# Choosing the right brush



## GottaLuvMutts (Jun 1, 2009)

I was wandering the isles at Petco today with Kit (distraction training) and was amused/confused by the selection of brushes. Kit only gets brushed a couple of times per month, if that. Her fur is short and thick but soft - sort of like a lab's but without the waterproof quality. The only brush I own is a bristle brush and I feel like I'm not getting very deep with this brush. Doesn't matter much, since she won't mat either way, but could someone suggest a better brush? Maybe something that will get down to the undercoat and/or reduce shedding?


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## dtails (Mar 8, 2010)

I would suggest either an undercoat rake or a furminator to help reduce shedding.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Buy the rake first, it is cheaper! The furminator can be used year round but the rake worked best when Sassy was shedding chunks and just annoying if regular amounts were coming out. The teeth are sharp and must be lightly stroked over the coat so as not to hurt and I am not patient enough to keep that motion up when not much is coming out!

Short coats don't mat but they can pack. Still hard on the skin either way.


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## EmilyL (Mar 18, 2010)

I would suggest a rake first as well, I found that they work really good for dogs with the coat type you described, I'm not a huge fan of the straight tooth rakes that most pet shops sell, so if you don't mind ordering one here is a suggestion (I LOVE these!)

http://www.ryanspet.com/productInfo.aspx?itemNo=TM31716

they also come in different sizes, but this one works great on pretty much any coat


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

Emily that looks more like a dematting tool than an undercoat rake. Rakes arn't supposed to have blades on them


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

If she is short coated like a lab, a rake is going to be worthless. You can use a furminator, carefully, and NO more than once a week for a max of 10 minutes. You can use what is called a "shedding blade" or a rubber curry. All of those will help loosen and removed shedding hairs.


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## EmilyL (Mar 18, 2010)

Keechak said:


> Emily that looks more like a dematting tool than an undercoat rake. Rakes arn't supposed to have blades on them


That's what I was thinking too when I first saw it. I girl I used to work with ordered a few from Ryan's (they list them as rakes) and I used them a few times on Huskies, Shepherds and even some labs and other breeds, it pulls out A LOT of the undercoat. It may be a de-matter, but when I looked it up to order one myself I found it listed under the rake section. Not sure


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## GottaLuvMutts (Jun 1, 2009)

Thanks for the replies everybody. I've never even heard of most of these tools, so I'm using google to help me get an idea of what you're recommending. 

Looked up the shedding blade and I'm intrigued to say the least. Not sure how I would even go about using that?? Is it really a blade?

The rubber curry looks like it could help, too.

Also looked up the undercoat rake. It seems like it could do some good, but I doubt it could actually trap the hairs that it rakes out (?), so I'd want to do that outside, right?

I've never heard of packing (in contrast to matting), but I think I can imagine what you're taking about. I've not seen any of that on Kit - running a hand through her fur going against the grain, you can see skin everywhere. There aren't any areas where the fur is denser, if that makes sense. Considering how little attention it gets, her coat is actually in great shape. It would just be nice to feel like the little brushing that I do does some good as far as reducing hair in the house. Keep the suggestions coming, if you have more!


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## Purplex15 (May 28, 2007)

> Emily that looks more like a dematting tool than an undercoat rake. Rakes arn't supposed to have blades on them


Coat kings are the BEST when it comes to getting out undercoat. Nothing else does as good a job, not a rake, not a blade, not a furminator. It actually doesnt do a great job dematting, what it does is kind of push the matts together and away from the skin (you have to use it from the root and sort of pick your way down the matt). It will snag on large matts, and not remove them. 

I will say that every dog i have done that is impacted with undercoat gets the same reaction from the parents: "but i brush everyday" or "it didnt feel that way to me". Get the dog under a dryer, and there may be packed undercoat that you are missing (especially in hard to reach areas: hips, stomach, chest, armpits, backend). a lot of times the only way to successfully remove it all is to dry out the dog with a high velcoty dryer, that way you see every inch of the dog, and can brush out at the same time (with the dryer blowing most of it away). I have even done dogs that are done pretty regularly by a groomer, but they are mostly cage dried, so that groomer never removes undercoat from some parts of the dog. 

A high velocity dryer, a comb, and a mat king (like emily showed you) are the best tools for undercoat.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

eh, I still don't like the idea of using a blade on a perfectly healthy coat, they may be good on a dog whos coat isn't cared for properly tho.

I worked as a groomer too and I agree with you on the high force dryers I wish I owned one. It would cut my grooming time in half.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

I would be very careful using a Matt king type of tool on a dog with undercoat. I used to use them all the time when they first came out, and noticed how the coats would start looking all funky next time the dogs came in. Those tools cut coat..and it doesn't discriminate over undercoat or guard hairs. It just cuts. If its a nice dull one, they are better..but it takes alot of use to get em dull. Mine just hang on the wall, haven't touched em in forever, cause I just haven't found a different use for them. They will demat many coats..but I don't do much dematting.


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## Purplex15 (May 28, 2007)

I dont use the actual Mars brand coat king, i use a much cheaper imitation that was given to me by a groomer friend who retired. maybe that has something to do with it, but i dont notice any guard hairs coming off, and im really careful about that sort of thing. 

i also dont overdue it with them, and only use them on dogs with a lot of undercoat. i can see where they would be just as damaging as a furminator if used incorrectly.


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## MyBritneyBear (Mar 25, 2010)

I use the Ferminator for my Shepherd mix and it works incredibly well. I think I removed another dog the first time I used it.


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## shawnifer (Jan 5, 2010)

when you're bathing her use a rubber curry brush to suds up the shampoo. That gets a lot of the dead hair out of the coat so brushing when dry is a breeze on short coated dogs. Then use a rake or the same curry to brush your dog


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## GottaLuvMutts (Jun 1, 2009)

I bought an undercoat rake today and used it for the first time. I got a lot of loose hairs out, but nothing outrageous. Hopefully doing this once a week or so will cut down a bit on shedding in the house.

I didn't have enough cash with me, but I'll go back tomorrow for the rubber curry. Kit always enjoys an extra walk to the pet store!!!


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