Keeping our dog clean is essential to ensure its he alth and general well-being. During walks they tend to wallow, play with other dogs, jump and, in general, submit to factors that cause dirt to their fur, the appearance of tangles in long-haired dogs, etc. In addition to bathing them following the instructions of the veterinarian, we must be constant with the brushing of their hair in order to remove added dirt, keep it soft and silky.
Depending on the breed and type of hair of our dog, we must follow some brushing techniques or others. Do you know the types of dog brushes? To prevent you from selecting the wrong one and turning this very pleasant moment for him into his worst nightmare, on our site we show you the best brushes and combs according to the type of coat.
Choose the brush according to the type of hair
As we mentioned, depending on the type of our dog's hair, we must use one brush or another. Likewise, the frequency with which we will have to brush our dog's fur will also depend on its length, thickness and amount of loss. Well, there are breeds of dog with a greater tendency to lose their fur than others that, on the contrary, do not shed.
After the walk time, brushing the coat is one of the best times of the day for our dog. If we do it properly, we will provide a state of relaxation and satisfaction while we remove the dirt accumulated on your coat, we undo the tangles that may have been caused and we maintain the he alth of your skin in perfect condition. However, a bad choice of brush or not knowing how to brush the hair can lead to a really uncomfortable and very unpleasant moment for our dog.
In general, we differentiate three types of hair: short, medium and long. Each of them requires a specific type of brush and brushing times. Let's see below what combs we should buy to comb our dog according to whether he has short, medium or long hair.
Brushes for short-haired dogs
Short-haired dogs require much lighter coat care. As they have a very sparse coat, they do not need more than two or three brushings a weekOf course, within the breeds considered short-haired, there are different measurements and characteristics of the hair that will stipulate whether we should do two or three weekly hairstyles. For example, the Chihuahua, despite being a dog with short fur, tends to lose a large amount of it and, therefore, will need more brushing than a Dalmatian or a Boxer, which do not lose as much hair.
Dogs with this type of hair need brushes that are limited to remove excess hair, as they do not have the possibility of accumulating tangles or excessive dirt. So, we will need to buy a rubber bristle brush, mitten or rubber brush, to avoid damaging our dog's skin and pulling out unwanted hairs. Likewise, it is very easy to clean and keep in perfect condition. This type of brush for short-haired dogs allows dead fur to adhere to them easily while giving the animal a gentle and pleasant massage.
On the other hand, and although it may seem strange, another tool to take into account when combing dogs with shorter coats is the pumice stone. This product picks up dead fur without problems and is therefore a perfect complement to the brush. Of course, it is necessary to pass the stone always in favor of the hair and very gently to avoid damaging the skin. In addition, we will avoid areas without hair or with a very thin coat.
Brushes for medium hair dogs
Medium-haired dogs such as the American Akita or the Golden Retriever, which have more fur than the previous ones, require a minimum of four brushings a weekIf we have enough time to brush their fur once a day, our furry companion will thank us and we will keep the house clean.
Since they have a longer, thicker and denser coat than those with short hair, we will need to buy a brush with fine metallic bristles and together, known by many as card or racket, to be able to remove all the accumulated dead hair. Of course, paying attention to the shape of their tips, since they must be rounded to avoid damaging the animal's skin or pulling out he althy hair. These dogs tend to lose a lot of hair, so if we don't remove it, it will accumulate and spread throughout the house.
If our dog has medium hair and, also, thick and dense, we recommend moving on to the next section because extra care will be necessary, explained below.
Brushes for long-haired dogs
Long-haired dogs require the most attention when it comes to caring for their coats, since they tend to get tangled, accumulate dirt and, most of them, lose a lot of hair. It should be noted that this group not only includes dogs with visibly very long coats, such as the Afghan greyhound, but also dogs with thick, double-coated hair, such as the German shepherd. In this way, even if our dog has hair that is considered medium, if it is dense, hard or thick, it is advisable to follow the recommendations given in this section.
We will have to brush every day our dog's hair if it is long or tends to lose a lot, after each walk. However, from our site we recommend that you combine daily brushing at home with a dog grooming session every month, or month and a half, following the specialist's instructions.
Being dogs with a longer or denser coat and, therefore, special hair needs, it will be necessary to purchase two different types of brushes, one to comb, brush and remove dead hair, and another to unravel when necessary.
To brush and style
For dogs with a longer coat and, in addition, delicate skin, such as Yorkshire, we will need to buy a double-sided brush, with rounded bristles on one side and harder synthetic hair on the other. Thus, we can first pass the part with the round bristles, comb the coat very carefully and remove dead hair, and then the other side to provide softness and shine.
For long-haired dogs with thicker, less delicate skin, we can first use a metal bristle brush or carder as a the one we use for medium hair in order to comb and remove dirt easily. Of course, having more hair, you must do it very carefully so as not to damage the animal with jerks.
To untangle
As you have seen, the two types of dog brushes mentioned are used to brush and comb the animal, not to untangle it. For this purpose, we will opt for a brush or rake comb, specially designed to undo knots and tangles. This type of brush is preferable for dogs with rather thick hair, those with a finer coat and more delicate skin can be affected.
In addition to removing tangles, the rake helps retain dead fur close to the skin. Dogs with thick hair tend to retain dead fur much more than other dogs, especially during times of shedding, so this type of comb is really useful for removing it. In this way, as we said, in addition to using the metal card, we recommend using the rake despite not having a very long mantle.
Water dog brushes
Finally, it is worth distinguishing the water dog's coat, characterized by a curly and very dense coat. Dogs such as poodles, poodles, bichon frizes, etc., require a special comb that is very different from those seen in the previous sections. In order to detangle your hair without damaging it or pulling it out, remove dirt and keep it he althy and strong, you will need to buy a comb with thick and separate metal teeth, also calledknotcutters
We will have to brush them with this comb every day, after each walk, to avoid the formation of knots. Although they are dogs that do not usually lose hair, they do tend to generate a lot of tangles and accumulate mud, sand, etc. In this way, if you have a water dog and you notice that it is losing a lot of hair, you should take it to the vet to have it examined and find out if it has any nutritional deficiency.
If the animal has knots that are very close to the skin and difficult to undo, we will avoid using the knot cutter and we will directly use blunt-tipped scissorsto cut it. In these cases, using this type of comb can cause pain and even injuries, so it is better to cut than untangle.
Other brushes to remove dead dog hair
In addition to the brushes and combs mentioned in the previous sections, there is another type of brush for dogs specially designed to remove dead fur. It is known as escarpidor brush, although the well-known brand FURminator has popularized the name and many identify it as "furminator", despite the fact that there are many companies that manufacture it.
The efficiency of the escarpidor or furminator brush is really amazing, since it has been shown that it manages to remove up to 90% of dead hair. It is characterized by presenting a single row of very short, fine and joined metal spikes, showing an appearance similar to a rake. Since it is suitable for all types of hair, being ideally used in dogs with medium or long hair, we can find it in different sizes, also allowing us to choose the one that adapts to the size of the animal.
On the other hand, the escarpidor favors the dog's skin and provides shine and softness to the coat. This is so because it has the ability to easily distribute the natural fat present in the dermis of dogs.
Flea and lice brushes for dogs
Sometimes, regular brushing allows us to notice the presence of fleas or lice, as well as their traces. To do this, we have a type of comb for dogs designed precisely with the aim of identifying the feces of these parasites and thus being able to apply the antiparasitic treatment stipulated by the veterinarian. These combs are characterized by having fine metal bristles close together to be able to drag and collect faeces. They are suitable for all types of fur and should be used carefully and patiently passing them through the coat to avoid pulling.
Once the sample is collected, we will check if it really is parasite faeces or soil. How? Very simple, placing the sample on a gauze and applying a little alcohol. If the sample turns red, it is stool, while if there is no change, it is soil.
If the presence of parasites is confirmed, carefully examine the animal's skin to determine if it is fleas or lice and do not forget to see a specialist. More information in the following articles:
- Remove dog fleas
- Lice in dogs - Symptoms and treatment
Tips for brushing your dog correctly
First of all, it is important to highlight the hygiene of dog brushes. Regardless of the type selected, it is essential to establish a routine and wash them periodically to prevent them from accumulating dirt and damaging the animal's coat.
Now yes, when brushing the dog's hair we recommend always doing it in the direction of the coat On the other hand, in the long-haired dogs, we can first moisten the coat with a conditioner or special product for them and, after brushing, dry it.
If your dog is restless or nervous, try to relax him first with massages and, above all, try to associate the brushes and the moment with positive stimuli. Forcing the dog to stay still while you brush it will only cause more fear and rejection, so it can even trigger an aggressive attitude if it feels very threatened. And if you don't know how to handle the situation, don't hesitate to go to a qualified and trustworthy dog groomer.
