# Furminator - Yes, No, Never Tried?



## Oskar der Drachen (Oct 28, 2011)

Hey there everyone! I am considering the Furminator as a grooming tool for my Shedder. He is nearly six months, and hasn't done a lot of shedding yet. We have a nightly brushing session where I use a wire brush. He is a standard coat, but I would be getting the long hair variety because his guard coat is longer than two inches in a lot of places.

I would like to have a good solution for when the shedding starts in earnest. The Furminator here in New Zealand is expensive, and I'd really like some feedback before I invest in one.

Thoughts?


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Yes! But buy it on ebay or Amazon-- much cheaper than the pet store.


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## Packen (Sep 14, 2008)

I use a rake a couple of times a year, no use for the Furminator.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

I have never used it but have heard it can really strip the undercoat....causing damage. But, I'm sure it's all about how heavy ones hand is.

I use a slicker brush & loop brush...does the trick


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Another vote for yes and another vote for buying on amazon/ebay. They only cost like $12 shipped when you do it that way.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I love it but it's not an every day kind of grooming tool. Rafi blows his coat twice a year and during that time I use it once or twice a week. If you overdo it with the furminator you will strip the guard hairs.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

BowWowMeow said:


> I love it but it's not an every day kind of grooming tool. Rafi blows his coat twice a year and during that time I use it once or twice a week. If you overdo it with the furminator you will strip the guard hairs.


That's a good point. You don't want to overdo it with the furminator. I'm typically only using it like once every 2-3 weeks. I'll use other brushes between that time.


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

When I had a stock coat GSD and a lab I liked the furminator but of course you ca't be heavy handed with it or you will cause issues however my girl is a long stock coat and I HATE the furminator with her and will never use it again so it just sits in my closet. I have a slicker brush that I prefer to use and my favorite grooming tool of all time is a metal grooming comb (believe some places call it a greyhound comb) and I use a spray bottle filled with water and a decent squirt of Pantene conditioner for fine hair. The amount of hair I get that way is insane, it's damp so hair sticks to the comb and doesn't go all over the place plus she dries and smells SO great is nice, soft and shiny.


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

Pro tip-

Stepping on a furminator while bare-footed is not a great way to start a day. Aside from lacerating my foot I like the furminator when Banjo blows his coat. I can get bags and bags of fur off him outside so I only get a small fur shower in the house as opposed to the blizzard he can generate.


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

I love it! I do not really see any damage ( on any of my dogs) and it is the only tool I use. I suppose if you used it everyday you might have a problem, but when they are blowing their coat I brush them everyday for about a week. It is the best thing I have found.


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## Oskar der Drachen (Oct 28, 2011)

Well, what I ended up getting short term was a slicker brush like this...










And I will be getting a Furminator in a bit as Bear seems to be holding on to his coat pretty well. What age do these GSD's start Blowing their Coat for the first time for a male? From logic's point of view it would be just after they finish growing as the skin is constantly getting bigger, and there is no reason to be getting rid of fur.

That being said, I am expecting my first big shedding about September. That is Spring my time, and when Bear is going to be a year old.

Does that make sense? Am I dreaming?


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

It's an essential at our house, but not an every day type of grooming tool. It only works on Jackson's undercoat, so you will need something else for the guard hairs. But it takes out soooo much hair it's amazing!


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## BlackCat (Sep 22, 2011)

I use mine on my Norwegian Elkhound and get a silver grey fur storm in my back yard. Love it.


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## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

Oskar der Drachen said:


> Hey there everyone! I am considering the Furminator as a grooming tool for my Shedder. He is nearly six months, and hasn't done a lot of shedding yet. We have a nightly brushing session where I use a wire brush. He is a standard coat, but I would be getting the long hair variety because his guard coat is longer than two inches in a lot of places.
> 
> I would like to have a good solution for when the shedding starts in earnest. The Furminator here in New Zealand is expensive, and I'd really like some feedback before I invest in one.
> 
> Thoughts?


I bought a furminator, I couldn't use it with Hope.

For Kaya it worked great, she shed much more anyway, and it is a great tool.

For Hope the tines on the brush were too close together, she has that course grey tipped guard hair from her neck and shoulders all the way down her back, and those guard hairs were too coarse to fit between the tines, so it couldn't work for her.

Hope doesn't really blow her coat and shed so much though so it's not such a big deal, Kaya made fur blizzards, I have never seen a dog her size shed so much hair..


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

I like to use it in spring when my dog is blowing his coat so that the birds have something to build their nests with. My dog also likes it, because he's chewed up the handle of every furminator we've ever had. I swear they flavor those handles to make you buy more!


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Never tried one, NEVER will. I don't see the need. I've used a slicker brush and an undercoat rake or metal comb on my GSDs for 34 YEARS (both "normal" coats and long stock coats.) and have gotten along GREAT. If it ain't broke, I see no need to change it.


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## Oskar der Drachen (Oct 28, 2011)

BlackGSD said:


> Never tried one, NEVER will. I don't see the need. I've used a slicker brush and an undercoat rake or metal comb on my GSDs for 34 YEARS (both "normal" coats and long stock coats.) and have gotten along GREAT. If it ain't broke, I see no need to change it.


This is an undercoat rake?










Is it just for mats? The tines seem to my inexperienced eyes to be too far apart to remove hair from a coat. I have one of these...









And while it was a good massage tool, it didn't take out much hair... Mainly what it does is lose teeth


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

The rake gets the undercoat. We use a pin brush for "finishing". 
Furminators can easily wreck a coat and are grossly overpriced.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

This is the kind of rake I use.

The 3c's Dog Show and Grooming Supplies

This is the brush I use. I have used a Universal brushes for a LONG time. They work well anfd last a long time. And they are fairly inexpensive.

http://www.3cdog.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_22&products_id=1851

I don't like pin brushes like pictured in the post above. Personally, I find them worthless.


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## brandeeno (Jan 3, 2012)

We have been using our furminator for our 3 month old. She is starting to get her adult fur in, but her baby fur stays in there. The furminator has been perfect for pulling out all thaht baby hair before it gets on our floor.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

I have two furminators; one for my cats and one for my husky and GSD. love that thing. works wonders when my husky is blowing his coat and for general maintenance of my GSDs coat!










crazy how much fur it can grab (mostly from my husky but i spent 1/2 an our on each of my dogs that day).

best to you!


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

I love it, and use it once a week on Wolfie. It hasn't damaged his coat at all, and he tolerates it better than the wire brush. I agree with the others, get it on Amazon or ebay. Much cheaper.


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## VonKromeHaus (Jun 17, 2009)

As a groomer, I recommend an Undercoat Rake, Greyhound Comb and a Slicker Brush. Furminators strip hair, cuts it and ruins an otherwise good coat! I start with a good protein/conditioning spray and then use the rake, the slicker brush and finish with the greyhound comb. 

Here are the tools that I recommend to my clients and that I personally use....
Chris Christensen Slicker-I like the Universal brand as well.









Greyhound comb-









The spray-









The undercoat rake-









I use a variety of other tools as well at certain times. Really with a GSD, the best is the Rake,Slicker Brush,conditioning spray and comb combo!!!


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

I never found the Furminator to be particularly effective. I use a slicker brush and an undercoat rake. Use the rake first to pull out loose undercoat, and the slicker brush to round up all the stray hairs.


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## myshepharley (Feb 11, 2011)

I like the Furminator but it is hard on the coat. I truly stand by the Zoom Groom, $8.99 at Petsmart. I love this. After a couple strokes, you can actually feel the oils from his pores. You get so muc h hair out. This is the only thing I use. Should be usd outside.


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