# Slicker brush, pin brush or both?



## DevWind

I'm no grooming expert, but I always use a slicker brush. It works perfectly for me. I use it for pretty much everything. She doesn't have a real thick coat though.


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## Atis

My most common three tools are a pin rake for removing excess undercoat. A comb for tangles. Last a small slicker brush for bringing up hair between the toes for trimming. I do occasionally use a large slicker across the coat. I've had no luck with several pin brushes and a have given up on them.


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## Otter

I use a quality pin brush for most of the coat when I am blowing them dry. Comb for feathers and ears generally. I only use a small slicker for the feet (similar to Atis above) and sometimes hocks. Sometimes I use a rake for the ears and sometimes chest and neck area and too thin out butt feathers a little. 

I'm not a groomer. These are just some of the things I've been shown to do by some friends who show there Goldens.


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## Parker16

Thanks for your responses! I think I'll skip the pin brush and will get a rake instead.


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## Otter

I just wanted to clarify... when I said rake, I mean the wood handled rake in the attached picture just above the purple Bot fly comb next to the green nail clippers (that I no longer use). 
I wouldn't use this rake all over my dog(s).


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## Altairss

Pin Brushes are definitely great for long coated dogs and so are slickers, I use both for different reasons and in different areas I always use my pin brush for the long feathers and tail as the pins get deeper into the coat then the slicker to finish and smooth those areas off. I use my pin when drying the coat or I have a certain one to back brush during drying to get out clumps of old hair when they are blowing coat. It helps work old hair loose. 

I also use a rake but usually when they have the heavier winter coat and when I am working on a shed. I also keep a comb as needed for in the feathers or when I am thinning hair out behind the ears with thinning shears. It is best to use good quality slickers and pin brushes. They have a flexible base under them that can prevent damage to the skin and keep you hurting the dog if your using pressure as they have a give to the brush If you push on your slicker brush wires it should give in if it doesn't and if it is hard I won't use them it's a lot easier to hurt your dog and cause them pain.


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## Megora

Have attached a "groomed" picture of my younger boy.

If I had time (am on my way out to the vet for a reg visit), I would post a pic showing my older boy BEFORE I've groomed him, just to show how much fur he grows on his neck and legs.

Both dogs prior to being groomed (meaning the whole thing, including trimming) will grow front leg feathers that would touch the ground quite a bit if I never trimmed them. Same thing on the hocks. <= I had a chuckle elsewhere about somebody saying the dogs should never ever have feathering on their hocks. Both my dogs grow about 2-3 inches of fur off their hocks if I never ever trim it. 

Neck ruff - they grow lion-tastic mane, if never kept tidy. I mean length AND thickness.

Tails are full and thick and long if never groomed. And are full and thick WITH grooming.

So you are talking about a lot of fur on my dogs. And NOT DAMAGED fur.  

I primarily use a slicker. 

If I were showing, I do use a comb on the length of the feathers - and that's because I want it to lie smooth. I do use a slicker from shoulders down to elbows because a comb's not going to do the same thing the slicker will do. Overall, if you buy just one tool to groom your dog - buy a slicker.

Pin brushes are not going to get burrs or other "yard rubbish" out of the coat at all. They can work out tangles, yes. But so can slickers and the slickers aren't going to have pins falling out the whole time. 

The "rake" pictured above, fwiw.... is actually a mars stripper. And you do NOT want to use that all over the dog's body. If you picture the majority of the coat from your dog's shoulders to rear and down both sides, that's the "jacket". And I've been told rather fiercely by my dog's breeders that you do not want to use ANY KIND OF BLADE (including strippers) on that jacket. 

The stripper is more properly used around the ears and neck. If your dog doesn't have much coat - you won't need this tool too much. And you are doing more damage than help if you want to grow a nice coat. The stripper has blades and is cutting the coat. That's the whole point of using it. 

Anyway - gotta go!!!


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## Otter

Megora said:


> The "rake" pictured above, fwiw.... is actually a *mars stripper*.


That's it! Thanks, couldn't remember the correct name of it...


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## Atis

To be clear this is the tool I was referring to, a JW Double Row Undercoat Rake.
https://www.amazon.com/JW-Pet-Compa...0&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=jw+undercoat+stripper
It is a very different tool from a Mar Stripper as pointed out. The Pin type rake does not have blades and will not cut but is very effective for removing undercoat. Unfortunately they are often put in the same category of tools.


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## usually lurking

Not a professional groomer, but for the most part, I prefer a comb. It does a good job and I like the way the coat looks afterwards. I have never cared for the way the fur lies on my dogs after using a pin brush. I also seem to have dogs with sensitive skin, as they never seem to like the way a slicker or a metal pin brush feels. I have a brush that I use, but it's a cheap one I got that's for people - a cushion brush, I think it is called. I use that because my dogs love having their bellies brushed with it. They roll over and fall asleep. I will also run it through feathers and tail before using the comb. I run a stripping knife through the short leg and shoulder hair to clear out the loose stuff when necessary. I think the only dog I ever primarily used a pin brush on was a Sheltie. I have yet to find a dog that I want to use a slicker on, though maybe I'm not buying the right ones.


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## Goldens&Friesians

I am a professional groomer and I definitely prefer a slicker over a pin brush. I have both, but I never use the pin brush on a dog (use it on my own hair, lol!)-I just feel like it doesn't work anywhere nearly as well as a slicker and rake. I use a slicker on every coat length and thickness from GSDs, to goldens, to newfies and everything in between. For the undercoat, I like an undercoat rake similar to the double row one mentioned above. I finish the groom with a greyhound comb (that will find any tangles and undercoat you missed).


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## usually lurking

Goldens&Friesians said:


> I am a professional groomer and I definitely prefer a slicker over a pin brush.


What slicker brush do you use? My dogs have hated every slicker I have ever tried, as I think it scratches their skin.

Edit: Anyone can answer that, as I am curious as to what everyone is using.


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## Megora

usually lurking said:


> What slicker brush do you use? My dogs have hated every slicker I have ever tried, as I think it scratches their skin.


Any slicker will do. 

I don't believe in buying super expensive brushes just because they have a name brand.  

As long as your dog has a proper coat (not talking about puppy coats where there is not much there - where I do think slickers could be irritating), the slicker isn't digging into the skin.

My dogs get blown out so they don't have loose hair caught up in the undercoat (a dog with a proper full coat HAS an undercoat, you don't want that stripped out). 

If your dog is prone to mats though, I'd use a combination of slicker and greyhound comb. And patience. <= I do that with our rough collie who does not get bathed as often as the goldens so less chance of getting the shedded fluff blown out.


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## usually lurking

No, we never have mats. He usually gets combed twice a day with a medium comb. My last dog had a proper coat - I know enough never try to strip that out - but he was still intolerant of the slicker. The lack of proper coat may be the problem with the current pup. With all of his allergy/itching issues, he has scratched out his undercoat and damaged his top coat, along his back. (His cape looks great, though!) Allergy issues are getting better. I'll try the slicker again if/when he ever has a decent coat. I should clarify that the coat he does have is very healthy, just damaged from scratching.


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## Megora

Any reason why you are combing that frequently? 

I'm just wondering... 

I don't think this is a breed where you absolutely have to groom frequently (more than once a week) unless the dogs are picking up burrs and yard junk every time they go outside.


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## usually lurking

Yep. Because of the scratching, he has a lot of loose fur. It's just an attempt to keep some of it off of my floors and out of my car. (He goes to work with me every day.) It isn't a vigorous combing. I just slide it through all of his fur one time in the morning, and another time in the evening, to grab whatever he's scratched loose. With my last one, I would comb about once a week or so.


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## Megora

The comb could be scratching the skin....

I'm not fussy about a little shedding. I think with this breed, you just learn to live with the hair.


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## usually lurking

He's my third Golden, so I am used to "a little shedding," a medium amount of shedding, and, once in a while, a lot of shedding. His, however, is off the charts. I honestly don't know how he even has any fur left on his body. The only thing I can figure is that, should he ever stop scratching, he'll have a much heavier coat than my other two Goldens. His sire appeared to have a very thick coat, based on the images I saw. The dam has a much more moderate coat, which is what I am used to. The comb is not scratching him. He enjoys the comb, and I check his skin daily - just to confirm that I don't see any spots because he does scratch and bite a lot, especially at night. His skin is unmarred and healthy, save for occasionally seeing a spot that he's been nibbling. It's certainly possible to scratch the skin with a comb. I have been using that as my brush of choice for at least 25 years, with no issues. The only tool I have had an issue with is the slicker, for whatever reason.


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## usually lurking

I should correct that. I shouldn't call it shedding. I'm sure his shedding level is normal. The problem is all the hair that he scratches out. If he wasn't scratching and biting all the time, there probably wouldn't be nearly so much fur everywhere.


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## cubbysan

I have a slicker mitt. It is a fabric mitt with the slicker teeth. I think it came from Britain. It works really well while drying the dog, and covers three times the size of a slicker brush.


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## Parker16

Thanks, again, for all your responses! Parker is 18 months now and he doesn't have a very thick coat yet. At what age do they grow a full coat? I only use a slicker brush that I got from amazon. The brand name is Hertzko, not expensive at all but it does its job on Parker and I love how he looks and feels after a brush down. After reading all your messages I think I'll get a rake for his undercoat. Every 3-4 months he goes to the groomer where he gets a nice bath and she trims his butt feathers (we call them butt curtains in my house haha!) and fur between his toes. He tends to get mat behind his ears though. I use a comb and a slicker but the groomer does a much much better job. She's very nice, I'm so glad we found her!


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## Parker16

I use Hertzko from amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00Z...ds=hertzko&dpPl=1&dpID=41wzgc0dDzL&ref=plSrch



usually lurking said:


> What slicker brush do you use? My dogs have hated every slicker I have ever tried, as I think it scratches their skin.
> 
> Edit: Anyone can answer that, as I am curious as to what everyone is using.


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## Goldens&Friesians

Usually lurking, I use a miller's forge slicker, but any slicker will do, doesn't have to be expensive (I lost my slicker once and picked up a cheapy from Wal-Mart that worked fine while I was searching for the lost one). If your dog is itching and has allergies, that could make him more sensitive to the brush. Just try not to brush in any one area too long, move on to another area and come back later if you have to. I can believe that there is tons of shedding because I've groomed MANY golden's with allergies and they loose a crazy ton of hair! A lot of times, they actually don't have much coat to begin with (probably because of the allergies?), and I wonder if I'll brush them completely naked!


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## usually lurking

Goldens&Friesians said:


> Usually lurking, I use a miller's forge slicker, but any slicker will do, doesn't have to be expensive (I lost my slicker once and picked up a cheapy from Wal-Mart that worked fine while I was searching for the lost one). If your dog is itching and has allergies, that could make him more sensitive to the brush. Just try not to brush in any one area too long, move on to another area and come back later if you have to. I can believe that there is tons of shedding because I've groomed MANY golden's with allergies and they loose a crazy ton of hair! A lot of times, they actually don't have much coat to begin with (probably because of the allergies?), and I wonder if I'll brush them completely naked!


Between lack of coat, as Megora suggested, and the senstitive skin, that may explain why he doesn't care for the slicker. I don't brush one area very long with anything - except the cushion brush on his belly, just because he acts like he's getting a massage. I run the comb through all of his fur one time, twice a day, unless I am trimming or drying him. There's enough hair on my floors to make me wonder if I have three Goldens in my house.


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## FURgirl

Yep, a good undercoat rake and a slicker will work wonders! We use the Paws Pamper Undercoat Rake and it does a great job, just be careful not to rake over the topcoat, use the slicker for that.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U204CD4


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## Megora

Randomness... 

I still kinda say that slickers are going to be your go to brush most of the time. Should get enough shedded hair out to be everything you need. And you don't need anything too expensive.

That said. 

If you really have to get more complicated or if it makes you feel better to have a loaded tack box with brushes that do different things.... 

If I'm setting up to groom my dog - and that's everything, including a bath and blow out.

1. I do majority of the blow-drying with no brushes - I just let the forced hair from the dryer do all the work. 

If I'm in a hurry, I will grab my pin brush. Mine is not a CC brush. I bought a $9 brush at a dog show that was not a brand name. However looks very similar to the CC brush, including the pins.

I will use the brush to back brush the coat so I'm getting down to the skin and blowing the moisture out. I blow the coat back the other way and back and forth until my dog is completely dry.

Pin brush IS used for feathers, trousers, and neck, because the softer and longer hairs will get tangled and knotted if you try blowing back and forth. You will just be blowing one direction and want to run a brush through to make sure you are getting the moisture out while drying. 

Once the dog is completely dry, I will use a slicker to go over and smooth out any spots that are trying to flip out. 

If I'm at home, I stop right there. Dog is bathed, dried, and done. <= I then move on to any trimming that needs to be done or the dogs get released off the table.

If showing though, I do use a finishing brush. This is a boar bristle brush. It smooths out the top coat and leaves a glossy finish. Same thing with the neck/ruff. <= Common sense reason to use that brush every once in a while at home is it smooths/distributes the dogs own natural oils all over. I also have products to put moisture back in the coat as well (if bathing every day).

If I'm "spoiling" my dogs at home or grooming a puppy who has no coat - I will pull that same brush out. They kinda glaze over while getting brushed. 

You can buy a name brand boar brush that costs about $30-50. Or you can go to Sally's and pick up a $3-6 brush. The brush pictured was only $4. It's a boar brush, but it has soft metal bristles in there as well. 

I used the comb in the pic to show how much loose hair comes off while using the boar brush. Not much and it's mostly top coat, so you would still need to use a slicker. Or whatever you are using to get the loose dead hair out.


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## usually lurking

That's basically what I do, just with different tools. I'll use the cushion brush for feathers/chest, when drying, and the comb everywhere else. I'll give the slicker another shot when my pup has some coat again. In the meantime, I have not tried the boar brush, so I'll pick one up to use on occasion. He may like that, given that his coat is so thin on his back/sides right now.


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## mzilke

would the pin brush be okay to use on a 5 month old pup. thanks


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## mzilke

what type of comb do you use. Thanks again


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## jeffscott947

Parker16 said:


> I use Hertzko from amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00Z...ds=hertzko&dpPl=1&dpID=41wzgc0dDzL&ref=plSrch



That's the one that I use. The "reverse" cleaning action is much more effective than the traditional self-cleaning slickers for me, since one holds down the clean button while brushing; releasing it to move the accumulated hair/fur up to easily be wiped off. My conventional ones were not as easy when removing hair/fur from its "teeth".


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