# Furminator



## mpetronis (Dec 14, 2009)

Anybody using this brush? Getting awesome reviews but a bit expensive if it doesn't work all that well.


----------



## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

I have one and got it off ebay for about $20. It works great!


----------



## Girth (Jan 27, 2011)

I bought one off amazon for $20 as well. I use it about once a month and works great for me.


----------



## mssandslinger (Sep 21, 2010)

someone i know said that it ruins long coat dogs hair patterns, that way it grows back or something.


----------



## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Go on ebay for the best prices on furminators. I think I spent about $12 shipped for a large.


----------



## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

mssandslinger said:


> someone i know said that it ruins long coat dogs hair patterns, that way it grows back or something.


I know quite a few people with long-coats who don't use it for this reason. I don't use it on Jazz who is long-coat in case there is some merit to that point. I only use it on Bunny and it does a great job!


----------



## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

I have one and use it almost every day and I love it.
You have to be gentle with it though, not like a regular brush.


----------



## Josie/Zeus (Nov 6, 2000)

Try getting it on ebay, I got mine for like $12 .


----------



## mpetronis (Dec 14, 2009)

wow, lot of replies quick. Thanks.

What size should I get? 95 pound boy.


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Yes, it works great for getting out loose coat. Do use a light hand with it, as you can remove more coat than you want if you use a heavy hand. I like the wider sizes for big dogs, and the smaller/narrower ones for small dogs or cats.


----------



## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

I got the biggest size with the plunger... I figured if I'm spending more on a dog brush than I've ever spent on my own brushes combined, I might as well go for the gusto


----------



## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

Try the shedzilla from walmart. Its only 20 and does not strip the guard hairs. We really like ours and the first time I used it it got a large sacks worth of hair. Bellas coat was much better looking and even softer after using it.


----------



## suzzyq01 (Feb 15, 2011)

I have a Furbuster, It is similar to the Furminator, I have had it for three years and use it A TON! At least 1-2 times a weeks on both boys. Works almost exactly like the Furminator and was like $15! 

Here is the furmonster spawns for my boys after about 15 minutes of brushing.


----------



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

ChristenHolden said:


> Try the shedzilla from walmart. Its only 20 and does not strip the guard hairs. We really like ours and the first time I used it it got a large sacks worth of hair. Bellas coat was much better looking and even softer after using it.


 
i would recommend this one as well. Its made by Oster. LOVE mine. Didnt have to hunt for a good price and didnt have to wait for shipping.


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

mssandslinger said:


> someone i know said that it ruins long coat dogs hair patterns, that way it grows back or something.


It's not just long coats. Actually in my experience it seems to create less problems with long coats (or maybe the damage is not as noticeable). The Furminator is a blade type grooming tool (like a dematting tool). It does damage the top coat, it cuts and breaks it. I've now seen two dogs get "over furminated" and it took a LONG time for their coats to come back normally again.

IMO the Furminator is not worth the price. I have two GSDs with nice coats and an even larger mutt dog who has a longer, thicker coat (like a Pyrenees) and the only time I've ever used a Furminator was when I used a small cat Furminator to help remove some tiny tangles from behind the mutt's ears (now I just shave that area, you can't tell b/c his ears hang). I show my GSDs and all I use on them are a rake and a pin brush I got from Target. If you brush every 1-2 weeks (maybe more often if the dog is blowing coat), no reason to spend so much on a tool that damages the top coat. I pull out just as much undercoat with a $5 rake brush than what people picture stripping w/ the Furminator.

The ZoomGroom is another tool I don't like, it also was ripping out top coat.


----------



## neiltus (Mar 10, 2011)

ok, IN MODERATION. Bad if that is all you use to groom and you overdue it.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i think it depends on your dogs coat if the
Furminator works well. my dog is on the plush
side. i use an under coat comb and a pin brush.
i comb him in all directions with the under coat comb.
then i brush him in one direction with the under coat comb. 
i use the pin brush brushing in one direction. i
also use the pin brush on his legs, underneath him
and on his head. brush him 3 to 4 times a week.



mpetronis said:


> Anybody using this brush? Getting awesome reviews but a bit expensive if it doesn't work all that well.


----------



## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

I was not happy with the coat damage from the Furminator, and went back to using a regular old rake on all of my dogs. I think that the rake does just as good a job, without the higher cost or the coat damage.
Sheilah


----------



## Gloria (Jul 5, 2011)

I used a Furminator last week...looked like Nikita "exploded" in the backyard with the amount of fur I removed. It did sound as if the guard hairs were being stripped so I was gentle and didn't use it so much near her mane; most of it came from her thighs and legs.
Nikita doesn't like the Zoomgroom and "fights" me when I try using it so I gave up...if she's uncomfortable with it so am I. I use a rake and comb weekly and then a deshedding tool when she goes through her heavy shed.
Furminator has actually come up with brush for long coats Dog Grooming Products - FURminator® Official Site.


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

neiltus said:


> ok, IN MODERATION. Bad if that is all you use to groom and you overdue it.


True, but I don't see any reason to spend $30 on a blade type tool that isn't necessary at all. Rakes, pins, and slicker brushes are plenty sufficient. For me a Furminator has no advantages, just the risk of damaging the coat.

However, it's really irrelevant if one is not particular about the coat. I've had people insist their Furminating was not damaging the coat but I could see that it was. It's not going to physically harm the dog (unless you brush so much you give your dog brush burn but that can happen with any tool). Many people do not even know what constitutes a nice looking coat. If it doesn't matter and the dog isn't shown, then it wouldn't matter if the topcoat is being stripped or broken.


----------



## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

Too many negative reviews from people I know (who also have GSD's) to even consider it. I use the same tools I have used for ever - pin brush, comb, and an OXO slicker brush (don't think they make them any more) which works like a rake. 
__________________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge :angel:


----------



## jeng0304 (May 1, 2010)

LOVE LOVE LOVE mine (long coat too).

I have one at home, but I also take him to petsmart for their furminator treatment and he is amazing for a week or two. If I could afford to do it every week I would. 

I use the one at home in between trips and it really does help. 

I've tried the off brands and I don't think they work as well (maybe because they are not as large and he is a big boy?)


----------



## WarrantsWifey (Dec 18, 2010)

mpetronis said:


> wow, lot of replies quick. Thanks.
> 
> What size should I get? 95 pound boy.


Even though your dog is 95lbs I'd go with the......



> *Short Hair Large Dog deShedding Tool*
> 
> For short hair dogs 51-90 lbs 4” edge designed for coats shorter than 2”


Thats the one I use on my boy! It works great! Oh yea, I picked mine up at Petsmart, so there was no "waiting" on shipping! ;-)


----------



## kearanentalo (Nov 2, 2009)

I used it on one of my GSDs with a very thick coat to begin with, not a long coat. The coat grew back in THICKER, so thick that I had continual problems with yeast growing UNDER HER COAT that I couldn't stop! She was a swimmer and she would stay wet for days after a swim. Her coat was never like that before I used that used this brush. I will NEVER use it on my dogs again. FWIW


----------



## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

I furminated the cat once. I got caught up in all the nasty hair that I was removing as she had been unable to groom and I ended up with a very sparse kitty.


----------



## HecklingGopher (Mar 16, 2011)

sit said:


> I was not happy with the coat damage from the Furminator, and went back to using a regular old rake on all of my dogs. I think that the rake does just as good a job, without the higher cost or the coat damage.
> Sheilah


My gosh, I've been trying to tell people that Furminator is not good for GSD's. I've used it before and seen hair coming out looking like a Christmas ribbon. 

Where its at is the ShedMonster. It may not be a Mars Coat King, but for 20 bucks, it rocks. The blades are super sharp and it does not harm the coat. I would highly recommend it.


----------



## koda00 (Apr 27, 2009)

i dont like it! its like using a razor blade to "brush" your dogs coat. it cuts the fur not remove it. jmo


----------



## e.rigby (May 28, 2011)

I've worked in a grooming salon, and have used the furminator tool on a variety of dogs with an even larger variety of coat types. With that said I give you my two cents worth of information and knowledge. 

The tool itself is not bad; how one uses it can be. Too much pressure can break the coat and cause skin irritation. However, when used appropriately and lightly the tool does a very good job at removing the dead/dying undercoat.

The other thing I've noticed is that dogs fed a poor diet have more trouble with 'breaking coat, and easily damaged fur'

A diet higher in essential fatty oils will help remedy this, along with a very good creme rinse after the bath.

I have 4 Aussies and a GSD, I've used the furminator (sparingly) on every single one of my own dogs (and I've shown my Aussies) and I still believe it to do a very good job. My favorite tool for deshedding the bulk of my dogs' coats is an undercoat rake. I'll use the furminator maybe once or twice a year to help reduce excessive shedding during the times when my dogs are blowing their coats.


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

e.rigby said:


> The tool itself is not bad; how one uses it can be. Too much pressure can break the coat and cause skin irritation. However, when used appropriately and lightly the tool does a very good job at removing the dead/dying undercoat.


This is what I keep saying, but it seems we have an anti-furminator crowd here.  I use it all the time in my grooming shop, and the correct way to use it is to almost just pet the dog with it. Brings out dead, loose hair without damaging live hair. 

That said, some pet owners WANT their dog's coat to be majorly thinned out; when this is what they ask for, a Furminator is the tool for the job and a sparser, thinner coat is the result you can get when you "overfurminate". This is NOT what I do unless it's specifically requested.


----------



## VaBeachFamily (Apr 12, 2005)

There is a man on Ebay that sells his for $10, free shipping. I called the manufacturer and had them check the barcode/numbers to make sure it was a legit product and wasn't some knockoff, but he was in the US, and I love the FM. It works wonders during shedding times on the back of the rear legs! Cullen loves it!


----------

