Slicker brushes on the budget
The best alternatives to Big K.
I found four brushes that are under $10-$20 and can be modified to be the closest to the Big K. I collected them below with some description on which works best on what hair types, length.
Yento - Mega Pin
The closest you can get to the Big K
The Yento mega pin slicker brush is a dense brush with 1 1/8" long, medium-firm pins. It does not have a pincushion feature. It is suggested to use on hair length and thickness around 1 1/8" or shorter. It is suitable to be used on heavy, curly, wavy, or straight coats.
Get it from Ryanspet.com!
Tuffer than tangles
Firm pin, medium size
The firm pin, Tuffer than tangles slicker brush is a dense brush with 7/8" long, firm pins and it does not have pincushion. It is suggested to use on hair length and thickness around 7/8" or shorter. It is suitable to be used on heavy, curly, wavy, or straight coats.
Get it from RyansPet.com!
Tuffer Than Tangles
Regular pin, Medium size
It's a dense brush and it has 3/4" long, medium-firm pins and it does not have pincushion. It is suggested to use on hair length and thickness around 3/4" or shorter. It is suitable to be used on heavy, curly, wavy, or straight coats.
Get it from Ryanspet.com!
Tuffer Than Tangles
Soft Pins, Medium size
It's a dense brush and it has 7/8" long, very, very soft pins and it does not have pincushion. It is suggested to use on hair length and thickness around 7/8" or shorter. It works on straight or wavy coats. The super-soft pins are not suitable for a curly or a thick coat.
Get it from Ryanspet.com!
Brush modifications
To make any of these brushes work the best they can, I highly recommend to modify them as follows. This article has the details why it worth it to do so.
How to modify the brush
Trim out every other row (long side) by the rubber base to make it sparse.
Angle the pins to 150 degrees.
Wrap handle with tennis grip (optional).
Which brush is the best for you?
There are a few parameters I like to keep in mind before committing to a brush. Your doodle's hair length, hair amount, and hair type are critical to be able to tell which brush will work best for you to be effective and long-lasting.
Your doodle's hair length
Check the slicker's pin length. Aim for longer pins than the coat. Line brush winter coat when the hair is longer than the pins. You can always use longer pins on shorter coats, it won't cause any harm to the skin, just keep in mind the pressure you are using, and avoid overworking an area.
Your doodle's hair amount
Less hair needs softer pins, more hair needs more firm pins.
Your doodle's hair type
Straight or wavy coats are less prone to tangles, are easier to brush, so soft or medium pins work fine. Curly coats tend to tangle and get matted significantly more, so you'll need a firm pin to be able to handle the load.
Combination of the above
The longer, the thicker, the curlier a coat is, the more power a brush needs to get through the abundance of hair. So you will need a more firm slicker to get the job done. As an example, in case your doodle has a medium amount of hair, but it is curly, I suggest to up your game and instead of going with the medium-firm pins, you choose the firm pins. In case your doodle has a long coat, but thinner and straight, a medium or even a soft slicker might do the job for you.
Troubleshooting
What if my doodle still shows sensitivity signs for the new brush?
It can be because the doodle has tight mats closer to the skin which you did not pick up on, but the brush did and your doodle is reacting to the pulling sensation on his/her skin.
The doodle has an unpleasant or rather painful memory of brushing/grooming, gets triggered by sensations or visuals (seeing the brush), and reacts. It takes time to heal the wound, just like after a breakup. If you know about such an event, explore the triggers and give time to your doodle to forgive and forget!
You are seeing the mats, are working on them, but they are too tightly matted to be brushed out. They need a more powerful method to get loosened up or need to be trimmed/shaved out.
Your doodle needs exercise/rest/pee break and he/she is not in the mood for brushing unless those needs are met first.
Your doodle's coat is very thick, it needs to be line brushed to make it comfortable for him/her.