Poodle 101 - 4 Maintenance Must Haves

 I can't sing. I have no sense of direction. There isn't an indoor plant (fomerly...!) alive that I can't kill. But one thing I CAN do is grow coat on a Poodle.
What I love about the K9 Competition range is that it gives you more hair (length AND volume), better quality hair - with less work. The best coats are healthy coats. And healthy coats grow from healthy skin. The Aloe Vera, D-Panthenol & Wheat Protein in K9 Competition - nourishing, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, repairing, strengthening - promote calm, moisturized skin and strong, resilient, gleaming hair. Long-lasting optimized moisture balance means coats stay tangle-free for longer - which means less breakage & hair-loss, with less coat maintenance. More hair, less work. Sounds good...? Read on!

1.K9 Competition Aloe Vera Shampoo

Okay. So my eye will start to twitch whenever anyone says they're going to get the dog ready the night before the show. Because it takes weeks, months & even years of consistent care to have ANY dog in peak condition (yes - even smooth coated dogs!) With a Poodle, maintenance bathing is critical. Clean skin is healthy skin. Clean, moisturized hair doesn't tangle or matt. Clean, neat dogs are comfortable dogs & don't scratch or rub. This shampoo gets the dog clean, leaving the skin calm & moisturized, & the coat nourished right to the ends, without softening the coat. Super-economical, it dilutes up to 1:20 in a squeeze bottle or I use 2 tablespoons in a full hydrobath tank. Always bath one day too early, rather than one day too late...! That way you'll never have to deal with Bad Things...I do adults in full coat every 7 days, and puppies going through coat change hell every 3 days (& if that sounds very time consuming, I've never had to punish myself with the agonizing process of dematting a dog. Just sayin'...) 

2. K9 Competition Aloe Vera Conditioner

Okay. Chemistry was never my strong point, however I do understand that shampoo should always be followed by conditioner (yes. Even for smooth coats.) Shampoo is designed to open the hair cuticle to effectively clean it. Conditioner is designed to close & seal it. Closing the cuticle is important, as it helps the coat maintain moisture balance & protects it from dryness. Dry coats are more prone to damage, in terms of matting & breakage, and the unsightly sun-bleaching of colour (yes. Smooth coats too!) K9 Competition Aloe Vera Conditioner dilutes up to 1:40. For a Poodle, I dilute between 1;15 & 1:20 in a squeeze bottle. Massage through the coat & leave for a few minutes before rinsing lightly. The added bonus of effectively sealing the cuticle? Coats dry faster! The hair simply can't hold water - I find it reduces my drying time by an hour. And the brush glides through the hair with no effort at all - which means less time, less work & minimal hair loss. Winning!

3.K9 Competition Nanomist

Nanomist is the most amazing grooming spray. It cuts static & adds moisture, but never leaves the coat feeling heavy, oily, sticky or stinky. Just beautiful, shiny, healthy hair. I mist it over topknot/mane/ears when banding & wrapping. I'll also use it mid-week if any wraps need to be rebanded due to Poodle Shenanigans (!)... or spritz over the ends if the coat is feeling a bit dry. It has a fresh, light, modern smell that makes it really pleasant to use.

4. Dematter Instant Conditioner

So... let's talk about Bad Things. They still happen - even to the most diligent groomers. The most important thing is to always remove Little Bad Things before the turn into Big Bad Things. And to remove them without removing a whole lot of hair! Start at the outside (never at the skin!) & carefully pick it apart, one hair at a time working your way inwards towards the skin. I use either my fingers or a wide tooth Collie comb. I love Dematter because it makes Bad Things disappear with minimal time, effort & hair loss. I find I get 'cobwebbing' around bands - especially when the hair is thick, long & heavy. Spray with Dematter & very gently massage... and the hair will separate  so it can easily be picked apart without losing coat.

Every Maintenance Must Have available in 250/300ml, 2.7l & 5.7l bottles at   nineofhearts.com.au