# FURminator?



## ghosthunterbecki (Nov 1, 2007)

Do any of you use this tool? I'm looking for something that we can use both on Dozer and on the cats, and since we have three short-haired pets and one long-haired pet, I'm looking for something that is somewhat universal in terms of it's usage.

What do you think of this tool?


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

I use one.

It's not magic, but it's effective. What I appreciate is it doesn't sent the fur flying around the room or sticking right back on the dog.

When it's 10 below (and it WILL be) I'm inclined to brush my dogs indoors. At that time, the air is dry and the static is freakishly annoying. The Furminator is easy to clean but holds the fur until you do.

On the other hand, you could buy 4-5 good undercoat rakes for about the same price.


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## ghosthunterbecki (Nov 1, 2007)

What is an undercoat rake, and will it work for the cats, too? 

My alternative at this point is to buy two high-quality cat combs (fine and medium toothed), a separate brush for the short-haired cats, and a brush for the dog. I'm hoping to find one tool that works for all four of them so that a) we don't have too many tools laying around in the "junk drawer" and b) so that we don't spend *too* much money on grooming supplies (no more than necessary, that is).


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## 007Dogs (Aug 22, 2007)

I bought one, and sold it. It does not work on all coat types. And that can vary from dog to dog as much as breed to breed. I prefer using a good slicker or pin brush depending on the coat type and doing line brushing from the skin to the tip of the hair. Surface brushing does not get all the undercoat out or properly distribute the natural oils thoughout the coat.


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

This is an undercoat rake. There are short-tooth and long-tooth versions for (you guessed it) short- and long-coat dogs.

They do an excellent job of getting out the loose undercoat on dogs (like labs) who actually have one.

I used one on my big lab. He liked it so much it was embarrassing. People walking by would stop to see what I was doing to my dog that made him sound like he was nearly orgasmic. I had to start closing the gate for privacy.

Molly will use an undercoat rake when her big girl coat comes in. Right now, she still has a silky puppy coat.










Edit: Oh, and I have no idea if it would be effective on a cat. Does your cat have an undercoat? A good way to tell is to throw him into Lake Michigan in January. If he likes it, he has an undercoat.

The Furminator is a pretty specialized tool and probably won't be the one-size-fits-all brush you're looking for. I have one because I basically collect brushes and other items I don't actually need.


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## ghosthunterbecki (Nov 1, 2007)

The undercoat rake is probably the right option for Dozer, looking at it. I'll have to check some out and get a feel for them in person rather than just looking at a picture, though.

He has a thick, very short coat. Reagan doesn't have an undercoat, I'm pretty sure that Whisper has the cat version of one. Molly I'm not sure about since she isn't completely tame yet.

If I need two tools, at least it's still only *two* tools and not five or six. It's when you get into the fine toothed and medium toothed combs in addition to several different brushes that I'm starting to have issues :lol3:


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## barksalot (Oct 27, 2007)

I have the Furminator at my shop, but honestly I don't use it nearly as much as I use my slicker brush. I think the Furminator works great on those thick coated Labs, but for most of my large breeds with thick undercoats, the slicker works much better. As far as cats go, I couldn't tell ya... I only groom dogs because I value my life.


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

what breed is dozer? 

A simple greyhound comb might be all you need. Though I do love my undercoat rake, with a bit more effort I can achieve the same effect with the greyhound comb. They also come in varying sizes and shapes, so there's lots of variety in what you can do with them.

here's a picture of one incase you don't know what they are:








*note: I call it a greyhound comb because that is what it is commonly refered to, but many different people will call it something else, like a buttercomb or metal comb etc..


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## JeanninePC99 (Jul 24, 2007)

I have a rake, the furminator and the Kong Zoom Groom. I use a combo of the furminator and the Zoom Groom. Bax looooves the Zoom Groom. It must feel like a massage.

It does a pretty good job of holding onto hair, but I agree that the furminator is really great at that.


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## xxxlisaxxx (Oct 15, 2007)

I bought one about 2 weeks ago, i have a 2 year old cocker and a 11 week old samoyed. I mainly bought it for the samoyed as when they shed its ment to be a total nightmare (i have yet to experience this as he is only young  ) I have given it a go on my cocker and even tho it takes alot more hair off than any other tool i have used, I find my hand totally aches after only about 5 minutes and I have to give up using it, like a sort of cramp in my had or something. At the moment I am not sure if its going to be a good tool for the samoyed or not as his coat is going to be alot thicker than the cocker and dont know if my hand is going to be able to stand up to it. If anyone has a samoyed out there could you possible give me some tips when it comes to the grooming i.e. the best brushes etc. Thank you.


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

get an undercoat rake for your sammie! just like the one ron posted above, it works wonders on their coat. Also start getting your pup used to grooming now, it will make your life so much better when he grows up. Make sure you brush out the coat 1-2 times a week at minimal, that way the dead undercoat doesn't bulid up on you and make you life a nightmare. You may also want to purchase a grroming table or a non-skid mat that you can put on a kitchen table, grooming dogs on the ground is killer for anyones back.


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## xxxlisaxxx (Oct 15, 2007)

I already groom my sammie nearly every night....lol cause im determined to keep on top of it all. I am just using a basic brush at the moment as the furminator would be a bit much on his tiny body plus his coat at the moment looks and feels the very same as cotton wool!!!!!. I think as they get older it will go more wirery and is going to take a lot of work.

I will certainly invest in a rake like you said, I think I will be spending a fortune on the grooming gadgets as god only knows what I have ahead of me...LOL. Thanks


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## ghosthunterbecki (Nov 1, 2007)

Dozer's a mutt. It's starting to look like we might not be able to keep him, and we *may* be looking into responsibly re-homing him unless we can completely change our lifestyle to suit the dog (hard to do). But either way, I still need to find a solution that works for dogs and for cats, because we will undoubtedly wind up with another dog at some point (but one who fits our family!).


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