Best Brush for Poodles, Labradoodles, Goldendoodles, and Doodle Mixes

We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases. Read more about us.

I’m willing to bet ​you’ve had your fair share of trying to brush out the thick mats on your poodle.

Being a professional ​pet groomer, I often meet frustrated owners who continually brush their Poodle or Doodle-mix, only to have them full of mats again and eventually forced to have their ​pup shaved completely.

The key is having the right tools and technique so you can avoid mats, shave downs, or expensive grooms.

So here’s a few grooming shop secrets, my personal pick of tools, and some helpful tips to keep your ​Poodle/Doodle looking beautiful and tangle free.

​At a Glance: Best Brushes for Poodle and Poodle Mixes

Let’s Talk About Matting​

​When your Poodle first comes into my shop, before I begin anything I’ll sit down and​ ​run my fingers through ​a few particular spots on their coat (more on that in a second).

I’m inspecting to see how matted they are. ​Only then can we can discuss what our haircut options are.

Light matting can be brushed out with a little help from good shampoo treatments (which I’ll cover in a bit)

But, dog’s with heavy matting are a different story…

Checking for Matting

​Checking and treating matting is an essential part of poodle ownership. Here’s a few ways you can check.

• ​With longer hair, you should be able to easily separate hairs with your fingers.
• ​You should be able to separate ​coat hair on their body and see skin.
• Pay special attention to friction areas.

Friction Areas

Think of the areas that rub the most on your dog: between their legs, around their collar, under the ears, and around their butt.

Hairs continually rub into each other creating a breeding ground for tangles.

These areas being most prone to matting, and require the most attention when brushing.

​Pain Points

Dogs have a few ​particularly sensitive points on their body.

Brushing ​out thick tangles in these areas out would be incredibly uncomfortable.​

Therefore, if we groomers notice matting on these pain points, ​the only humane option is a ​shave down.

I know many owners hate having to do this (if they prefer longer coats), but as groomers and dog owners we have to think of their comfort​ first.

Look for matting in these sensitive areas

• Behind the ears
• Front of the legs
• Armpits
• Around the bum

​​The Dangers of Tangles

​Heavy matting that’s right down to the skin not only makes grooming difficult, it is extremely painful for your dog.

As time goes on tangles get tighter and tighter, pulling on the skin causing severe bruising and sometimes breaking the skin.

​The best way to treat matting is to stop it from ever happening.

​So in order to solve this dilemma, owners must not only ​comb out the surface hair, but get right down deep to find all those hidden tangles, ​before they turn into painful mats.

​Brushing & Bathing Your Poodle Like a Pro

​Those thick, beautiful curls need our daily attention or they’ll turn into a beautiful disaster.

We’ll make use of a slicker, a greyhound comb, and some ​easy grooming tricks to keep them tangle free.

​Before we begin: ​If your dog has some matting, try giving them a bath first. Use a fair amount of detangling pet conditioner and work it into the tangles. Let the conditioner work it’s magic for several minutes before rinsing and drying.

Remember: Severe matting cannot be brushed out. If you have stubborn tangles you may need to shave your dog down, or visit a professional for assistance.

• ​​U​sing a ​high quality slicker brush, begin to ​work through their entire coat.
• Always brush with the growth of hair (not against it).
• ​Be very gentle around sensitive areas such as the armpits, the front of their legs, or behind the ears.
• Pay attention to friction areas – these areas are often the most tangled.
• Do not go over the same spot more than 3 times (unless you have a slicker with bendable pins) – you’ll irritate their skin and cause brush burn.
• Slickers will remove most surface matting, but we need to remove deep tangles as well. Use a greyhound comb (or a soft long pinned comb) to ​search for hidden tangles near the surface of their skin.
• If you bathed them prior – use a dryer on cool (while gently combing) to blow out any remaining coat and dry before those curls contract and create more mats.

How Often Should You Brush Your Dog?

​Curly coated breeds should ideally be brushed ​out ​twice per week. 

Three times per week or more is recommended if they go on many outdoor adventures, or if they have a longer coat.

​Also, if your dog has gone for a swim or gets rained on, brush them when you get home to avoid matting.

How Often Should You Bathe the your Dog?

​Poodles and Doodle mixes are a unique case.

You don’t want to over-bathe them and cause distress to the skin. However, if their coat is left unkempt it could develop painful tangles (not to mention start to smell).

The ideal bathing schedule is once every 4 to 6 weeks. Using the right shampoo and treatments will keep their skin healthy and their coat tangle-free.

​​Important Note About​ Using Shampoo

Shampoo and conditioner makes a huge difference with matting, but on a few important conditions.

You absolutely must rinse off all the shampoo and conditioner when you’re done, and you must brush them out afterwards.

What tends to happen is soap or shampoos that do not get rinsed will clump at the hair roots, causing even more matting and a very difficult groom.

That being said, if rinsed out properly these products will certainly leave your canine’s coat feeling soft, and can make future grooming a whole lot easier.

​Wet Dogs = More Tangles

Going for a swim or a bath can actually wreak havoc on a curly coat that isn’t properly brushed afterwards.

Those tight curls will expand when exposed to water, and then tighten again when dried – leading to ​heavy-duty matting.

After a bath or swim towel dry your Doodle, and brush them out while they’re still a bit damp. When those curls tighten again they won’t interlink and cause impossible tangles.

​Picking The Right Tool

Brushing everyday (especially after playtime or bath time) is important, but having good tools will make all the difference.

If you’re still using that pin brush from the dollar store – you’re in for some long and difficult ​grooming sessions.

Slicker Brush is Still King

You’ll need a good slicker. ​

These are simply a brush that’s dense with very thin (but strong) bendable pins.

Hundreds of pins close together works at separating hairs, which demats your dog as ​you comb through their coat.

Bendable and Smooth Pins

Higher end slickers have very flexible and smooth pins.

​As you brush your dog the pins bend back, easing up on the applied pressure and stopping them from irritating your ​canine’s skin.

Avoid Knockoffs

There is no shortage of cheap imitations on the market.

I know it’s tempting to try a cheap version, but it’s better in the long run to get good tools.

Why? Because the pins on cheap brushes will be stiff and sharp which hurts your dog, the handle will break, and the bristles will wear out in no time.

Finishing With a Comb

Additionally, make sure you ​pup is 100% mat free with a simple and very cheap tool.

I highly recommend also getting a Greyhound Comb.

Gently glide through their coat to “seek and destroy” any of those hidden mats the slicker couldn’t quite reach.

Get Extra Help With Conditioner

Finally, you can use pet shampoos and conditioners formulated to remove matting and tangles, which is especially helpful with curly coated dogs.

If you’re looking to groom from home then go check out the best clippers for poodles and doodles.

​What Are The Best Brushes ​To Use?

I​ groom Doodles/Poodles of all shapes and sizes every single day, I’ve worked with everything from rescue dogs to show dogs. So here are my personal weapons of choice.

The #1 issue with nearly all the brushes on the market is brush burn.

While you ​work through their coat the sharp pins will irritate your dog’s sensitive skin. So you’ll need a properly engineered tool that is designed to make grooming comfortable.