Poodles are loving and intelligent dogs, but their coats make for one challenging grooming session! Their curls are one of the reasons why humans love them so much, but they can get tangled incredibly easily.
If you don’t keep on top of them with a high-quality brush, these tangles can quickly turn to mats. These are tough wads of hair that can hurt your dog, creating irritation and even infection across its skin.
Mats often need to be shaved off, too.
Don’t worry, though – we have found the five top brushes for Poodles:
- Hertzko self-cleaning slicker brush
- Poodle Pet dematting fur rake comb brush
- Detangling pet comb
- We Love Doodle Dogs slicker brush
- Poodle Pet slicker brush
Each of these works to remove shed hair gently and effectively, leaving your Poodle smooth, shiny, and pain-free.
Let’s get into our reviews!
Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush for Dogs
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Slicker brushes are the most popular with professional groomers, making them our favorite for Poodles.
This slicker brush from Hertzko can penetrate deeper into the coat, breaking up tangles and mats incredibly efficiently.
This brush can even improve your dog’s circulation!
Hertzko even offers a self-cleaning function to this brush, making it super easy to remove the shed hair that you’ve brushed out.
Gone are the days when you’d need to spend hours removing hair from your dog brush!
This brush will remove all dead hair from your dog’s coat and prevent mats from ever being formed. It is also gentle on their skin, improving the overall quality of your dog’s coat.
Hertzko ensures that this brush is not only effective but also affordable and gentle on your own hands.
Pros:
- Effective and affordable: this slicker brush removes all tangles and mats within minutes.
- Money-back guarantee: don’t love it? Hertzko offers a full refund to offer a risk-free purchase.
- Self-cleaning: simply press a button to remove all dead hair from the teeth, leaving you with a clean brush ready to be used again and again.
Cons:
- Harsh teeth: since the teeth are wire without protection, they can scratch your dog’s skin if pushed too hard. Apply gentle pressure only.
Poodle Pet Dematting Fur Rake Comb Brush Tool
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Next up is a dematting rake, which is perfect for Poodles who are suffering from tangled hair.
If you don’t have time to take them to a groomer ASAP, this is a good alternative to relieve them from their pain as soon as possible.
This rake is made specifically for curly-haired Poodles, but it can also be used on any Poodle that suffers from tangles.
The blades are 2.5 inches long, but don’t let this deter you. Use it with gentle pressure to remove tangles, being mindful not to scratch your dog’s skin.
Since mats can be quite close to the skin, though, this comb does come with rounded ends to prevent harm. The rubber handle also makes it softer on your hand, which is always a plus!
Pros:
- Great for mats: this comb can be used for even the toughest of mats, preventing you from having to shave them out.
- Durable and reliable: made of only the toughest materials, this brush will last you a long time.
- Money-back guarantee: Poodle Pet also offers a full refund if you don’t enjoy your new dematting fur rake.
Cons:
- Takes longer than a brush: since this is a comb with one row of teeth, it will take longer to brush your entire dog. It is best used for only matted areas.
Detangling Pet Comb with Long & Short Stainless Steel Teeth
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This comb is another one from Poodle Pet, and we’ve found that they’re one of the best companies for Poodle grooming kits! This comb features both long and short teeth, similar to that of a slicker brush.
We’ve found this comb to be perfect after a bath to detangle our Poodle’s coat, avoiding those dreaded after-bath mats.
During a bath, dog fur expands and retracts as it dries, which can cause the fur to tangle together and form mats. However, using this comb after a bath can avoid this altogether.
Plus, using it after the bath makes the comb glide through the hair easier, allowing the hair to curl together cohesively without tangling together.
The short and long teeth are ideal for reaching both the undercoat and top layer of fur!
Pros:
- Inexpensive: this comb is one of the cheapest brushes on our list, making it excellent value for money.
- Effective: reaches all layers of fur to effectively prevent tangles and mats.
- Great for after baths: get a jump on your dog’s curls by brushing them straight out of the bath with this slicker comb.
Cons:
- Not the best for continual use: while this brush is great for after the bath and use in hard-to-reach areas, using it multiple times a week all over your dog would be very time-consuming.
We Love Doodles Dog Slicker Brush
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This is the most expensive brush on our list, but the quality is more than worth the cost.
This slicker brush removes tangles, mats, and more within seconds, gliding through the coat like butter. It makes quick work of grooming your dog, eliminating any prolonged discomfort.
This brush is made from professional-grade materials and is even used by pro groomers.
The ergonomic handle is gentle on your hand and wrists, ensuring that you’re both comfortable throughout the grooming process.
The longer and softer pins measure almost one inch long, ensuring that they can reach down throughout the entire coat.
They’re also angled to protect your dog’s skin from scratches while also effectively dragging the dead hair to the surface.
We Love Doodles also offers you a full refund if you don’t love your new slicker brush.
Pros:
- Comfortable for your dog: the angled bristles prevent the metal wire from scratching your dog’s fur.
- Trusted by professionals: you’ll often see this slicker brush used in professional grooming salons.
- Longer pins: this brush will reach throughout the entire thickness of your dog’s coat with ease.
Cons:
- Higher price point: this brush is more expensive than others on our list, but we think that the quality makes up for it.
Poodle Pet Slicker Brush for Small and Large Dogs
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This Poodle Pet slicker brush is a great choice for any Poodle, as it can be used on both small and large dogs.
The fine wire bristles are slightly curved to hook under any shed hair and pull it to the surface without pain.
We loved the brush of this slicker brush being anti-slip so that it didn’t come out of our hand while using it.
We’ve had other slicker brushes fly out of our hands before, which causes pain for both us and our dogs!
The grip is also comfortable to avoid cramping.
The wire bristles are finely coated to avoid scratching your dog’s skin without removing the effectiveness of the brush.
Each wire is made from stainless steel and therefore durable, unlikely to snap and create a sharp edge to harm your dog.
Pros:
- Durable: made with premium materials, this slicker brush is with you for the long haul.
- Suitable for all fur types: use this brush on any dog, with any coat type, and watch the wondrous results.
- Comfortable for humans and dogs: anti-scratch bristles and the rubber handle make using this brush an enjoyable experience for everyone.
Cons:
- Can be difficult to clean: slicker brushes like to grip hair tight, making it difficult to remove all of the hair at once.
Buying the Right Brush for your Poodle
Now that we’ve shown you our five favorite brushes for Poodles, let’s take a look at what you should consider before buying a brush.
Your Poodle’s Coat Type
Curly coats are most commonly associated with Poodles, and therefore what we all think of when we consider a brush for this breed.
However, not all Poodles have the same coat type and therefore might need different brushes.
What coat type does your dog have?
Curly Coats
Curly coats are thick and coarse, and the most hypoallergenic. These coats barely shed anything because the curls are so tightly wound.
This means that the hair gets trapped in the curls rather than being shed around your house.
However, this hair still needs to be removed before it works itself into mats.
The curls tend to keep the hair away from each other to prevent mats, but you still need to keep on top of it. Brush a curly coat a few times a week with a slicker brush.
Wavy Coats
Wavy coats are tricky. The waves are able to keep the fallen hair within the coat to keep this dog hypoallergenic, but not so curly that it keeps the hair away from one another.
This means that wavy coats see the most mats.
Wavy coats need to be brushed most frequently to remove the build-up of hair. You’ll also need a tougher brush, like a slicker brush or Poodle comb.
Straight Coats
Straight-coated Poodles are the least hypoallergenic of all, and the least common to see.
Straight coats need the least amount of brushing as shed hair does not get trapped in the coat so there is less chance of mats.
However, you will still need to brush them once a week to prevent tangles. You can use a wider range of brushes on straight coats, but make sure that it is gentle on your dog’s skin.
Type Of Brush
There are many types of brushes out there for you to try on your Poodle.
Believe us, we’ve tried a lot! From slicker brushes to detangling combs, pin brushes, and more, there are plenty of choices out there for you.
But not all are the best for Poodles. Here are some of the most common brushes and whether they’re good for Poodles or not.
Slicker Brush
A slicker brush is the easiest brush to use on Poodles and the most effective. There’s a reason why professional groomers use these brushes!
They’re easy to clean, durable, and can be used all over your Poodle.
Slicker brushes are made of thin wires of different lengths to reach both the top and bottom coats. This makes them more effective at removing all of the trapped hair, not just from the surface.
Slicker brushes are best to use on Poodles as they’re gentle and will remove all of the hair with ease.
Detangling Comb
A detangling comb is similar to a slicker brush but features only one row of wire teeth. This can take longer to brush your dog’s entire coat, but the results are often so worth it.
The detangling comb works very curl or wave to pick our shed hair, leaving your Poodle with soft curls that are gentle on their skin.
The detangling comb can also be beneficial for hard-to-reach areas such as under their legs, around the ears, and on their face.
For more information on the best dematting tools for Doodles, check out this review guide.
Pin Brushes
Pin brushes are very popular dog brushes as they’re cheaper than others. They feature thicker teeth with rubber balls on the end of them. However, these are not the best brushes for Poodles.
The thicker teeth can pull at your dog’s skin, causing pain or irritation.
Since all of the teeth are one length, it can also miss shedding hair closest to your dog’s skin, allowing mats still to form. These teeth can also pull at the curls and pull more hair out.
Handle Size And Shape
When looking for a dog brush, we focus too much on how it is going to make our Poodles feel. Of course, we want them to be pain-free and as comfortable as possible, but you can’t forget your own needs!
Brushing your dog can take a long time, especially if they have a dense coat with lots of tangles. You need a brush that has an ergonomic and soft handle. We love rubber handles with anti-slip patterns.
If you don’t get a brush with an ergonomic handle, you’ll feel the difference within minutes. Your hand will cramp and you might even get blisters.
We always recommend looking for a handle with an ergonomic shape to fit well in the palm of your hand.
Rubber is our favorite as it’s softer than metal or plastic, and anti-slip technology will keep your dog comfortable.
Bent Pins
Speaking of keeping your dog happy, one of the most important things to look for when buying a dog brush is bent pins.
This applies to slicker brushes as their bristles are often made of unprotected metal wire that can poke or scratch your dog.
The bristles being bent helps to ensure that you can angle the bristles away from your dog’s skin to avoid hurting them.
If you’re not getting a slicker brush, make sure that the bristles are protected with a thin coating of rubber.
This will protect your dog’s skin from painful scratches. Just bear in mind that rubber stoppers on brush bristles can reduce the effectiveness of the brush.
Durability
Slicker brushes tend to be more expensive than other dog brushes, so we think that durability is a must.
It is essential that you find a brush that you can rely on, especially when Poodles need to be groomed every few days.
If you use a brush prone to breaking, you might find that you have to spend more constantly replacing it.
We think that it’s better to spend more on a brush that will last you for a long time, rather than a cheaper one that will need replacing every few weeks.
Look for premium materials used to make the brush, including high-quality rubber, metal, and plastic.
Of course, it always helps to look for a brush with a money-back guarantee to protect your purchase.
This will allow you to spend more money on a brush without risking your money, as you can always get it back if you’re not satisfied with the product!
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I Brush My Poodle Every Day?
This depends on your Poodle and its coat type. Curly-haired Poodles need to be brushed several times a week minimum, while wavy-haired Poodles need to be brushed every day or every other day.
Straight-haired Poodles can be brushed once or twice a week.
You’ll be able to learn all about your Poodle from trial and error, so you’ll know whether brushing them every day is best or not.
You might find that once you get into a routine with a great Poodle brush, you’ll need to brush them less often. This is because tangles and mats won’t appear overnight.
Should I Shave My Poodle?
Some owners find it easier to shave their Poodles to avoid having to brush them every day. This is a fine idea if you don’t have time to keep up with their grooming requirements, but it isn’t essential.
If you have the time to brush your Poodle enough, you can keep their coat lovely and long. Just watch out for any mats that may occur.
If you want to know on how to deal with matted dog hair on your Doodle, then check out our ultimate guide.
Sometimes, when mats get too bad, the only option is to shave your dog.
This relieves them of the pressure and pain of the matted hair and makes it easier to keep on top of their grooming requirements so that it doesn’t get so bad again.