# Furminator ruins coat?



## cassadee7

I remember reading somewhere (here?) that some people think the Furminator tool damages the coat. Yet so many people swear by it and say it doesn't. What's your experience?


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## Wolfiesmom

I like the furminator but I am wondering if it did damage his coat. His coat is gorgeous except for the part where his hind legs meet the body. On both sides the coat is shorter and looks cut. I don't know if the furminator did this or if it's just the way his fur is growing. I haven't used the furminator on that part of him in a month. I am waiting to see if it changes or stays the same.


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## PupperLove

I think if it is over-used it could damage the coat. I have not had any damaging effects with the Furminator yet, but in the past, I brushed my dog ALOT with all different kinds of brushes. His hair began to curl up at the ends of each guard hair, and it never really went away. I use the furminator once every 2 weeks about and have not had any trouble so far.


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## jakeandrenee

I think it's a great tool when the dog is full grown has both it's coats in. From what I have read, on a mature dog that is blowing it's coat it is a life saver. On a young dog or puppy it could break the coat. I use a good slicker and a comb on Jake, but I have my furminator ready for next year!


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## Good_Karma

We only use it once a month or so. A good pin brush works just as well IMHO. Never used it enough to damage the coat. I think more than once a week is a bad idea.


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## DJEtzel

Using it more than once every two weeks or for more than a half hour at a time can most certainly break the coat down.


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## My2Furkids

Haven't got my puppy yet (2 more weeks, 2 more weeks!!!), but my current girl has a wonderful double coat that sheds like mad. We Furminate her every other day and her coat is soft and shiny. No problems here!


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## Jax's Mom

Wolfiesmom said:


> I like the furminator but I am wondering if it did damage his coat. His coat is gorgeous except for the part where his hind legs meet the body. On both sides the coat is shorter and looks cut. I don't know if the furminator did this or if it's just the way his fur is growing. I haven't used the furminator on that part of him in a month. I am waiting to see if it changes or stays the same.


I know exactly what you're talking about, Jax is Wolfie's stunt double.
Jax's coat was like that before I bought the furminator  
I once thought he had a bald spot or a growth from across the room.
I haven't noticed any changes in coat from using the furminator but will admit I stopped using it a few weeks ago because of what people said. The brush always just seemed to pull out the dead white undercoat, it never got any of the black topcoat.


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## Jax08

I like the zoom groom. It gets Jax's loose hair out, then I use the furminator in the denser areas on her hips and then a fine comb. It seems to work best for me and doesn't pull her hair to much.


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## Deuce

I have never used it so I can't comment but this is an interesting thread.


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## ba1614

I love my Furminator, I was at my wits end last spring before being turned on to it. 
But, I do agree that it would be easy to overuse it, and possibly damage the coat.
We only use it lightly about once a month, with regular, daily, brushing using a pin brush, and that keeps her coat in good shape(IMO).


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## DnP

If you are overzelous during use or use it too often, then yes, the furminator will damage the coat. You can damage the coat if you also use it a wet or damp coat. I use it about once a month but use it more often when Phoenix is in full on coat blow to keep up with the shedding. Watch how you use it in those areas that exposes skin b/c it can irritate the skin (like the "arm pit" and the skin where the front of the back legs meet the body. 

The furminator can be a godsend if used properly, like any other tool! FYI, if your dog has a brittle/dry coat, then I would not recommend using the furminator as it will break the guard hairs.


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## Rerun

We use and love it. I've used it for YEARS. I've tried every grooming tool in the book and the furminator is hands down superior for a shedding dog. The "pin brush" - I assume they mean slicker since a pin brush wouldn't do squat on a GSD - is no where near as efficient as a furminator.


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## Good_Karma

Rerun said:


> We use and love it. I've used it for YEARS. I've tried every grooming tool in the book and the furminator is hands down superior for a shedding dog. The "pin brush" - I assume they mean slicker since a pin brush wouldn't do squat on a GSD - is no where near as efficient as a furminator.


Ack! Yes Rerun, that is what I meant. Dope slap.


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## chicagojosh

I use it once a week. i use it for about 15 min on each dog. and i stop just because...the fur is still coming off, but im just burned out after 15 min on each dog ( i have 2).

no damage that i can see, but i could see if i never stopped, and the fur just kept coming how it could be overboard...


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## Rerun

chicagojosh said:


> I use it once a week. i use it for about 15 min on each dog. and i stop just because...the fur is still coming off, but im just burned out after 15 min on each dog ( i have 2).
> 
> no damage that i can see, but i could see if i never stopped, and the fur just kept coming how it could be overboard...


I feel your pain. After awhile you're just tired of brushing!


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## doggiedad

i thought it pulled the hair out by the root.
i use an under coat comb. the teeth are spread
apart more, thicker and rounded. i used my neighbors
fuminator once. i stroked my dog with it a couple
of times and i gave it back to my neighbors.


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## doggiedad

i use a pin brush after i use an
under coat comb. the pin brush
smooths him out.



Rerun said:


> We use and love it. I've used it for YEARS. I've tried every grooming tool in the book and the furminator is hands down superior for a shedding dog. The "pin brush" - I assume they mean slicker since a pin brush wouldn't do squat on a GSD - is no where near as efficient as a furminator.


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## CaseysGSD

Didn't even know this existed! See, you really do learn something new here everyday!


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## chicagojosh

amen to that rerun...

so people educate me....what are guard hairs? thanks


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## Liesje

The Furminator is a blade, and yes it does damage coat when not used properly or used too often or for too long. Most people who overuse won't notice because they are not showing their dogs, or the dog has a bitch stripe or "salt and pepper" already so it's not as noticeable if you don't care about coat texture.

I will never use one and don't need to. I mainly use a cheap rake, but have a pin brush as well. I show my dogs so I am a bit more particular about grooming but as long as the dog's coat is healthy and well maintained, I've never needed a tool like a Furminator to start cutting out coat. I do have a cat Furminator that I've used once or twice to remove small forming mats behind my mutt's floppy ears. In this case it was coat that needed to be "cut" out.


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## Lesley1905

We use the furminator on Brody every couple of days. I think it makes him look great. Everybodys hair is a little different, even dogs. I see more shedding from my pitbull then I do Brody. Every once in a while I will see a hair ball rolling around. A family member used it on her dog also, what a difference. It was a bit pricey for a brush, but I would recommend it!


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## ZAYDA

I am all for the furminator as NOTHING pulls out hair like it can. I also feel that over use or aggressive use can damage the dogs coat.

I have a question ...

Where do you people live that use the furminator all year around and some every week???
My girls would be bald..LOL
I use the furminator in the winter once a month and in the spring every 2 weeks but I never use it from june-dec. I am sure it would pull up hair but do you think it's ok to use it 12 months out of the year for real??

I brush my dogs pretty much 2-3 times a week and in the summer I pretty much just use the hoop.


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## Whitedog404

I, too, like it on a dense coat, but I love the slicker brushes that you press and they release the clump of hair. So easy to use. Just get a good one.


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## will_and_jamie

I use our furminator once every two weeks on both dogs. I use it more often in the carpeting of the SUV's and in corners of the house that the Dyson can't reach. It grabs hair up with no problem.


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## Stosh

I'm with Whitedog- love the pin brush that releases the fur. Stosh has a long coat and it works great to get all the stickers out, don't think a furminator would do that


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## Samba

Gave my furminator away. I am a coat fanatic though and I didn't like remotely how it took the coat out or left what was still in looking. I think if you are in a battle with the hair, it might be useful though. If I want to take a alot of hair out, I like my Mars King. But even with that you have to be so careful not to damage the coat and I seldom use it.


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## acook0910

I talked to my aunt who has been a groomer for 30 years. She got a furminator a few years ago and she absolutely LOVES it now. I just ordered myself one


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