Washing and drying routine for your Labradoodle, Poodle or Pomeranian

Do you have a Labradoodle, Poodle or Pomeranian? Then you know how beautiful, but also how demanding, coat care can be. These popular breeds are known for their luxuriant heads of hair, but unfortunately also for one big downside: matting and stubborn tangles.

Use the wrong routine or products and brushing quickly turns into a drama. It leads to painful combing for your dog and a frustrated owner. In the worst case, the layer of felt is pulled so tightly against the skin that the groomer sees only one way out: the clippers. With our professional washing and drying routine — developed in close collaboration with top professional groomers — you can change that. Experience the ease of a tangle-free coat and avoid shaving.

Why traditional dog shampoos fail

Today's pet industry has hardly any laws or regulations. Many manufacturers use cheap chemicals, such as aggressive SLS sulphates and synthetic silicones.

• Aggressive SLS wrecks the natural skin barrier, leading to structural itching and flaking.
• Silicones coat the hair in a suffocating layer of plastic. It seems to shine for a moment, but actually attracts dirt and dust, causing felt to form even faster.

At Frenky Lewis we do things differently. We voluntarily commit to the strict European Cosmetics Directive for humans. Our grooming products are up to 100% natural. Anything that isn't safe enough for you doesn't go on the coat of your Doodle, Poodle or Pomeranian.

The golden rule first: start tangle-free

⚠️ Crucial for the Labradoodle, Poodle and Pomeranian: water acts like glue on loose undercoat and existing knots. Washing a dog that still has tangles? The water pulls the coat into an impenetrable layer of felt. So always brush the coat through thoroughly before washing.

• Prepare & protect: dry brushing is painful and causes hair breakage. First spray the coat with our hypoallergenic Coat Spray. This makes the hair elastic and protects its structure.
• Locate with the layer method: blow the dry coat open with a blaster to spot deep tangles right away. Then brush with a flexible slicker brush layer by layer from the bottom up, right down to the skin.
• The detangle check: check your work with a metal stainless-steel comb. Does it glide through the coat without resistance? Great. Come across a knot? Apply Detangling Cream locally to prevent painful combing. Pay extra attention to the notorious tangle spots: behind the ears, in the armpits, the groin, the ‘trousers’ (hind legs) and under the collar or harness.

Step 1: The bath — mild & linear cleansing

The rule: never massage dogs with a curly or luxuriant double coat wildly in circles; this immediately creates new tangles. Massage only linearly, in straight lines following the direction of hair growth.

The ritual: wet the coat through and through with lukewarm water. Mix 2 to 3 pumps of Frenky Lewis shampoo with water in the Shampoo Foamer (ratio 1:10). This rich foam spreads through thick coats with the greatest of ease. Wash your dog with it and rinse thoroughly.

The Frenky Lewis choice: choose our Hypoallergenic Shampoo for sensitive skin or flaking. Choose the luxurious fragrance line for a wonderful, long-lasting wellness experience.

Step 2: The conditioner — nourish & seal the hair cuticles

The rule: a conditioner is absolutely indispensable for the Labradoodle, Poodle and Pomeranian. It seals the hair cuticles that were opened by the shampoo. This keeps the coat soft and supple, effectively preventing future tangles.

The ritual: again mix 2 to 3 pumps of conditioner with water in the Shampoo Foamer (1:10). Apply the foam, let it soak deep into the hair core for 2 minutes and then rinse it out completely.

⚠️ Please note: our conditioners contain no silicones, so your dog's skin can breathe freely and the coat isn't weighed down.

Step 3: The drying — blast the coat tangle-free

The rule: never rub the coat of your Labradoodle, Poodle or Pom wildly dry with a towel. This is the fastest route to matting. Use a blaster; it's the secret weapon for removing moisture and loose hairs quickly and easily.

The ritual: squeeze the coat towel-dry. Point the blaster perpendicular to the coat from 10–15 cm away so the hairs blow nicely open. Work systematically from back to front. For the Poodle and Labradoodle, brush along gently while blasting to stretch the curl; this makes the coat airy and easy to comb through.

⚠️ Watch out for whip tangles: don't make fast, circular movements with the blaster. The extreme air pressure makes the hair tips spin into each other, causing stubborn whip tangles. Work in calm, straight lines.

Step 4: Finishing touch — optimal protection

The ritual: double-check that the warm, sensitive zones — such as the armpits, belly and skin folds — are completely dry to prevent bacterial infections and moisture tangles.

The Frenky Lewis choice: finish by spraying the dry coat with our Dry Shampoo & Conditioner Spray. It acts as an antistatic shield, gives a beautiful silky shine and makes it harder for dirt to cling to the coat.

The coat care advice for at home

To permanently avoid having to shave your beloved four-legged friend rigorously short, we recommend sticking closely to the schedule below:

• Detangle check — at least 3× a week. To catch early matting in Doodles or curly coats right away.
• Thorough brushing — at most once every 1 to 2 weeks. This keeps the coat voluminous and healthy without overloading the hair.