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Grooming - Brush Question


Guest crazydoglady99
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Guest crazydoglady99

Hey all,

Hoping someone can steer me in the right direction..

I have a kelpie x who sheds an unbelievable amount of hair all year round.

Just wondering the best type of brush to use so I can give her a good brush outside each day to minimize the amount inside!!

Lazy (I mean busy) parent so would rather purchase online than spend 4 hours looking at petshop.

thanks!!!

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If your dog has relatively smooth coat like a kelpie my suggestion is a rubber curry brush like you would use on a horse. It is a rubber pad with rubber finger like nodules with a strap that goes over your hand. Damp the brush and or the dog and rub rub rub. They can be purchased very cheaply from any horse or fodder store/site.

I'm sure someone will mention furminators. Personally I hate them as they will cut and frazzle the coat as you drag it over the dog. Over use of them will result in a damaged coat.

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Guest crazydoglady99

Thanks Gruf.

I do actually use one of those rubber curry brushes! It's ok - it doesn't get all that much fur off. Although I have never dampened it (even when I had horses!) - maybe that's the key!!

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Parent may like to know that it's virtually impossible to buy a decent qualitty brush from your average pet shop anyway. It's all nearly always crap and the big franchises sell only crap.

I'd be prepared to try a soft slicker brush but the Kelpie folk would know best.

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If your kelpie cross is a heavy shedder I would be inclined to use a medium toothed steel comb rather than a brush as this will tend to remove more of the dead hair before it is shed than most brushes.

Next best thing would be a curry comb, as Gruf has said, or a slicker brush.

ETA I'm assuming that your girl has a slightly longer coat than most kelpies.. A kelpie x long coat border collie type is what I'm thinking, but of course if she is a kelpie cross staffie typethen daily vaccuming is probably best LOL!

Edited by RuralPug
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Guest crazydoglady99

Lol Ruralpug!!

She is definitely a mutt - bigger than a kelpie, but the kelpie seems to be the most recognizable cross. She's tan - her coat is almost Labrador-ish - but the hairs are very coarse. (It gets in my clothes and itches like crazy!!)

Vacuuming would be perfect - if she wasn't absolutely petrified of the vacuum!! I vacuum my house twice a day and the hair is still everywhere!!

Thanks so much for the recommendations all - I'll give them all a go!

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Parent may like to know that it's virtually impossible to buy a decent qualitty brush from your average pet shop anyway. It's all nearly always crap and the big franchises sell only crap.

I'd be prepared to try a soft slicker brush but the Kelpie folk would know best.

As above. Slicker brushes are fantastic & will remove heaps of loose hair. Lawrence is the best brand & is made in England, they last forever. The cheap ones are so scratchy & harsh on the dogs skin. Try the brush on your own head first & if it hurts don't use it. I use a slicker brush for my own considerable amount of hair after washing. Gets the knots out without breaking it.

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Parent may like to know that it's virtually impossible to buy a decent qualitty brush from your average pet shop anyway. It's all nearly always crap and the big franchises sell only crap.

I'd be prepared to try a soft slicker brush but the Kelpie folk would know best.

As above. Slicker brushes are fantastic & will remove heaps of loose hair. Lawrence is the best brand & is made in England, they last forever. The cheap ones are so scratchy & harsh on the dogs skin. Try the brush on your own head first & if it hurts don't use it. I use a slicker brush for my own considerable amount of hair after washing. Gets the knots out without breaking it.

I"m a Doggyman soft (pink ring on handle) woman myself. :) That's on the poods, not me.

For me I use the long silky coat dog's brush of choice. Mason Pearson!!

Edited by Haredown Whippets
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....

For me I use the long silky coat dog's brush of choice. Mason Pearson!!

LOL HW me too!

Thanks to another DOL thread on grooming, where I confessed to having four Mason Pearsons in my grooming kit and yet using a cheap supermarket brush on my own tresses, I now use a Mason Pearson on my hair and wish I'd done it years ago!

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How old is your dog and it it in generally good health. Lean and fit?

Everyone's idea of excessive shedding is different but there are some illnesses and conditions in dogs that can cause truly excessive coat turnover.

If your dog is older , fat, unfit, drinks a lot and /or generally has a dull or dandruffy coat it might be worth a vet check.

Ps. I'm a LesPooch girl myself. Best slickers everrrrrr!

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Parent may like to know that it's virtually impossible to buy a decent qualitty brush from your average pet shop anyway. It's all nearly always crap and the big franchises sell only crap.

I'd be prepared to try a soft slicker brush but the Kelpie folk would know best.

tsk tsk! I bought my rake and slicker from Big W and they've held up for 10 years at least!

I did buy my nail clippers from a show trailer and they've gone strong for 12 years... I also have les pooch that are probably around 9/10 years old.

A good scrub with a rubber brush/zoom groom and a blow dryer will also help - does your car wash have a dog wash section?

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Even tho I do use the 'F word' I agree that it can ruin coats. I do believe it has it's uses (esp for a Labrador) but not in your case; not on your dog. The Ernmeister gets a going over with it monthly - every night, I use a good coat rake and a slicker brush. I also use the Zoom Groom but only at bath time, which for Ernie, is once every couple of months unless he's rolled in a dead thing. It's great as a bath time tool but I don't find it reaches deep enough to be used as a part of his regular grooming.

As usual - you've received excellent advice here. Do what I do, and take it!

Ps. Your 'mutt' sounds absolutely gorgeous.

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How old is your dog and it it in generally good health. Lean and fit?

Everyone's idea of excessive shedding is different but there are some illnesses and conditions in dogs that can cause truly excessive coat turnover.

If your dog is older , fat, unfit, drinks a lot and /or generally has a dull or dandruffy coat it might be worth a vet check.

Ps. I'm a LesPooch girl myself. Best slickers everrrrrr!

Me too :D

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Guest crazydoglady99

How old is your dog and it it in generally good health. Lean and fit?

Everyone's idea of excessive shedding is different but there are some illnesses and conditions in dogs that can cause truly excessive coat turnover.

If your dog is older , fat, unfit, drinks a lot and /or generally has a dull or dandruffy coat it might be worth a vet check.

Ps. I'm a LesPooch girl myself. Best slickers everrrrrr!

Hey Gruf - yes she's 3yrs. We run 6-10kms every day in our nearby bush reserve (mostly off leash). She's in great health - no dandruff, itching etc. She just has an annoying super shedding coat!!

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How old is your dog and it it in generally good health. Lean and fit?

Everyone's idea of excessive shedding is different but there are some illnesses and conditions in dogs that can cause truly excessive coat turnover.

If your dog is older , fat, unfit, drinks a lot and /or generally has a dull or dandruffy coat it might be worth a vet check.

Ps. I'm a LesPooch girl myself. Best slickers everrrrrr!

Hey Gruf - yes she's 3yrs. We run 6-10kms every day in our nearby bush reserve (mostly off leash). She's in great health - no dandruff, itching etc. She just has an annoying super shedding coat!! A

Sounds like she has a great life. Medical issues sound unlikely then.

If you dog is really frightened of vacuum type noises and you don't think she would do very well with a professional strength dog blow dryer I would suggest what I call a bucket bath which will minimise grooming stress and maximise grooming outcome for home grooming. Get a bucket of warm soapy water and an old face washer, as well as your curry brush. Without making the dog soaking wet, rinse the face washer in the bucket and ring it out partially, then rub it vigorously through your dogs coat getting you fingers right in and rubbing all around in all directions. Once the dog is damp and rubbed you will probably have hair going everywhere. Now go to the curry brush backwards and upwards and final with the grain of the coat. By now hopefully you will have a cleaner dog with a bunch less coat. Use a slicker brush and a comb to really finish things off. I just find this damp semi bath method works really well for grooming at home. You may find that for a day or so it heightens shedding as the coat settles down but give her another brush through the following day and hopefully you will have stripped out a lot of coat.

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