Can anyone recommend a slicker brush for Lexi's undercoat?

[Shari Becker]

Hi everyone,

Lexi doesn't like being groomed, and she hates hard, pointy brushes. We thought we had solved the problem a few months ago when we got her this lovely wooden pin brush. It's like a massage to her, and she just lies there with her paw on our arms, eyes rolled back into her head in happiness. But for the past two groomings, our groomer told us she was still totally matted. She always comes home sheared like a lamb, and we didn't mind so much in summer, but now that it's winter - and so cold - we'd like to leave her longer. The groomer told us to get a slicker, but I'm assuming they are not all created equal. Any suggestions on what would work for a curly doodle whose fur is rather fine and soft. It's not coarse at all. People say she feels like a chenille blanket. You can see her photo right near my profile. I don't want to spend too much because there's a pretty good chance she's going to hate it if it is sharp.

Thanks!

[Laura and Angus]

We use a slicker brush like this one for Angus. It has curved ends. He does not love standing still for brushing, although he seems to like it when you catch certain areas on his tummy and other "itchy" spots. However, he will tolerate us brushing him ...also he doesn't have a choice ;) Our groomer said that his coat looked great and to keep up whatever we are doing, so I guess this brush seems to be working well for us! If Lexi doesn't like being brushed, we use a method where one person holds a treat up in front of Angus while the other one does the grooming. I can brush him myself, but ear cleaning is not such an easy task and goes more smoothly with a treat distraction. So maybe that's worth a try? 

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Hi Shari ~ I use Les Pooches brushes (now sold under the name Activet).  They are expensive but in my opinion worth it.  That being said, any slicker may do the trick.  I think the whole key is knowing how much pressure to apply.  You need enough pressure to get down to just grazing the skin (not poking into it).  Do you know how to line brush?  If not, google it so you will be doing it correctly.  I would suggest you use the brush on your own head first so you can tell how much pressure you are actually applying.  The pins on most of these brushes are sharp and it hurts if you are not doing it correctly. After you brush you should be able to run a comb through the hair.  If you hit a snag, you need to go back over with the sicker until the comb will go through.  I brush the boys heads, ears and tail daily and their body every other day. I usually wait until they are laying down resting and they seem to enjoy it.  Good luck. Your doodle is so cute.

[DJ & Chance]

,Chance has very curly but soft fur and I have had good luck with Les pooches brushed . More expensive than other brushes I tried but this one is easier for me to use and Chace will tolerate it.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Shari, are you using the line brushing method when you brush? Perhaps it's not the brush as much as the method? If you're not line brushing it is easy to brush over mats. Here is a demonstration of line brushing:

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

For all over brushing you just can't beat the Activet brush. I use the double green one on both my doodles (one has a wiry wooly coat, the other has soft curls). There's instructions on how to line brush to ensure you're brushing down to the skin and not missing any mats on the main Doodle Grooming group's page. Line brushing is really the only way to eliminate or prevent mats, and you can brush gently with very little pressure. Any other kind of brushing doesn't get down to the skin.

We also have a single, red, Activet Mat Zapper which comes in handy for those really bad mats. And a mat rake makes short work of splitting mats for easier removal. A good way to check to see if you've gotten all the mats out is to run a steel comb over the entire coat, making sure you get down to the skin.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

It looks like the line brushing instructions are no longer on the Doodle Grooming group's main page. Sorry about that. Ricki gives a great video example.

[Shari Becker]

Thank you so much, everyone! I am going to watch the video and look into those brushes. I lost my steel comb on my last road trip, so clearly I need another one. I think I was using it wrong anyhow! Treats are good. Any incentives to make it work, right?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Activet slicker - pricy but the best.

http://www.groomershelper.com/

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Like Lexi, FInn hates hard pointy brushes.  I have 3 that I use. An old Mason Pierson natural bristle brush when he's clipped short (he loves it but they are expensive IF they even make them anymore and his coat is wavy not curly and it won't get out mats); an inexpensive Oster slicker brush (around $20) that does a really good job when his coat is puppy cut and it's the only slicker/wire brush he'll tolerate on his underbelly; a green Les Pooches for a longer coat. I think the Les Pooches/Activet is the best but with a sensitive dog, I had to learn how much pressure to apply and when line brushing, take a small section and pull the brush outward, not along the skin. I keep treats handy, lots of them :) Lexi is so cute, good luck! 

[Shari Becker]

Thank you! Lexi's coat isn't super long, but I think I will need to splurge and get one of these. How long does it take you to really brush out your dog?

For whatever it is worth, Lexi adores the wooden pinned Christensen, but I'm not sure what it actually does other than give her a spectacular massage. :-)

So it's the Soft Green Pro you all like, right? Not the duo green/gold?

Thanks again.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Shari, I also have a CC pin brush and feel the same way about it. I love that the pins have rounded tips but they are spaced so far apart that they don't really accomplish much. I end up using an inexpensive slicker brush that I purchased at her groomer's shop  years ago, which works great. She was fairly intolerant of the slicker at first but with patience and treats I was able to acclimate her to it.  Tara's coat is very fine and thin and I have never tried an LP brush because I think it would be too much in her case.