Brushing your dog is one of those things that seems simple until you actually try to do it, and then it turns out there is a lot more to it than “run a brush through the coat and call it done.” The right brushing technique depends on your dog’s coat type. The wrong technique can damage the coat, irritate the skin, and in some cases make matting worse instead of better. Let me walk you through the right way to brush your dog and why it matters so much.
Before I get into technique, let me make sure we are on the same page about why this matters. Brushing is not just about making the coat look pretty. It is about:
– Removing dead hair before it turns into mats
– Distributing natural oils from the skin through the coat
– Stimulating blood flow to the skin
– Catching skin issues early (lumps, bumps, cuts, hot spots, parasites)
– Bonding with your dog
– Reducing the amount of hair that ends up on your furniture and clothes
A dog that gets brushed regularly is a dog whose coat stays healthy, whose skin stays healthy, and whose grooming appointments go faster and cost less because there is less work to do.
This is the part where most people go wrong. They buy one brush and use it on every coat type. That does not work. Different coat types need different tools.
Slicker brush. Best for medium to long coats, curly coats, and most Doodles. The fine wire pins penetrate the coat and remove loose hair and small tangles. Use gently and watch for brush burn if you press too hard.
Bristle brush. Best for short, smooth coats (Pit Bulls, Beagles, Boxers, Dalmatians). The natural or synthetic bristles distribute oils and remove surface dirt. Not much use for de-shedding or detangling.
Pin brush. Best for long, silky coats (Afghan Hounds, Yorkshire Terriers, Maltese). The pins with rounded tips glide through long hair without damaging it.
Undercoat rake. Best for double-coated breeds (Huskies, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Bernese Mountain Dogs). The long teeth reach through the topcoat and pull out the loose undercoat. This is the brush you want during shedding season.
De-shedding tool (like a FURminator). Best used sparingly on double-coated breeds during heavy shed. It can damage the coat if overused or used on the wrong coat type. Not for curly or silky coats.
Comb. Every dog owner should have a steel comb. After you brush, comb through the coat to check for tangles you might have missed. The comb does not lie. If the comb goes through, the coat is mat-free. If it snags, there is a tangle.
No matter what brush you are using, the rule is the same: brush in the direction of hair growth, in small sections, all the way down to the skin. Do not just brush the top layer. That is how mats form underneath while the top of the coat looks fine.
Start at the front of the dog and work your way back. Or start at the back of the dog and work your way forward. Whatever order works for you, but do it systematically so you do not miss spots. The spots people miss most: behind the ears, under the armpits, the “pants” (back legs and rear), the belly, and the tail.
For long or curly coats, hold the section of hair you are brushing in your other hand, just above where you are brushing. This prevents pulling on the skin and turns a painful experience into a tolerable one. If your dog flinches or pulls away when you brush a certain spot, slow down. You are either pulling too hard, hitting a tangle, or hitting a sensitive area.
The right answer depends on the coat, but here are the general rules:
– Short, smooth coats: Once a week is plenty
– Medium double coats: 2 to 3 times per week, daily during shedding season
– Long, silky coats: Daily, or at minimum every other day
– Curly coats (Poodles, Doodles, Bichons): Daily is ideal, every other day is the minimum
– Wire coats: Weekly, with hand-stripping for show dogs
If you are not brushing enough, the loose hair turns into mats, and mats turn into a longer, more expensive groom. It is much easier to spend 5 minutes a day brushing than 30 minutes untangling mats every few weeks.
Every dog benefits from at least a weekly brush, even the short-coated breeds. The brush removes loose hair, distributes oils, and gives you a chance to check the skin. A rubber curry brush or grooming mitt works great for short coats and most dogs love the massage feeling.
If your dog has mats, do not try to brush them out. Mats do not brush out. They are tangled clumps of dead and live hair that have fused together, and brushing them just makes them tighter and hurts the dog. Mats need to be cut or shaved off. If your dog has matting, your groomer will take care of it, and it may affect the cost of the groom. Regular brushing prevents this.
Stay fresh and furry, Nicole / Vroom Grooms LLC
About the Author
Nicole is the owner and certified groomer behind Vroom Grooms LLC, a mobile dog grooming service serving Northwest Ohio. She has been certified since 2020 after completing 640 hours of hands-on training, and sees the consequences of under-brushing (and over-brushing) in the van every day. You can catch her live on Twitch at DogGroomerNIcole, where she streams real appointments and shows how she works through different coat types.
This post was drafted with help from Nagini 🐍, her digital assistant, who keeps the blog running, handles the tech side of the website, and makes sure Nicole spends more time with dogs and less time wrestling with WordPress.