Home setup for standard poodle question

[keonhanh]

TL;DR - is the below list a good list of products to purchase? Or would you pick something else? For a black standard poodle, kept in puppy cut.

Hello! I've been lurking for a while, but this is my first post. I am getting my first standard poodle in August, at 12-weeks old. I have experience clipping animals (horses, cats, my husband), so have confidence that with a bit practice I'll be able to home groom just fine. I also am a dog trainer, and know how to properly desensitize dogs to new equipment to make grooming a positive experience.

After research, including reading a lot of threads on r/standardpoodle and r/doggrooming, I've complied the following list of what I intend to buy for my home setup.

I want to get good equipment from the start, and I'm willing to pay for it; I don't want to waste money on something I will want to upgrade later. That being said, I don't want to spend twice as much for a product that's only 1% better than another brand, if that makes sense. I know buying good products now will pay for itself over time.

As a military family I never know where in the world we will live, so I need to be able to do things myself.

I would appreciate feedback on my list, especially if I forgot something or you have an alternative suggestion!

List for black standard poodle, generally kept in a puppy clip:

• Flying pig HV 4.0 HP dryer ($172)
• Happy Hoodie ($16)
• Chris Christensen poodle buttercomb ($40)
• Chris Christensen Big G slicker brush ($64)
• Master Equipment adjustable height 42" table ($204)
• Master Equipment foldable grooming arm ($55)
• Andis Ultra Edge 2-speed clippers ($175) - for body
• Andis stainless steel comb set ($23)
• Domipet cordless clippers ($29) - for feet/sani
• Moontay 7-inch 4-piece scissor set ($40)
• Casfuy nail grinder ($30)
• 2-pack microfiber super absorbent towels ($17)
• Nature's Specialties Plum Silky shampoo ($21/16oz, 16:1 dilution)
• Nature's Specialties Sun Guard conditioner/finishing spray ($20/16oz, 64:1 dilution)
• Squeeze bottle and spray bottle for diluting ($10)
• Best Shot ear cleaner ($15/12oz)

Just under $900 for equipment, plus occasional ongoing cost for consumables (shampoo, etc.)

Anything you would upgrade/downgrade? Anything I forgot?

Thanks!

 

[bfg33]

@keonhanh I prefer Universal Slickers, greyhound comb & kobalt scissors. Double K forced air dryer is a must. Used Kelco Shampoo’s because the are all natural.
No need to buy 2 clippers just put a 40 on yours for beautiful feet.
Kelco makes a clipper that goes from corded to cordless.

 

[keonhanh]

@bfg33 I will look into the brand you mentioned. Thank you for your input!

 

[cathya]

@keonhanh Don’t forget extra blades for when the blades heat up. You will probably need a minimum of 3 for any given length and you will have to switch them about every 5 minutes when they are warm to the touch.

 

[keonhanh]

@cathya Thanks!

 

[jakelab]

@keonhanh I use the CC brushes in my work day and definitely think they're worth the extra $ for poodle-type coats. I also think cordless is a convenient addition if you plan on doing clean feet and face or any creative grooming.

You'll want ear powder if you want to pluck ear hair. Consult your vet.

 

[keonhanh]

@jakelab I'll be brushing the dog daily, so I'm leaning towards springing for the CC brushes. I've read a lot of horror stories on here about people not brushing their dogs, and I just don't understand why...

I used to spend about 20 minutes a day brushing my old mutt which had a labrador-type coat. She absolutely did NOT need that much brushing, but we both found it to be a relaxing activity that strengthened our bond.

As for the ear plucking, I am planning to see what kind of ear canals the dog has (open vs. tight), and check with my vet like you said. I will gently finger pull to remove dead hair when grooming, but if I can get away with not plucking them clean, I will. So, for now, I'm holding off on ordering ear powder and hemostats.

Thank you for your feedback on my list!

 

[freedom0401]

@keonhanh Diving into switching to grooming two adult mini golden doodles after our dog groomer has moved, this list is very thorough! Would love to hear your thoughts on what you ended up buying or further recommendations?

 

[annalee]

@keonhanh You don't super need the chris Christensen brushes. If you want em go for them, I've heard they are good. Otherwise a regular JW magic brush is a fraction of the cost, and the comb they sell is good too. I'm fine shaving paw pads with a 40 blade on my 2 speed, but if you prefer a cordless clipper then go for it. You got a nice dryer, the towels can be any cheap towels with that thing, especially if you can blow-dry in the tub.

I recommend The Stuff, it helps alot with matting and drying on doodles.

 

[annalee]

Walmart sells a dremel for $20ish that is good for filing nails. Additionally, I think you should spend a bit more money on your shears, $40 for a set makes me think you'll be getting cheap Japanese steel which will lose an edge quickly. If you aren't super familiar with scissoring techniques, thinners are always safest in terms of being able to recover a accidental mistake in a coat. I would maybe go for some small ball tip curves so you can round feet and ears, and a nice pair of thinners. ANDIS scissors are gross, but I also do 6-9 dogs a day and need some durable scissors.

 

[keonhanh]

@annalee I will look into the brushes you suggested. I'm planning to keep the coat pretty short, so I might be able to get by fine with the brushes you mentioned. Everyone on r/standardpoodle seems to love the Chris Christensen bushes, so that was what I went with, but I agree they're pricy.

Maybe I'm wrong on this, but wouldn't a cordless model with a smaller head be easier for feet? Especially on a young dog? Perhaps I'm overthinking this one though

I know I could go a bit cheaper on the Dremel, but this one has a built-in LED flashlight on it, which is find helpful. I used a similar one a decade ago on my retriever with black nails, and loved it!

What brand of scissors would you recommend? I'll only be doing one (maybe two in the future) dog a month, so they won't see as much wear and tear as a professional's set would, but I do want them to stay sharp. I plan on mostly clipping, but might do scissored ears and touch up on legs, so your curved + thinners sounds like the combo I need!

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate it!

 

[annalee]

@keonhanh The chris brushes are great, but if you're new to grooming I think making sure you're brushing properly and not forming bad habits is going to get you further than spending the extra $60ish. I have yet to buy the expensive brushes because I always end up having a dog chew on one a few months after I buy it. Depending on how the coat is now I might check out Line Brushing tutorials.

The cordless little guy can be helpful, but it's another item, more space, more maintenence. Using the edge of a 40 blade (which is smaller than other blades) or a 10 blade if its a wiggly puppy for safety would be my suggestion. Comes down to preference and budget so try both eventually. The more you swap tools the longer a groom takes and the more distracted the animal gets.

I have used an LED lit dremel and a regular dremel interchangeably for 3 years. I imagine that's preference too and doesn't super matter.

Doing a dog once a month, you should be fine using a Geib set. You can get them off Ryan's Pet and shouldn't need to sharpen them more than once every 300 or so grooms. Don't use them on wet or dirty coats and it can be even longer.

One last thing, pay attention to the temperature of your blade. Every minute or so just touch it to the back of your hand or another sensitive part like your inner forearm. Cool Care is pretty standard for keeping blades cool. Don't spray it anywhere you want to breath, it always makes me cough.

Another last thing, don't jump from part to part of the groom, start a leg and finish it before moving on to a different part. If you jump from leg to leg or back to chest you get a less cohesive and time efficient groom.

 

[keonhanh]

@annalee I'll start out with the one set of clippers (with the blades you mentioned) and see how it goes. I can always add in the trimmer later if I find it hard with the larger blade. As I've said, I've clipped cat (tiny) and horses (huge), but in between will be new to me!

I was looking at Geib scissors, but wasn't sure if they would be worth the money for use once a month. I definitely trust a professional's opinion more than Amazon reviews, and I know from sewing the difference between good and bad scissors, so I think I'll spring for nicer ones, like you suggested.

I will add the Cool Care spray to my list as well!

I appreciate your tips on line brushing and working methodically.

Thank you!

 

[annalee]

@keonhanh Not a problem! Hair grows back. Have fun!