How to actually brush a doodle (so it helps)

A short guide to line brushing — the technique that prevents matting between grooms.

Most “brushing” only touches the top of the coat. Doodles mat from the skin out, so a five-minute pass with a slicker makes the dog look brushed and feel terrible underneath.

The fix is line brushing. Part the coat in a horizontal line, brush down to the skin from that line, then move the part up half an inch and repeat. Work top to bottom, one body section at a time. Ten minutes of this beats an hour of surface brushing.

A few practical notes:

Use a slicker brush followed by a metal comb to check.
If the comb snags, you missed a mat — work it out gently or call us before it spreads.
Brush the spots that mat first: behind ears, armpits, collar, tail base, back legs.
Reward as you go. Brushing should feel like a massage, not a fight.