Poodles come across as a puffy ball of fur and grooming them can seem daunting at first. But, with the right tools and skill, it is an easy process for both you and the dog. Keeping that lush and curly coat free of tangles and knots can be challenging but with the best brush for Poodles, you can maintain its beauty in just a short time. However, you need to understand how often you need to groom your poodle.
Understanding Poodles Hair
Poodles are as close to a non-shedding and hypoallergenic breed as any dog gets. They are the type of dog everyone wants with the mix of their vibrant personality and beautiful coat. But why doesn’t everyone want a poodle? Because they have a high-maintenance coat.
Poodle hair is grooming-intensive even if you do not want elaborate styles. The curly fur needs constant brushing, clipping and trimming to keep the coat uniform and beautiful. And, this goes as far as taking care of coat in other ways to prevent skin infections; common with fluffy coats.
How Often Should You Groom Your Poodle?
There is no specific timeline for grooming your poodle; however, it needs to be done regularly as a little neglect can tangle the hair, making it difficult to groom. Poodle fur is like hair and softer than most dogs’ fur. It grows continually hence the need to groom it regularly.
Puppies have very soft hair that grows in a wavy pattern instead of the curly pattern seen in adult poodles. The hair transitions from puppy hair to poodle hair between 9 to 18 months of age. But, some poodles do not grow into their full coat until they are three years old.
Poodles shed, but, the curly hair traps the shed strands, so it does not fall out like most other dogs. An adult poodle has a thick, dense, coarse and single-layer coat that if not groomed regularly tangles and forms mats.
On this note, poodles need professional grooming every 3 to 6 weeks. That way, they get a professional trim while evening out the coat. Visiting a professional groomer can come across as expensive but is necessary with poodles. If you let the coat grow out, you increase the chances of the coat forming tangles and mats; even if you brush the hair regularly.
Grooming at home is not much of a challenge is you have the right tools. The most important one is a poodle slicker or bristle brush. The right brush needs to reach the coat from the base and lift through to the top to remove tangles. For this, you need a bristle brush. A slicker brush comes in handy to even out the coat and remove any shed hair from the coat.
How Often Should You Wash Your Poodle?
Poodles require more frequent bathing than most dogs because the curly coat can trap dirt easily. It is advisable to bath your poodle once a month. If you visit a professional groomer every few weeks, you should bath it after the visit that is if bathing is not done at the groomers.
Poodles require special bathing shampoo and conditioner since they are prone to various skin problems. The breed is highly sensitive to environmental allergens such as pollen, dust and mold. It is also sensitive to food allergies that can cause recurrent skin problems in addition to other health conditions.
On this note, you need to ensure the shampoo is hypoallergenic, moisturizing and soap-free. Also, the shampoo needs to be ph-balanced and possibly made from all-natural ingredients. Because you will be bathing your poodle every three to six weeks, you might need a deodorizing shampoo to use in between baths.
After using the shampoo, you need a conditioner for the coat. It is generally easy to brush after bathing, but a conditioner helps to even out the hair while moisturizing the coat. Most shampoos can be drying hence the need to use a moisturizing conditioner.
Summary
Poodles can be a little high-maintenance with the regular need to groom the coat and the entire body in general. You can schedule professional grooming every 3 to 6 weeks to maintain a healthy and lustrous coat. Daily brushing, trimming, and occasional baths are sufficient grooming practices for poodles.
