# Furminator-How frequently do I use it?



## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

Well, I got Jamie's furminator in today. It works pretty great. I got enough fur off of her to make a whole 'nother dog. I would have had some pics of all her fur piles, but Grover kept diving in the fur piles and then the wind picked them all up and scattered them all over the yard. Thanks Grover. He wanted to be brushed too, but he's still recovering from all those nasty tick and fleas bites so I couldn't brush him. I can't believe how much fur I got off of Jamie.:shocked: Jamie enjoyed getting brushed. I was just wondering how frequently do you brush with it? There was nothing specific in the directions on the pkg. so I'm not sure how much I can use it. I read in other threads about how some people thought it actually damaged their dog's coats so I don't want to do that for sure. So how much is too much brushing with it?


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## warpwr (Jan 13, 2011)

We use ours when the dogs start to shed their coats naturally. 
When we start to see tufts of loose fur showing.
It really helps to keep them cooler in the summer so as long as they are shedding we use it.
I haven't noticed that it pulls out anything but loose fur but I could be wrong. I haven't seen any other kind of brush work as well either.
We don't (or haven't) use(d) it if they aren't already shedding though.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

Well, I never see hair tufts on Jamie. I have been using before the furminator a rake, but I guess it wasn't working that well. I'm just not sure how frequent I can use it w/o possibly damaging her coat?


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

I have never used a furminator and don't plan on it either. I use an undercoat rake and use it as often as needed - once or twice a day - when they are blowing coat.


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

I also wonder about this because I have also heard it can damage the coat. It seems like my dogs are always shedding so Im not sure how it could cause damage. Sorry I dont have an answer for you.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

vicky2200 said:


> I also wonder about this because I have also heard it can damage the coat. It seems like my dogs are always shedding so Im not sure how it could cause damage. *Sorry I dont have an answer for you*.


 
That's ok maybe some experienced furminator users can help us.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

Elaine said:


> I have never used a furminator and don't plan on it either. I use an undercoat rake and use it as often as needed - once or twice a day - when they are blowing coat.


I still have my rake too. The furminator does have a 30 day guarantee so I'm going to give it a try. If I don't like it or it damages her coat I'm gonna send it back and use my trusty rake again.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Elaine said:


> I have never used a furminator and don't plan on it either. I use an undercoat rake and use it as often as needed - once or twice a day - when they are blowing coat.


Same here, the dog has a coat for a reason, the furminator will break the guard hair...I've seen dogs coats ruined by it, and takes forever to recover.


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## GermanShepherds6800 (Apr 24, 2011)

They are known for damaging the outer coat.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

Well shoot, I thought these furminators came highly recommended.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

onyx'girl said:


> Same here, the dog has a coat for a reason, the furminator will break the guard hair...I've seen dogs coats ruined by it, and takes forever to recover.


 
Really?? There should be a warning out there then if it damages GSDs coats. On Amazon it was rated almost a 5 star. It thought this product was highly recommmended. I don't want it to damage her coat. She's got a beautiful shiny, healthy thick coat. I thought I was doing good by buying this thing maybe not??


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Just don't over do it. Every time I use the undercoat rake, I pull loose hair out, the furminator will too but to an extreme. If you are seeing the guard hair coming out, then obviously it is breaking off. 
Different breeds~ even our long coats have different fur/hair texture, I don't think the furminator is as forgiving as a nice brushing.


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## GSDAlphaMom (Jul 20, 2010)

I have never had an issue with it. I've got some plush coats and it works much better than a rake. I only use it when the tufts start once or twice a week until the coat is blown. All in all it's not used all that much but is great for the peak blowing windows. I've not had any damaged coats, though I can see if overused it probably could.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Hondo is a long coat. I brush him nearly daily with a regular brush. For the areas that tend to knot easy, like where the tail and hip meet and around his testicles and butt puff area, I'll use the furminator.


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## armauro (May 6, 2008)

I use a furminator on my 2 gsds every other day followed by a combing with a flea comb. I do not see the damage some have said. I use a brush on their tail and underside.
Both my dogs have a very shiny coat.


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## TheNamesNelson (Apr 4, 2011)

Every other day seems much. I thought for GSDs with the furminator you were supposed to use it once a week or once every 2 weeks.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

i would use it probably twice a week for to pull the heavier shed amounts in the shedding seasons and then the rest of the week use the rake or slicker brush. I havent used the brush i bought since i used it last week and i've only actually had to brush them once more since. They'll get brushed probably tomorrow but that will be it for a week or so.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i borrowed my neighbors furminator. i didn't
like it all. to me it was pulling out to much hair.
i have a stock coat but his hair is a little more
dense (plush). i use an under coat and a pin brush.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

Ok so as long as I don't overdo it with frequent brushing with the furminator she should be fine got it. I will use it only once a week then or maybe even two wks. If I see guard hairs I won't use it at all though. Today the hair I got was the undercoat that puffy fine type hair. Thanks everybody!


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

I only used it once a week when Sasha was blowing her coat, as it said in the instructions that it can irritate their skin if used too much, and then just used a regular brush daily. There was still some Sasha tumble weeks, but it really seemed to help (skipped it one week and it was nuts!). Now that she's done we haven't really used it. I'm thinking I'll only use it once a month from here on out, if at all, and just stick to regular brushing when she's not blowing her coat.


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## GermanShepherds6800 (Apr 24, 2011)

It whacks at the guard hairs making them looking choppy while pulling out the undercoat essentially cutting the length on the ends of the guard hairs. Kind of like how the vacuum 80's hair cutter gimmick thing they used to sell? I have examined dogs with double coats used with the furminator and found it to look bad and spilt and chopped on the hair ends. Each to their own opinion but I find elbow grease and good rakes/ slickers/ blowers do the job without damage.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

NewbieShepherdGirl said:


> I only used it once a week when Sasha was blowing her coat, as it said in the instructions that it can irritate their skin if used too much, and then just used a regular brush daily. There was still some Sasha tumble weeks, but it really seemed to help (skipped it one week and it was nuts!). Now that she's done we haven't really used it. I'm thinking I'll only use it once a month from here on out, if at all, and just stick to regular brushing when she's not blowing her coat.


Great thanks. I will probably only use it the same way not frequently just once a wk or every 2 wks. while blowing coat and then only monthly later and follow up with regular rake. The key seems to be just don't use it too much.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

GermanShepherds6800 said:


> It whacks at the guard hairs making them looking choppy while pulling out the undercoat essentially cutting the length on the ends of the guard hairs. Kind of like how the vacuum 80's hair cutter gimmick thing they used to sell? I have examined dogs with double coats used with the furminator and found it to look bad and spilt and chopped on the hair ends. Each to their own opinion but I find elbow grease and good rakes/ slickers/ blowers do the job without damage.


Thank you for your input. I will take this into consideration.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

The furminator is a number 10 clipper blade, groomers used them for ages before someone thought up to attach one to a handle. So thats how it can cut at the guard hairs.

In my personal experience, it cutting the guard hairs depends a lot on where you use it and how you hold it. I know holding it at an angle causes it to break guard hairs. I've found that using it along the spine of the dog tends to as well. So I only use mine on the sides and hips, never touching a wide strip of area down the spine. That seems to be where the hair sheds the most anyway! I use mine before taking my service dog to a restaurant or grocery store, because it takes minimal effort for the amount of loose hair it pulls out. Outside of those times, I use the slicker on Tessa and a pin brush or rake on my coatie.


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## Dylan (May 13, 2011)

I agree with Lin. I use a Furminator the same way. I think they work well to remove the undercoat, but they can cause some damage. I once saw a lab that looked as if he's been gone over with a #10 blade. His owner got too vigorous with a Furminator.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

Thanks Lin and Dylan! Great posts you two. I will definately use the furminator only on her hips and sides and only the rake on her back. That's why I love the forum so much. Thanks everyone!!!


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