# Furminator



## Subro (Dec 24, 2011)

I am thinking about buy a furminator for Holly, but i'm a little afraid. That tool removes A LOT of fur. 
Anyone here already use? How it works exactly? Is just brush the fur normally? When I saw the video I thought that the dog would be shaved. haha


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

its a good tool. but its only good for certain coats. Since its just a clipper blade on a handle. Its great for short thick coats, such as a lab. I wouldnt use it on a long haired dog. Except for short haired areas, such as legs. 

I also wouldnt use it for very long, 10 mins tops.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

I only use it once a month and every two weeks when my Doberman mix is blowing her coat. I only use it on her back, neck, and shoulder area and her tail. I do not need it on her legs. It will actually cut the guard hairs. I am very careful with it so as to do the least possible damage to her coat as possible. I never use it on my Schnauzer/Poodles.


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## PatchworkRobot (Aug 24, 2010)

I LOVE furminators and use them on dogs at work all of the time. It's grade at taking off fur but make sure, as it's already been said here, to use it only occasionally. Also watch the coat as you use it because if it starts looking SUPER thin then you've done too much.


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## Gigit (Dec 30, 2011)

We have a furminator that we use when Zora blows her coat, it's a wonderful little tool.


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## JiffyPop (Dec 30, 2011)

The Furminator is GREAT on longer double coated breeds. I can't figure what use it would be on short haired dogs but I'm sure it also works well on them. I use it on Norwegian Elkhound and truth be told it is the only brush I can use. It removes the thick undercoat and leaves the long guard hairs intact. Exactly what i need because those guard hairs protect the dog from snow and ice in the winter and mud and dirt in the summer. I tried many (4 or 6) other dog grooming brushes before I finally broke down and paid the extra money $$ for the Furminator. A friend recommended it to me. It is the best money I have ever spent on a dog product. It works so well on my dogs thick undercoat, that I can not give it enough praise. It changed my grooming life!


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

actually a furminator works best on short coats such as labs and such. its a clipper blade on a handle. and it does ruin long coats


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## JiffyPop (Dec 30, 2011)

Tankstar said:


> actually a furminator works best on short coats such as labs and such. its a clipper blade on a handle. and it does ruin long coats


I know the Furminator works great on northern breeds with nice double coats. These coats can be somewhat "long" but are probably better described as a thick and dense undercoat with longer guard hair. I use it on a Norwegian Elkhound and a Malamute. These northern dogs do not tangle and MATT like some long coat dogs. I could imagine that some types of dogs with thin, mousy, long coat prone to matt, the furminator might not be the best choice. It would probably remove too much of that type of long coat. 

The Furminator does not remove much of the northern breed top-coat. It does not ruin their coat at all IMO. It mostly removes the undercoat and this is very obvious when you study the hair that comes off. Very little guard hair comes off yet piles of undercoat come off. I find it to be the perfect tool for twice a year when they blow out their coat. However, I use it more often because the amount of hair these dogs can shed. During the summer, I use it weekly. Much less in the winter when the dogs need that extra fur to stay warm. 

I guess it comes down to knowing your dog's coat and what your goal of grooming. If your dog has long, thin, mousy hair that is prone to matt and tangle, then the furminator might not be best. It could probably ruin these types of coats. However, if you are looking to remove dense undercoat and keep the top coat intact on northern breeds (like my goal), the furminator is the perfect tool. I have found nothing that works as well.


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

being a dog groomer, Im going to disagree. I know MANY tools that will work better on long haired breeds then the furminator. it breaks guard hairs. I have seen it many times doing so.


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## Subro (Dec 24, 2011)

And what the best tool, in your opinion, for a border collie?


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## JiffyPop (Dec 30, 2011)

Tankstar said:


> being a dog groomer, Im going to disagree. I know MANY tools that will work better...


You should share these MANY other tools with us. I know in my experience I am very happy with the results of the Furminator. However, I am dealing with a specific type of coat and I'm not a professional groomer. I have never seen broken guard hairs on my dogs but I have seen lots and lots of undercoat (piles of it). Could you tell me a better tool to blow out the undercoat and leave the guard hairs intact? I am always open to learning. thanks!


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

a good bath abd blow out with a HV dryer works wonders. also a under coat rake, slicker brush and grey hound comb. is what id suggest


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## Sasha1/2 (Dec 22, 2011)

It worked wonders on a Keeshond with a neglected undercoat.


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## rkleine07 (Jan 18, 2012)

I can't speak from a groomer's point of view, but just from personal experience the furminator works wonders on a Siberian Husky, a shepherd-staffie mix w/ short-med length thick coat, and a long haired cat. Just make sure you have the proper size and type (there are different ones they sell for cats). Like others have said you can over use them and brush out too much hair, but that can be solve by limiting how long and how often you use it. I would think it would be perfect for a border collies coat


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## Toabster (Nov 16, 2010)

We use the Furminator every day when max is sheds his winter coat (June). Otherwise, we just use regular brushes.


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