Dog brushing: stops your dog shedding hair and keeps your pet healthy and happy
Why Dog Brushing Is Essential
Brushing your dog daily is one of the most important things for your dog’s health and well-being.
Maintaining your dog’s coat regularly keeps it free of painful mats and tangles, removes trapped debris and loose hair so it doesn’t get everywhere, and serves as an important way of getting to know your dog’s body.
The Health Benefits
By brushing your dog regularly you will get to know what your dog’s body is normally like. Always spread the hair apart and look at his skin while feeling for any new lumps, bumps, or abrasions.
By brushing your dog on a regular (daily) basis, you are more likely to notice any change in his or her skin or body. Remember: many infections, insect bites, or skin cancers begin with just one new bumps.
Mats form when you allow your dog’s hair to tangle, but brushing will keep the dog’s coat mat free.. The definition of mats is tight, hard-to-separate wads of hair. If not removed regularly they grow larger and can form tightly making them painful for your dog.
Mats can also become smelly, harbouring insects and debris, create dangerous skin problems. Mats should always be carefully removed with a mat breaking grooming tool
, a shedding blade
, or carefully cut with scissors
.
Another benefit is that brushing relaxes your dog. Dogs just loved to be brushed, especially if you started early on when they are young and continue brushing regularly. It massages their skin, loosens up any dry bits, and helps them feel wonderful. Combining your brushing with cologne
creates an aroma that has relaxing properties too.
The Tools You Need
The kinds of tools needed to keep your dog clean and in tip-top condition depends on the breed type.
Double-coated breeds have a thick undercoat that sheds twice a year. It’s essential to remove all this undercoat to stop it matting. Use a rake
, comb
, and a FURminator De-Shedding Tool
.
The hair of terriers and wiry coated breeds is rough doesn’t shed the same way as other dogs. A terrier’s hair is plucked out or hand-stripped to retain their natural texture. The recommended tools are a pin brush
, a Mars Coat-King-Original 20 Blade
, and a flea comb
, with its tightly set teeth that pull dead hairs out as you comb.
Yorkshire terriers and Maltese have silky-textured hair, not fur, that perpetually continues to grow. As a result these breeds need pin brushes and combs to keep hair free of tangles.
For shorter coated breeds like retrievers, slicker brushes 
and FURminator De-shedding Tools work very well, as do hound gloves
.
How To Brush Your Dog
For your dog to enjoy its brushing introduce them as early as possible. Adopt a positive manner and with a puppy that’s never been brushed, combine light brushing with positive reinforcements like treats and/or toys. Get the puppy focussed on the treat and lightly stroke once or twice with the brush. Keep this to a few times in the beginning and slowly build up.
This approach also applies to dogs that have not yet become used to being brushed. Always aim to exercise your dog first to wear out some of the excess energy.
Initially sessions should be just a minute or two. Forcing a dog to be brushed creates a bad impression. Start with a pin brush 
or a rubber Zoom Groom
.
A Few Tips
- Brushing should be done very regularly, preferably every day, especially with silky breeds. Otherwise dogs should be brushed at least two to three times a week.
- Be careful around sensitive areas, including the groin, stomach, and arm pits.
- Brush in the direction the hair grows, or you might pinch the dog’s skin, pull out too much hair, or cause discomfort.
- When you find a small tangle, attempt to gently separate it with your fingers and use a comb to remove it. You can also spray the coat with a conditioning de-tangling spray
or rub cornstarch into it.
- For larger mats, use a mat breaker comb to split the mat apart or use small scissors
to cut it out. But be careful! You can easily cut a dog’s skin. Always lift the mat, place your fingers below, and then use the scissors to cut between the mat and your fingers.
- Brushing your dog at home is a great way to bond with your pet. It keeps a dog’s skin and coat healthy and gives you a heads up on any suspicious lumps or bumps you might find.
- Plus, the more you brush, the less little hairs float around your house or anywhere else you can take your dog!
