# Furminator.



## rubysdoghouse (Sep 27, 2010)

Hi Conner. I have a furminator and have used it on my dogs with success but it is a messy brushing so I use it outside. Now when I bought my new Golden pup this summer the breeder stated that it was not the one he would use on a Golden. It does have a blade in it and actually cuts the hair as you brush the coat. His thoughts are that it cuts the guard hair as well as the hair that you want to remove. He said that the guard hair should be left on a Golden for cold and heat protection. He suggested a comb, rake, and slicker brushing to remove the hair and to leave the guard hair intact. I am trying it with my new pup and am staying away from the furminator at this time. I do use it on my Springer and have used it on my labs and really liked it. I guess that the choice is yours and who knows but I may even find that I will on occassion use it on Dundee. If you can find someone that will let you use theirs to see if you like it before you buy one that would be great. I'm sure many on this forum that have had Goldens for a long time can be of more help than I can but this was shared information from a very knowledgable breeder.


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## Connor (Aug 17, 2008)

Hello,

Very good of you to take the trouble to reply, much appreciated. I understand you have to be gentle in using it in case too much hair is removed.

Mmmmmm.....Will have to ponder this one.

Thanks again, 

Regards Connor.


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## Wimbles (Mar 25, 2010)

I started a similar thread to this a couple of months ago. One of the replies made my mind up. The poster stated that the furminator is designed to remove the undercoat but it doesn't know the difference between the "live" and "dead" undercoat so if you're not careful you could end up removing too much of the good stuff! Hope this makes sense?! I just use a rotating toothed undercoat rake which seems to work really well and gets loads of the hair being shed off.

Totally off topic, whereabouts in Cyprus are you?


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## Connor (Aug 17, 2008)

Thanks for the reply. Am in the Larnaca district.


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## Wimbles (Mar 25, 2010)

I was born at Akrotiri and know the Limassol area very well. A beautiful country with lovely people and great food. One day I shall live there again....hopefully!


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## Connor (Aug 17, 2008)

Well I'm living in a village outside Larnaca so we're proper village folk now....Even got a few Cyprus donkeys to go with it...!


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## Connor (Aug 17, 2008)

Let me introduce Kirk....


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## macchelle (Dec 28, 2008)

Kirk is awesome! I love the flowers, both on Kirk and in the background. I wish we had fields of flowers like that here.


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## Lestorm (Feb 25, 2007)

I read about this stripper today. It doesnt just remove dead hair, it rips out the undercoat that is there to protect the golden retriever when in water. I was surprised to read that if held wrongly it could cut the top coat - eeeks! Goldens are supposed to have a double coat so why would anyone want to take one of these away.

Purely out of interest for those that do use this product. Have your dogs suffered from hotspots? I once used a coatking on Gunners and Lotties neck within two weeks both of them had nasty hotspots that took several weeks to clear up.


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## Lestorm (Feb 25, 2007)

Honestly if a Golden is combed every day, there wouldnt be a problem and as it only takes five minutes it can be done whilst waiting for the coffee to perk.


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## Lestorm (Feb 25, 2007)

Connor said:


> Well I'm living in a village outside Larnaca so we're proper village folk now....Even got a few Cyprus donkeys to go with it...!


We lived in Cyprus in 74. Now that was an interesting time 

How do your dogs cope in the midsummer heat? When we lived there air-con wasnt an option.


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## perdie (Oct 30, 2008)

I use one, an absolute god-send. It reduces the need for vacuuming for definate!


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## Connor (Aug 17, 2008)

Lestorm said:


> We lived in Cyprus in 74. Now that was an interesting time
> 
> How do your dogs cope in the midsummer heat? When we lived there air-con wasnt an option.


 
We were not here in 74 when the Greeks & Turks differences came to a head. We came in 1988.

The dogs cope well with the summer heat. They have shaded areas in the garden and plenty of drinking water available to them. Fortunately at our location we get a cooling breeze that sets in about lunch time which takes the edge off it. 

I've set up a 42inch diameter industrial type electric fan in the garden so that shoots a further waft of cooling air around. We had AC installed throughout so if the temperature gets a bit too much the dogs are in my workshop with me. I'm guessing you were in the British forces ?


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

I much much much prefer a medium rake to a furmniator. The furminator can burn a dog if used extensively and can cause bald spots as it pulls out live fur. Also, it doesn't really help with deep matting. I've really taken to my rake and have shelved my furminator.


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## MGMF (May 13, 2009)

I much perfer a rake such as the one pictured below. The furminator is not good for the golden coat. It can damage the top coats and removes healthy undercoat. The rake will take out all the loose undercoat. Much better for the double coated breeds.


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## GoldenJoy (Jul 30, 2009)

Joy loved to be brushed with the furminator, but really resisted anything else! We would use it sparingly while we acclimated her to the regular rake (with LOTS of peanut butter and praise!!!!!) Now she really tolerates the rake well, so I only use the furminator before my mother (who is a little shed-phobic!) comes to visit!!!!! We use a VERY light hand, so in 2 years of use, she has never had hot spots or anything.


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