Tips & Tricks for Brushing Your Dog at Home

    One of the most common questions I’ve received as a professional dog groomer is HOW do I brush my dog and what TOOLS do I need? This can be a little bit of a complex answer due to the nature of how different dog breeds and coats are. Below I will try and simplify not only the tools needed, but also the how and why!

Why should I brush my dog in between grooms? Isn’t that what I pay the groomer to do?

While yes, that is a portion of what you pay your groomer to complete, at-home maintenance is so very important! Professional groomers generally will wash, dry, brush, clean ears, cut nails, and (if applicable) trim their hair. Having owners brush in between grooms can help with reduced shedding, reduced tangles/matting, and better stimulated skin, leading to a moisturized coat. More importantly, they get used to the process, so it makes the visit to the groomers less scary!

Wait a minute, there are different types of brushes?

Yes! There are a TON of different brushes on the market nowadays. Choosing which one is right for your dog will depend on the coat type. Here are some of my favorite tools:

Rubber Curry or Glove:

Can use medium to heavy pressure.

Undercoat Tool:

Use gentle pressure with this tool, as it's designed to pull hair with minimal effort.

De-shedding Rake:

Use medium pressure. This specific rake from Andis is my FAVORITE for de-shedding!

Slicker Brush:

Use medium pressure. The longer your dog's hair, the longer the brush tines should be. Don’t be afraid to use a light mist of detangling spray!

Metal Comb:

                                                            

Use medium pressure. Make sure the tips are all the way down to the skin!

Ryan's Pet Supplies has all of these tools!

What coat type is my stinky dog?

Smooth-coated: Pitbull, Short-haired Chihuahua, Whippet, Great Dane

Short-coated: Pug, Labrador Retriever, Beagle, Australian Cattle Dog

Medium (double-coated): Golden Retriever, Australian Shepard, Husky, Corgi

Long-/Wavy-/Curly-coated: Poodle, Shih Tzu, Cocker Spaniel, Yorkshire Terrier, Doodles

Wire-coated: Wire-haired Dachshund, Scottish Terrier, Cairn Terrier 

Coat Type	Best Tools	Frequency
Smooth	Rubber curry/glove	Once weekly, more during shedding season
Short	Rubbery curry/glove & Undercoat tool	Once weekly, more during shedding season
Medium (Double-coated)	Slicker brush, De-shed rake, & Metal comb	2-3x a week, more during shedding season
Long/ Curly/ Wavy	Slicker brush, Metal comb, & Detangling spray	The longer the hair, the more frequency is needed Generally 1/2" and under is 3-4x a week              More than 1/2" daily is best
Wire	Slicker brush  & Rubber curry/glove	Once weekly

Okay get to the point! HOW do I brush my dog?

General rules of thumb for all breeds are:

• Brush WITH the direction that the coat is laying
• Only brush on a completely dry coat, brushing wet hair can cause excessive pulling
• Start slow; use treats and keep it positive
• Be extra gentle around the face/head, stomach, and ears as these are very sensitive, thin-skinned areas
• Reduce their range of motion (put them on a table, tie a leash to something stable, etc.); this helps keep them still and mentally separates “play time” and “business time”

Proper brushing technique