Poodles are delightful and intelligent dogs, but that thick hair poses many problems. Keeping your Poodle’s hair neat and tidy is very important to both their appearance and their health. In an attempt to help the struggling owner, we will take a look at some of the best brushes available and determine which is the best.
Quick Picks: The 5 Top-Rated Poodle Brushes
Last update on 2024-04-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
In a hurry? Check our best pick above, or keep reading for product reviews and buying guide!
5 Reviews of the Best Poodle Brushes
Obviously, it is not possible to make a comparison of every dog brush on the market. Instead of attempting to do that, we have chosen five standout products. From these, we will try to choose the best brush for poodle owners.
LilPals Slicker Brush
This is a small and light-duty brush that is meant for small breeds. As such, it would be completely insufficient for a full-size Poodle. That being said, it may be just the thing for Toy Poodle owners.
The pins are very small and thin, and they are set in a flexible base. This means that they are very unlikely to harm your Poodle’s sensitive skin. The rubberized base does present some durability issues so I wouldn’t recommend this one for heavy-duty use. It should be combined with the use of a comb, even for the toy breed.
There are a few complaints that could be made about this product. One of them is that the brush head is not very wide. This isn’t a huge problem when you consider the fact that the product is intended only for puppies and toy breeds, but it could be slightly wider.
Pros:
- Compact and light
- Unlikely to damage a Poodle’s sensitive skin
- Comfortable handle
- Very inexpensive
Cons:
- Not very durable
- Insufficient for larger Poodles
- Brush head isn’t quite wide enough
Poodle Pet Double-Sided Pet Brush
This is a double-sided brush, and that alone is a significant mark in its favor. One side is a pin slicker brush very similar to our first choice. The other side is a soft-bristle brush that is meant to shine and smooth the top coat. You might think of it as a “finishing brush.”
The construction of this brush seems to be pretty solid, and the size is very comfortable at around 9 inches in length. A brush like this is great for pet owners who like to travel with their pets. One less tool to carry means more room in the suitcase.
These pins are quite long and should be able to brush deeply enough for a thick-haired dog like a Poodle. However, the pins are set in a flexible base for safety reasons. This model also stands out for its comfortable, ridged, and rubberized handle.
Pros:
- Dual-use
- Very good handle in terms of comfort and grip
- Unlikely to harm a Poodle’s sensitive skin
- Makes a great travel brush
Cons:
- Kind of bulky
- Pins don’t have rubber tips
- The finishing brush isn’t usually necessary
Poodle Pet Dematting Comb
This is the only comb on our list, and it is a serious comb indeed. The teeth are some of the longest that I have ever seen on a dog comb. The rubber handle is deeply ridged from one end to the other, making it very easy to maintain a firm grip. This is essential because you’re going to be tugging a little bit when you use this brush. This handle even has a raised spot to rest your thumb.
As you might guess by looking, this brush is intended for the serious tangles. You wouldn’t really need to use this brush all the time. If your dog stays indoors, your need for a comb like this would be even less. Still, there is no doubt that this is a very effective brush when you have some serious matting to deal with.
Pros:
- Very long teeth to penetrate thick layers of fur
- Excellent grip on the rubberized handle
- Rounded teeth for extra safety
- Able to remove knots and tangles with minimal pulling
Cons:
- Too large for toy breeds
- Could be dangerous if used improperly
PETPAWJOY Slicker Brush
This is another light-duty slicker brush. It would be good for use with a toy breed, though I wouldn’t recommend it for a full-size Poodle. This one features very thin teeth that are hooked in a distinctive way. This allows them to have more raking power with thinner teeth. This approach is also good for safety reasons.
One little complaint is that the brush head isn’t very wide, but it may be good enough for your uses. The handle is nice and long, giving excellent control.
Pros:
- Good for toy breeds
- Long handle
- Hooked pins for safety and efficiency
Cons:
- Brush head is not wide enough
- Pins might be too thin for some cases
GoPets Professional Slicker Brush
This one is a little more expensive than the other products on our list, but it does offer a unique feature. This is a self-cleaning brush, meaning that it removes the built-up hair with the press of a button. When you press the button, the teeth retract into the brush head, leaving the hair behind where it can be easily wiped away. I would recommend using this brush outside so that you can just wipe the hair away without care and keep going.
The handle is long and easy to grip, but it is a little too smooth. Another small problem is the fact that the teeth of the brush have no steel balls or rubber tips at the end. This means that you will have to be slightly more careful with this brush.
Pros:
- Self-cleaning mechanism
- Long handle
- Easy to operate
- Sturdy construction
Cons:
- Handle is too smooth
- Teeth are not padded
- Useless if the self-cleaning device malfunctions
Best Poodle Brushes – Buying Guide
The Special Qualities Of Poodle Hair
Poodle hair is very thick, and it tends to become bushy rather than long. The result is a huge puffball of hair that can look quite silly. Poodles that are not groomed can even grow hair so thick that it obstructs their vision. As such, Poodles require more regular brushing and trimming than other breeds of dog.
Related: Best Dog Grooming Scissors
Poodle hair is extremely thick and has a different consistency when compared to other dog hair. As if that weren’t enough, Poodle hair has an outer coat and an undercoat. This means that you have to take care when grooming them to brush and comb all the way down to the skin.
This creates another problem because Poodle skin is somewhat more sensitive than others. They have a higher incidence of skin maladies when compared to other breeds. This means that you need to be careful when brushing a Poodle so that you do not damage their skin in any way.
What To Look For In A Poodle Brush
You will need two different kinds of brushes for your Poodle. A long-toothed comb will be necessary to get those big tangles out of your pet’s hair. However, a comb pulls too much to be used on the dog’s entire body. That’s why you also need a slicker brush.
Look for sturdy construction, as this brush will need to deal with some of the thickest of dog hair. Make sure there are no rough spots or snag points where hair will be caught. If an otherwise good brush has this problem, you can use some fine-grade sandpaper to smooth the burr out.
Small combs just won’t do for this breed. An average-sized comb just won’t reach all the way through that thick mat of hair. You will need something a little larger. How much larger will depend on what kind of Poodle you have.
Some brushes are double-sided, and this is a good thing to look for if available. Remember; it’s only a good value if both sides of the brush are durable and useful. If you get a type that is high-quality, this can be a great tool for grooming on the go.
A comfortable grip is also something to consider. Comfort is always secondary to functionality, but Poodle owners are going to be spending a lot of time with a brush in their hand. As such, you should always try to find a brush that feels good in your hand.
How to Brush Poodle Hair
As with any tool, the skill of the user makes a big difference. This is even more important when grooming long-haired dogs because they are difficult cases.
When using a comb, you need to be careful not to pull the hair too much. You want the loose hairs to come out so that they don’t end up being shed all over your house, but healthy hair causes pain when pulled. If you really need to pull hard to deal with a large tangle, hold the dog’s hair at the base so that you aren’t pulling on their skin.
Slicker brushes require a rapid but gentle motion. As with a comb, you want to be gentle while still being vigorous enough to do the job. The key is finding the right level of force, and it may take a little bit of trial and error before you learn.
Possible Causes Of Hair Loss
If your dog is losing a lot of hair when you brush them, you may want to consider this as a sign of health issues. As mentioned before, Poodles have sensitive skin. Thus, there are many skin problems that can lead to localized hair loss.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the winner of our contest is the Poodle Pet de-matting comb. Although there are some excellent slicker brushes on this list, a comb of outstanding durability and quality is essential for any Poodle owner. This product delivers an excellent grip. It has the best handle out of all the products on our list. It’s also the only product that anyone can use.
These slicker brushes are great, but most of them are sized for either larger or smaller dogs. This can be a problem since Poodles come in both large and small varieties. The comb, however, can be useful for any Poodle owner. In terms of durability, this is probably the toughest product on our list. We hope that this article has been helpful to you and that you and your Poodle enjoy a long and happy friendship.