# Best pin brush (or other non-rake brush)



## Alfogg (Oct 15, 2014)

Sorry if this has been covered - I searched the posts & didn’t quite see what I was looking for. My dog Ellis has long fur and wooly “pants”. She doesn’t like being brushed. I usually use a rake followed by a pin brush. I need a new pin brush, looking for one that’s gentle. Maybe a 2-sided so I can alternate between softer bristles and pins. And coated pins? Or are the higher quality ones rounded enough metal to not scratch? Thanks! Andrea (Fogg) Brady & Ellis.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Bumping up


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## Goldens&Friesians (May 31, 2014)

I'm a professional groomer and I very rarely use a pin brush on any breed of dog and have never used one on a golden. (In fact, I broke my pin brush using it on my own hair several years ago and have never replaced it.) If I understand correctly, I think the type of brush you are thinking of looks something like this one: https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemai...376C5EA576&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
The bristle side of the brush is basically useless on a long coated dog, I don't even like it for short coated dogs. The pin brush side is ok, but a slicker brush does a better job, in my opinion, because it finds smaller tangles better, while the pin brush can miss them. 

What I use is a slicker brush like this, regular size: https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemai...9949F6CFB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US

Then I follow that with the rake and finish with a greyhound comb. You do need to be careful with any brush about brush burning, but it seems to happen most often with slicker brushes. Most of the time brush burns only happen if the dog is very matted or very undercoaty and you are brushing in the same spot for a long time. Best way to insure you won't brush burn your dog is to keep on top of brushing and not allow mats to form or undercoat to build up by making sure you are brushing all the way down to the skin and brushing frequently-I always recommend at least 1-2 times per week. (Although I have to confess to being guilty of only brushing my own dog after baths, which is about every 3-4 weeks unless my dog gets into burrs or something.) If you do find a tough spot, brush at it a bit, then go brush somewhere else for a bit, then come back and brush the tough spot a bit, then go somewhere else, etc. til you get it brushed out.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

If you invest in a dog dryer, you will have no need for a brush, but a grooming comb will work perfect. The dryer gets all the dead hair off you dog. I usually finish my dog and keep his fur neat before the ring using this pin brush:


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51phFaLeLFL._SL1024_.jpg


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Couple thoughts... 

IF I were just brushing my dog out every once in a while... all I would use is a slicker brush and detangler. 

My guys - their coats don't really get tangled or bad, so I mainly spritz with water when brushing (prevents breakage). But based on your description of your dog's coat - I'd get something like cowboy magic detangle. Or you can just go down the beauty aisle and get coconut oil like this:

https://www.target.com/p/ogx-coconu...Qu4Ry6Q9dyrHG9DbM9BoCh6AQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I would use that sparingly? But it helps the brush slide right through vs snagging and pulling at the coat.



To answer your question re pin brush. I use a brush similar to this: 

https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Christ...ords=chris+christensen+pin+brush+dog+grooming

But cheap knock off (I picked it up at a dog show - was $10 vs $30).

I use it on "furnishings" when drying my dog. 

With the body coat on a golden, you can just dry and use your hands - no need for brushes. That's blowing back and forth. But the longer hairs on the chest and legs and trousers and tail - you don't want them tangling while drying. So I will brush down while drying. 

I DO use a different brush on the body while drying if I'm in a hurry and I really want to work the water out from the undercoat. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D5C2GF7/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?pd_rd_i=B07D5C2GF7&th=1

^ This is pretty close, but I only spent about $5 for the brush at Sally's. And I don't have problems with pins falling out. 

^^^^ I giving those as examples, but really you don't need a pin brush. Just a slicker + detangler.


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## Alfogg (Oct 15, 2014)

Thanks all for your suggestions. I was at my moms over the weekend and remembered that I’d kept a brush & rake at her house for when dogs stayed with her more frequently. I grabbed the pin brush and was amazed at how much smoother it was than the other one I had. The thing about the pin brush is that it can reach through all the fur - I’m afraid a slicker brush won’t touch the pants or long fur on her sides. She really needs to be groomed and have the feathering trimmed and thT will help.

That pinbrush brand is JW Pet Company - probably a cheap Petco-type brush but worlds different than the other brush I had that just seems to be more harsh.

I’ve never used a slicker brush because I feared it wouldnt penetrate through the thick golden coat. But maybe that, along with sparing use of a rake, would also get the job done. 

For now I have a brush that helps gets gle and remove undercoat without snagging it hurting, so I’m happy. If she relaxes with this, then the rake will be easier too (I love the rake).

I’ve attacjed a pic of her lush/long coat. She definitely needs a grooming - hard to find one that will take new clients in Maine!!

I’ll keep the recommended pin brushes in mind as well.

Thanks!


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

I too would use a detangler and either a comb or slicker if I wanted just to get through the coat and make her look and smell fresher... 
Isle of Dogs makes a fabulous detangler, I like it much more than the Christensen detangler.


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## FURgirl (Mar 14, 2017)

Another groomer here, lol. Your golden looks great! Whatever works for you and your dog is the best option. When your pin brush does give up, hehe, Paws Pamper has a really tough dual sided Beechwood one with boar bristles. Another great tool to reach all the way in the fur is their anti-corrosion, tapered pin comb. Give your furbaby kisses from all us!


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## Goldens&Friesians (May 31, 2014)

Alfogg said:


> I’ve never used a slicker brush because I feared it wouldnt penetrate through the thick golden coat. But maybe that, along with sparing use of a rake, would also get the job done.


Hard to know exactly what your dog's coat is like without getting my hands on her, but I have never met a golden that a slicker wouldn't go all the way through the coat. It goes through on breeds like Newfies and they have a ton more hair than a golden! Your golden looks like she has the average amount of coat for a golden, so I'm sure a slicker would be fine. Glad you found something that works for the moment though! 
Oh, and I may as well add my two cents on detanglers: Trophy Line Manely Long Hair polisher/detangler. Between being a groomer and owning horses, I've tried tons of detanglers-used to really like Cowboy Magic or Show Sheen for horses and Glo Coat for dogs. Then I found Manely and decided to give it a try-oh my goodness! Never going back to the other products! Its amazing! I now use their shampoo and conditioner as well on all my grooming clients, my dog, and my horses. Its pretty awesome stuff, I think that for most people, once you use it, you never go back to other products. I also use it on my hair which is extremely long and thick and gets tangled if you just look at it, lol!


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## myluckypenny (Nov 29, 2016)

This is my favorite pin brush and I've yet to meet a dog that doesn't love to be brushed with it - https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Christ...8-3&keywords=chris+christensen+wood+pin+brush


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## Walt Watson (Mar 20, 2019)

*choosing rake brush is a good idea.*

The pin brush should not be suitable for the golden retriever, choosing rake brush is a good idea.


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## savannabanna (May 22, 2018)

I spoke with a groomer who gave me a quick self grooming education for Charlie. She recommends a quick slicker and comb. bath with shampoo condition and said the rubber curry brushes are fine during. Then a little blowout. And then back to the slicker and a metal comb. I find it works great this way! Trim whatever after. The slicker is to find mats and little knots and then the comb gets the majority of undercoat. The dryer gets the rest.


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## ChrisFromOC (Sep 19, 2018)

Based on some recommendations, I bought a Chris Christensen wood pin brush and think it works great. Ziggy is still a pup, but it goes through his fur much easier than our metal pin brush. It also gets through our Havanese’s fur very easily too. Multiple reviews I read seem to be consistent that the wood pins make it really gentle. Hope this helps!


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## Walt Watson (Mar 20, 2019)

After reading this post, I have gained a lot. I also encountered a similar problem.
Now, my dog is infected with fleas. I would like to ask if there is any good flea treatment?
Welcome to give me advice.


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