urge to herd Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 Actually the waves are looking like cowlicks on SuperGibbs' back. He's got a couple crater things going on, too. Anyway, I'm wanting to brush my boy to help with whole flea thing. He LOVES the pin brush, will sit forever when I use that, and open one eye when I stop. The pin brush doesn't get that much fur off him. The furminator knock-off pulls a bit too much. Is there an inbetween type tool I could use? I looked at brushes on Amazon, but don't know where to begin or who to believe. If you meanies like, you can tell me to knock off using the laser-pointer, too. Ruth and SuperHairyGibbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 I have used just a regular rake (not the furminator kind) with my longer coated dogs. Something like this . . . (I don't have this brand, this is just one I found online). https://www.caninetrainingsystems.com/product/GR-RAKE/Safari-Undercoat-Rake I find it works very well. It doesn't pull much, gets out a nice amount of fur (enough to notice, but not too, too much). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waffles Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 Search "undercoat rake" on Amazon. They work great on thick, medium length dogs, like a rough coated border collie. It's all I use on my boy when I do brush and we used them endlessly in the grooming shop I used to work in. If you are specifically searching for fleas, than a flea comb works too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 The rake is my best and go-to tool. And knock it off with the laser pointer and anything else that seems to be fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted December 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 Okay, will look for the undercoat rake, as it seems to be the universal answer. Waffles, I have a flea comb, but right now that gorgeous, wavy coat is too thick to make it a reasonable solution. If you're going to be nasty, Sue, I'll put my laser pointer AND the scissors that I like to run with away. But I won't stop posting! Ruth and SuperGibbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 LOL Funny, I was thinking about running with scissors in that other thread, too. Great minds and all. Another option -- OMG! I'm not going with the majority! -- is a slicker brush. I find I get more undercoat out with the slicker (a pretty fine toothed one) from my medium length, dense undercoated dog. The rake works better with my border collie/spitz-type mix who has not only a very dense (spitzy) undercoat but longer fur as well. With both slickers and rakes you have to be careful not to brush too vigorously or it's uncomfortable for the dog. Make sure you're not making hard contact with their skin. I also like a shedding comb for my lurcher, who has a medium length coat, except on her fringes and tail where it's very long, but almost no undercoat. It's a stainless steel comb with teeth of alternating length. Again, you have to be careful not to dig into the skin or it's painful for the dog. I have a Furminator and rarely use it. I think to really use it effectively, you have to part small sections of fur and comb from near the skin. It's very tedious and I tire of it long before the dog's finished. I also find that it cuts some of the guard hairs if you just drag it along the top of the coat, and that's not what I'm going for when I'm using it. Flea combs haven't been very effective for me with my hairy dogs. Like you said, they really don't get down to the skin well, and that's where the fleas are hiding. Rakes and shedding combs aren't much better. The reason flea combs work is that the teeth are close enough together to trap the flea and drag it out. But there's just too much drag on longer fur to make them practical, IMO. Bathing might be at least as effective as combing or brushing, or in combination with. The only good thing about fleas is they drown easily and can't swim. Knock on wood I haven't had a flea problem in years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 I like the slicker too, but my medium coats have little undercoat, so don't go by what I say. Except where I tell you to stop playing in the road!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 I'm gonna go train my dogs in the road. Right now. In the dark. In the snow. Off leash . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 ...in the middle of the bad part of the city, without a jacket... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted December 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 With a LASER POINTER! (ducking) And I shall reward the dog with COOKED CHICKEN BONES! And I shall laugh when the dog snaps at my flapping trousers, until it actually bites me, then I shall TOSS IT OUT INTO THE BLIZZARD WITH THE RABID POLAR BEARS!!!! May have gone a bit overboard there. Ruth and SuperGibbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 :lol: It's good we can laugh about all the ridiculousness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 With a LASER POINTER! (ducking) And I shall reward the dog with COOKED CHICKEN BONES! And I shall laugh when the dog snaps at my flapping trousers, until it actually bites me, then I shall TOSS IT OUT INTO THE BLIZZARD WITH THE RABID POLAR BEARS!!!! May have gone a bit overboard there. Ruth and SuperGibbs Only with the rabies part, the rest sounds accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosikins Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 We have a Furminator and it does pull a lot of fur, but I've found that if I use it gently, it pulls a bit less. First I go through with the pin brush and get some fur loose and then the Furmintor lightly to pick it all up. Callie loves being brushed too and she has a very long, wavy coat that's starting to get those cowlicks too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Elle Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 I use an undercoat rake followed by a slicker brush, but I do them at the same time, with one in each hand. Makes the job go fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brndlbc Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 We have one of these dryers and it works great for removing loose undercoat. Takes a little bit of practice otherwise you can tangle some of the longer hair but you can blow out an undercoat in a pretty short time. We use it outdoors primarily as you can end up knee deep in fluff if you use it indoors. http://www.amazon.com/K-9-High-Velocity-Blower-Dryer/dp/B0002ZAGK2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brndlbc Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Looks something like this...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted December 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Thanks for the further ideas. Will take up the slicker brush again tomorrow and see what happens. Ruth and SuperFurryGibbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 What about a Mars coat king? Removes undercoat without cutting outer coat? I only have one rough-coated dog, and his undercoat isn't that thick. But friends have borrowed mine and have LOVED it. Furminators trim (and ruin) outer coats, IME... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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