Grooming brushes

[Brownmare]

Having always had short coated dogs (sighthounds and a JRT) I have never had to do much grooming. I have a furminator to strip out the JRT when she moults but tbh it gets used on the horses more often! However now I have a collie who, although relatively short coated for a collie, is currently moulting and driving me ever so slightly insane with dog hair tumbleweeds in the kitchen and the carpet turning black!! I have used the furminator on him but it seems to be damaging the longer hair which it never did on the JRT. I tried a "proper" brush but it just smoothed over the top and didn't pull out any loose hair. Is there anything else I can use instead? Of course it is tempting to make him go and live outside....

 

[s4sugar]

A decent soft slicker & a metal comb are all the tools you need. Furminators do damage the coat and can cause packing of the undercoat to the extent I had to dematt a labrador earlier this year.

My favorite sicker is the tougher than tangles long pin soft ( http://www.groomers-online.com/groo...angles-long-pin-slicker-brush-soft-pins-p1589 ) and I like teflon coated combs.
The brush has to be used in short strokes starting at the bottom, you lift hair up and brush underneath each layer as if you do the head to tail stroke any loose hair can be deposited at the end.

For some reason double sided soft/pin brushes continue to be sold everywhere & they are not suitable for any dog

 

[Kylara]

Soft slicker.
I have a slicker for the cat as he has a very odd coat and doesn't groom himself properly. Difficult to brush him though as he insists on his head being done at all times!
Slickers are great and need short movements.
Our dog is an airedale so gets hand stripped but has a metal comb for brushing through leg and beard

 

[Bellasophia]

I would use a coarse stripping knife and comb horizontally through his coat..you keep the skin gently pulled forward,so it is taut...and run the knife in repeated strokes,through the coat.

http://groomwise.typepad.com/grooming_smarter/2014/03/what-is-carding.html

You will get masses of undercoat from the dog using this method.(carding the coat)

 

[Brownmare]

Brilliant, thanks. I do actually have a slicker that I use for cleaning velcro!! Will give that a go today

 

[Bellasophia]

Slicker is a superficial fix..it won't get to the root of the problem..you need to get the carding done and the old dead hair will be removed .
What type of collie is this?

 

[PucciNPoni]

Slicker and comb! What the slicker won't get, the comb surely will.

During the heavy moulting periods, (spring and autumn) a good trip to the groomer for a bath and blast out and furnishings trimmed can certainly help as well.

 

[Brownmare]

Thanks, the slicker is getting out the undercoat nicely but is not getting the top coat at all.

Puccinpony what kind of comb do you suggest?

Bellasophia he is a border x welsh collie with quite a short coat but some feathering.

 

[PucciNPoni]

You can get special moulting combs or with alternating length teeth, but I generally just use an ordinary metal comb.

The one I use is like this

http://www.technogroom.co.uk/catalog/ancol-aluminiumstainless-steel-comb-mediumcoarse-p-725.html


One thing I'm not a huge fan of is furminators, which basically does the same thing as carding - just on a different shaped handle. I think they have their uses, but they are not the be all and end all - a really good brush and comb does a better job with less chance of irritating the skin. I've seen some right messes caused by over carding.

 

[s4sugar]

Thanks, the slicker is getting out the undercoat nicely but is not getting the top coat at all.

What do you mean "not getting the top coat at all" ?
The brush should separate the hairs of the top coat but won't remove it unless ready to shed.

 

[PucciNPoni]

What do you mean "not getting the top coat at all" ?
The brush should separate the hairs of the top coat but won't remove it unless ready to shed.

that question confused me as well. On a pet border collie type coat, I would usually scissor the topcoat with thinning scissors to tidy the shape.

 

[Brownmare]

When I use the slicker it fills up with the soft fluffy undercoat but that is it. If I then ruffle his coat with my hands and then stroke him I get the harder top hairs which are clearly loose (and ending up in my carpet!). Obviously this is not a particularly effective method to remove this so will a comb do it or would carding be better?

 

[Brownmare]

I tell a lie! Having had another go this morning I am now getting the topcoat with the slicker. I think maybe there was so much undercoat it was getting that first but now I have got most of that out the top coat is coming too??

 

[Moobli]

I always use a rake and then slicker on my double coated GSDs and Border Collies. The best thing ever (but probably not much of an investment for a single dog owner) is a blaster. When my dogs are casting, the ideal way to get rid of all the unwanted hair is a bath and then a blast (outside, as the hair goes absolutely everywhere!!).