As groomers, we come across many different dog coats and styles. As cooler weather comes, many owners go to the longer styles to keep their pets warmer.

Do you brush your dog regularly, only to bring him to the groomer and find there are matts anyways? This is a common problem for pet owners. One that can be fixed with switching to the correct brush or comb type and learning simple brushing techniques. A majority of breeds will benefit from a slicker brush and metal toothed comb. Other brushes simply wont get down to the skin and therefore slip right over top of the knots. If in doubt, ask us at your next visit which brush or comb will work best for your dog. We would also be happy to demonstrate proper brushing of your particular dog’s coat.  

Types of brushing tools:

1.Slicker Brush: A slicker brush can be found in many sizes and varieties. They can be big and square to small and round and everywhere in between. The key is the metal tines. If you are worried about the metal scratching your dog, we sell ones with small balls on end of the tines.

2.Bristle brushes: These are recommended for short coats and they can help to finish brush, bringing the natural oils throughout to create shine. Boars bristles are best.

3.Curry Brush: These are handheld rubber brushes with rubber teeth. They are used for deshedding short to long haired coats

4.Combs: Combs should be metal tined and a length that can get through your dog’s coat to the skin. Very useful for curly and long coats. Poodle and Doodle owners should definitely have this in their arsenal of grooming tools at home. Brushing with a slicker brush first then using a comb to the skin throughout the coat. If you find a knot, you can “pick” it apart with the comb. When you can go through the entire body with comb, you will then be done with brushing your pet.

5.Matt breaker tools: Certain dogs are prone to matting. If the wind blows, it seems, there’s a matt. A matt breaker is a long toothed “comb” with razors on one side of tines. (Yes, we sell them and can show you how to use them). They can be used by getting between the matt and skin and using a sawing motion to break through the matt repeatedly until it is gone.

6.Undercoat rake/ Deshed tools: A matt rake looks like a small garden tool, a Hoe. It has a handle with metal teeth in 1-3 rows that will get down to skin and help keep matts from forming and help to shed undercoat in double

coated dogs. 

How to Brush and Comb your Dog’s Coat

1.Use one hand to part the dog’s fur down to the skin. Use your other hand to start brushing from the skin down the hair shaft.

2.Follow a pattern of brushing from the top of your dog’s head down to his tail. This is called line brushing.

3.Once you have line brushed the entire coat, take a metal comb and run it through from head to toe and tail, until you are satisfied that you have not missed any knots in the coat. Pay special attention to legs, belly, tail and around ears, where knots are known to hide. Also, if you use a collar or harness on your dog, make sure you have no knots in this area either.

Just like your own skin and hair, a dog’s skin and coat are reflections of his overall health. It is very important to take care of your canine friend’s skin and coat, as the skin is the largest and one of the most important organs of the body. The skin forms a barrier to protect your dog’s body from various infections, and it helps maintain the body’s internal environment.

Keeping your dog’s skin healthy is not a big chore. Just a few extra steps or tips can keep your furry friend’s skin and coat healthy all throughout the year.