To some extent, most dogs are capable of keeping their coats clean on their own. But in order to remove excess hair off their coats, they do need your help or to be more precise, they need the help of your opposable thumbs. Brushing your dog’s hair on a regular basis comes with quite a few benefits including -
- Cleaner Furniture - Removal of excess hair means less amount of hair on your sofa, bed, car, and clothes. This definitely makes life a lot easier, right?
- Prevents Matting - This ensures that your dog doesn’t get any serious skin ailments.
- Better Temperature Management - Dogs who have undercoats are tremendously benefitted by regular brushing as it helps regulate airflow in their thicker coats. As a result, they feel cooler and more at ease.
- Healthier Skin - Brushing your dog’s hair also helps disperse the natural oils which are produced in their coats in an even manner and this helps in keeping their coats healthy and shiny.
- Keeping a Check on Your Dog’s Health - When you sit down to spend time with your dog, brushing his hair, you can clearly see the condition of his health. If he has any fleas, ticks, or any unusual lumps, you’ll be able to identify them easily during this time.
Understanding Your Dog’s Coat
Brushing your dog’s hair is pretty basic, actually. No rocket science here! The only prerequisite is that you understand your dog’s coat a little bit. This will also help you decide what kind of tools or dog grooming brushes you need to buy in order to groom your dog’s hair on a regular basis. Here’s what you need to know -
- Breeds with Longer Hair - If you have a Collie, Afghan Hound, Lhasa Apso, or a Tibetan Terrier, you need to brush on a weekly basis. In case you find that your dog’s hair tends to get tangled quickly, you can brush even more frequently. Go for pin brushes since they come with bent-wire bristles that are designed to detach all the loose hairs without causing any pain.
- Breeds with Shorter Hair - Breeds like Greyhounds, Beagles, German Shepherds, and Great Danes do not need to be brushed so often since their hair do not tend to get tangled that easily. These dogs need hair brushing twice a month. Buying a rubber brush for brushing these dogs is ideal. Alternatively, you can brush them via a hound glove. You can also use a natural bristle brush or a slicker brush with bent-metal pins to brush the hairs of the short-haired dogs.
- Breeds with Short, Curly/Wiry Hair - If you have any of the Terrier breeds, or an Affenpinscher, or a Dachshund, opt for a slicker brush but after brushing you'd need to follow up with a metal comb. Brushing twice a week is fine for these breeds.
Choosing the Right Kind of Dog Grooming Brushes
Now that you are familiar with different types of dog hair coats, you can decide what kind of brushes you’d need to buy. Even though we’ve briefly mentioned some of the variety of brushes that could work for your dog’s coat, let’s delve a little deeper and discuss all the different types of brushes available in the market, in detail. So, that you can make a truly informed decision. Before buying a new brush, always remind yourself what you are trying to achieve - whether you want to de-shed your dog’s coat or you want to detangle the unruly knots or maybe you simply want your dog to look a little more groomed and proper.
Slicker Brushes for Long Haired Dogs - These brushes have either flat or a faintly curved base with angular wire bristles. They are used for removing knots from medium to long-haired dog coats.
Flea Combs - Flea combs are highly recommended for all kinds of dogs. They help get rid of fleas and their eggs. These combs have close-set teeth to pull all the dirt out. To use this kind of comb, after every stroke of the brush, swirl the comb in warm soapy water. This will make sure the fleas are captured in the water so that they could not infest your dog again in the near future.
Multipurpose Rubber Brushes - The rubber on these dog grooming brushes acts like a magnet, attracting all the dirt and loose hair off the dog’s coat. Some of these dog brushes come with soft pins as well that help massage your dog’s skin, stimulating blood flow and a healthy spread of natural oils. You can also use them while shampooing your dog’s hair.
Undercoat Rakes to Remove Clumps of Hair - Some breeds of dogs like Pomeranians and Huskies shed in clumps. An undercoat rake could help you remove these clumps easily. These dog rakes have wider set teeth that help you achieve this. Make sure to apply pressure gently and evenly to avoid hurting your dog in any way.
Bristled Brushes for Finishing Touches - These brushes give a smoother finish and a soft and shinier coat. Both short bristled as well as long bristled brushes are available in the market. Depending on what kind of dog you have, you can pick a brush that best suits your dog’s coat.
Double-Sided Dog Grooming Brushes - One side of the brush has pins on it and the other has bristles. So, you can remove the tangles and mats with the pinned side and then give your dog’s coat a smoother and shinier finish with the bristled side. This kind of brush works best on medium to long-haired dogs.
Moulting Combs with Two Pin Lengths - These combs are ideal for dogs that have double coats instead of one. They have two sets of pins - one set of longer pins and another of shorter pins. The longer ones penetrate the topcoat to remove knots while the shorter pins help gather all the moulted fur pulled off the dog’s coat.
Mat Removing Dog Brushes - Mat remover or mat breaker brushes are used to detangle the knots and to remove the mat. They come with sharp blades to cut through the mat. You need to use these kinds of brushes pretty carefully since the blades in them can hurt your dog’s skin badly.