# has anyone used a shedder?



## sally (Jul 4, 2007)

hi i have three springer spaniels. 
all have different types of fur texture. 
but charlie he had thicker and longer fur than the girls, and he loses fur twice a year, and i have heard about and seen shedder they look quite vicious and am a bit worried about trying one out. 
has anybody used one and whats the best way to use it.
thanks


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## the-tenth (Jun 29, 2007)

If it's the metal loop with teeth on both side, I have one. Our Golden *LOVES* it. I think it's like a good back scratching for her. It works pretty well on her also, but then again a samll wind blows the hair off of her. Now our setter mix has more springer like hair, and it doesn't seem to work that well for her. This one you use just like a brush. Then whatever brush you use to brush the dog will take the fur off.


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## nrhareiner (Dec 6, 2006)

I use a sheading blade that are really ment for horses. Works very well with dogs and does not brake the outer coat. Cost about $10 at TSC.

Heidi


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## Felix (Sep 8, 2007)

Furminators work much faster than shedding blades and get more undercoat hair out.


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## nrhareiner (Dec 6, 2006)

Felix said:


> Furminators work much faster than shedding blades and get more undercoat hair out.


Perhaps but it also brakes the top coat and cost 5 times more. I personally do not want the top coat of my dogs rouend.

Heidi


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

Heidi, is this an observation you have made from personal experience, or did you read about it somewhere? 

I ask this because I have a Furminator and have not noticed any damage to Alvin's top coat. I think the tool has the _potential_ to do this sort of damage if overused or used incorrectly, but I suspect that it doesn't HAVE to.


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## Wimble Woof (Jan 16, 2007)

I use a furminator and was skeptic at first as well, but after a week of use ( quite regularly at that) and no damage to outer coats yet.


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## nrhareiner (Dec 6, 2006)

Yes I have had experiance with it. A friend of mine has one and we both have tried it on the Corgis and it really damages the top coat. She has even talk to a gromer she knows to make sure she was doing it correctly. She now only uses it on the dogs she is not showing. I just find that the sheding blad works just as well and dose no damage and there is no way to use it incorrectly that I have ever found. Been using it for over 12 years. Same one mind you.

Heidi


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## Felix (Sep 8, 2007)

Furminators only damage the outer coat by pulling hair out caused by over use in particular areas. 

It's hard to get to the undercoat of long haired dogs like Springers and Cavaliers with a shedding blade. It's useless with Huskies and American Eskimos.


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## sally (Jul 4, 2007)

wow thanks. didn't realise how many strong feelings there would be. 
i have always used a padded brush then a flea comb to release the
fur, but i think i maybe tearing at his fur.
he has such a nice coat and really don.t want to have him clipped,
as his coat is in really good shape other than the moulting.


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## FriendsOfZoe (Aug 7, 2007)

What tool would you recommend for a golden retriever? Zoe's losing the last of her puppy fluff and even shedding a little bit of her adult coat, I think. After her bath last night, I was pulling out clumps of fur as I petted her--and obviously, I know it's only going to get worse as that thick beautiful coat comes in! 

I have a brush with metal bristles we use on her normally. It definitely pulls off fur, but doesn't get nearly all of it. We got a shedder blade at the recommendation of the breeder, but I maybe am not using it right because it doesn't seem to do anything. Intuitively, I would think a brush/comb device with very long bristles would be the most effective way to work all the way through an adult golden's coat. Does anyone have a recommendation of a specific tool (a link showing it would be nice, haha) and suggestions about how to use it?


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## nrhareiner (Dec 6, 2006)

I use the sheding blade on all my dogs including my Golden although most of her hair comes out in the pool and not so much in the brush. I will see if I can find a picture of one. I am sure if you go to jeffers.com I know they sell them.

Heidi


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## Felix (Sep 8, 2007)

FriendsOfZoe said:


> What tool would you recommend for a golden retriever? Zoe's losing the last of her puppy fluff and even shedding a little bit of her adult coat, I think. After her bath last night, I was pulling out clumps of fur as I petted her--and obviously, I know it's only going to get worse as that thick beautiful coat comes in!
> 
> I have a brush with metal bristles we use on her normally. It definitely pulls off fur, but doesn't get nearly all of it. We got a shedder blade at the recommendation of the breeder, but I maybe am not using it right because it doesn't seem to do anything. Intuitively, I would think a brush/comb device with very long bristles would be the most effective way to work all the way through an adult golden's coat. Does anyone have a recommendation of a specific tool (a link showing it would be nice, haha) and suggestions about how to use it?


The first thing you should do is give her an oatmeal bath because oatmeal shampoo helps loosen dead hair and the undercoat. 

Dry her completely. It's ok if her paws and head are damp. 

For best results, there are three tools you need.

1) Slicker brush
http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...v_dropdown0_link12&parentPage=family&keepsr=1

Brush out her back, neck, hips, tail, butt area, ears, under her ears, behind her legs, and upper chest. The bristles are sharp, so don't put too much pressure on areas that are less dense in fur. Do this for 10-15 minutes. 

2) Dog comb
http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...v_dropdown0_link12&parentPage=family&keepsr=1

Use this on mentioned areas. You should be able to use the side of the comb where the bristles are closer together. If you come across an area that you can't get through with the comb, use the slicker brush until you can comb through it. The comb will continue pulling out undercoat, get out particles that didn't come out during the bath, and make the coat smooth and tangle free. Dig deep with the comb. 

3) Furminator
http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...or&kwCatId=2767032&parentPage=search&keepsr=1

Any size will do. Brush out the back, hips, upper chest, and butt area. Work on a specific area until you see some top coat fur coming off. The furminator will get out more under coat than any other brushing tool. There will be a lot of loose hair on the dog afterwards, so use the slicker to brush it off. 

I don't know how dense Zoe's coat is, but after I used a furminator on my Golden, I was ankle deep in undercoat. It's been a couple of months and she still doesn't need to be brushed.


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## PAWSDOG (Sep 13, 2007)

Use a slicker Brush, and wash the dog with shampoo,, then partially dry it.. apply conditioner and rub it in to the point where the dog feels sticky... keep rubbing and massaging against the coat.. Granted your hands will look like a 16 year old boy with his first adult magazine, but keep going... then rinse, and blow dry against the lie of the coat while using a slicker and you'll be fine and shed free..


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## ChillisMom (Aug 25, 2007)

I use a shedding blade at the moment but I want to buy a furminator.


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## Mdawn (Mar 3, 2007)

I use a shedding blade and it works ok with Uallis and Dan, but seems useless with Eddie, except for getting dirt out of his hair. With him, I use a slicker brush after the flea comb. That works much better with him. Sometimes, I use the blade on him, not so much for grooming, but because he likes it a lot. It makes him relaxed. LOL!! 
However, the shedding blade works really well with 2 of my cats, especially Gus. I get a TON of hair off on him and he looks so nice after. He LOVES it. When he sees it, he comes running to me, meowing...LOL!!! It also works good with Fred, though he doesn't like it as much. Max hates it. He has skin allergies and I think that it hurts is skin. With him I use a flea comb, then a soft bristled brush, which does ok and he likes it much better.


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