Loading...
Loading...
The tools and products that keep a coat healthy between grooms — with honest buying advice on what each one is for and how to choose. Plus a free space for local SEQ pet businesses to share their products and services.
A quick, honest guide to the grooming kit worth owning. Links go to Amazon Australia, where you can compare brands and prices.
A flat or slightly curved brush covered in fine, short wire pins set at an angle. The everyday workhorse for most coats.
Why it matters: A slicker lifts loose hair and works tangles out of curly, long and feathered coats. For doodles, Poodles, Spaniels and Shih Tzus it is the single most useful tool you can own, used with the line-brushing technique to reach the skin.
A metal comb with a mix of fine and wide teeth, used after brushing to check the coat is mat-free right down to the skin.
Why it matters: The comb is how you do the all-important "comb test" — if it glides from skin to tip the coat is clear; if it snags you have found a mat the slicker missed. Essential for doodles and any continuously-growing coat.
A tool with rounded pins or blades that reach down through the topcoat to pull out dead undercoat without cutting the guard coat.
Why it matters: For Labs, Goldens, Huskies, Border Collies and Shepherds, the undercoat rake is the key to managing shedding. It clears the loose woolly undercoat that causes most of the hair around your home — and never shave these coats instead.
Electric clippers with interchangeable blades and guide combs, for trimming curly and long coats at home between professional grooms.
Why it matters: For owners who want to maintain a Poodle, doodle, Schnauzer or Shih Tzu themselves, a good set of clippers pays for itself. Quality matters — cheap clippers overheat, pull hair and struggle with thick coats.
A powerful forced-air dryer that blasts water and loose undercoat out of the coat — the tool that makes a professional "blow-out" possible.
Why it matters: For heavy shedders, a high-velocity dryer clears more dead undercoat in minutes than days of brushing. It is a bigger investment, best for owners of double-coated breeds who bathe at home and want to cut shedding dramatically.
pH-balanced shampoo formulated for dogs — never human shampoo — with conditioners and specialty options for sensitive skin, whitening or de-shedding.
Why it matters: The right shampoo protects the skin barrier and natural oils. Sensitive-skin breeds like Staffies and Frenchies benefit from gentle, soothing or oatmeal formulas, while white breeds like Maltese and Bichons use brightening shampoos.
Scissor- or guillotine-style clippers, or a rotary grinder, for keeping nails at a comfortable length.
Why it matters: Overgrown nails are uncomfortable and can splay the toes or affect a dog's gait. Keeping them trimmed at home between grooms saves money and keeps your dog comfortable — a grinder gives a smoother finish and reduces the risk of cutting the quick.
A vet-formulated liquid ear cleaner used with cotton pads to clear wax and keep the ear canal dry and healthy.
Why it matters: Breeds with long, heavy ears — Cocker Spaniels, Cavaliers, doodles — and water-loving Labs are prone to ear infections. Regular cleaning, and always drying ears after swimming or bathing, is one of the best preventatives.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability on Amazon are subject to change. Links are provided for convenience and are not a specific product endorsement.
Make a pet product, run a mobile grooming van, sell handmade collars or treats, or offer a pet service in South East Queensland? Share it here at no cost. Every listing is reviewed by hand before it goes live.
Submit a free listingYou don't need a salon's worth of equipment to keep your dog comfortable between professional grooms. For most owners, three items cover the essentials: a good slicker brush, a stainless steel comb for the all-important comb test, and a set of nail clippers or a grinder. Double-coated breeds should add an undercoat rake, and anyone maintaining a clipped coat at home will eventually want quality clippers.
Buy the brush and comb first — regular brushing is what actually prevents the matting that drives up grooming bills and forces shave-downs. Everything else is a nice-to-have you can add over time.