Hi Susy
Here is the first post on this thread which should help. As far as I know will still need a Pin & a Slicker brush, i am sure you will get more advice from a more experienced member soon.
Lets take a look at the tools.
The first tool in my kit is a slicker brush. This is a brush with bent bristles and comes in a wide variety of firmness levels, shapes and sizes. A common complaint I have heard is that the dogs do not tolerate this brush, and that it irritates the skin. My guess as to why dogs do not always tolerate this brush is that it is a firm brush and is often used with too much pressure. Cheaper slicker brushes can also have very rough edges on the bristles. If it scratches your skin it can scratch theirs.
I use one of two brands of slicker brushes. The first is by Chris Christiansen (
Click Here for Chris's website). These brushes have rounded tips to avoid hair breakage and skin irritation. They are also a finer grade of bristle, making for a soft brush. This brush is excellent for puppies (who have thinner coats), older fluffs whose coats are thinning, and fluffs who are kept in shorter trims. They can be used on longer coats if you employ the line brushing method (for detailed instructions on this brushing method, check
this thread). This brush is not good for breaking up mats. It can handle a small tangle, but the fineness of the bristles will be ineffective against solid pieces of any size.
The second line of brushes is by Les Poochs (
Click Here for Michel's webpage). These slicker brushes have flexible heads to reduce brushing pressure. They come in varying firmness levels, ranging from soft to very firm. In my experience, the softer bristles of these brushes do not hold up nearly as well as the Chris Christiansen. This is my opinion. I do regularly use the "blue" brushes and the Mat Zapper (red handle). These are excellent for mat work, as the stiffer bristles will break up the mats and the flexible heads will reduce the pressure on the skin. A cheaper version of these brushes has been introduced by Mars and Master Grooming Tools. I have used the latter and they are pretty decent (you can find them
Here).
When using this type of brush, you do not want to apply too much pressure. Test it out on your forearm to see that you are not brushing too aggressively (on the same note, you must apply some pressure or else you will not get the bristles through the hair). When dealing with a mat, I will first spritz the mat with a leave-in conditioner. I love
Chris Christiansen's Ice on Ice, as well as
Top Performance's GloCoat (click each brand name to go to their respective webpages). After the mat has been moistened I will grasp in between my fingers and start brushing. I do not like to use mat breakers or other bladed tools as these cut the hair, creating holes in the coat. I will pick apart the mat using the brush and a comb, keeping my fingers between the mat and the skin. Obviously severe or cast matting (pelting/felting) cannot be tackled this way, but hopefully using the right tools the right way will prevent you from seeing those severe types of mats
Lainey & Mitsy
