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Poodle

Grooming Your Poodles

If you had to pick one breed where the coat is everything. It would have to be the poodle. Grooming the poodle has become the work of an artist in their own right. More than any other breed, most individuals involved in poodles have a real appreciation for 'what-it-takes' and certainly have to be dedicated to an intensive conditioning program if they are going to successfully compete in that ring. No matter how good the animal may be structurally it will be overshadowed by a badly groomed or conditioned poodle. The time spent between shows in conditioning properly will be rewarded on show day.

1) Conditioning Between Shows:
Although poodles are generally a single coated breed, one type of hair on the body, the coats come in several different types. They range from coarse and full to cottony, to silky and stringy with very little texture and body, with everything in between. Although certain types seem to be quite a bit of overlap. We will address the major categories mentioned above. Shampoo with #1 ALL SYSTEMS SUPER-CLEANING AND CONDITIONING SHAMPOO. This shampoo was designed for oily hair but it is also designed to remove only the excess oil and dirt not the natural oil. It is formulated at a neutral pH so it rinses completely and easily. This equates to a residue free coat and skin, safe for even the most sensitive of dogs skin and coat, safe enough to be used everyday. The shampoo should be diluted at a minimum of 1 part shampoo to 2 parts water. If you have soft water it may be diluted up to as much as 1 to 8. It is not meant to be a high sudser, more suds only means more detergent, not more clean.

This shampoo does not clean by detergent.
The shampoo should be mixed by tumbling the bottles, do not shake. Wet the dog completely with tepid water. Distribute the shampoo evenly over the coat, squeezing the shampoo through the coat to avoid tangling the hair. The washing process should be done like you were washing a fine garment. Rinse completely. If you are cleaning a white, cream, silver or black use as your second shampoo the #1 ALL SYSTEMS PROFESSIONAL FORMULA WHITENING SHAMPOO. It is safe for all colors. It does not contain peroxide or blueing. It cleans with some super cleansers and contains optical brighteners. Dilute 1 part shampoo to 5 parts water, more if your water is soft, for all over body use. Use full strength on areas which are subject to staining. The shampoo may be left on for a few minutes(3-5). Rinse thoroughly.

When using the Professional Formula Whitening Shampoo do one extra light shampooing with the Super-Cleaning Shampoo.

Always do at least 2 shampoos. The first one to remove the excess dirt and oil and the second to get the coat completely clean and oil free. This is especially important when you are preparing the dog for show.

Next use the # 1 ALL SYSTEMS LANOLIN STABILIZER AND COAT RETEXTURIZER. On the silky coats, 1 ounce to 31 ounces of water, on the heavy coats 2-3 ounces to 29-30 ounces of water. Tumble the bottle to mix and with an applicator type bottle distribute product evenly throughout coat. Leave on for 60-90 seconds; rinse completely, until water runs clear. Next run your hand over coat. If the coat feels waxy to the touch, do one more light shampoo with the Super-Cleaning Shampoo. The Stabilizer has lifted the excess oils & conditioner to the surface, that which has not been utilized by the skin and hair. In order to have a cosmetically perfect look to the coat, this is necessary to complete the job. Rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear and then one more time just to be sure. Holding The Coat Between Shows

1) Silky and stringy coats and single cottony coats:
The #1 ALL SYSTEMS HUMECTANT MOISTURIZING AND COMPLETE COSMETIC CONDITIONER was developed specifically to hold these coats between shows. It is light-weight and water soluble for easy mixing. It contains a high-tech emulsifier which allows it to saturate the coat evenly. This is especially important on the real cottony coats. It shampoos out easily, conditions, moisturizes and helps to keep the coat from matting. The amounts will vary by density of coat to be covered. The silky coats 2 caps from the 16oz, bottle in 32 ounces of warm water. The heavy cottony coats may require as much as 5-8 caps, diluted in 32 ounces of warm water.

With an applicatior type top bottle distribute the solution evenly throughout the coat. Be especially careful to hit the problem spots, namely areas that mat/tangle easily. Cover the coat completely. Squeeze out excess and brush/blow the coat dry using a warm dryer. Brush in the direction the coat grows. Back brushing is bad for the hair, it weakens the hair shaft making it more susceptible to breaking.

For the Heavy coarse coats, the best combination for holding and protecting the hair/coat is the Protein Lotion Conditioner and Pure Cosmetic Lanolin Plus combination mix as follows: 4-6 caps from the 16oz, bottle or 2-3 caps from the gallon size jug of the Protein Lotion Conditioner and 4-6 caps of the Pure Cosmetic Lanolin in a quart bottle. Keep in mind, the density of coat/hair, time which will transpire between grooming and overall condition of the coat in determining the actual amounts of lanolin to be used, increase as necessary. As the severity of climate increases increase the amounts.

Start at the low end and work up as necessary. Put the lanolin and conditioner in a quart bottle (liter) first, add hot water to } way. Replace top and shake vigorously to mix. Then fill bottle to top with warm water, replace cap again and shake. Solution should be used immediately. Apply with applicator type bottle for more even distribution. Be sure to give special attention to ends and problem areas.

Rinse, because lanolin is not water-soluble. The rinsing will not rinse it out but will merely assure a more even coverage on the hair. It also gives the conditioner a chance to work through the coat and do its detangling job. You will be able to feel the lanolin working it's way through the layers of hair, the hair will grab what it needs, the excess will be rinsed away, during the week you will notice that the lanolin is being absorbed into the hair and skin. This assures the maximum moisture balance is maintained for the ultimate hair growth. The lanolin not only coats the hair to help prevent matting and tangling but restores and maintains the natural moisture balance. It restores the elasticity to the hair and enhances the natural color. It acts as a natural repellent to fleas if used properly. The hair will be slightly slick, it will lay flatter than normal, and there will be separation. But it should not be excessively greasy and it should not come off on your hands and furniture. This is assuming you have used the proper amounts and have rinsed the coat/hair properly.

If these conditions occur, reduce the amounts you are using. As the condition of the coat improves the amounts of lanolin used can be decreased.

Squeeze out the excess and blow the coat/hair dry using the #1 ALL SYSTEMS ULTIMATE PIN BRUSH and #I ALL SYSTEMS SLICKER BRUSH. Start at the ends of the coat and work up to hair root. Whenever you hit a snarl/ tangle, stop and separate with your fingers carefully, then carefully work out the trouble area. Divide and conquer. When the pin brush goes through the coat root, brush the coat with the mat/tangle or the slicker simply lift it up and out of the coat with the pin brush, avoid this process until coat easily. Never go to the ends and always go past the ends of with the pin brush. Brush away from yourself so you even, firm but gentle, brush strokes. Use your arm wrist. This will save the brush, the hair and your and wrist.

2) Preparing the Hair/Coat For Show Day:
Wet the dog completely with warm water. Use #1 ALL SYSTEMS SUPER-CLEANING AND CONDITIONING SHAMPOO diluted a minimum 1 part shampoo to 2 parts water. Tumble the bottle gently to mix shampoo. Apply shampoo evenly over coat and work through coat gently with fingers and hands. Be careful not to tangle the coat. Squeeze the suds through the coat/hair like you were washing a fine garment. Rinse thoroughly. Next, if you are washing a white, cream, silver or black dog use the #1 ALL SYSTEMS PROFESSIONAL FORMULA WHITENING SHAMPOO diluted at 1 part shampoo to 5 parts water.(NOTE; however much shampoo you use , use 5 times as much water). Mix by tumbling the bottle gently. Work through the hair just like you did for the Super-Cleaning Shampoo. Use full strength on stained areas. Let sit on the coat while you are doing the rest of the dog. Rinse these spots last. Rinse thoroughly. Next use the # 1 ALL SYSTEMS Product Stabilizer, Coat Retexturizer and Skin Refresher diluted as follows: A) silky or stringy coats- 1 ounce to 31 ounces of water, tumble to mix. B) very full, coarse or cottony coats- 2 ounces to 30 ounces of water, tumble to mix. Distribute completely through coat. For heavy coats leave on for 2-3 minutes. For flatter, silky coats leave on for 60 seconds. Rinse thoroughly. Run you hand lightly over the top of the coat. If it feels at all waxy to the touch give the coat one more light shampoo with the Super-Cleaning Shampoo. This will lift away the remaining excess oil, this will result in maximum body to the coat and a super shine. Next is the conditioning step: A) Silky or flat or stringy coats: Mix 2 caps from 16oz, bottle or 1 cap from gallon jug to 32 ounces warm water. Put #1 ALL SYSTEMS Botanical Conditioner in the bottle first then fill to approximately ½ way with warm water put the cap on the bottle and shake vigorously. Then fill the rest of way and shake again. Distribute evenly through coat. Rinse thoroughly. The hair should be left, while wet, with a slightly slick feeling. The Botanical Conditioner has the ability to detangle, improve the natural coat texture, and shine the coat. Squeeze out excess. Blot carefully with clean towel and blow dry while brushing carefully, Spray the coat lightly with the #1 ALL SYSTEMS HAIR REVITALIZER AND INSTANT ANTI-STATIC COAT SPRAY, this will further enhance the coat texture (make crisper and easier to scissor). Again you will want to start at the ends and work up the hair shaft to the root, so as not to damage the ends, or stress the hair unnecessarily. This is especially critical with a fragile coated dog. To fluff the coat, after the pin brush goes through the coat easily without grabbing, use the #1 ALL SYSTEMS ULTIMATE SLICKER BRUSH of your choice to back brush. This will separate the hair so you get maximum volume. Stretch the coat so that the waves and any dead coat are removed. Important since dead loose coat left in can result in matting.

B) Cottony coats. Use 3-4 caps from the gallon jug in a 32-ounce bottle of warm water. Put product in bottle first then fill to 1/2 way with warm water. Replace the cap and shake vigorously to mix. Fill rest of way with warm water, shake one more time and then use. Distribute evenly over and throughout coat, leave on for 90 seconds. Rinse thoroughly. If coat is not in good shape you may apply conditioner full strength, put the dog with a towel wrapped around it, under a warm dryer, this will deepen the penetration of the conditioner, leave under the dryer for 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

Blow dry with the #1 ALL SYSTEMS ULTIMATE PIN BRUSH, Again start at the ends and work up to hair root. Then go through the coat with the #1 ALL SYSTEMS ULTIMATE SLICKER BRUSH of your choice to remove any dead coat. Stretch the hair to remove wrinkles and waves and to get the maximum volume from the coat. Only back-brush the coat when you have totally freed up the ends and all tangles have been removed.

C) Hard, coarse coats: Use 1-2 caps of the Protein Lotion Conditioner from the gallon bottle diluted in 32 ounces of warm water. Put product in bottle first and then fill to way with warm water. Replace the cap and shake vigorously to mix. Fill rest of way with warm water and shake again. Distribute throughout coatusing only what you need to cover coat completely. Rinse thoroughly. Blow coat dry brushing section by section as you go starting at ends and working up to hair root. Be careful not to break ends. When the coat is thoroughly brushed with the pin brush then go carefully through it with the #1 ALL SYSTEMS SLICKER brush of your choice to remove dead coat. Lift slicker carefully out of coat when you hit any resistance to avoid breakage. Then separate the coat with your fingers and brush again with the #1 ALL SYSTEMS ULTIMATE PIN BRUSH, Then back to the slicker until it goes through easily. The slicker will separate the coat/hair so you get maximum volume and minimum wrinkles in the hair.

AT THE SHOW GROOMING

Prepare a coat dressing/-grooming agent the day before the show. For the silky coats: Mix a teaspoon of the Protein Lotion Conditioner in a 8 ounce spray bottle with warm water. Shake vigorously to mix. For the cottony coats use the Botanical Conditioner- 1 teaspoon to 8 ounce spray bottle. For the heavy, coarse coats the Premium Protein Pack mixed 3-5 pumps in 8-10 ounces of warm water. A few drops of the Hair Revitalizer may be added for additional static control.

Mist the coats lightly with the appropriate solution; do not get the coat too wet. It is never a good idea to brush a coat that is too wet or that is dry. Both conditions weaken the coat making it more susceptible to breakage. Mist and brush a section at a time and be sure to get all the way to the skin. Always remove any dead loose coat so that the coat doesn't mat right up on you. After you are done showing, before you put the dog back into the crate. If you are showing again tomorrow, you will not want oil products, unless of course, you are planning to re-bathe the dog. The best thing to do is to make up a bottle SYSTEMS SELF-RINSE CONDITIONING SHAMPOO. Dilute 1 part shampoo to 5 parts water tumble gently to mix. ends and blot with a clean terry towel to remove Hairspray contains lacquer and will break the ends off the coat if left in the coat for any length of time. No rinsing Is necessary, not only will the self-rinse remove the hairspray but it will condition the hair to minimize the damage which is done by the hairspray. Depending on how wet you manage to get the hair will depend on whether it is necessary for you to blow dry the coat. Usually it is only necessary to treat the ends of the coat, as this is what has been sprayed with the hairspray.

Keep applying the Self-Rinse until all traces of stickiness have been removed. If there is no show the next day, the best thing to do to use the #1 ALL SYSTEMS Moisturizing Coat Protector and Enhancer. Carefully spray the ends of the hair completely hairspray out carefully. Then spray the rest of the hair shaft and brush. You may then wrap coat as usual, this will hold the coat (prevent matting) for a few days in most cases if done properly until you have a chance to out and put it down in whichever oil dog's coat texture and type. After a pretty clean. One light shampoo with is usually adequate. The sooner you proper oil of course, the better it is for the coat and generally the easier it will be to maintain. Less brushing means less stress on the hair, resulting in a longer more luxurious coat.

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