Is the Furminator Ruining Your Pet’s Coat? (3 of 4)

What You Realistically Should Do Instead

Proper deshedding involves targeting the right hair, not removing as much of it as possible. What you want to do is eliminate the dead undercoating while preserving the healthy coat that protects and regulates your dog’s temperature. To start, apply a professional-grade shampoo and conditioner designed to loosen impacted undercoat and reduce friction during brushing. After bathing, a high-velocity dryer helps lift and remove large amounts of dead hair without damaging healthy coat growth. Since the bath and drying process alone can remove most of the shedding, there’s no need to aggressively brush the coat afterwards. 

What About Shaving?

The Furminator is often used for the same reasons owners request shaving: reducing shedding, improving comfort in warm weather, or making coat maintenance easier. However, shaving and over-thinning a double coat can create similar problems. When a double coat is shaved, the undercoat often grows back faster than the guard hairs. This can leave the dog with a dense, fluffy coat that traps heat and lacks the protective qualities of the original coat.

We aren’t suggesting that shaving is never appropriate. Veterinary procedures, treatment of certain skin conditions, and severely matted coats may require clipping or shaving for the dog’s health and comfort. In those situations, the benefits outweigh the risks. But for routine grooming, preserving the natural coat is usually the better option.