Pick the Right Brush for Your Dog's Coat

Knowing how to choose a dog brush saves money and keeps brushing pleasant for your dog. You don’t need five brushes. You need one main tool that suits the coat, a comb to check your work, and a gentle introduction so your dog is happy to see them.

How to choose a dog brush: start with the coat you can feel

Choose from the coat your dog actually has, not from the shop shelf. If you have a mixed breed, feel the coat down to the skin. A soft, dense layer under longer top hairs means you should treat it as a double coat. Still unsure? A groomer or your vet can tell you in a minute.

What each dog grooming tool does

Tool	Suits	What it does
Rubber brush or mitt	Short coats	Lifts loose hair gently; a good first tool for a nervous dog
Bristle brush	Short coats	Smooths the coat after the rubber brush
Slicker brush	Medium, long, wire and curly coats; double coats	Fine bent pins pull out loose hair and small tangles
Undercoat rake	Double coats of all lengths	Reaches the undercoat that a slicker skims over
Pinhead brush	Long coats	A finishing brush after the slicker
Steel comb	Long and double coats	Your “did I get it all?” test after brushing

A mat splitter can help with small tangles on long coats, only if your dog allows it. A de-shedding tool or coat rake can help at peak shedding. Use a light touch, check the skin and stop if your dog flinches.

A starter set by coat

• Short coat: a rubber brush or mitt, plus a bristle brush if you like.
• Double coat: a slicker, an undercoat rake with pins to match the coat, and a steel comb.
• Long or curly coat: a slicker, a steel comb and, if needed, a mat splitter.
• Wire coat: a slicker for upkeep. Ask a groomer before trying to hand-strip, because it is specialist work.

For how often to brush each type, see brush types by coat.

Is the brush working? A quick check

• Look for loose hair on the tool, not red skin.
• Stop if your dog flinches, moves away or the skin looks pink.
• Run the comb through. If it catches, go back over that spot gently.
• Wipe the tool clean after every session.

The skin-redness rule is our advice. The sources we read don’t cover over-brushing, so go by your dog’s reaction.

What to skip

• A de-shedding shampoo. The evidence is missing, and brushing already removes the loose hair.
• Anything that cuts a double coat down to the skin. Shaving does not stop shedding.
• Hard metal rakes pulled through tangles. A mat is for a groomer, not for force.
• Scented sprays that cover a smell. They can hide a medical sign.

Introduce every new brush slowly

Let your dog sniff it. Put it on the floor near their bed. Touch it to the shoulder once, give a treat and put it away. Short, calm sessions teach your dog that the brush predicts good things. If your dog stiffens or turns away, go back to the last step they were relaxed with. The full routine is in a short dog brushing routine.

A simple shopping list

Must-have: one main brush for your dog’s coat, a steel comb, small soft treats and a non-slip mat or towel to brush on.

Nice-to-have: a soft brush or mitt for the introduction, an undercoat rake for double coats and a mat splitter for tangle-prone coats.

Buy by type, not by brand, and let your dog’s coat decide. Wash old brushes in warm soapy water and let them dry before you start.