# Conditioner Idea



## tempeCarlson (Feb 10, 2019)

Murphy is now one year old. He's full on blowing his coat and I have a challenging time keeping up with it. Until recently I felt I had one or two shampoos that would work well, but I hadn't found a conditioner that I really liked. They all felt sticky, on his coat and that seemed to attract dirt and encourage mats.

My problem got even worse when we left him at the kennel for 4 nights at Thanksgiving. We got stuck in winter travel coming home from NJ, so he had to stay an extra day. The people at his kennel are really nice to Murphy and me. Murphy also seems to really enjoy playing in the yard during day care hours. We don't worry about him there.

Buuttt, they're not groomers. I have them brush him once a day, but it's not the same. So when he got home he was pretty rough.

I brushed him out about 3 times to get the worst of it, and cut out a few mats that were around his neck and flanks that were just too matted to tease out (no one but me would even notice, and I can't find the snips anymore). Then I washed him up. I had a left over bottle of Thick n Thicker that came in a sample pack from CC. I honestly didn't even really know what it was (or is). But I had no other conditioner because I'd used the Spectrum 10 up, so I applied according to directions.

Maybe because Muprhy's coat is very wispy, this product has really done remarkable things. He combed out easier after the bath, he seemed to dry more quickly, and two days later he still looks clean and he's combing out in 5 minutes instead of 25. It seemed like with the Spectrum 10 conditioner he was looking kinda road weary even the next day and I was really working hard to comb him out the next day.

If I'm not supposed to use the Thick n Thicker as a conditioner, please don't tell me and burst my bubble! I will probably buy more because it's really helped me manage Murphy's grooming challenges. It might help someone else too...


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I think it TOTALLY depends on each particular dog's coat consistency what works best on them. I THINK that Thick n Thicker is really supposed to be used a volumizer for the show ring, not as a regular conditioner. So it might not be something you want to use on a regular basis.

What I have found works best on my two girls with very light coats is to use CC Proline Fair Advantage shampoo. This is a shampoo and conditioner combined, so is very light. It doesn't leave anything heavy on the hair. It wasn't enough for Kodi when he was in full coat, but he had a LOT of coat. But using a regular conditioner on Panda or Pixel just weighted their hair down too much. Fair Advantage works like a charm on them, with the added advantage of not needing a separate rinse!

...And now that Kodi is in a puppy cut, it works well on him too! (BTW, Murphy is looking GORGEOUS!!!)


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I tried it once and I didn’t Not like it, haha. I still have the sample, I wish I would have thought to use it when I was waiting on backordered conditioner recently! 

The biggest problem I have is that the coat on his back is quite mixed. It’s very dense and there is a portion of hair that is very light and heavy conditioner weighs that down, but it’s mixed with quite a bit of coarse hair that feels quite dry. I tend to “spot treat” now by applying a thicker conditioning leave in on those areas when I’m combing after his bath. His poor coat is quite straggly right now. My CC comb was misplaced for a couple of weeks, and Sally’s was out of clear elastics so I bought black ones at a different salon supply store and they break and mat. Between that and the holidays, there is a lot of breakage and he is past due for a good trim. 

Have you tried Ice on Ice conditioner (not the spray)? I have found the same problem with buildup. With Ice on Ice (the detangling shampoo and conditioner) it’s not that it leaves buildup itself, it’s more that it doesn’t remove buildup as well as Spectrum 10. I use Spectrum 10 about 2/4 baths, White on White 1/4, and Ice on Ice the rest, mostly when he’s tangled or after daycare. It seems like all of the products work better for me when I occasionally alternate them. if the thick and thicker doesn’t work as well after a while, or isn’t good to use for every bath, maybe alternating it with something else will help!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I also found that because mine has such a dense coat, sometimes shampoo wasn’t being rinsed out enough! I used another CC sample, After Bath, but I lost it after one use and I don’t remember if it did anything. It seems like it made his coat feel less dry after White in White but that may have been what I wanted I happen, not the actual result  It’s something I’d like to try again but I don’t want to order a big bottle of it, either.


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## tempeCarlson (Feb 10, 2019)

Hi!

I have not tried the Ice on Ice conditioner yet.

I like the Spectrum 10 shampoo but the conditioner only lasted for like a day and then Murphy's coat would start to feel goopy and mat as a result. Since he's blowing his puppy coat, extra mats I don't need! This was after both a squeaky clean rinse and a light rinse.

I read somewhere that you don't want to do a squeaky clean rinse of conditioner to allow it to, erm, condition, so I tried both ways.

We are now day 5 of Murphy's bath using the Thick n Thicker. His coat has maintained a silky smooth feel and brushing has been much easier. His normal trouble spots remain (his "armpits", neck and under his chin) but they are easier to deal with. 

I haven't bathed him since using the Thick n Thicker though. Reading these notes, that may (or may not) be where trouble comes if the shampoo doesn't effectively clean Murphy's coat. Right now that doesn't seem like it will be an issue, but time will tell!

Thank you for the suggestion of trying the Ice on Ice, and maybe rotating through occasionally. Good ideas, all!


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

One thing I’ve noticed about spectrum 10 conditioner is that the right amount for my Hav’s coat does leave him feeling a bit dry when I start to comb him out. But, when I start drying, it doesn’t feel that way anymore. It’s very different from the amount of detangling I would expect from my own shampoo and conditioner, and that has taken me a while to get used to. I do like a little more slip with a leave-in, and those products do mean I have to give him a bath more often.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Murphy is a beautiful boy! His coat is so white! I got a sample of Chris Christensen's Clean Start to use before shampooing and really like it. The best conditioner I've used is Royal Treatment Conditioner by Premium Show Pet Grooming Products. It leaves the coat soft and shiny without any residual. It has a very nice light orange sherbet scent. 😊


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Is Clean Start like a clarifying shampoo? I didn’t realize it was used before shampooing. If Thick and Thicker is a volumizing product, that could be a great combination. I know for humans a gentle clarifying shampoo and volumizing conditioner works well for a lot of people with fine hair. Today was bath day so I was trying to figure out where I put those little bottles of Thick and Thicker and After Bath to try some experimenting but I couldn’t find them. Even though I have a good variety of products and a routine that works pretty well, I get antsy to try new things this time of year.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

EvaE1izabeth said:


> Is Clean Start like a clarifying shampoo? I didn't realize it was used before shampooing. If Thick and Thicker is a volumizing product, that could be a great combination. I know for humans a gentle clarifying shampoo and volumizing conditioner works well for a lot of people with fine hair. Today was bath day so I was trying to figure out where I put those little bottles of Thick and Thicker and After Bath to try some experimenting but I couldn't find them. Even though I have a good variety of products and a routine that works pretty well, I get antsy to try new things this time of year.


Clean Start is a clarifying shampoo. It really does makes a difference.


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

The last two posts were deleted because this new member is reviving an older thread and promoting a product from a pharmacy in a particular EU country. That product (conditioner) is available at any local supermarket here in the U.S.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

DogFather said:


> The last two posts were deleted because this new member is reviving an older thread and promoting a product from a pharmacy in a particular EU country. That product (conditioner) is available at any local supermarket here in the U.S.


Huh?


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