Choosing The Right Brush For Your Beloved K-9

A pet’s coat can tell a lot about the pet’s overall health. If your K-9 is not one of the hairless varieties, chances are he or she will require consistent grooming to retain a healthy, smooth, and clear coat. Brushing your K-9 on a regular is recommended because; it prevents loose and dead hair from staying in the dogs’ fur. Tangled dog hair causes skin irritations and infections; brushing untangles the hair and allows the skin to breathe. Brushing stimulates healthy oil development and circulation in your K-9. Regular grooming also stops the growth of hair matting, improves pet-owner bond, and makes the K-9 look sharp. Choosing the right brush for your K-9 is the first step in sustaining good grooming practices. With so many different types of dog breeds and grooming tools, selecting the right brush for your dog can be challenging. Below we have compiled for you a list of brush types and the strain of K-9 they’re best suited for brushing.

1. Undercoat Rake

Undercoat Rake brushes are best suited for dog breeds with thick coats and double coats, for example, Pomeranians, Malamutes, Chow Chows, Huskies, and German shepherds. Often shaped like a shaving razor with one or two tightly spaced spikes, the undercoat rake is designed to effectively get deep into the K-9’s thick coat and remove dead undercoat and tangles. The spaced set peaks pass through the topcoat and rake out the unwanted dead undercoat hair. When using this brush, you should be careful not to apply too much pressure as it could hurt your K-9. It is advisable that when selecting an undercoat rake, you choose one with spikes that roughly match your dogs’ hair length as longer spikes may irritate the dogs’ skin while shorter spikes may miss the inner layer of the coat.

2. Slicker Brushes

When you use the right type of brush, your dog will enjoy being groomed, and you will have an easy time grooming it, for example, slicker brushes for goldendoodles. Slicker brushes are best suited for breeds with medium-long hair, curly hair, or double coats. Slicker brushes have rows of superior, short wire bristles that are tightly packed and angled on a flat surface. These brushes remove loose hair, dirt, mats, & tangles and are best suited for dogs with short-medium hair or curly hair. You have to be gentle when using this brush as the wires can cause irritation and discomfort when too much pressure is applied.

3. Pin Brushes

Pin brushes are best suited for dog breeds with more extended, silkier coat types like the Yorkshires, Cockers, and Spaniels, among others. Pin brushes are almost always oval-shaped, with loosely-arranged flexible wires with pins on top. Pin brushes finish, and fluff’s your dogs’ coat, as well as scoop up loose hair before it is shed onto your furniture. These brushes come in different shapes, lengths, and pin hardness so that you can pick depending on your dogs’ coat type.

4. Bristles Brushes

Bristle brushes are best suited for breeds like Boston Terriers, Pugs, and Jack Russell Terriers which are smooth-coated, short-haired and shed frequently. Bristle brushes are designed with clusters of tightly packed bristles which get rid of loose fur, improve the pet’s healthy oil production, smoothes the hair, and help make the K-9’s coat glossy.

Grooming your beloved K-9 can be a daunting task. Selecting the right brush or comb will ease the work and make grooming a stress-free and enjoyable experience for both you and your K-9. Do not be afraid of investing in good grooming brushes for your dog. Remember always to keep the brush clean.