A woman sitting in her living room chair while brushing her dog.

How to Brush Your Dog

No aspect of home dog grooming requires as much devotion as brushing. Regular brushing keeps your pet’s hair clean and tangle-free, while keeping your dog's skin healthy by stimulating blood flow, removing dead hair and distributing natural oils.

What Dog Brush is Best for Your Pet?

Before we dig deeper into how to brush your dog, let’s talk about getting the right tool for the job. Wahl has a variety of pet brushes. Choose a brush that best suits the breed and texture of your pup’s coat. A general rule: use a bristle brush or a quality 2-in-1 comb for short coats and a slicker brush for dense coats, long silky coats, wavy or curly coats. Brush up below!

What is a Bristle Brush?

An orange Wahl dog brush laying on a table.

A good all-around double-sided brush for various coat types. One side features a stainless-steel pin design to remove loose fur while stimulating the skin and the other side is made of soft nylon to brush through the hair while distributing natural oils for a shiny coat.

What is a Slicker Brush?

A orange and white Wahl dog brush sitting on a surface along with dog toys and a collar.

It is ideal for removing mid- to top-level fur and hair on medium- and long-coated dogs. The thin stainless steel wire pins easily work through the coat to loosen up and remove excess hair.

What is a Finishing Comb?

A green and white Wahl dog comb propped up on a table.

This brush is great for removing tangles and excess outer-coat hair thanks to sturdy rotating stainless-steel pins. A must-have tool for every dog owner who wants to get a grip on shedding.

What is a Deshedding Rake?

A Wahl deshedding rake propped up on a table.

Once you have detangled and brushed your dog, use the finishing comb to smooth out the coat and keep it looking good. Its long stainless-steel pins also work well for light detangling.

Brushing Your Dog Step-by-Step

1. Calm or Tire Out Your Pup

If you bathe your dog before grooming, ensure his/her fur is dry. Depending on the breed and temperament of your pup, you might want to take him/her for a short walk to burn off extra energy. Before brushing, speak in a soothing voice and praise your dog for sitting still.

2. Introduce the Brush

Using the brush guide above, ensure you have the suitable Wahl Bristle Brush or Slicker Brush and let the pup see it and sniff it before you begin to comb through your dog's fur, using plenty of praise and positive reinforcement.

3. Start Brushing

Gently brush your dog's coat from front to back. For best results, brush all the way down to the skin. Offer treats as you reposition your dog so you can get to more areas.

4. Brush Regularly

Now you have the right tool, and a positive process that suits both you and your pet, make a habit of regular brushing. See below for a guide on frequency.