Keeping your dog tidy is essential to ensure their good health and general welfare. During walks they tend to wallow, play with other dogs, jump and generally go through things that create dirt in their fur, and the appearance of tangles in long haired dogs, etc. In addition to bathing them according to your vet's instructions, you must be consistent with brushing their hair in order to remove dirt and keep it soft and silky.
Depending on the breed and type of hair your dog has, you should follow certain brushing techniques. Do you know the types of dog brushes and combs? To avoid making the wrong decision and ensure this an enjoyable moment for your dog and not their worst nightmare, AnimalWised will show you the best brushes and combs, according to the type of fur.
Choosing the brush according to the type of hair
As discussed, you should use one brush or another depending on your dog's type of hair. Furthermore, how often you have to brush your dog's coat will also depend on the length, thickness and amount of hair they lose. So, some dog breeds tend to lose hair more than that others. On the other hand, some do not shed hair at all.
One of the best times of day for brushing their coat is after a walk. If you do it properly, you will make your dog relaxed and satisfied while removing accumulated dirt from their coat, getting rid of any tangles and keeping the health of their skin in perfect condition. However, choosing the wrong brush or not knowing how to brush their fur can result in a really uncomfortable and very unpleasant moment for your dog.
In general, there are three different types of hair: short, medium and long. Each hair type requires a specific kind of brush and brushing frequency. Let's have a look at which combs you need for your dog whether is has short, medium or long hair.
Brushes for short-haired dogs
Short-haired dogs require much gentler hair care. Due to having a thin coat, they don't need to be brushed more than two or three times per week. Of course, short-haired breeds have different hair measurements and characteristics that will indicate whether you have to brush twice or three times a week. For example, the Chihuahua, despite being a dog with short fur, tends to lose a lot of hair and therefore needs to be brushed more often that a Dalmatian or Boxer, which don't lose much hair.
Dogs with this type of hair need brushes that remove excess hair, and don't have the possibility of accumulating knots and excessive dirt. So, you will need a brush with rubber bristles or a brush glove, in order to avoid damaging your dog's skin and pulling out hairs you shouldn't. It is also easy to clean and keep in perfect condition.
Brushes for medium-haired dogs
Medium-haired dogs like the German Shepherd, Border Collie or Golden Retriever, which have more of a coat than the previous ones, need to be brushed a minimum of four times a week. If you have enough time to groom their hair once a day, your furry companion will thank you and you won't need to do as much housecleaning.
Due to having a longer, thicker and denser coat than short-haired dogs, you will need a brush with fine, close metal bristles, known by many as a slicker brush, to remove all the accumulated dead hair. These dogs tend to lose a fair amount of hair, so if you don't remove it, it will accumulate and spread around the house.
Brushes for long-haired dogs
Long-haired dogs require more attention when it comes to caring for their fur, since they tend to get tangles, accumulate dirt and most of all, lose lots of hair. So, you will have to brush your dog's hair every day after each walk. However, at Animal Wised, we suggest you combine daily brushing at home with a dog grooming session once a month, as a minimum.
For dogs with long fur and delicate skin such as the Yorkshire Terrier, you will need a double-sided brush, with rounded bristles on one side and tougher synthetic bristles on the other. This way, you can use the one side with the rounded bristles to carefully detangle the fur and remove dead hair, and then use the other side to provide softness and shine.
For long-haired dogs with thicker and less sensitive skin, you can use a metal brush like the one you would use for medium hair to untangle and easily remove dirt. Of course, given that they have more hair, you must do this carefully to avoid damaging the animal and pulling on it.
Brushes for water dogs
Finally, a difference between the coat of water dogs, is that they are characterised by a very dense and curly coat. Dogs such as the Poodle, Bichon Frise, etc. require a special comb very different to those seen in previous sections. In order to detangle their hair without damaging or pulling it, remove dirt and keep it healthy and strong, you will need a comb with separated, thick metal teeth, also known as a buttercomb.
You will have to brush them with this comb every day, after every walk, to prevent knots from forming. Although these dogs are not used to losing hair, their fur can get tangled a lot and accumulate mud, sand, etc. Therefore, if you have a water dog and notice that they are losing a lot of hair, you should go to the vet for an examination and find out if they have any nutritional deficiencies.
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