The Best Brush for Your Dog's Coat

Brushing your dog’s coat is a great way to maintain their groom, eliminate mats and tangles, and keep their skin and coat healthy. With the variety of groom tool options, choosing the right brush and comb for your dog’s coat can be confusing – so, we’ve created the below guide to help you choose the proper brush that best suits your pup’s needs.

Short-Haired Coats

A soft-bristled brush is great for short, sleek-haired doggos. These kinds of bristles will help spread your dog’s natural oils, add shine to their coat, and brush out any loose hairs. If your dog’s coat is short but a bit thick, a pin brush with stainless steels tips and rounded pin ends is great for combing through their fur to remove mild tangles and loose hair, and acts as a massager. There are even double-sided brushes (one side is soft-bristled and the other is a pin brush) to offer your dog the benefits of both brushes.

Recommended for: Italian Greyhound, Labradors, Pug, Chihuahua, Beagle, Dachshund, and breeds of the like

Medium-Long Hair Coats

Dogs with medium to long coats may need a few different tools to maintain their beautiful mane:

A slicker brush is great for regular brushing, preventing mats by working out knots and tangles, and for effectively removing loose hair and undercoat. Slicker brushes have fine, wire bristles that are often angled with protective nubs to prevent damage to the skin. For pups that are double coated and have a thick/heavy coat, an undercoat rake is great to pair with the slicker brush to further remove loose tuffs of dead undercoat and prevent matting. Rake tools are designed with small, sharp blades that are set closely together, so beware when using it – You do not want to use a rake tool on any short-haired breed

*It is important to always be gentle when using either of these tools. The fine, tightly spaced wires of a slicker brush, and razor-like ends of an undercoat rake, can cause your dog discomfort if too much pressure is used.

A long tooth grooming comb is ideal for pups with thick, wooly, and curly fur. Its teeth are spaced wider than a flea comb, which allows you to move it through the fur and untangle knots without causing hair breakage.

Slicker brushes are best for: Golden Retriever, Australian Shepard, Cocker Spaniel, St. Bernard, Doodles, and breeds of the like

Undercoat Rakes are best for: German and Australian Shepard, Golden Retrievers, Pomeranians, Newfoundland, Great Pyrenees, Sheepdog, and similar double-coated breeds