A lot of dog brushes get picked off the shelf for the picture on the box. A golden retriever on the front, a promise about shedding, a nice handle. Then it comes home, meets a dog with a completely different coat, and lives in a drawer.
The best dog brush for your dog is the one built for your dog's coat type, and there's no single tool that covers every coat. A Lab and a Doodle need almost opposite kits. Below is how we'd think through each coat, which tools earn a spot, and which ones to leave at the store. If you're shopping for a dog-owning friend this season, there's a short section on that at the end.
Start with a comb, whatever you buy next
Any dog with more than a short smooth coat should have a plain metal comb, the kind with wider teeth on one end and tighter teeth on the other. It's the least exciting thing in the grooming aisle and the most useful one.
A brush moves hair around. A comb tells you whether the brush did its job. Slide it in at the skin and pull it out to the ends: if it glides, that section's clear. If it catches, there's a tangle the brush skated over. We go into how to use that check, and when to stop, in can you brush your dog too much.
Short smooth coats: rubber first, bristle to finish
Labs, Boxers, Beagles, Pugs, Pit mixes, and Weimaraners like our Belle.
- Rubber curry brush or grooming mitt. Short flexible nubs that lift loose hair and dirt to the surface and feel like a massage to most dogs. The AKC's guide to brush types puts rubber brushes with short coats for a reason: the bristles won't get through a long or thick coat.
- Bristle brush. Sweeps up what the rubber loosened and leaves a little shine behind.
Two tools and you're set. Leave the slicker and the rake on the shelf for this dog.
Double coats: a rake for the undercoat, a slicker for the fluffy bits
Goldens, German Shepherds, Huskies, Aussies, Corgis, Pomeranians, and the huge crowd of mixes with a soft undercoat under a coarser top layer.
- Undercoat rake. One or two rows of metal pins that reach down into the undercoat and pull out what's loose. The AKC's note here matters: pick a pin length that matches your dog's coat length. Pins too short for the coat only tidy the top layer; pins too long for it reach past the coat and into skin.
- Slicker brush. For the softer hair behind the ears, the britches, the tail, and the feathering on the legs, where a double-coated dog tangles first.
- The comb. Same job as always: checking you got through.
About blade-style de-shedding tools. They pull out a lot of loose undercoat fast. Read the directions that come in the box, though, because they're pretty strict. The instructions on the popular ones say not to use them on a coat with tangles or mats, to stroke only in the direction the hair grows, to keep them away from the ears, paws, legs, and genitals, and to stop if you see redness. That's a tool for a brushed-out coat in shedding season, not for every Sunday.
Curly and wool coats: slicker and a long-toothed comb
Poodles, Doodles of every mix, Bichons, Portuguese Water Dogs.
- Slicker brush. The main tool. The AKC lists curly coats among the ones slickers are made for, and it adds a warning worth taping to the handle: keep a light touch, because pressing hard hurts.
- Metal comb with long teeth. A curly coat can look smooth on top and be felted at the skin. A comb with teeth long enough to reach the bottom of the coat is the only way you'll find out at home.
- Detangling spray. Not a brush, but a curly coat brushes out a lot more easily with a light mist than bone dry.
Skip the blade de-shedder for this coat. Curly coats tangle, and tangled hair is exactly what those tools say not to touch. A pin brush tends to slide over the top of a curly coat rather than through it, so it's not the right buy either.
Long silky coats: pin brush for length, slicker for the trouble spots
Shih Tzus, Maltese, Yorkies, Lhasas, Havanese.
- Pin brush. The one that looks like a human hairbrush. For a coat kept long, it smooths the length without snagging. The AKC calls pin brushes a finishing tool for long-coated breeds and admits they aren't the most versatile thing you can own.
- Small slicker. For behind the ears, the armpits, and under the collar, where silky coats knot.
- Comb. Fine end for the face and feet, wider end for the body.
If your silky-coated dog lives in a short puppy cut, you can drop the pin brush. A small slicker and a comb handle a short coat fine.
Wire coats: slicker and comb on the furnishings
Schnauzers, Westies, Cairns, Wire Fox Terriers, and scruffy terrier mixes.
The harsh coat on the back is low drama. The longer hair on the legs, the beard, and the eyebrows is what tangles, and that's where a slicker and a comb go. The AKC lists wire coats as slicker territory and notes a pin brush can also work through tangles here. How the body coat is kept is a separate conversation, and it varies dog to dog; our Schnauzer grooming guide lays out the options.
Mat splitters and dematting tools: not a starter tool
These have sharp edges, on purpose. They cut through a tangle instead of pulling it. In a careful hand on a small, loose mat near the surface, they help. On a tight mat against the skin, a slip means a cut dog. If you're finding mats that a comb can't get under, read our guide to brushing out a matted coat versus clipping it short before you reach for anything with a blade.
Size and handle matter more than you'd think
A brush that's too big for the dog misses the armpits, the feet, and the face, which are the places that need it. A brush that's too small for a Newfoundland turns a quick job into a long afternoon. Pick a head that fits the dog, and a grip you can hold for a while without your wrist complaining. Self-cleaning slickers, where the pins retract at a button press, are a small luxury that makes brushing a heavy shedder less of a chore.
Buying a dog brush as a gift
A brush is a nice present for a dog person, as long as it matches the dog. A few pointers before you buy:
- Find out the coat, not just the breed. "Doodle" covers everything from a near-Poodle curl to a near-Retriever shed. A close-up photo of the coat tells you more than the breed name.
- Pair the main brush with a comb. Two tools that fit the coat beat a six-piece set where four pieces never get used.
- Leave out the sharp stuff. Blade de-shedders and mat splitters are tools an owner should choose for themselves, after reading the directions.
- For a new puppy, go soft. The AKC suggests starting brushing early and using a soft brush on a puppy coat. A gentle first brush is a better gift than a heavy-duty one the puppy will grow into.
If you're not sure what your dog's coat needs at home, ask at your next appointment and we'll tell you what we're seeing in it. You can book a groom with us here.