Free Guide: How to Brush Your Dog
Lux at Home: Care Between Grooms
A few minutes of brushing keeps the coat healthy, helps prevent mats and builds trust. Here's how to choose the right brush, how often to brush and how to make it a calm routine.
Why brushing matters
VCA Animal Hospitals explains that regular brushing removes loose hair and dead skin cells, keeps the coat free of dirt and debris, and distributes natural skin oils along the hair. Dogs with long, silky or curly coats need daily brushing to keep hair from tangling or matting, especially around the ears, in the armpits and along the back of the legs.
How often to brush
Purdue University's Canine Welfare Science program suggests:
Coat type | How often |
Long and silky (Yorkies, Shih Tzus, Maltese) | Daily |
Wavy (Poodles and doodles) | Daily |
Curly | 2 to 3 times a week |
Thick undercoat (retrievers, shepherds) | Once or twice a week, more during shedding |
Short and smooth | About once a week |
Many dogs need extra brushing during spring and fall shedding.
Choosing your brush
Slicker brush: Good for most dogs, including curly, double, long, short and wire coats. Use it gently so you don't scratch the skin. (Purdue; AKC)
Comb: A finishing tool for curly, wavy, long and wire coats. It shows you whether you've brushed all the way to the skin. (Purdue)
Undercoat rake: Best for double-coated breeds. (AKC)
Bristle brush: Best for smooth, short-coated dogs. (AKC)
Not sure which you need? Ask Denise at your next visit and she'll show you the right tool for your dog's coat.
Step by step
Pick a calm moment, such as after a walk, when your dog is relaxed.
Start with a few strokes and a treat. Keep the first sessions short and happy.
Work in small sections. Lift the hair with one hand and brush from the skin outward with the other.
Use a light touch. Pressing hard with a slicker brush can hurt your dog.
Check the tangle spots: behind the ears, under the collar, the armpits, the belly and the back of the legs.
Finish with a comb. If the comb glides from skin to tip, you're done.
End on a good note with praise or a treat.
When to stop and call us
Don't try to cut out mats with scissors. It's very easy to cut the skin. If you find mats that are tight to the skin, leave them for your professional groom. If you notice redness, sores, bald patches or anything unusual on the skin, check with your veterinarian.
This guide is for education and at-home maintenance between professional grooms. If your dog has a skin, ear or dental concern, please check with your veterinarian first.
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