Brushes and Grooming Products

[Doodle Grooming]

I hope this isn't a repeat of a previous discussion....

My puppy is almost 11 weeks and I've noticed that her hair is prone to matt around her legs. I have been faithfully brushing her 1-3 times a day but the mats reappear. I have seen some discussions in regards to ActiVet brushes. Can you tell me which one I should buy? Are there other products I should be purchasing? I do NOT want to shave her ever and I am willing to do whatever I need to so that I can avoid that option. 

This is my first dog so please bear with me as I learn all of this stuff. :)

Thank you in advance!

[Jaynie Perry]

I have to tell you , You HAVE too have the puppy fluff shaved down to a #5 or #7.  Most doodles do not loose their hair like a retriever does. Doodles do not shed their puppy coat. You have to cut it off or it WILL mat with the adult hair when it comes in. I breed Golden Doodles and groom them.  Take my word for this! I usually have my puppy parents cut the coats in the spring, that way for fall his coat should be back in.  Yo uwill be surprised on how much nicer it comes in.  It is so much easier with a short cut for summer when yo go to the beach or swimming. I also like Bass brushes the best I find the palm boar hair bristle and pin head works the best and a stainless steel comb is a must! You have to be able to comb your dogs hair. I like the Bass products so much that I am becoming a distributor for them! You also need a matt breaker. 

[Stephanie and Ragley]

I recently bought an ActiVet brush and I will not ever use a different brush ever again. EVER. I was a skeptic before, thinking "how could a brush really be that different?" but I went for it and it is TOTALLY worth it! I got the purple/red combo which is the maintenance brush on one side and "mat zapper" on the other. I love it. I also use a stainless steel comb. There is also a detangled/leave-in conditioner called "The Stuff" that really helps not only condition the coat, but also get mats out. I use Tropiclean shampoo and I have found that it leaves her coat nicer and easier to maintain than any other product I have tried. My second favorite for shampoos would probably be CloudStar's Buddy Wash, but in my experience it leaves her coat more dry (I use it before I clip her) so you really need a conditioner or leave-in spray after :)

Although trimming can make the transition easier (and upkeep in general), I disagree that you "HAVE" to shave your doodle ever as long as you keep her mat-free. I do all of Ragley's grooming myself and have for almost two years now and I have never had to shave her and nor will I ever. 

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

What kind of coat does Ragley have? I'm debating between the green or purple brush for maintenance. It seems like people are split on using the green or purple.

[Stephanie and Ragley]

Ragley has a wavy fleece coat :)

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

Oops! I knew I someone had recommended "the Stuff" but couldn't remember who so I just started a whole discussion on it, oh well! How are you using it with Ragley? I just ordered it but the groomers tip and some people on Amazon recommend diluting it with water and the rinsing/dumping it on their dogs post bath. I figured it was a spray since it does come in a spray bottle. Ps I am following your advise and also just bought the red/purple duo ActiVet brush and it should be here soon, hope it works as well as everyone says it does!

[linda giorgi]

I have been thinking of getting the ActiVet brush. I noticed they come in two lengths. 4.5 and 9. which one do you recommend

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

I got the 9 because both my boys are large and it would just take way too much time with a smaller brush.

[Julie, Eloise & Beasley]

I have the double green brush, but I got it when they were still Les Pooches.  I also swear by it.  I started out with a Chris Christensen pin brush and a buttercomb (still use them), but I wish I had the now ActiVet brush when Eloise went through her coat change.  It truly makes a huge difference.  If your puppy is already showing signs of matting, I say the ActiVet is worth the investment. Many people here use a comb called the Untangler, too, which I need to try.

I also have NOT had either of my GDs shaved down.  I was able to manage Eloise's coat change with a lot of brushing and de-matting, mostly with the comb, and occasionally I clipped stubborn ones with scissors - benefit of a shaggier look, you don't really notice a little chunk missing.  :)  When the mats got bad, I diluted her conditioner with water in a spray bottle, then sprayed them and let sit a few minutes before I worked through them with the comb.  I think it would've been a different experience if I'd had that brush then.  It can be very time consuming and the dog has to be willing to be brushed/combed, but you can get through the coat change without shaving - lots of members here have done it. 

All that said, I did have my 2nd puppy cut down short - scissor cut, not shaved - to deal with her coat change.  My girl Beasley has a ton of hair - she was a good 5" long when the change started, and she wasn't tolerant of longer grooming sessions like Eloise was so I didn't want to put her through an ordeal.  (Eloise's coat change lasted several months, and she was completely fine letting me de-mat her. Beasley, not so much.)  Now, three months later, her coat is 3-4" long again and I'm going to check out the "mat zapper" Stephanie mentioned, because her longer hair has a tendency to mat more quickly than Eloise's.

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

I have never shaved either of my doodles who are 1 1/2 yrs and 6months and I don't plan on it. Even when Loki went through his coat change I was just constantly breaking up matts and this was before I found DK so I didn't have any knowledge or proper tools! I will say though when he was losing his puppy coat the matting was sooooo bad around 8-9months so I did cut him down to 1 and 1/2 inches and that made it much more managable. I too need to get on board the Activet train and by a use though because my younger puppy will be starting to lose his puppy coat soon and I hear those brushes are amazing!

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

You do not have to shave doodles if you don't want to. I have self groomed both my boys since the start. They have never been shaved down.  The Activet green brush and a rotating tine comb plus some mane and tale detangle spray is all I ever use for brushing their coats. They have different types of coat. Riley is wavy and mats easily as he doesn't shed. Boris has a slightly shedding stronger coat that is easier to manage.. I have a really good set of scissors and a blaster for drying. I do have a clippers but very rarely use it and only on their underneath parts.  You have to groom daily and always go right down to the skin. Never bath unless they are completely tangle free. Good luck.

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

Do you use the same Activet brush for both of them?

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Yes, it works fine on both.