Why You Should Brush and Comb Your Dog Before Bath Time (Especially Oodles)

The reason you should always brush and comb your dog before washing?

We asked our friends at g'oodles to share one of their best grooming tips, and it's a hill their founder Pri will die on: brush before you wash.

If you have a curly, fluffy or long-haired oodle, there's one grooming step you shouldn't skip before bath time: brushing and combing.

It might seem easier to wash your oodle first and deal with any tangles afterwards, but wetting a tangled coat can actually make those knots tighter and harder to remove. 

For oodles prone to matting, the best grooming routine starts before the water comes out.

Why brush before a bath?

When hair gets wet, existing tangles can tighten and the coat can clump together. Shampooing and rubbing the coat can then work those tangles further into the hair.

This is particularly important for our oodle friends, where loose hair can become trapped within the coat and gradually develop into mats.

The 3 steps to take before bath time

1. Start with a detangling spray

A good detangling spray can help make brushing easier by adding slip to the coat.

Pay particular attention to areas that commonly tangle, such as behind the ears, around the legs, under the armpits and around the collar.

Work in small sections rather than trying to brush through the entire coat at once.

2. Brush thoroughly

Next, use a slicker brush to work through the coat and remove loose hair and smaller tangles.

For curly or longer coats, line brushing is a must. Rather than simply brushing the surface, separate the coat into small sections and brush from the roots through to the ends.

3. Check with a comb

Here's the step that's often missed.

Just because a slicker brush has gone through the coat doesn't necessarily mean every tangle is gone.

Follow your brush with a grooming comb. If the comb glides easily from the roots through to the ends, you're ready for the bath.

If it catches, go back to your brush and work through that section again.

A simple routine to remember is: SPRAY → BRUSH → COMB → BATH

Taking a few extra minutes to brush and comb before washing can make bath time easier, help prevent tangles from becoming mats and keep your oodle's coat more manageable between professional grooms.

For curly-coated and long-haired oodles, it's one of the simplest grooming habits you can build into your routine. Oodles thrive on routine, and so do their coats.

Big thanks to Pri and the team at g'oodles for sharing their expertise with the oodlehood community!