Best Brushes for Poodles: Our 2021 Brush Guide
The Poodle is one of the older dog breeds, with ancestors dating back at least to the 17th century. Although Poodles are undeniably pretty, many people don’t know they were actually originally used as working retriever dogs.
These days, though, most proud Poodle owners will agree that the coat is the single distinctive feature of these dogs (1). A poodle’s coat doesn’t stay beautiful and shiny by itself, though, and proper care is definitely necessary.
To start your grooming routine with your Poodle, you definitely need a good brush, to begin with. This is why today’s guide is dedicated to finding the absolute best brush for poodles available.
Dr. Sara Redding Ochoa | Doctor Of Veterinary Medicine
Sara is Wileypup’s Veterinarian Adviser and helped compose this article to ensure the information is up to date and accurate. For more information on Sara click here
Poodle Brushes - The Overview
IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | FURminator Firm Slicker Brush For Dogs | ||
 | Safari Dematting Dog Comb | ||
 | JW Pet Gripsoft Slicker Brush Soft Pin | ||
 | Hertzko Self-Cleaning Dog & Cat Slicker Brush | ||
 | Hartz Groomer's Best Slicker Brush for Dogs and Cats | ||
 | FURminator Dual Dog Brush |
What Is the Best Brush for Poodle Hair?
Grooming the long, curly hairs of a Poodle is a serious task. Probably all Poodle owners and professional groomers would agree. Poodles don’t really shed as much as some other breeds, but the issue is complicated by the fact that their curly hairs don’t really fall out after shedding. They get tangled up in there and cause matting easily if you don’t brush your pet on a regular basis. This is why getting the right dog brush for Poodles is even more important than usual.
Now, besides regular brushing, your poodle will most likely need to get a haircut from time to time. While there are no rules set in stone, it’s common for poodles to get their coat trimmed at least once in six weeks (2). If you’d like to try doing your Poodle’s cut yourself, you can find the best dog clippers for poodles here.
In any case, regular brushing with the right brush is what will keep your pooch’s coat looking nice and shiny between cuts.
Especially for long-haired dogs that need regular haircuts — the more you brush, the more you can extend the time between grooms because mats are less likely to occur., says Alison Rutty in an interview for People magazine.
But what kind of brush is best for the Poodle’s unique coat? To be honest, you’ll probably need at least two tools - a brush and a dematting comb.
These are the three most common types of grooming tools for poodles:
Slicker Brushes
A good slicker brush is not easy to find, but once you do, your life with a Poodle will be much easier. These brushes have lots of thin metal bristles which is perfect for the Poodle’s curly coat. A slicker brush is most likely what you’re gonna be using the most for brushing your Poodle, so it’s a good idea to invest in a good one.
Poodle Combs
No matter how careful you are, sooner or later your Poodle’s hairs are going to get tangled and matted at least a bit. In these cases, a dematting comb is what can save you. These combs have long metal teeth that allow you to rake through those knots.
Pin Brushes
Pin brushes are those that look a lot like the brushes we use for human hair. They have pins on the ends of the bristles which gives them an extra soft touch. A pin brush will not detangle mats and knots, though. Trying to do so would only result in painful pulling. Instead, this type of brush is great for finishing touches.
On a final note, there are a few more types of dog brushes available on the market, but they are not really what you need for a Poodle. Deshedding tools like the FURminator, for example, are popular for double-coated breeds like Australian Shepherds and Huskies. They really do work great for these breeds, but deshedding tools with blades are a no-no for Poodles.
Best Brushes for Poodles Reviewed
In this section, we’ll review 6 of the best dog brushes for Poodles available. They all have different features, but you should be able to assemble your perfect Poodle grooming arsenal with one or a couple of those.
#1: Overall Best Poodle Brush: FURminator Firm Slicker Brush For Dogs
As a proud Poodle parent, you know how much work dematting is. And no matter how often you think you brush your pooch, somehow you still have plenty of work with the brush. FURminator Firm Slicker Brush is one of the best dog brushes for Poodles on the market. It’s
perfect for dematting without pulling on your furry friend’s curls.
This brush features bent bristles on one side, which are helpful in detangling persistent knots. On the other side, it features straight bristles for the finishing touch. The brush works wonders for playful pups who always have leaves and dirt stuck in their fur.
Moreover, the main part of the brush is flexible and follows the shape of your dog’s body, so you can get into those hard-to-reach places like armpits and brush out any knots. The handle is ergonomic and sits comfortably in hand, which is also important, as no one likes hand blisters after an hour of dematting.
According to the manufacturer, the plastic this brush is made of is antimicrobial (meaning it inhibits the growth of germs). Once you’re done with brushing, it’s enough to simply clean the brush with water and mild soap. After it’s dry, put a protective storage cover over the brush until next use.
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#2: Best Comb for Poodles: Safari Dematting Dog Comb
Every pup is beautiful, and we all want our furry friends to look their best. Matted fur is unattractive, but it’s also unhealthy. The dirt can get stuck inside, and it can start smelling, but what’s worse, it might cause a skin infection. Safari Dematting Dog Comb is perfect for dealing gently with all those tangles and knots of your curly pooch.
This comb from Safari has long serrated blades that are made out of stainless steel. They are sharp and easily cut the most stubborn mats without pulling your pooch’s fur. The other side of the blades is round, which makes the comb gentle to touch, so no need to worry about accidentally hurting your Fido while combing. Safari cares about their furry customers’ comfort, and they claim the blades massage the coat and increase blood circulation with every stroke.
The handle is made out of anti-slip rubber which is comfortable to use and prevents possible wrist strain. The comb also has a thumb rest that goes over the blades, which gives you more precision. But, no need to worry if you’re a lefty! The comb has reversible blades for right or left-handed use.
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#3: Best Slicker Brush for Poodles: JW Pet Gripsoft Slicker Brush Soft Pin
The packaging of this brush features a photo of a Poodle, so it’s clear the product is aimed at our furry friends with a curly coat. And JW Pet did a pretty good job when making this tool.
This brush is a soft pin version of their slicker brush, which is specially made for pooches with sensitive skin. The head is round and it features metal teeth that come in two different lengths which lift hair that’s shedding and loosens some light mats. Teeth are angled at 90 degrees, in order to avoid scratching the skin and make brushing a more pleasant experience for your furry buddy. A large number of satisfied customers say that, above all, this is one soft brush.
Since brushing a Poodle can take a long time, it’s important you’re enjoying it too. The brush has a rubber-covered, no-slip handle that gives you good control while also making it comfortable for holding it for a longer period.
Since it’s a one-side brush, it would be great if it also had retractable bristles for easier cleaning. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with this product. However, you can still easily clean the hair on the brush with a pair of tweezers.
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#4: Easiest to Clean: Hertzko Self-Cleaning Dog & Cat Slicker Brush
This slicker brush from Hertzko is great for dealing with stubborn tangles and mats without irritating the skin. The stainless steel bristles are slightly curved, which allows the brush to deeply penetrate the fur, while also massaging the skin to improve blood circulation. This will leave your Poodle’s hair smooth and shiny and their skin healthy. However, while the brush is great for penetrating the fur of a long-haired Poodle, you need to be cautious if your pooch is recently groomed since the bristles may be a bit scratchy on her skin.
The brush looks quite sturdy, and the ergonomic handle is comfortable and durable, great for long brushing. This Hertzko model also comes with a retraction button, which makes cleaning a piece of cake! Push the button, the bristles come in, and hair comes out, it’s that simple.
This slicker brush comes in two sizes, regular and small. The regular size is actually quite big, and it’s perfect for a standard Poodle. But, if you own a miniature Poodle or your pooch is just a pup, you would need to get a small size to get around all the hard-to-reach spots.
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#5: Best Brush for Toy Poodle: Hartz Groomer's Best Slicker Brush for Dogs and Cats
In the manufacturer’s words, this is the most fundamental everyday grooming tool - and we agree. This is a perfect product to grab after a walk and brush through your Poodle’s coat to remove loose hair and tangles. That being said, if your pooch gets matted a bit, you’ll most likely need another tool to deal with that.
The bristle tips have a protective coating, which makes brushing soft on your furry friend’s skin. The bristles are long and reach deep into the fur, grabbing loose hair while mildly detangling. This product is so gentle, your Poodle will look forward to his everyday brushing. The shape of the heat is oval, with somewhat sharper edges, which allows you to brush out even those places that are usually harder to reach, like underarms or feet.
The ergonomic handle on this brush is made out of rubber, and it claims it won’t tire your hand. However, it doesn’t look as comfortable as the handles on some other products on this list, but as long as you don’t spend an hour brushing your pooch, your hand will be fine.
This brush is on the smaller side, designed with tiny breeds in mind. It’s great for toy and miniature Poodle owners, while standard poodle parents will have more work with this tool. However, it’s super affordable which makes up for the size.
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#6: Best for Professional-like Coat Finish: FURminator Dual Dog Brush
Here’s another FURminator product that’s two-sided. One side features metal bristles with pins on top, which are great for dealing with knots, tangles and loose hair. Not only this, but they also gently massage your pooch’s skin while you’re brushing. The other side has soft bristles, and it’s perfect for smoothing the coat after you’re done with lengthy brushing. The head shape is designed to follow your Fido’s natural contours of body and head.
The great thing about this dual brush is that it works well on all coat types and lengths. Therefore, even if you have groomed your Poodle recently, and he doesn’t need detangling, there’s a soft, boar hair bristle side that will make his coat shiny.
The handle has an ergonomically shaped grip that gives you better brushing control. Also, dog parents say the rubber handle can withstand a bit of puppy chewing too!
Although this dual brush by FURminator is great, it’s not ideal. The thing customers mostly criticize is the size of the brush. It seems that manufacturers had small dogs in mind when creating this brush, which is a shame. This is not to say this brush doesn’t work well - brushing will just take a bit more time due to the small size.
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Best Poodle Grooming Brush: The Final Verdict
Grooming a Poodle requires a certain time investment, but with the right tools you can make the grooming sessions enjoyable both for you and your Pooch. For long-haired Poodles, we actually recommended getting two tools for brushing - a good brush and a comb. The Safari Dematting Dog Comb, for example, will let you deal easily with the stubborn knots, while FURminator Firm Slicker Brush For Dogs will allow you to really brush out the coat. If you use these two together, you’ll have everything covered!
FAQ
References
- Buechert, M. “The Poodle: One size of dog need not fit all”. Modern Dog. Retrieved May 18, 2021. https://moderndogmagazine.com/breeds/poodle
- De Cardenas, C. September 22, 2008. “Poodle”. PetMD. Retrieved May 17, 2021. https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/c_dg_poodle#
- Bender, K. March 20, 2021. “Expert Tips on How to Groom Your Pet at Home While You Are Social Distancing”. People. Retrieved May 18, 2021. https://people.com/pets/pet-grooming-at-home/
Vedrana Nikolić (B.A. in Cultural Anthropology) - Professional Writer.
Vedrana is a writer, anthropologist & dog lover. Currently pursuing a Masters degree in Semiotics studying, among other things, the communication between animals and humans.
For more info on Vedrana click here
