Why and how often
Brushing removes loose hair, stops mats from forming and spreads the skin's natural oils that protect the coat. It is also a chance to check the skin: you will spot fleas, ticks, small wounds or new lumps sooner.
How often depends on the coat. A short, smooth coat needs no more than a weekly once-over with a rubber brush. Brush a thick double coat with a dense undercoat a few times a week, and every day during the moult. A long, silky coat needs brushing right down to the skin every day. A wiry coat is brushed weekly and hand-stripped by a groomer a few times a year. A curly, non-shedding coat mats quickly, so brush it often and have it clipped regularly.
What you need
- A rubber brush or grooming mitt for short coats Grooming
- A slicker brush for long and curly coats Grooming
- A metal comb with wide and narrow teeth Grooming
- An undercoat rake for thick double coats Grooming
- Treats as a reward Treats
The links go to product categories, not to a particular product or brand.
Step by step
- Choose the tool for the coat A short coat suits a rubber brush or mitt, a long or curly coat a slicker brush and comb, a thick double coat an undercoat rake. The wrong brush either does not reach the skin or scratches it.
- Start with short sessions The first time, brush for just a few minutes and finish while your dog is still calm. Talk quietly and give a treat.
- Brush with the lie of the coat Work from head to tail, in the direction the hair grows. Brush a long coat in layers: lift the hair with one hand and brush the layer underneath, right down to the skin, with the other.
- Go gently with mats Hold a small mat close to the skin and tease it apart with your fingers or the tip of the comb, starting from the edge. Do not cut large mats stuck to the skin with scissors, as it is easy to nick the skin: let a groomer deal with them.
- Remember the hard-to-reach spots The coat mats fastest behind the ears, in the armpits, on the belly, on the back legs and around the tail. Brush these gently, as the skin there is thin.
- Check the skin While brushing, look for redness, flakes, fleas, ticks, small wounds or lumps. Note any change you find and keep an eye on it.
When to stop and see a vet
Stop if brushing hurts or your dog yelps, as a wound can hide under a mat. See a vet if hair is falling out in patches, the skin is red, flaky or scabbed, your dog scratches all the time, the coat has turned dull and coarse although its care has not changed, or you find a new lump under the skin.