Matted Spoodles

[Nadia]

Its not just the cross breeds that come in all matted to the skin

No it isn't, BUT, many of these crosses have shocking coats, combinations of texture, just plain awful.

Many of them also have owners who believe they have bought an easy care non shedding dog.

They buy cute fluffy puppies with very little thought as to what they will need to maintain them.

The Pet Shop bought pups I find are the worst here, they get no information on coat care.

I've had people stomp in with little fluffys that are astounded at how much coat they have, they were told the parents had shorter coats, Yep they did, clipped off coat

If they can't manage the coat at home, then the dog needs to be kept clipped short, and done regularly, not just when it has turned into a Yeti and no one can stand the sight of it..EASY...it isn't rocket science.

Long coated dogs require regular time and effort put into their coats, and it appears that so many owners simply do not understand how much, and yes we try and educate them. Some change their ways, many simply don't bother.

We had a peke come into work last week that had been straining all day to poo, owners raced in with it for the Vet to see.

It couldn't poo because it's bum was covered with matted hair and dried crap. It's little bum was raw and sore.

[Kirislin]

I used to share a house with a girl who had an enormous & magnificent tri colour rough collie. She used to spend about 5 minutes each evening giving her a quick brush. That's all it took & the dog had the most luxurious beautiful coat. We have a little sheltie who comes in each week for a hydrobath. I dont think she gets brushed during the week & we spend probably about 15 minutes brushing her. She looks lovely. I think if these dopes who buy coated breeds would just make it a habit of either brushing the dog themselves or taking it to someone who will do it for them at least on a weekly basis the poor dogs would be a lot happier. Of course I realise this will never happen but wouldn't it be nice if it did.

Linda

[Nadia]

Linda it would be wonderful...LOL

[Peachie]

Perhaps further to my other suggestion (which was made thinking that the op's client in question was a regular, not a new one)...

Why not (and i'm not saying i agree with pet shops selling dogs at all!!) make up a kind of 'fact sheet' about these types of coats and a description of how to really brush their dogs. The pet shops can hand these to people when they buy a dog. I wouldnt think this is actually supporting pet shops selling dogs, but it may sway some people from buying them if they read a sheet detailing what is actually involved in keeping their 'noodle' looking nice.

[Kirislin]

Perhaps further to my other suggestion (which was made thinking that the op's client in question was a regular, not a new one)...

Why not (and i'm not saying i agree with pet shops selling dogs at all!!) make up a kind of 'fact sheet' about these types of coats and a description of how to really brush their dogs. The pet shops can hand these to people when they buy a dog. I wouldnt think this is actually supporting pet shops selling dogs, but it may sway some people from buying them if they read a sheet detailing what is actually involved in keeping their 'noodle' looking nice.

I doubt that would happen for the very reason you mention, It might sway some people from buying them if they realised the work involved. Pet shops prey on impulse buyers. They breed cutsey little fluffy puppies to be just that, & the last thing they want is someone giving it some serious thought about what's involved because if they had any sense they wouldn't buy one.

I am generalising here but that's my theory.

Linda

[BT-Argo]

Hi All

I am wanting to get a poodle down the track and will obviously get as much advice from my breeder as possible.

If the dog stays indoors mostly and i brush him daily or everey second day with a slicker brush at nights when we are relaxing and wash him weekly isnt that enough?? until he is due for a visit to the groomer

I like the curly look on the coat last time i spoke to a breeder they said you can brush them then basically pat the hair down and it goes back to its natural curls...

Another question is how hard is to learn how to clip your own poodle on an all over even cut?... are there courses available cause i cant find any on the net?

Thanks

Curious

[stand. poodle fan]

Some of the self promoting designer kennels that we are all familiar with actually advise that their "oodles" only need clipping twice a year - its their miraculous "wavy coats" don't you know! grrr

[Veanna]

Hi Curious, I'm not a breeder but we do own a toy poodle. I brush her every day which doesn't take long at all because she is clipped short.

When it comes to bathing she probably gets bathed once a month or more regularly if she has been playing in the creek

I've just started clipping her myself in all over clip but I can't reccomend any course I'm sorry. My grandmother used to be a dog groomer so gave me a few lessons. Then I just studied up a bit with a book and lots of practice! I've done her last two or three clips and I'm only just getting the hang of making sure I don't clip too far up her face

It's very satisfying though seeing the end result, that is if you have done it right

Best of luck with your future poodle!

[Mum 2 Bailey n Chelsea]

Just for the record, I have two Spoodles.

Bailey being 18 months old gets groomed once a month, brushed everyday and washed once a week.

Chelsea being only 4 months still has a puppy coat but gets brushed everyday and washed once a week.

We are not all bad just because we own 'noodles'.......

I have seen many many 'pure' breed dogs in very bad condition.

Mel

[poodlefan]

Curious,

To groom a poodle (or any dog with that kind of coat), you need to slicker the coat to the skin and then use a wire comb to go over any longer hair (by longer I mean longer than a body clip) to remove any knots. Only use of a comb will tell you if your brushing has been effective.

The problem for many poodle cross owners is that the people who sell these dogs don't give any advice about how to groom them. "Only needs clipping every 8 weeks" doesn't tell you much about between visit maintenance. Dirty coat matts more easily so "only wash once a year" or similar rubbish doesn't help. Hell, I can see the matts on the dogs in the photos on one more prominent poodle cross breeder's website.

Learning to groom a poodle takes a bit of time, more in terms of how to get a good finish than the actual technique of using clippers and scissors. However, most breeders will show you how if you buy a pup from them and if you join a poodle club/group you'll be able to find people to help you.

The best guide to grooming is Shirley Kalstone's book - name escapes me right now but Dymock's sell it.

Grooming gear ain't cheap - a decent set of clippers, scissors and a dryer will set you back in excess of $1,000. Of course you can get some good bargains second hand.

[SkyesongTollrz]

I went out last week to a new customer who rang me to get their "Spoodle" washed. After I bathed the dog, I asked if she'd like me to ring her in a couple of weeks time make another appointment. She said "oh no, that won't be necessary, the breeder told us that spoodles only need to be bathed once a year."

[JulesP]

I gave up my grooming business as I was about ready to kill people. I used to show people how to brush their dogs too and it didn't do any good. One charming owner told me that 'she sold furniture and I groomed dogs'!!! I did her dogs fortnightly and they were always a total mess as they were maltese x and she wouldn't let me clip them and she wouldn't brush them inbetween.

The couple of spoodles I did were actually my favourites as they were lovely little dogs with caring owners.

The thing that bothered me about those really badly matted dogs was at least their owners cared enough to get them groomed but what about all those other doggies out there that the owners wouldn't even do that? shudder.

[Trisven13]

We have a wonderful local groomer who does all of our rescue dogs for free when they require grooming. Luckily we don't get too many coated breeds down here in Albury that need rescue, but of course there are always a few and the ones that need rescue are always the terribly matted ones that look so terrible no-one would adopt them.

Poor Kim is so patient with them because most of them have never experienced proper bathing, clipping and drying and are absolutely terrified. She has removed over 2kg of coat from an American Cocker - he seriously looked just like a Puli. The latest is little Tucker, a Maltese X. He had obviously never ever been bathed or groomed and was a growling nightmare. Kim took it slowly with him with her very patient OH standing next to him touching his face - Tucker wasn't half so scared when he had someone to touch his face . This little dog has obviously never been allowed inside as he refuses to walk in the door and just stands outsiding looking at you and wagging his tail - what idiot thought that a Maltese X should live outdoors???? No wonder his coat was in the condition it was. If only it was possible to prevent the sale of cute fluffy puppies !!!

[Ari]

My god...I feel like I wrote this thread!!

Why cant they listen when you tell them that washing a knotty coat will mat it up? I tell people each time and they seem to understand to brush more and wash less but then they come back felted again in 8 weeks and admit they washed the dog every week! I think I'm going to give up telling them!

And no....its not just spoodle owners but its the spoodles that have the worst coats and the owners that want them 3 inches long!

[Ceilidh]

And then there are the border collies that come in once a year for a #10 clip off and the poodles that live on a farm and come in maybe twice a year with all the burrs and grass seeds still intact And I could go on and on. I am also getting to the stage where I can't take much more. It is soooooo heartbreaking. I am sick of trying to see through the tears while trying to clip.

[shmoo]

i clipped off two maltese girls today. both as a #10 all over. managed to save the ears and tail. poor things were so cold.... you could see all their freckles on their little bodies.

[poocow]

I see so many dogs (especially oodles and malt x's) at my work that just come in to the kennel in a matted mess. It takes a good 30mins each dog to get all knots out so it at least looks presentable to go home. One owner was in complete denial that his dog was matted so bad, I couldn't get a brush through his fur poor guy. Hopefully he will take my advice and get it clipped and take better care of him. It amazes me how many people don't understand that you actually have to brush long haired dogs!!! My cocker gets brushed weekly (hes got a really short coat for a cocker though, illness as a pup) and so does my BC. I get my BC clipped in summer due to the heat, last summer I got rejected from so many groomers as they refused to do a BC. My cocker doesn't get clipped, hes got a short enough coat.

[Muttaburra]

My brother (who knows nothing about dogs) took on a couple of Shitzu x silkies. These dogs have the most adorable nature but the coat is hopeless.

One is particularly bad and mats very easily, while the other is a lot better but the fur on his belly is so fine, its like gossamer or sticky spider web and form lots of little mats all over. Sometimes his little penis sheath gets attached by snarled hair to his stomach.

When looking after my niece I did a session of grooming with them, the brushes they had were useless. I bought a brush that would work properly (for humans) but then she lost it. :D

Anyway, I go up there every 3 or 4 weeks and trim them right back, trimming back most of the fur below the knee and the feet (now its winter I only take off what drags on the ground and gets wet. They tell me they bathe them weekly, and things do seem to have improved since I started cutting the fur.

I can tell you some people have absolutley no idea and common sense just doesn't seem to come into it.

[Guest magnum]

Maybe the not so perfect breed :D

[Ari]

Now can we whinge about people who cancel their appointments 2 minutes before appointment time after they've made you get up early!!!! "it was too cold to get out of bed to ring earlier". Well how about ringing a few days in advance when you knew you couldn't come to the $&%^$ appointment!!!!