Caissie Canine Instruction: Best Brushes for Dogs

We begin this week’s “RUFF TAILS” featuring a beautiful 15-week-old Bull Terrier Cross named Bruiser.

Bruiser is the oldest (and biggest) of 4 siblings. He is an energetic, affectionate pup who loves to run and play with other dogs.

Bruiser loves to chase his human brother Cayden but is still learning how to be gentle. He is the first dog in our family, so we’re all learning together.

 Luckily for us Bruiser potty and crate trained very early. He sleeps through the night and enjoys his down time in the crate. He loves to sit in the sun on the back of the couch and look outside the window at the birds and squirrels in the backyard.

 We look forward training Bruiser to be the gentle, easy to walk dog that we know he can be.

Welcome to Doggie Dialogue

If you have a double-coated dog or long-coated dog whose coat is prone to matting, a good brush can have a big impact on the comfort of your dog’s skin and coat.

Brushing your K9 helps to remove dirt and dead hair. Brushing also gives you an opportunity to notice any cuts or sore spots. Remember to brush the undercoat, if your dog is double-coated.

 If you have a puppy start brushing right away to get them used to being handled. We recommend using a soft brush on that fluffy puppy coat; therefore, they will enjoy it.

Here are a few types to brushes that work best.

Slicker brushes consist of brush heads covered with short, tightly packed wire pins angled to go through the coat and avoid the skin. This brush is good for medium-coated, long-coated, curly-coated and wire-coated dogs to help remove mats.

When using this brush use a light touch, as pressing down to hard can cause your dog discomfort.

Bristle brushes have natural and synthetic bristles. They are for short-coated K9’s.

Undercoat rakes have 1 or 2 rows of mental pins which is designed to penetrate through to the undercoat to remove loose fur, and to remove and prevent mats. It is recommended to choose the correct pin length for your K9’s coat length.

Wide-tooth combs can also help remove mats and tangles.

Rubber brushes have short, flexible rubber bristles. They are best on short-coated K9’s, since the bristles won’t penetrate through long and thick coats. These brushes massage the skin and bring dirt and loose hair to the surface. A soft rubber grooming mitt will also remove dead hair and dirt.

Should you have any questions on which grooming brush would be best suited for your K9, please seek out the staff members at Ren’s Ajax, or your local Pet Store.