2016)

oshagcj914 said:


> I've seen them at shows for a few bucks cheaper than online. You might want to see if there are any shows close to you and it might save you a little money.


Thanks for the tip! I'll look into them too!


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I keep my girl in a longer, fancier, clip but if you intend to keep your pup fluffy at first you will still need what everybody recommends....An pin brush, a slicker brush, and a metal comb are basic and a dryer is next in importance, especially if you plan to keep more than an inch of hair on your dog! It IS recommended that you take your dog to a groomer every 4-6 weeks but if you go the do-it-yourself route, buy the best clipper you can, and of course you must get Shirlee Kalstone's book 'Poodle Clipping and Grooming: The International Reference' it is the poodle grooming bible!!!!! YouTube will also be your friend LOL!
I am able to take my girl to the groomer every 10-14 weeks by doing maintenence grooming inbetween, and the only reason she does go, is because the clip she is in I cannot do! So the groomer sets the lines for me and I just keep them up! Saves me lots of $$$!!! It a big bonding op for you and your pup too!!


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## lexiz (Dec 30, 2016)

MollyMuiMa said:


> I keep my girl in a longer, fancier, clip but if you intend to keep your pup fluffy at first you will still need what everybody recommends....An pin brush, a slicker brush, and a metal comb are basic and a dryer is next in importance, especially if you plan to keep more than an inch of hair on your dog! It IS recommended that you take your dog to a groomer every 4-6 weeks but if you go the do-it-yourself route, buy the best clipper you can, and of course you must get Shirlee Kalstone's book 'Poodle Clipping and Grooming: The International Reference' it is the poodle grooming bible!!!!! YouTube will also be your friend LOL!
> I am able to take my girl to the groomer every 10-14 weeks by doing maintenence grooming inbetween, and the only reason she does go, is because the clip she is in I cannot do! So the groomer sets the lines for me and I just keep them up! Saves me lots of $$$!!! It a big bonding op for you and your pup too!!


I do prefer the longer clips, because I think they're absolutely gorgeous. Is a longer clip unrealistic to maintain for someone without grooming experience?

I'm so full of questions.  Thank you all for being so helpful!


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Sammy the spoo said:


> Ahhh the phantom Chris Christensen items!!! I looked up amazon.ca and they are crazy expensive compared to US amazon. They don't seem to carry them in Canada or I haven't looked enough. (If any of the Canadian friends can point me to the right direction that would be amazing!). I really want to try using CC products!


You might want to consider ordering directly from the company? At the very least I would reach out to them to see if they have a Canadian rep. My order was only to Cali from TX, so yours would be different, but it came quickly and at very reasonable shipping rates.

No need to use an intermediary, perhaps... I love amazon, just don't feel they are the best source for some of the higher level products for Poodle grooming. I also love ordering direct from Groomers Choice.

In Canada, our very own and respected member Itzaclip reps several great manufacturers, so you might reach out to her.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Mysticrealm said:


> Just as an fyi this is the slicker brush I use for my show dog and my grooming clients and it lasts for years
> Madan Slicker Brush - Medium
> 
> and for the ears and tail on my client dogs I use this brush (it's very stiff pins for an amateur so you would want to be careful)
> ...


OMGoodness, while I don't have a Madan slicker, I do have a Madan metal pin brush and before this tool I didn't realize it was possible to fall in love with a hair brush.... Good gracious, I LOVE Madan!!!! Based on my experience, whatever they offer is worth considering though know not every tool fits every dog. Or cat .

Also must say I really love my very soft yet insanely effective Doggie Man slicker as well as my slightly harder yet perfectly crafted Chris Christensen slicker. Each has its place, depending on what I'm doing. Honestly Lexiz, start with *a few* high quality products, keep gently working with your dog, and over time with education and practice you'll learn what works well for you. The retail pet supply stores often do not have useful products. Exceptions I've noted have been metal combs (though I'm soon to graduate to a comb no retail store would carry). And maybe the JB (?) soft cat slicker, which of course can also be used on a young Poodle or in a pinch.

Most here know I go gaga when we start talking grooming tools, and yet I still use a human hair dryer on my Toy Poodle...not there yet on HV for him since *gentle low heat* use still works incredibly well for us... Also, I want to give mention to my beloved Chris Christensen wood pin brush, which is used during blow drying... .


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## lexiz (Dec 30, 2016)

Streetcar, thank you so much for the advice. I was wondering, when a spoo is a puppy, would a human hair dryer work well enough? How do you make it so that the puppy isn't afraid of the noise? Any tips for that?


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## Sammy the spoo (Jul 7, 2016)

Streetcar said:


> You might want to consider ordering directly from the company? At the very least I would reach out to them to see if they have a Canadian rep. My order was only to Cali from TX, so yours would be different, but it came quickly and at very reasonable shipping rates..


Thank you Streetcar - I looked into the official CC Canadian distributer and yes they were much more reasonable. It was just crazy because on Amazon US, a CC 27mm brush is $26 and on Amazon.ca the same item is sold for $65.81. Crazy how that happens because there is a "distributer". I'm glad to learn that I can source it from legitimate distributer in Canada. It is definitely on my wishlist now


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## LittleAussiePoodle (Jun 2, 2016)

In terms of whether the face/feet/tail trim needs to be done between your regular visits to the groomer, that really depends. Firstly, obviously a longer cut on the face feet and tail will do just fine for that amount of time. The first photo here shows Hendrix in something I made up myself, which barely ever needed to be cut. The second photo is what he looks like now, and this needs a cut much more often simply because the FFT are short.
If you do want short FFT, it depends on the growth rate of your dog's coat. If I want to keep Hendrix's face short enough it doesn't stain and short enough his skin shows through, I need to shave it pretty often. Exactly three weeks ago I shaved his face last and it's now 1cm long all over, which means it catches food in it and looks like he's growing a beard, lol.
I would invest in a high quality trimmer. A set of clippers and scissors will be ideal if you want to groom the whole dog, but for the FFT you will want a trimmer. They are smaller and usually cordless.
With Hendrix, the maintenance is really quick. I shave his face, then his tail, then his feet. I give him breaks in between, too (and a treat after shaving in front of his ears, he hates that so he gets rewards if he accepts it with grace). The face, tail and jaw are really easy, but the paws and cheek area can take a bit of practice. Also with a puppy, you have to go slow, their attention span is short and they usually come a bit green with the whole grooming thing.
It's a good idea to groom a puppy yourself, because the groomer may just tie them up and rush them, and I feel it's best to take it slow and teach them to stay still and calm for it, but it's up to personal preference. A good breeder will get your puppy used to being groomed, but I still would want to handle my own dog, you know?
The FFT could be left that long, it would just get scruffy looking (at least, enough that I would need to shave it because it would annoy the hell out of me). I just have an obsession with his face being short, if you don't care then you'll be fine.


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## lexiz (Dec 30, 2016)

LittleAussiePoodle said:


> In terms of whether the face/feet/tail trim needs to be done between your regular visits to the groomer, that really depends. Firstly, obviously a longer cut on the face feet and tail will do just fine for that amount of time. The first photo here shows Hendrix in something I made up myself, which barely ever needed to be cut. The second photo is what he looks like now, and this needs a cut much more often simply because the FFT are short.
> If you do want short FFT, it depends on the growth rate of your dog's coat. If I want to keep Hendrix's face short enough it doesn't stain and short enough his skin shows through, I need to shave it pretty often. Exactly three weeks ago I shaved his face last and it's now 1cm long all over, which means it catches food in it and looks like he's growing a beard, lol.
> I would invest in a high quality trimmer. A set of clippers and scissors will be ideal if you want to groom the whole dog, but for the FFT you will want a trimmer. They are smaller and usually cordless.
> With Hendrix, the maintenance is really quick. I shave his face, then his tail, then his feet. I give him breaks in between, too (and a treat after shaving in front of his ears, he hates that so he gets rewards if he accepts it with grace). The face, tail and jaw are really easy, but the paws and cheek area can take a bit of practice. Also with a puppy, you have to go slow, their attention span is short and they usually come a bit green with the whole grooming thing.
> ...


Thank you very much. From what everyone has been saying, grooming is a great way to bond with your puppy/dog as well.  I definitely want to try my hand at it.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Just a bit of a heads up, since you said you are inexperienced, be very gentle with a slicker. Watch your dog's skin to make sure it is not getting irritated. It is easy to brush a pink skinned dog raw in just a few minutes. Even with experience, you still have to pay attention when brushing tender areas (like behind the ears). Make grooming an enjoyable experience for you and your poodle.


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## lexiz (Dec 30, 2016)

Charmed said:


> Just a bit of a heads up, since you said you are inexperienced, be very gentle with a slicker. Watch your dog's skin to make sure it is not getting irritated. It is easy to brush a pink skinned dog raw in just a few minutes. Even with experience, you still have to pay attention when brushing tender areas (like behind the ears). Make grooming an enjoyable experience for you and your poodle.


Very good advice, thank you! I will watch closely and be gentle.


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