# grooming



## carwin (May 5, 2011)

Can anyone advise what brush to use for grooming.

We want to keep Tilly shaggy & are using a slicker wire brush and it appears to be breaking the ends of her hair.

A ordinary soft brush dosen't penetrate at all.


----------



## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

carwin said:


> Can anyone advise what brush to use for grooming.
> 
> We want to keep Tilly shaggy & are using a slicker wire brush and it appears to be breaking the ends of her hair.
> 
> A ordinary soft brush dosen't penetrate at all.


I use a coarse comb on Flo most of the time as it keeps the coat tangle free without fluffing it all up. You do need to use a slicker kind of brush every now and again though to pull out any loose hair and prevent matting (felting!!)

I use the slicker on combed fur so it's not dragging through and tangles or matts. I usually spray her after 'slickering' to unfrizz her and settle her coat down. Bedhead Poof as it leaves her smelling of pear - though I don't think Flo is keen as she alwats sneezes then look for some fox poo to roll in.

This is just what I do but I'm no expert maybe the groomers amongst us can explain what they do when just brushing through to maintain and de matt/tangle??


----------



## Jukee Doodles (Apr 5, 2011)

I've just done a day attempting to film a video showing how I groom a full coated cockapoo. I bought two different Les Poochs brushes to experiment with for the shoot. The brush I absolutely loved was the Gold Coat Grabber super-soft. Very impressed with it's ability to literally grab the undercoat and slide it to the end of the long coat, without damage. On the more stubborn mats and knots I still had to use a 6 toothed Coat King to move the stubborn undercoat down the hair shaft about 1 cm before using the Gold Les Poochs to drag the mat out of the coat. Very kind on the dog too, far less tugging. I'd recommend it on a long cockapoo coat. I now would like to try the Green soft all-round one. Any one else got one of those? I didn't find the Red Mat Zapper anything like as effective.

Julia x


----------



## Mez-UK (May 4, 2011)

I think with cockapoos especially the thick curly coated types you need need at least three different types to really give them a good groom.


----------



## JulesB (Mar 6, 2011)

I've just got the green Les Poochs brush and it looks great so far. I have only used it a couple of times and Betty's coat is very short at the moment, but she doesn't mind being brushed with it and it does seem to get to the base of the coat.

I will see how it goes as her cost gets longer!


----------



## Mogdog (Feb 6, 2011)

Jukee Doodles said:


> I've just done a day attempting to film a video showing how I groom a full coated cockapoo. I bought two different Les Poochs brushes to experiment with for the shoot. The brush I absolutely loved was the Gold Coat Grabber super-soft. Very impressed with it's ability to literally grab the undercoat and slide it to the end of the long coat, without damage. On the more stubborn mats and knots I still had to use a 6 toothed Coat King to move the stubborn undercoat down the hair shaft about 1 cm before using the Gold Les Poochs to drag the mat out of the coat. Very kind on the dog too, far less tugging. I'd recommend it on a long cockapoo coat. I now would like to try the Green soft all-round one. Any one else got one of those? I didn't find the Red Mat Zapper anything like as effective.
> 
> Julia x


My Green Les Pooches brush arrived this weekend and I've found it great, more effective than normal slicker, at getting through the coat, and not harsh at all if used with a light hand. Only problem is (and this was BEFORE I used the new brush) that where I am brushing quite a lot to remove mats and keep it nice, her coat is becoming like cotton wool and clumping together, so mats are forming more quickly.

It's not possible to get through it all using just a comb.... so its a vicious circle! 

Maybe I need to visit the groomer one last time, which I hadn't really wanted to!!


----------



## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the les poochs green medium brush, the gold coat grabber and the soft yellow brush. They kind of all look the same in the pictures here: http://redcape.co.uk/store/items.asp?id=27-10-0. Are they used for different things all do they all do the same job and brush through pulling out any loose hairs?


----------



## Tressa (Aug 31, 2010)

I have been using the green one for a while and find it very good for normal use - much better than the short pin-headed one from the pet shop, which was only good for young puppy. I bought the red one last week though and am still getting to grips with it, but maybe I am using it badly as I really can't see much of a result with it. Maybe some others have a different experience and maybe a few tips on its use?


----------



## Jukee Doodles (Apr 5, 2011)

I have been experimenting with different techniques of grooming the cockapoo coat. I agree with Mogdog - using Les Poochs (or slicker) brushes on a dry coat does make it more fluffy and mats quicker. I will attempt to shoot another video this week showing how to 'dry brush' the coat. Briefly here however I tell what I have found:

The cockapoo coat doesn't respond well to being brushed dry at all...so we won't do it then...

Use products to lubricate and relax the hair, preferably Tropiclean De-Tangle leave in spray ( available from rlpetproducts.co.uk) so you make the section of coat that you are working on (not the whole dog) wet with the product. 

Then use the same technique of removing the mats as shown on part 3 of my grooming video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtisL7mZTxQ

By using a combination of wet coat, coat king to dislodge the knot/matt and then Les Poochs to drag the mat down the long hair shaft, and away.


Once you have removed all the matted areas you need to then start the drying. DON'T BRUSH while drying. Use a similar technique to 'scrunch drying' human hair just with fingers and a hair dryer. Using the dryer to blow down the hair shaft in the direction the hair grows and your fingers to move the coat within the warm airflow.

This is not a traditional technique of grooming dogs but ....it works. I did a section on Yum-Yum the day before 'Poo Fest '11 and his coat returned immediately to soft silky ringlets....no frizz! As I say you don't have to take my word for it I will try to show it working on video asap

J x


----------



## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Are the les pooches brushes relly $85????


----------



## Mogdog (Feb 6, 2011)

lady amanda said:


> Are the les pooches brushes relly $85????


From redcape.co.uk a single brush is £27.95. Quite a lot but very effective.


----------



## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

lol maybe that is why my dog is so matted!!! lol my brush was only $10


----------



## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

Mogdog said:


> From redcape.co.uk a single brush is £27.95. Quite a lot but very effective.


Sue, what brush have you got? I'm really confused about all the different types and don't know whether to get a gold coat grabber, a green medium brush or a yellow soft bristle brush - they all look the same on the website. I want something to take out loose hair so I'm thinking the gold coat grabber??


----------



## Mogdog (Feb 6, 2011)

I agree its confusing, they do all look the same. I bought the green brush as it seemed a good all rounder and I only wanted to buy one. Am very pleased with it on Maisie's quite poodley coat.

It reaches further than a normal slicker and seems to be gentle when used with a light hand.


----------



## Mogdog (Feb 6, 2011)

Just checked the webiste and the gold coat grabber is recommended for long silky coats.


----------



## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

Maisies coat was quite tight curls I seem to remember (the day was all a bit of a blur trying to connect forum names to real people and their dogs!!) whereas Flo's is more wavy so maybe the coat grabber as that's what Julia used on Buzz whose coat is also softly waved.

It's so much to spend on a brush I don't want to chose the wrong one - I've never spent that much on a hair brush for myself


----------



## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

Mogdog said:


> I agree its confusing, they do all look the same. I bought the green brush as it seemed a good all rounder and I only wanted to buy one. Am very pleased with it on Maisie's quite poodley coat.
> 
> It reaches further than a normal slicker and seems to be gentle when used with a light hand.


Does the green brush pull out loose hairs as that's what I want it for.


----------



## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

embee said:


> Maisies coat was quite tight curls I seem to remember (the day was all a bit of a blur trying to connect forum names to real people and their dogs!!) whereas Flo's is more wavy so maybe the coat grabber as that's what Julia used on Buzz whose coat is also softly waved.
> 
> It's so much to spend on a brush I don't want to chose the wrong one - I've never spent that much on a hair brush for myself


I was very shocked when I saw the price!!! Les pooches does also sell dog perfume at a cost of $3000 a bottle! jeez!!! but I think I may have to save my pennies and get the brush if it is really that good....does anyone know where to get the coat king that Julia also used in the video?


----------



## Carol (Jun 12, 2011)

I also have the green les pooches brush, I usually use a soft pin slicker first and then the green brush - I'm going to get some leave in de-tangler too and try that. We live at the coast so Maisy constantly has sand in her coat which makes her legs go very knotty and matted


----------



## Mogdog (Feb 6, 2011)

embee said:


> Does the green brush pull out loose hairs as that's what I want it for.


Yes I found it pulled out loose hairs. Difficult to tell if the green brush does that better than the others though! Julia liked the gold brush on Buzz's long coat. 

I'm sure they are both good, and should be at that price.


----------

