# Need shedding brush recommendation please



## puppydogs

Loved the Furminator until I realized my pup's choppy hairstyle is because it seems to have cut the hair in odd ways.

What's a good brush to get rid of excess hair and control shedding - that doesn't cut their hair the way a furminator does?


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## USAFWife74

I use a furminator and don't really have that problem....I use it maybe once a week. I have found that a good pin style brush works on Ellie's coat for daily brushing. She loves it! 


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## Brave

My best tool to control shedding is a forced air dryer. It'll separate the loose hair away from the body without damaging the other hairs. I've heard of ppl on this forum who convert a shop vac into one. 


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## Megora

Brush their coats every day with a wire slicker brush, spritz with water and brush again to finish. 

Your dog will still shed (all dogs shed regardless of what you do), but it's manageable.


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## brianne

*My favorite brush*

is called a shedding blade. It's used on horses too. It has a serrated edge that reminds me of a steak knife. I use short, light strokes and it does a great job. My golden has a coat more like a field golden but my bridge golden had a thick coat and it worked great on him too. 

I always finish with a soft plastic pin brush (I don't remember where I got it).

The furminator makes me nervous - I read too many things about it pulling the fur and irritating the skin if used too often or too long. I would be afraid of using it incorrectly.


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## mylissyk

I don't like the way the Furminator breaks the top coat at all. I have an undercoat rake with two rows of pins and it does a great job of cleaning out the undercoat and doesn't damage the top coat.


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## Tuco

Yea, i dont trust the furminator and very few tools with a blade. My friends cat started losing alot of hair cause he was using it too often. I really like the JW gripsoft products, ive got the whole assortment, the soft slicker, regular slicker, shedding blade (only exeption), dematting rake, rubber brush, pin brush, andd undercoat rake, generally for your situation, a pin brush, and a slicker, soft slicker if you can, and an undercoat rake will be good, I highly recomend the JW products


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## Kally76

Megora said:


> Brush their coats every day with a wire slicker brush, spritz with water and brush again to finish.
> 
> Your dog will still shed (all dogs shed regardless of what you do), but it's manageable.


That is what I use, although I am definitely guilty of not doing it everyday.


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## Mbottema

I use the furminator sparingly, like once a month. But I use the other furminator tools every time. The undercoat rake, dual brush, finishing comb and the curry comb. They are all great. I also use the curry comb in the bath because it is made of rubber.


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## MGMF

Furminators or shedding blades cut the top coat. I personnally don't like them at all as they can be very damaging. This doesn't do a lot for the undercoat that is the shedding issue. The best is as Brave said is a forced air dryer. Probably be one of the best tools you ever buy for your golden. Get them used to blowing them out with just a pin brush to remove all the loose hair. When it is a real heavy coat blowing season give them a warm bath first to open the pours before you blow them out. This gives you a head start on the heavy season. Overall if they don't need a bath I just brush them out dry with the forced air....very effective. For the undercoat use a rake by Oster. I included a picture. This will remove the undercoat without damaging the top coat. Then after you use the rake, blow them out with the pin brush. Then there is the fact that golden retrievers just shed. We can get ahead of it but we can not make it stop. You just have to love them for it.


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## tippykayak

I like the pin rakes for undercoat. It really seems to free up anything dead, and it penetrates the undercoat a lot better than a slicker. I do one round with the rake, focusing on the longer hair, and then one round with the slicker to clean up.

The undercoat rake is also great for preempting tangles and mats in tricky places, like behind the ears, though I've also started using a thinning shear for behind the ears so the dogs don't look quite so much like surfer boys.


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## Megora

MGMF said:


> For the undercoat use a rake by Oster. I included a picture. This will remove the undercoat without damaging the top coat. Then after you use the rake, blow them out with the pin brush. Then there is the fact that golden retrievers just shed. We can get ahead of it but we can not make it stop. You just have to love them for it.


Looking at this tool, I'm wondering if it would help with our collie who is blowing his coat right now in a big way.  The slicker is all we need for the goldens who just are not high maintenance as long as you brush everyday. With the collie it's crazy how much fur is coming out and he's practically naked!


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## Mavrk

I just ordered a Mars Coat King (size double wide 18). It is similar to the Oster mentioned above. People have given it great reviews. This is not something you use daily. Maybe weekly or so. I know that some people start with the 18 and then go to the 23 once the first one starts getting less hair. I am starting with the 18 and going from there. I use a pin brush and a comb most of the time. I love my force air dryer and Sunshine thinks it gives a good massage  I really should use it more often though.

Now I just need to get her ear hair under control.


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## MGMF

Megora, This would be a great tool for your collie. I would use the forced air dryer as well.


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## goldensrbest

I have that tool.and really like it.


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## maximilian

Shoot! I just bought the dang FURminator for 60-odd bucks. Are they really that damaging? Max is 9 months old and shedding in a big way. (I have fur in my throat!) I've used it on him once, and it seemed to do a nice job of gathering all that loose coat. 

Any FURminator believers out there before I reconsider my (hefty) purchase? Certainly don't want to damage his top coat or skin...


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## Michele4

Just bought one to, don't like it for my gr but it worked great on my pug. Seemed to pull the hair rather than cut it , i was worried i was hurting him, he has such a long silky coat, went back to the undercoat rake $5 target.


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## Tuco

The furminator is ok for short hairs


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## havana13

Megora, I'm a groomer and would definitely NOT use a coat king on your rough collie...it may work on a smooth collie depending on how thick the coat is. It may pull out some undercoat, but I feel it would do more damage than good on a longer coat like a collie's. 
I would recommend a good, metal greyhound comb for any heavy coated dog. It will pull out the dead undercoat without breaking any healthy hair. An undercoat rake does the same thing, but I personally prefer a comb. Of course some good conditioner and force dryer are ideal but most people don't have access to that. The furminator and coat king are both good tools, but can easily and quickly bald your dog. Furminate a little, and then comb to see how you're progressing. If needed you can furminate more, and comb again. I use a combination of tools and sometimes you just have to experiment. I also LOVE Bass slicker brushes...they rule!


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## Megora

I had a thought it would....

I was at a store (FABULOUS store) and actually saw the Oster undercoat rake - and I had immediately shuddered imagining fighting with Arth while we work that through his coat.  

I didn't buy one.


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## MGMF

maximilian said:


> Shoot! I just bought the dang FURminator for 60-odd bucks. Are they really that damaging? Max is 9 months old and shedding in a big way. (I have fur in my throat!) I've used it on him once, and it seemed to do a nice job of gathering all that loose coat.
> 
> Any FURminator believers out there before I reconsider my (hefty) purchase? Certainly don't want to damage his top coat or skin...



Furminators are not for golden retrievers. They will strip the top coat and can be really damaging. 

The rake is very easy and goes though the coat like a comb and takes out the dead undercoat. 

For that price I would return it get a comb and put the 60 towards a forced air dryer.


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## Mbottema

I was a furminator believer, but I stopped using it. I just wanted to see how the coat was without it. But the company itself has other good products. Their rake, slicker brush, pin brush, finishing comb and curry comb are use daily around here. They all take out tremendous amounts of dead undercoat and leave my Sandy's hair looking clean and smooth. She loves them. I haven't used the de-shedding tool in a couple of months and her hair is looking so much better with only the combs and brushes. 
Here they are....with the spray I use twice a week to keep her smelling good.









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## puppydogs

MGMF said:


> Furminators are not for golden retrievers. They will strip the top coat and can be really damaging.
> 
> The rake is very easy and goes though the coat like a comb and takes out the dead undercoat.
> 
> For that price I would return it get a comb and put the 60 towards a forced air dryer.


what does this rake look like?


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## Mbottema

puppydogs said:


> what does this rake look like?


The furminator rake is on the far left in my picture, but there are many types of rakes. I like the furminator one because the tines spin and it really takes out a lot.


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## Tuco

Don't use a furminator, oater has a good undercoat rake


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## Mbottema

Tuco said:


> Don't use a furminator, oater has a good undercoat rake


The furminator rake is NOT the same as the furminator de-shedding tool that everyone hates. The rake is in my photo on the left and it really is a good rake. I never used the Oster rake, but it looks a little scary and the furminator RAKE is a little cheaper and the bristles are very soft compared to other rakes I have used.


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## Tuco

I'm aware you were talking about the rake, nevertheless, I've seen better results out of the jw rake and even more out of the oater rake


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## Brave

To each their own. 


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## Mbottema

Tuco said:


> I'm aware you were talking about the rake, nevertheless, I've seen better results out of the jw rake and even more out of the oater rake


As I said, I've never used the Oster rake (or the JW rake), so I wouldn't know how much better they are. The JW rake looks a lot like the one I use so I'm not sure what the difference would be and the furminator rake gets great results. Why switch? 

The Oster looks too much like a back scratcher, so not sure if I will ever get one.

I think that the furminator brand is getting a bad rap because of the original de-shedding tool. But I get great results from and would recommend the other tools. 


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## MGMF

Great tool: Oster rake


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## ziggy3339

Oh, gosh. I've been wrong. I'm using a Furminator. The dog loves it (I thought). She'll lay down when I get it out and even roll over on her sides to show me where she wants it next (even on her back so I can do her tummy area). The pin brush didn't pick up the hair. The lady at Pet Supermarket said this is what I needed. Her coat appears fine but I shower her (water only) daily (she swims in the pool) and put organic coconut oil on her skin along with other things (lavender, aloe vera, etc). I was going to ask WHEN it's time to stop brushing (like 20 min? 1/2 hour? when the fur stops coming off so much?) . Now I'm thinking I may be brushing too much and not using the correct tool. Her coat is gorgeous, however and we get compliments daily because she's so soft and beautiful.


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## Mr. Bojangles

I use an Oster undercoat rake. It does a great job of stripping the undercoat (which is what causes the shedding issue, without harming the top coat. 

But you will never solve the shedding issue. It's part of the golden's charm. I'm pretty sure you could shave them down to the skin and they would still find a way to leave little tumbleweeds everywhere.


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## ziggy3339

*thanks*

Thanks for the advice on the Oster Undercoat Rake. I'll have to get one of them. Noticed on Amazon they come in a variety of sizes (and apparently styles). I looked on YouTube but the thing used looked almost like a Furminator. I think what you're talking about is an all metal device that sort of rotates it's "combs"? Do you happen to know the size? 
In any case, I'll get one and do thank you for contributing this information here. No more fulminator (didn't guess that I was hurting her she's so layer back about it all). I'll keep the Furminator for when I get a cat someday.
You just saved my dear heart, Sophie, from getting any more bad furminations. Hug.:wavey:


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## Jingers mom

*Shedding Blade*



brianne said:


> is called a shedding blade. It's used on horses too. It has a serrated edge that reminds me of a steak knife. I use short, light strokes and it does a great job. My golden has a coat more like a field golden but my bridge golden had a thick coat and it worked great on him too.
> 
> I always finish with a soft plastic pin brush (I don't remember where I got it).
> 
> The furminator makes me nervous - I read too many things about it pulling the fur and irritating the skin if used too often or too long. I would be afraid of using it incorrectly.


When we were baby sitting a horse they brought a curry comb with him. I tried it on my oldest golden and my lab. It was amazing. Recently I bought a shedding blade (curry comb) at walmart and it works like a charm. The one I have has a plastic handle and the blade is in a large tear shape loop. I use it frequently on all my dogs.


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## Matt Fonagy

Im not sure if you are still looking for a brush or not i know this is sometime later but i had the same problem as you with my golden retriever which is why i found your post. I finally found a brush that helped me recently its at http://www.ebay.com/itm/222050409853﻿ if you wanted to give it a shot.


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