How to Comb Out the Undercoat of a Dog

The undercoat of a dog is the thick fur underneath the long hair that keeps your pet warm in the winter. In the summer, it helps to remove parts of this undercoat, which the dog sheds to allow it to cool off in the heat. Do this using an undercoat rake, which is the most effective dog-grooming tool for removing the coarse undercoat.

Things You'll Need

  • Undercoat rake
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Instructions

    • 1

      Purchase an undercoat rake, which has two sets of teeth. The two teeth sets more easily capture lone loose hairs. Metal teeth are preferred, as they work better against the coarse hair.

    • 2

      Find a location in or around your home where your dog is comfortable and you do not mind getting loose hairs everywhere. Outside in the yard is ideal, as it will prevent your dog's hair from dirtying up your home, and it will also prevent your dog from running into and breaking something if it tries to escape you during grooming. If your dog is jumpy, tie the dog to a fence with a leash while you groom it.

    • 3

      Hold the rake against your dog's coat at a 45- to 50-degree angle. Do not hold the rake straight up, as it tends to get stuck at this angle. Also, do not hold the rake parallel with your dog's body. Doing this will allow the rake to just skim over the top coat.

    • 4

      Press the rake strongly against your dog's body as you pass it along the coat, starting in the front of the body and moving back toward the rump. As you start to remove the undercoat, your rake will fill up with fur fast. Remove the fur from the rake as frequently as necessary to allow the bare teeth of the rake to show when starting to groom again. As the loose hairs in the undercoat are removed, there will be less fur on the rake.