Types of Dog Brushes

Most dog owners know that grooming their pet regularly is essential. Probably the most obvious advantage is that it keeps your dog’s coat looking clean and free of debris. If you don’t brush her regularly, your dog can build up tangled mats of hair, which, depending on the breed of dog, can be nearly impossible to brush out. Grooming your dog also helps to distribute natural oils that keep her skin and fur healthy. However, it can sometimes be difficult deciding what type of brush to purchase for your dog.

  1. Pin Brushes

    • Pin brushes are most effective on dogs with long or curly fur. They have moderately-spaced, long, wire pins, often with round rubber or plastic-coated tips—if you don’t get a brush that is coated, make sure the pins themselves are at least polished and rounded, so you don’t cut or scrape your dog’s skin. The spacing helps to get deep into your dog’s undercoat and goes easily through especially thick fur. However, if you have a short-haired breed, you can usually find pin brushes with shorter and more closely spaced pins. In either case, these brushes are great for regular, quick grooming through your dog’s whole coat.

    Bristle Brushes

    • Bristle brushes are most effectively used on dogs with short hair. These brushes are typically made with nylon or boar bristles, tightly packed together. On a dog with short hair, a bristle brush can work well for daily grooming. However, bristle brushes typically only work as finishing brushes or dust removers on dogs with long hair. It is possible to get a bristle brush that will work well on a long-haired dog, but it must have long bristles that are spaced farther apart than the average bristle brush. For a dog with especially thick hair, you will need a brush with especially thick bristles.

    Combo Brushes

    • Combo brushes are available for all-around grooming. They come with pins on one side, for undercoat grooming, and bristles on the other, for maintaining your dog’s topcoat.

    Slicker Brushes

    • Slicker brushes work well on almost any dog breed, and are good additions to most dog-owners' collections of accessories. These brushes come with tightly-packed, thin, stiff wires that penetrate to your dog’s undercoat and remove loose hairs. Especially effective when your dog is shedding, these fur-magnets quickly collect masses of loose fur and must be repeatedly cleaned out during grooming sessions. Slicker brushes are also probably your best option for working out tough tangles and matting.

    Glove Brushes

    • Glove brushes are really only effective on short-haired dogs. Designed with short, rubber teeth on the palm, the primary appeal of a glove brush is the personal feel of brushing your dog with your hand. However, these brushes do work for touch-ups, removing any loose hair along your dog’s topcoat.