# I bought a furminator...



## sheltiemom (Mar 13, 2007)

and I hate it. Am I missing something? It's getting hair out, but less than the undercoat rake I already had, and the blade is so short it doesn't seem to even get through the top coat to the undercoat. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong? It was pricey and I'm thinking of taking it back.


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

I have two of them. One for the dogs and cats and one for the donkey's, I love 'em. There are 3 sizes, did you get the small one? Perhaps it should have been the medium size. Also are you holding it at an angle, possibly that would help. Don't know for sure though. 

They have a 30 day guarantee so if you don't like it you can return it.


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## sheltiemom (Mar 13, 2007)

I played around with it more and decided to furminate a whole dog before I judge. I discovered two good things, one that it holds on to the hair instead of sending it flying, and two, when I did Frosty he let me brush for alot longer than with the regular rake....so maybe I was hasty in my dislike. I still don't see how it gets through the top coat with those short blades??

Here's the results of Frosty's furmination in my bathroom...


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## 4dogs3cats (Dec 21, 2007)

The blades are short, but they grab a lot. I can actually see a line of shorter fur on chance if I just furminate one streak. You can tell its pulling it from underneath. Looks like its working on Frosty!


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

Wow it looks like it did a good job. I'm sure Frosty feels better. 
Keep practicing I do believe you will get to like it. If not you can always return it.
Did you check out the videos and see how they do it? Maybe that would be helpful.


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## InverseLogic (Jun 1, 2008)

I bought one for Ringo. Best $65 I've ever spent. IMO, they're amazing.


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## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

I bought one for Mortimer but I had to buy a bigger one. It said the smaller one was for cats but it just wasn't getting enough...his hair is SOOOO long. My groomer even said they are good to use. Guess they would know!


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## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

I have one but Sadie absolutely freaks out when I try to use it. The cats OTOH love it.


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## Lonewolfblue (Oct 28, 2007)

I use the medium one on Betty and she loves it. And it does an awsome job.....


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## sheltiemom (Mar 13, 2007)

The one I have is the medium...I watched a video, and I'm liking it better now that I have the hang of it, but it doesn't remove much more hair than the cheapo undercoat rake, if any. The big thing is the dogs seem to like it better. Frosty let me brush him for 20 minutes when he usually runs away after a minute or two and I have to follow him around with the brush. He does look nice now, DH noticed when he came home.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

A Furminator is a carding tool. Because that is its design, it will only yield the best results AFTER a thorough brushing and raking on thick coated dogs. I don't like it on long haired pets at all, but short haired ones its a Godsend for getting the last of that hair out. Its basically a #40 blade on a handle. Groomers have been using various carding tools forever, but a genius groomer invented a handle...whala...much easier, and the marketing towards pet owners has been wonderful. Its a great tool, on the right dogs/cats and used correctly. It will work best though after raking out the thickest stuff. It is not meant to penetrate the coat like a rake, but to slide over the guard hairs, and grab the undercoat and remove it while leaving the guard hairs intact. Wonderful tool on labs, huskies, shephards, some areas on goldens, etc. Keep giving it a try. The more you use it, the more you will figure out how to get it to work best for you. You should be holding the blade perpendicular (no angle) to the dogs skin.


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## JustTess (Mar 19, 2008)

I love the furminator. I wished it was around when I had my Samoyeds. I like the way it is easy to keep clean as compaired to those other wire hook-like brushes.

How often are you suppose to use it? My friend's vet had told her once every 6 months on her goldens.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Once every 6 months is a waste of your time. Its not going to help much at that point. The point of the Furminator is to remove the dead shedding coat that would normally stay stuck in the fur, or be all over your house. Any dog that can be "furminated" should be done on a regular basis. About once a week to once every 2 weeks. It shouldn't be a long process. 10 minutes is really all you need or want to do. More than that and you can cause irritation. Only go over the same spots 2-3 times, and not all at once. Work over the dog in sections, then go back and start over again. Long, firm strokes, not quick sweeping ones. I am assuming that the vet said every 6 months because he was thinking of shedding cycles. However, shedding breeds shed constantly, not just when they do the heavy shedding in spring and fall. Thus the benefit of using the tool more often. If used regularly, combined with a good bath and HV drying once a month-6weeks, you can make the shedding hair almost non-existant in your house. When I groom a shedding breed, I bathe, HV dry, slicker/rake then fine tooth comb, then furminate to get the last that the comb didn't get. You would be amazed at the amount of hair the furminator removes even after all the above steps. Its a great tool on the right coats.


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## HuskyLuv (May 16, 2008)

The only thing I don't like as much about the Furminator vs the undercoat rake is that the furminator has to be emptied with every pass for me (maybe every 2 passes through the coat). The undercoat rake could hold a lot more thus leaving me to brush more and empty less often. That being said, the plus side to that argument is that the Furminator (I actually have the Furbuster, works just as well for half the price) gets more hair out in a single pass than the rake requiring less time brushing! That makes the Furminator a whole lot better in my opinion! I certainly would never want to be without one again. This warm front (lower 70's Fehrenheit!) has my husky shedding again. **sigh**


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## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

Graco, should I use a rake on Mort the cat? His summer shedding must be at an end because I'm not finding big tufts of hair anymore, but I want to get it more in control. Thanks!

BTW, I did take him to a groomer a few months ago and they said he did very well. Good thing he enjoys being brushed...I just need to do it on a regular basis.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Husky, I don't have that problem with the Furminator. The hair falls right off the tool with every pass. Your Furbuster may be different though. I have tried a few of the knockoffs, and none of them worked worth a poo for me. The real deal is well worth the money, but I use them many times a day at work, and need a tool that is efficient. If I had to pull hair off it every time, that slows me down too much. That would drive me crazy..lol


Alphadog, I don't recommend rakes on cats. Cat skin is very thin, and rakes are just too harsh for them IMO. I also tell kitty clients to toss their brushes (and I don't care what kind it is) in the trash, and get a metal teflon coated comb. My favorites are here. 
http://grooming.petedge.com/Teflon-...Id=214&subCategoryId=276&subsubCategoryId=479

Only tool worth using on a longhaired cat. Shorthaired cats, furminate after combing. Your cat will never have a matt on it if you are using those combs, and making sure to get down to the skin, armpits, groin, etc. You have to stretch those kitties out or you roll over spots. As with dogs, put them up on a table rather than your lap and teach them to lay on their sides, belly, etc. It won't take you but 10 minutes a week to do a good comb job with one of these combs.  And they are cheap too. Always a plus. Oh, the reason I use them is because the teeth are a bit pointier than the other combs. Cats have thick coats, and rounded off teeth just slide over the dense undercoat rather than penetrating it...then you get those matts at the skin, and unmatted fur on top..and a kitty in need of a shave.


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## HuskyLuv (May 16, 2008)

Graco22 said:


> Husky, I don't have that problem with the Furminator. The hair falls right off the tool with every pass. Your Furbuster may be different though. I have tried a few of the knockoffs, and none of them worked worth a poo for me. The real deal is well worth the money, but I use them many times a day at work, and need a tool that is efficient. If I had to pull hair off it every time, that slows me down too much. That would drive me crazy..lol


That's true and something for others to consider in making their choices. But for me it works since I brush mine outside where there is usually a breeze. Excessive amounts of hair do just fall off leaving very little in the brush but the hair that does fall off usually swirls around in the air getting all over my clothes, in my face, nose and mouth. Not fun! I actually prefer to remove it from the brush and put it in a bag so it's not blowing all over making things harder for me, but again that's what works for me and isn't for everyone. It's no big deal for me and only something I deal with for 10 minutes a day daily when he's shedding, but I can see how for others it's worth the extra money.

I remember when I was shopping and comparing the Furminator and Furbuster, I read that any groomer will choose the Furminator over knock-offs. And I do believe the Furminator does a better job, but I can deal with a little extra work for a lot less money...I already spend a fortune on him as it is.


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## Rough_Collies2008 (Jan 4, 2008)

I, personally, do not like the Furminator for the collies(bought one and it is now collecting dust in the garage). I much prefer the undercoat rake.


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## SMoore (Nov 9, 2007)

Here are two videos i took using it on my dog, works great! I use it for all of em'


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## InverseLogic (Jun 1, 2008)

JustTess said:


> How often are you suppose to use it? My friend's vet had told her once every 6 months on her goldens.


It depends on which stage your Siberian's shedding is in. I used it for a few days straight while Ringo was blowing his coat, and I haven't used it since. I still brush Ringo with a normal prong brush to get any loose hair that happens to fall off though. Better it be on the brush or blowing in the wind outside than on the carpet. The furminator only works on their undercoat. You can't keep brushing their undercoat if they don't have any left to shed.


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## DogGoneGood (Jun 22, 2008)

I love my furminator... I don't know what I'd do without it! I don't use it that often, mostly when the dogs blow their coats or if I notice they're shedding more often than usual.

I do have a question though... what's an undercoat rake? I'm assuming I've probably seen one before but didn't know what the name was for it. Most grooming tools I make up my own names for them


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## jng2985 (Jun 17, 2008)

they are very good, makes it so easy!


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

The tool I call a rake looks a lot like the metal gardening rake used to smooth planting beds. Metal bar cross ways to the handle, metal tines at 90* to the bar. The weight of the bar lets the tool get through the coat to the skin but the tips of the tines are a bit too sharp for my shedder hound. If the dog is really blowing coat, as in you can see the loose tufts, it is a great tool. If dog is just moderately losing coat it is too easy to put pressure and hurt the dog. It is hard to use at any time in her favorite hiding places for loose fur, the loin and front of back legs.


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## blackrose (Oct 7, 2006)

I was thinking about getting a furminator to use on Chloe, but I've been having lots of luck with the undercoat rake in getting out all of the dead undercoat. Besides that, I don't want to blow $60 on a brush anyway, no matter how good it is. I'm a cheap-o, what can I say.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Roughcollies, I am with you..the furminator/carding tools are worthless on long haired breeds. lol I too prefer the undercoat rakes on collies and other long haired breeds like them. 

There are many different types of rakes on the market. Certain ones will work better on certain breeds/coat types than others. Its important to make sure that the teeth are at least long enough to penetrate the coat ALL the way to the skin. Many of these newer "rakes" teeth are not long enough to go thru anything but a lab, and rakes don't do much on most labs. Metal greyhound combs work great too on long haired breeds, but the handle of a rake makes it easier to use than a comb.


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## JayBarnes (Jan 8, 2008)

I have a furminator for my husky and I love it. Best investment I think I've made for grooming him.


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## sweetmazzy (Jul 2, 2008)

I happen to love the furminator. It works very well on our golden retriever. He actually loves being groomed with the furminator....


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## wishiwas (Mar 3, 2008)

I just wanted to chip in with something in response to the price of the furminator.. Shop around online!  I got a medium sized one for $12 plus shipping.


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## Pasofino (Apr 10, 2008)

jesirose said:


> I have one but Sadie absolutely freaks out when I try to use it.



I have a dog that reacts similarly...so because I KNEW it worked well, I tried using it a bit more softly than I do on the other dogs...

Once I was a bit more gentle, she laid down and rolled over, begging for more.

I can't brush her belly too hard or the diva has a fit, so it is just that her skin is more tender.

The FURminator does pull at the underhairs, so if your dog has tender skin, try doing it more gently, for a short period of time, then quit...bet she''ll not mind it after a few times.


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## daybay (Aug 20, 2008)

your dogs hair may be to long/thick. I love it on labs, bassets, cats, but i use the may king 10 blade on shelties and goldens

love mine on labs, bassets, short haired cats, but on shelties and goldens I use the mat king 10 blade and love that also.


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