When it comes to choosing what pet grooming brush to use a lot will depend on what it is you are grooming. In this article, I am going to review different types of brushes, let you know what type of hair they are best used for and what I found to be the best brand. This information is based on my personal experience of using many different brands and styles of brushes over my grooming career.
Brushing Tips
- No matter what kind of brush you will be using you need to brush with the grain of the hair. In 0ther words, you are brushing in the same direction that the hair is growing.
- Never brush too hard, the bristles of any brush can irritate your pet’s skin if you brush with too much force. The results will be Brush Burn, you will need to apply a medicated ointment if this happens.
- Always brush out tangles, mats, and undercoat before bathing. The combination of shampooing and water will tighten them up making it almost impossible to brush out.
- While brushing your pet make sure to clean out the brush often to get the maximum results from every brush stroke.
To easily find info about a particular brush simply click on the brushes name you want to know more about.
Slicker Brush
A slicker brush has fine curved wire bristles close together that work well on almost all types of hair, coat, and fur with the exception of short hair. The slicker brush is used more than any other pet grooming brush and is a favorite among Groomers. They are the best brush to use for removing tangles, mats, and undercoats. The slicker brush also works as a massager to stimulate and distribute the natural oils throughout the coat.
Out of all the brands of slicker brushes that I have used the Millers Forge Universal Slicker Brush is by far the best. It is designed with a curved back to help penetrate thick coats, undercoats, and mats. This brush is made in Germany and is very durable. The handle is designed for better control and less hand fatigue. Don’t get fooled by look-alike brushes, they will not last as long or work as well as the original Millers Forge Universal Slicker Brush. Millers Forge also makes a slicker brush designed for puppies, kittens and small animals. It is smaller in size with soft wire pins, in addition, it is also self-cleaning.
Pin and Bristle Combo Brush
Pin brushes have wire pins spaced further apart than a slicker brush. The wire pins have a coating at the tips to prevent scratching your pet’s skin. The pin brush is more commonly used for pets with long hair but can be used on all lengths. The pins come in different sizes, you will need to use the proper pin size for the length of your pet’s hair. The longer the hair is the longer the pins need to be to reach into the hair to the skin.
The pins on this brush massage your pet’s skin to help distribute the natural oils in your pet’s skin throughout the coat. Pin brushes are gentle on the hair causing less breakage and split ends. They also cause less static and leave your pet’s hair looking soft and shiny without the frizz. Many pin brushes are made with a bristle brush on the other side. Bristle brushes work well on short to medium length hair and pets with coarse hair. Both Pin and Bristle Brushes are not recommended for brushing hair that is tangled, matted, or thick.
The Dual Sides Pin and Bristle Brush by AtEase Accents is my pick as far as pin/bristle brushes go. This brush is made with all natural material, the handle is crafted from two-tone bamboo. The brush is very durable and will last a long time with the proper care.
Curry Brush
A Curry Brush is made entirely of rubber with small rubber teeth. This is an excellent brush to use on smooth short coated animals like Boxers, Basset Hounds, and horses. The curry brush works well at grabbing dead loose hairs and debris from the coat of your pet. It also works as a very good messaging tool and can be used while bathing to help distribute and build up a good lather. I recommend using a spray coat conditioner along with the curry brush to enhance the shine of your pet’s coat. The results will be a beautiful smooth silky coat. Being this brush is made of rubber it is also a great tool for getting the hair off of furniture and clothes. Not recommended for pets with long hair or an undercoat.
The Le Salon Essentials Rubber Curry Grooming Brush with Loop Handle is my favorite curry brush. It’s made entirely of rubber and the handle makes for easy brushing. This brush is flexible enough to get into all the curves of your pet, cleans easily with soap and water.
Shedding Blade
Actually a shedding blade is not a blade at all, it is a strip of metal with fine teeth. Some are made with teeth on both sides with one side having longer teeth to grab the hair of a thicker coat. The shedding blade is used on pets with medium to short hair with a double coat like a German Shepard, Husky, and Golden Retriever. It works great at grabbing and removing the undercoat and dead loose hairs. I recommend doing this outside as the hair tend to fly all over when using a shedding blade. Furthermore, the birds love to make nests with dog hair.
There are many different kinds of shedding blades to choose from. I like to get the most for my money so I am going to recommend the Miracle Coat Opening Double-Sided Shedding Blade for Dogs and Horses. This shedding blade offers more features than others. It is double-sided with fine and coarse teeth, you can open the shedding blade to cover a wider area with each stroke. It also has a padded handle for more comfort and less hand fatigue.
Conclusion
No matter what kind of pet grooming brush you will be using it is always important to take care them. Clean your brushes after every use and store all your grooming tools in a cool dry place to prevent rusting and other damage caused by heat and moisture. I recommend using an airtight storage bin with handles.
I hope you found this article to be helpful in choosing the proper pet grooming brush. If you have any questions please leave me a comment.
Happy pet grooming,
We have the slicker brush, a soft brush, and another one I don’t know what it’s called for our cats…we use it when they get matted hair…they mostly like the soft brush though because it is not as harsh. I find the slicker brush a bit difficult to use…
Thanks for listing down the other kinds of brush, I wasn’t aware of them until now.
Hi Marie,
Thank you for visiting my site. Glad you found some new information about pet grooming brushes. You may also like to read my article about pet combs.
https://thewellgroomedpet.com/…