The Complete Dog Brushing Guide

Why the Right Brush Matters

Using the wrong brush on your dog is like using a fork to eat soup — it technically works, but you're making everything harder. The right brush for your dog's coat type makes grooming faster, more effective, and more comfortable for your pup, and a short, consistent routine with that brush is the single biggest factor in whether your dog mats, sheds all over the couch, or shows up relaxed for their next professional groom.

The Main Brush Types

Slicker Brush

A flat or curved pad with fine, short wire bristles set at a slight angle. Best for curly coats (Poodles, Doodles, Bichons), wavy coats (Spaniels, Setters), long coats (Shih Tzus, Maltese, Yorkies), removing tangles and small mats, and daily maintenance brushing in general.

How to use it: Brush in small sections, working from tips to roots. Use gentle pressure — the wire bristles can scratch skin if you press too hard. Follow up with a comb to check your work. Use a smaller slicker brush for faces, legs, and small dogs, and a larger one to cover more ground on big dogs.

Undercoat Rake

A tool with one or two rows of long, rounded metal teeth designed to reach through the topcoat and remove loose undercoat. Best for double-coated breeds (Huskies, Shepherds, Goldens, Corgis, Australian Cattle Dogs), heavy shedders, seasonal coat blowing, and thick, dense coats generally.

How to use it: Pull through the coat in the direction of hair growth with long, smooth strokes. Don't press hard — let the teeth do the work. Focus on areas with the thickest undercoat: rear, chest, and behind the ears. Pro tip: use this before bathing a double-coated dog — removing loose undercoat first helps shampoo actually reach the skin.

Bristle Brush

A brush with natural or synthetic bristles, similar to a human hairbrush. Best for short, smooth coats (Beagles, Boxers, Bulldogs, Dachshunds), finishing and adding shine, distributing natural oils, and sensitive dogs who find other brushes uncomfortable.

How to use it: Brush in the direction of hair growth with firm but comfortable pressure. It's a great finishing tool after using other brushes, especially after a rubber curry on a short coat.

Pin Brush

A brush with rounded-tip metal or plastic pins set in a rubber cushion. Best for long, silky coats (Afghan Hounds, Yorkshire Terriers), gentle detangling, dogs with sensitive skin, and daily fluffing of longer coats.

Rubber Curry Brush

The single best tool for short, smooth coats. Use small circular motions against the grain, then sweep with the grain to collect what you've loosened. It grabs dead hair and feels like a massage to most dogs — and it's what actually stops Labs, Beagles, and Pit mixes from shedding all over your furniture.

Comb (Steel Greyhound Comb)

A metal comb with both wide and narrow tooth spacing. Best for checking for hidden mats after brushing, face and ear grooming, final finishing on any coat type, and even finding fleas and flea dirt. The rule of thumb: if a comb glides through the coat smoothly from root to tip, your brushing job is done.

Grooming Mitt

A soft glove with nubs on one side — good for dogs who dislike brushes, or for a quick pass before guests arrive.

Deshedding Blade

Tools like a Furminator-style blade work well on dense short coats (Labs, Beagles) but can irritate skin with overuse. Once every couple of weeks is plenty for home use; leave the deeper work to a professional deshedding treatment.

Brush by Coat Type: Quick Reference

Tools to Skip

Slicker brushes with sharp pins are designed for long and curly coats. Used on a thin-skinned smooth coat, they can cause brush burn — stick with a curry or bristle brush instead for those dogs.

How Often to Replace Your Brushes

Slicker brushes and bristle brushes need replacing when bristles bend, flatten, or lose their angle — usually every 6–12 months. Undercoat rakes last longer, typically 1–2 years, until the teeth become dull. Combs basically last forever unless the teeth bend.

Short-Haired Dogs Need Brushing Too

"Short hair means no grooming" is one of the most common myths in dog care. Short-coated dogs often shed more visibly than long-coated breeds because the hairs are stiff, sharp, and weave straight into fabric and carpet fibers. Brushing a smooth coat removes dead hair before it lands on your furniture, distributes skin oils for a genuinely shinier coat, stimulates circulation at the skin, and lets you find ticks, lumps, and scrapes early.

The Five-Minute Short-Coat Routine

1. Curry brush in circles across the body, 2 minutes
2. Sweep with the grain to collect loosened hair, 1 minute
3. Bristle brush finish, 1 minute
4. Wipe with a damp cloth to catch airborne hair, 1 minute

Doing this three times a week beats one long session on Sunday. Even in Arizona, most short-coated dogs blow coat in spring and again in fall as daylight changes — double your brushing frequency during those weeks. A deshedding bath with a high-velocity dryer removes more loose undercoat in one session than weeks of home brushing, so for heavy shedders, scheduling one seasonally makes a real difference.

The 5-Minute Daily Brush Routine (Any Coat Type)

Most matting happens gradually. A few days of skipped brushing turns into small knots, which turn into tight mats that can only be removed by shaving. Just 5 minutes of daily brushing prevents nearly all of it — think of it like brushing your own hair, a little each day prevents major tangles.

Minute 1 — Head & ears: Use a slicker brush to gently work behind and under the ears, the #1 matting spot on most dogs. Ear skin is sensitive, so go gently. Minute 2 — Neck & chest: Brush the collar area thoroughly, since friction from a collar is a common mat source. Work through the chest fur, especially on fluffy breeds, and clear out any caught debris. Minute 3 — Body & sides: Quick passes along the sides and back, brushing in the direction of hair growth. Usually the easiest area. Minute 4 — Legs & armpits: Don't skip the armpits — movement creates friction mats here. Brush down each leg, focusing on feathering areas, and check between toes for debris. Minute 5 — Rear & tail: Brush the hindquarters and tail, check the sanitary area for tangles, and finish with a quick overall once-over. Pro tips: make it a routine at the same time each day (after evening walks works well), use treats to reward calm behavior, start young so puppies grow into easy-to-groom adults, use a light mist of detangling spray to make brushing easier and less painful, and don't force it — if your dog is stressed, do two minutes today and build up gradually.

Dogs who get daily brushing need less intensive grooming sessions, have healthier and shinier coats, are more comfortable with handling, rarely need to be shaved due to matting, and cost less at the groomer because there are no de-matting charges.

The Complete Weekly Between-Grooms Routine (10 Minutes)

Professional grooming every 4–8 weeks does the heavy lifting, but what you do at home between visits determines whether your dog stays comfortable, mat-free, and easy to handle on appointment day. Here's a routine that takes less time than making coffee.

Minutes 1–4 — Brush: Use the right tool for the coat — slicker brush for doodles, poodles, and terriers; pin brush plus comb for long-haired breeds; undercoat rake or de-shedder for double coats like Huskies, Goldens, and Shepherds; rubber curry brush for short coats like pit mixes and beagles. Work in sections and always brush down to the skin — surface brushing just hides mats underneath instead of removing them. Minute 5 — Comb-through check: Run a metal comb through the coat. If it snags, that spot needs more brushing today, not next week. Pay special attention to behind the ears, armpits and groin, belly and inner thighs, around the collar, and the tail base. Minute 6 — Eye and face wipe: Use a plain damp cloth or eye wipes to clean tear stains, food residue, and crusty bits. Do this daily for short-faced breeds and dogs prone to tear staining. Minute 7 — Ear check: Lift the ear flap and look for redness, discharge, smell, or excess wax. Wipe the visible part with a cotton ball if needed, but never insert anything into the ear canal. Minute 8 — Paw and nail inspection: Run your hand between the toes to feel for foxtails, rocks, or dried mud, check pad condition, and listen to nails on hard floors — a clicking sound means it's time for a trim. Minute 9 — Teeth: Either a 30-second brush with dog toothpaste (never human toothpaste — xylitol is toxic to dogs) or a dental chew with the VOHC seal of approval. Minute 10 — Touch and reward: End every session by touching the parts dogs tend to hate — paws, tail, ears, mouth — for about two seconds each, paired with a treat. This is exactly what keeps grooming appointments calm.

A consistent weekly routine like this eliminates mats before they form, helps you catch health issues early (lumps, infections, allergies — always loop in your vet on anything unusual), cuts professional grooming time and sometimes cost, builds tolerance for handling, and strengthens your bond. One thing to avoid: a full bath at home every week. Over-bathing strips natural oils, so stick to brushing, checking, and minor touch-ups, and save the full bath, blow-out, and haircut for your professional groomer.

Putting It All Together

Pick your dog's coat type from the categories above, match it to the right primary brush, and run either the 5-minute daily routine or the 10-minute weekly routine depending on how much time you have and how prone your dog's coat is to matting. Double-coated and curly-coated dogs benefit the most from daily attention; short, smooth coats do well with a quicker 2–3 times a week schedule. Either way, the goal is the same: catch tangles and debris before they become a problem that only clippers can solve.

How Gordie's Can Help

If you're not sure which brush your dog actually needs, bring it up at your next visit — the team at Gordie's Grooming, located at 335 N Gilbert Rd Suite 106 in downtown Gilbert's Heritage District (right next to OHSO Brewery), can look at your dog's coat and give you personalized tool recommendations on the spot. We also handle the parts that are hard to DIY, including professional deshedding treatments for double-coated breeds starting from a $15 add-on and de-matting service when a coat gets ahead of a home routine. New clients can use code NEW15 for 15% off their first groom, and regulars can save 10% with a 5-pack that never expires, or save $15 by referring a friend. We're open Monday through Saturday, 8–5, and serve Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, Queen Creek, and San Tan Valley. Call 480-471-8884, text 334-518-4822, or book your next appointment with Gordie's today.