Deshedding Brushes: Blade Width, Coat Type and How Often

Deshedding tools work extremely well and are extremely easy to misuse. The blade is designed to reach through the outer coat and pull loose undercoat out, and that is a genuinely useful thing on a double-coated animal in a moult. On the wrong coat, or used too often, the same tool strips guard hairs and irritates skin.

Know which coat you have

Double coat — a coarse outer layer over a dense soft undercoat, and a heavy seasonal moult. This is the coat deshedding tools were designed for, and the results are dramatic.

Single coat — one layer, often silky or wiry, with steady low-level shedding rather than a moult. A deshedding blade on a single coat simply cuts topcoat, thinning it and damaging the appearance.

Curly or wool coat — grows continuously and mats rather than sheds. These need a slicker brush, a comb and regular clipping, and a deshedding blade will tear the coat.

Short smooth coat — a rubber mitt or a soft slicker removes loose hair perfectly well; a blade is unnecessary and can scratch.

Blade width

Width should suit the animal, not the size of the job. A wide blade on a small dog or a cat spans a curved body and only contacts in the middle, which means pressure concentrates on a narrow strip of skin.

As a rough guide: narrow blades under two inches for cats and small dogs, medium two to three inches for medium dogs, wide over four inches for large double-coated dogs. Where a manufacturer publishes a recommended size range, it is on our product page.

Technique

Work in the direction of hair growth, in short strokes, with light pressure. The tool does the work; pressing harder does not remove more undercoat, it removes more topcoat and irritates skin.

Keep the blade flat against the body rather than digging the edge in, and lift as you finish each stroke. Never work over a bony area — the spine, hips, elbows, or a cat’s shoulder blades — with any real pressure.

Clear the blade frequently. A loaded blade drags rather than combs.

How often

During a heavy moult, twice a week is reasonable for a double-coated dog, in short sessions. Outside a moult, once every week or two is plenty.

Daily deshedding is too much for any coat. The undercoat needs to be there; the tool is for removing what is already loose, and if very little is coming out, the job is done for that day.

Signs you are overdoing it

• Pink or reddened skin after a session.
• Topcoat looking thin, dull or scruffy rather than sleek.
• The animal becoming reluctant when the tool appears.
• Small nicks or scratches, particularly over hips and shoulders.

Mats and the deshedding tool

A deshedding blade will not remove a mat and should not be used on one. It will pull at the mat, which pulls at the skin underneath, and that is painful. Mats are worked apart with fingers and a mat splitter, or removed by a groomer.

The same applies to a heavily matted undercoat during a delayed moult — that is a groomer’s job, and forcing it at home is unpleasant for the animal.

Cats

Cats generally accept a narrow deshedding tool or a rubber mitt, in short sessions, and are much less tolerant of pressure than dogs. Their skin is thinner and more mobile.

Watch the tail and the ears rather than waiting for a swipe. A cat gives several seconds of warning and stopping at the first sign is what keeps the tool usable next week.

Cleaning the tool

Wipe the blade dry after each use and store it with any supplied guard on. Blades rust, and a rusty edge snags. If a tool has a release button, use it rather than pulling hair off the blade by hand.

Wash rubber mitts in warm soapy water and dry fully. They perish if stored damp.

Choosing one

Match the blade width to the animal, check the tool is intended for the coat type, and prefer one with a release mechanism. Blade width and stated coat suitability are listed on each product in grooming and coat care.

Grooming tools that have touched an animal cannot be resold, so they cannot be returned once used — worth checking the width against your dog before opening the packet.

Where the hair actually goes

Deshedding outdoors sounds sensible and produces a cloud of hair that ends up on a neighbour’s washing. A doorway, a bathroom or a room with a hard floor is more considerate and far easier to sweep.

A damp cloth wiped over the animal afterwards picks up the loose hair the tool lifted but did not remove, which is the reason a dog can still shed heavily onto a sofa immediately after a session.

Seasonal timing

Double-coated animals moult heavily twice a year, usually spring and autumn, and the intensity is triggered by daylight rather than temperature. An indoor animal under artificial light often moults lightly all year instead, which is normal.

During a heavy moult, short sessions every two or three days remove far more hair overall than one long session a fortnight, and they are much less likely to irritate the skin. Once the volume drops noticeably, go back to the maintenance interval rather than continuing.