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When it comes to our pets, grooming is right up there as being one of the most important things we can do to care for them. Small or large, old or young, single coated or double-coated – it doesn’t matter what shape and size your own furry friend is. Regular grooming is vital for every dog.
And for those Cavoodle owners and lovers out there, you might be wondering about the best grooming tools to use for this stunning mixed breed. Well, wonder no more. Because today we’re going to give you a helping hand in answering the question: What is the best brush for Cavoodles?
Understanding a Cavoodle’s Coat
In a recent article, we asked the question, ‘Do Cavoodles Shed?‘ We learned that many different variables will determine your Cavoodle’s coat as we explored that particular subject.
Because Cavoodles are the product of breeding a King Charles Cavalier and a Poodle, it stands to reason that their coat could be genetically determined by either one of their parent breeds.
If your Cavoodle’s coat is influenced by its Poodle parent, it will likely be:
- Shorter-haired
- Curlier
- Thicker and more dense
- Double-coated with a warm winter undercoat
If your Cavoodle’s coat is influenced by its King Charles Cavalier parent, however, its coat will more likely be:
- Longer-haired
- Wavier
- Smooth and silky
- Single-coated
Irrespective of which coat your Cavoodle has, there’s good news all around. Because whether it’s by its Poodle or King Charles parent, either way, you can be safe in the knowledge that your Cavoodle will be a pretty low shedding dog, which makes it an excellent option for any allergy sufferers out there.
As for the color of your Cavoodle’s coat, there’s also much room for variation there too. For starters, your Cavoodle could have a solid color coat. If that’s the case, your Cavoodle could be a range of different colors, including:
- Black
- Chestnut
- Chocolate
- Gold
- Latte
- Red
- Ruby
- White
If your Cavoodle has a bi-color coat, however, then it could be:
- Black and Tan
- Black and White
- Chestnut and White
And last but not least, if your Cavoodle sports a rarer tri-color coat, then it’s highly likely its color will be blenheim – or black, chestnut and white in Plain English!
Best Brush for Cavoodles
Best Slicker Brush for Cavoodles
Hertzko Self-Cleaning Dog Slicker Brush
Available in either small or regular to suit your dog breed, the Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush is an excellent choice for your dog’s everyday grooming. Also ideal for tackling knots and tangles in your dog’s coat, it’s a must-have item for your Cavoodle’s grooming kit.
Best Dematting Brush for Cavoodles
Hertzko Self-Cleaning Dog Deshedding Tool
If shedding is an issue, this is the tool for you because the Hertzko Self-Cleaning Deshedding Tool will help reduce your pooch’s shedding by up to 95%!
Best Comb Brush for Cavoodles
Andis Steel Pet Comb
Available in sizes 7.5 and 10 inches, Andis Steel Pet Comb is an essential item for your Cavoodle grooming kit. This is an excellent tool for use as part of a weekly grooming routine, from tackling matts and tangles to producing that smooth, silky finished, and styled look.
Best Bristle Brush for Cavoodles
FURminator Dual Dog Brush
This two-sided brush, featuring both a pin and bristle option, the FURminator Dual Dog Brush, is an excellent option for your daily dog grooming needs.
How do you Brush a Cavoodle?
To answer this question, let’s break it down into three different questions.
Question 1: How often should you brush a Cavoodle?
If your Cavoodle’s coat is dominated by its Poodle parent, then you’re strongly advised to brush your pooch every day if possible.
That’s because curly hair is extremely susceptible to developing knots, matts, and tangles. And the only way to prevent that dreaded matted hair is by giving your Cavoodle a regular grooming session.
But what if your Cavoodle has the Cavalier King Charles influenced coat?
If that is the case, then you’re in luck – because your Cavoodle’s brushing routine won’t need to be quite as frequent.
You see, the King Charles dominant coat not only has long hair by comparison, but it’s also only single-coated. That means it’s lighter, silkier, smoother, and much less likely to develop matts, knots, and tangles.
To help maintain a healthy and well-conditioned coat that’s rich in those all-important natural oils, we’d recommend that you brush your Cavoodle once or twice a week. But if you do want to increase the frequency of your brushing routine, then go ahead – it certainly won’t hurt!
Question 2: How do you groom a Cavoodle at home?
Grooming is a pretty broad term. So firstly, let’s clarify exactly what we mean.
There are a few different elements that make up your dog’s grooming regime, including:
- Brushing
- Bathing
- Trimming
Let’s break each of those down and look at home you can groom your Cavoodle at home.
Brushing
Brushing is vital. Fact. Irrespective of what breed of dog you own, you must brush your dog.
Neglecting this vital part of your dog’s grooming routine can lead to all sorts of problems and health issues occurring in your dog over time.
Follow the advice provided above and make sure you keep your dog’s coat in tip-top health and condition.
Bathing
When it comes to bathing, you should aim to give your Cavoodle a good dip in the tub approximately every four to six weeks. If your Cavoodle likes to roll around in the mud and dirt when it’s out and about, you might need to bathe your pup a little more often to make sure its coat stays nice and clean.
Follow these steps when bathing your Cavoodle for best results every time:
1. Brush your dog
Try to remove any visible matts, knots, or tangles before bathing. If there are any stubborn knots you can’t remove with a brush, trim them off with a good pair of scissors.
2. Wet your dog’s coat
Using slightly warmed water, thoroughly wet your dog’s coat down to its skin. Ensure your dog’s coat is wet from its neck and chest area and down its back, sides, tail, and legs. Try not to wet your dog’s head as you do this.
3. Clean your dog’s head
Using a clean, dampened washcloth, carefully and gently wipe your dog’s head. Take care while avoiding their eyes, mouth, and ears – as they are all sensitive areas.
4. Apply dog shampoo
Once your dog’s body is nice and wet, apply the directed amount of your chosen dog shampoo to your dog’s chest and work outwards from there until your dog’s coat is well-lathered. Make sure you give your dog a good massage and get right into its undercoat if it has one.
If you’re looking for advice on which shampoo is the best to use on your Cavoodle, then keep have a read here on the best shampoos for Cavoodles.
5. Rinse your dog
Now it’s time to rinse out those suds! Using clean, slightly warm water, thoroughly rinse your dog’s hair using your hands to make sure it’s completely shampoo free.
6. Apply conditioner (optional)
If you want your dog’s coat to be super soft and conditioned, go ahead and apply your chosen conditioner. Follow the same steps as you did for applying shampoo and rinse thoroughly afterward.
7. Dry your dog off
If you can keep your dog still for long enough, we’d strongly advise towel drying your dog. Using a clean, absorbent towel, go ahead and give your dog a good old rub from head to toe. And remember, your dog will most likely want to help you out with the drying process by shaking off much of the excess water instinctively. Note: you might also need to dry yourself off if this does happen!
Trimming
How often you trim your dog really depends on its breed. And that’s the same for your Cavoodle.
If your Cavoodle’s coat is curlier and more Poodle-like, you’re going to need to trim its coat more often to keep on top of knots, matts, and tangles.
And that’s definitely going to be the case if your Cavoodle likes to get down and dirty when it’s exercising and playing outdoors!
Some dog owners simply don’t feel comfortable or confident trimming their dog’s coat at home. If you don’t feel confident doing it yourself, then go ahead and book your Cavoodle in for a clip and trim with a professional dog groomer every four to six weeks.
Suppose you do want to try trimming for yourself. In that case, it’s always worth speaking to a professional dog groomer in advance of your first attempt to get some good tips and advice on how to deal with your dog’s specific coat.
Once you’ve done that, here are a few other simple trimming steps that you can follow:
1. Always use blunt-nosed trimming scissors
Safety is the most important factor to consider when trimming your Cavoodle’s coat, so always use a pair of blunt-nosed scissors for the job.
2. Focus on tackling knots, matts, and tangles
Have a good look at your dog’s entire coat to identify any culprits that will need to be trimmed with a pair of blunt-nosed scissors. Take hold of the knot or tangle with one hand and trim around it with your scissors until it’s released from your dog’s hair.
3. Remove any stubborn dirt or debris
If you find a foreign object or nasty such as burrs or grass seed in your dog’s hair, carefully trim it out, just as you would with a knot or tangle.
4. Trim excess hair around the eyes and lower jaw
If your dog’s hair is getting in its eyes or growing excessively around its mouth and lips, carefully trim it.
5. Trim excess hair around your dog’s private parts
Although dogs are very clean and hygienic animals, they cannot always prevent feces from getting stuck or matted in the fur around their anus. Focus on the hair growing in this area and give it a trim if needed.
Question 3: How do you get knots and matts out of a Cavoodle?
Whether you’re the proud owner of a Cavoodle or any other breed, it’s important that you introduce your dog to brushing as soon as you get them.
As you introduce your dog to brushing, start with little and often to get them used to it. Reward them with their favorite treats for good behavior and give them lots of love and praise when they respond well to being brushed.
When it comes to brushing your Cavoodle, there are a few tools you’re going to need at your disposal. They are:
- De-tangling or conditioning spray
- A slicker brush (for general brushing of the body and legs)
- A medium toothed metal comb (for a final finishing brush to give that smooth, silky look)
- A de-matting tool (to deal with those stubborn matted areas)
Now let’s look at how to tackle knots and tangles.
If you hit a knot in the process of brushing your Cavoodle, the best tool to deal with it is a slicker brush.
Take your slicker brush and gently but firmly run the slicker brush over the knot (in the same direction of your dog’s hair growth) until the knot is removed and the hair in the area is smooth.
If you find a matted area on your dog’s coat while brushing, your best weapon is going to be a de-matting tool. Use one hand to gently press against the matted area. Using the other hand, brush gently in the direction of your dog’s hair growth over the matted area.
Carefully work through the knot to slowly tease it out. This may cause a little discomfort for your dog, or it might cause them to wriggle a little.
Persevere very gently until the matted area is smooth and soft, always being sure not to catch your dog’s skin with the teeth of the de-matting tool.
How do you Clean Cavoodle Eyes?
The vast majority of dog breeds get eye gunk or tear stains in and around their eyes.
This is a completely natural eye discharge that’s sometimes clear and sometimes more cloudy or pus-like.
If your dog’s eye discharge isn’t clear and watery, it may be the sign of an underlying health issue such as conjunctivitis or epiphora.
If this is the case, speak to your dog’s vet, who will advise you on treating it. They may prescribe an eyewash to help tackle the issue.
If your Cavoodle’s eye discharge looks clear and healthy, however, then there are some simple ways to clean your dog’s eye area as part of its regular grooming schedule.
One good option is to take a cotton ball or pad and wet it with lukewarm water. Squeeze out any excess moisture and carefully wipe around the eye area. If you spot tear stains from the discharge, keep wiping with the cotton pad until it’s clean.
Alternatively, you can purchase a tear stain remover that’s designed specifically for the job.
Another option is to get yourself a tear stain remover comb. This may sound a little odd, but this is actually an excellent tool for doing the job. Use it to clean around your pooch’s eye area and keep it nice and healthy.
And if you really want to be proactive in keeping your Cavoodle’s eyes in the very best of health, you could always buy a dog eyewash. This will help to keep your Cavoodle’s eyes moist at all times.
The only thing you shouldn’t do when it comes to cleaning your Cavoodle’s eyes is to use your fingers. Not only are your dog’s eyes extremely sensitive – but our hands also have bacteria on them that could cause more harm than good to your pet.
So, if you don’t want to buy a specific product to clean your dog’s eyes, just use a dampened, clean cotton pad, and that will do the trick.
So, what’s the best brush for Cavoodles?
And the winner is Andis Steel Pet Comb. As well as featuring two different sized comb teeth, this is a really sturdy, multi-functional grooming tool that should absolutely form part of your Cavoodle grooming kit – and it’s super cheap!
If you’re a Cavoodle owner and want to know more about the best food to feed your Cavoodle, click here to find out how much you should be feeding your Cavoodle!
About the Author
Hey there! I'm Jeremy and I’m the brains behind Pet Care Project, a website chock-full of pet-care know-how. I've got the experience and knowledge to help you keep your furry friends happy and healthy. And let's not forget about my own little fluffball, Lunar, my Ragdoll cat who keeps me on my toes.
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