The 3 Doodle Grooming Tools You Can’t Live Without

Confused about what doodle grooming tools you need for the new doodle in your life? It shouldn’t be as complicated or as confusing as all these grooming businesses make it out to be… You only really need 3 to get by at home! We believe professional groomers are essential in maintaining your pup’s health when it comes to grooming. Visits at least once or twice are year are great, but you need to maintain their hair at home as well. But that’s the easy part, and we’ll go over how to maintain your furry friend’s hair at home between professional grooming appointments. 

As always, we strive to bring you up-to-date, research-based information on dog diet, health, and nutrition, to give your best friend the long life they deserve. 

This post is all about the importance of at-home grooming, what products you’ll need, and common questions, tips, and tricks to proper doodle grooming!

Why Grooming Is Necessary!

When you think of a doodle (or even a poodle for that matter), what do you think of? We think of the beautiful, fluffy curly hair that shines like no other. Though they look extremely huggable, the curly hair can get quite matted very fast. Sticky substances, dirt, and debris get tripped within the layers of hair, causing hair to clump together and create mats.

Any type of matting will cause decreased air circulation to the skin, causing the skin to trap moisture and dirt. This leads to redness and open sores, which can emit foul odors. If left untreated, it can lead to immense pain and can even cut off blood flow to extremities, a deadly situation none of us want for our pups. 

The fix is almost always a good brushing. To rid the mats, they must be brushed out. However, sometimes in situations where their whole body is matted, the best option is to shave them entirely. At-home grooming is necessary to rid of the mats in the first place! Start with short brushing sessions until your pup gets familiar. Although, make sure to do a little bit every day or every other day to get into a good routine!

The Only 3 Doodle Grooming Tools You’ll Need

Slicker Brush

A slicker brush, similar looking to a human hair brush, consists of many prongs over a flat, wide surface. The prongs are usually sharper and prong length should be proportional to your dog’s hair length. This will be your most used brush, to brush every inch of their hair and body! Here are our top favorites:

• Show Tech Transgroom Tangles Slicker Brush: This is my go-to all-time favorite and has lasted me the entirety of my bernedoodles life (2 years so far!) It has longer prongs, which is great considering we like to leave her hair a little longer!
• Pet Craft Supply Slicker Brush with Release Button: This one has an easy release button, which helps to clean all the hair off very quickly. The prongs are shorter, so we use this one when her hair is shorter and more for when she was a puppy. 

Unlike when we brush our hair, always try to brush your pup’s hair in short strokes, almost like a petting motion.  Brush in different directions and brush every inch of their hair with this brush. This will give them the fluffy, furry look that everyone loves so much!

De-matting Comb

Even with all of the brushing with the slicker brush, your doodle might still get mats due to various activities throughout the day. However, when there is a mat unable to be brushed through, use a de-matting comb. This is our go-to. I cannot even recommend any other ones because we lucked out with this one first try. The Poodle Pet Dematting Rake Brush will get through every single mat your doodle will ever face. This is a must-have to have handy during your daily grooming sessions. I’ve noticed even with everyday brushing, there seem to be more mats around their legs, so make sure to watch for those areas!

Detangling Spray

Oh, how much I preach for detangling spray. It’s a match made in heaven even if they don’t have mats. The key is finding one that works both as a leave-in conditioner and detangling spray. The Chris Christensen Conditioner & Detangling Spray is an amazing spray for any serious mats AND to spray on them before each brushing. Once brushed through, it stays in and leaves the coat shiny, detangled, and smelling amazing! This one is definitely on the pricier side at $22, but it’s been so worth it for us. Even when Jill gets wet, she never smells like a “wet dog”, but instead like the detangling spray. Surprisingly enough, it really does make her smell amazing all year round. 

However, if you would like a more affordable option, like both of the other brushes mentioned in this article, I have heard nothing but good reviews on the BioSilk Therapy Detangling Protecting Dogs Spray. 

Common Questions, Tips & Tricks

How Often Should You Brush Their Hair? 

Not all doodle hair is the same. Their hair can come out more curly or wavy, depending on the doodle mix. The general rule of thumb is that the curlier it is, the more likely there could be trapped dirt and mats. If you have a curly-haired friend, daily brushing is a must. With wavy-haired doodle, there is a little bit more leeway, but not much. Every 2-3 days is how often they should be brushed. Either way, it is not something that can be done once a week, unless you’re okay with sitting there and de-matting for quite some time. Short, consistent brushes over long sessions of painful de-matting, for the win!

How Much Does It Cost?

The initial investment ranges from $40 – 55 for these 3 supplies. I still use the same two brushes I had in the beginning and buy the detangling spray every 2-3 months. 

There are A LOT of doodle grooming tool kits out there, for far too much. They are all the same tools, except some are worth more, solely based on the branding itself. 

Though… I have had my eye on the Instagram doodle legend @brodiethatdood’s new @floofbybrodie grooming line. They have a kit available with the long-pronged brush and detangling spray. Though I love how my dog’s hair is now, can’t resist the fluffy hair that is @brodiethatdood! Let me know if you’ve tried it in the comments! I might just have to try it out!

What About The Supplies For A Full At-Home Grooming Cut? What Supplies Do You Need?

If you’re looking to do a full at-home grooming day, you will need much more doodle grooming tools. I am always an advocate for taking your dog to the salon to get their actual cut, at least once or twice a year. They are true professionals and will make sure they get the attention to detail and experience to not scare off your dog next time around! However, a lot can be done at home, including bathing, brushing, nail care, ear care, and face trims between grooming appointments. You will need all of the bathing supplies like dog-safe shampoo and conditioner, a nail clipper and nail grinder, an ear cleaning solution, and some shears to trim the face. Here is a full list of all the essentials for the ultimate at-home dog grooming salon experience, except for the actual full-body cut itself! 

If you’re extremely new to all this and seem quite overwhelmed, check out this beginner-friendly at-home grooming guide.

Conclusion

Your at-home doodle grooming should not be something to stress over. You only need THREE doodle grooming tools, that’s it! Don’t be fooled by all of these people telling you you need their product. All you need is 3 GOOD products and to stick to it. Happy grooming, let me know if you’ve tried @brodiethedood’s need grooming product line in the comments!