Best Dog Brush for Every Coat Type

Written by

Kosar Koohi

Editor at Pretty Fluffy

Updated 7 September 202611 min read

Editor · Dog Lover · Pet Expert

About Kosar

Kosar is the editor of Pretty Fluffy, a lifelong dog lover, and the proud mom of Yuki, a Maltese who has very high standards. So does Kosar. She researches everything obsessively before it ever makes it onto the page.

All articles by Kosar

Brushing can feel like a losing battle. One minute your dog looks freshly groomed, and the next there is fur on the couch, your clothes, and somehow in your coffee. I know the struggle.

The trouble is that the best dog brush for a Labrador is not the one for a Cavapoo, and the wrong choice turns a two-minute tidy-up into a wrestling match. Here is what each type does, and the ten I would keep in the grooming basket.

What Kind of Brush Does Your Dog Need?

Match the brush to the coat, not to the breed. Slicker brushes suit most long, curly and double coats and are the tool professional groomers reach for most. Pin brushes are gentler and better for daily upkeep on long hair. Rubber and curry brushes suit short coats and bath time. Undercoat rakes and dematting tools are for thick double coats and should be used slowly and rarely.

Brushing also lifts dead hair, spreads the natural oils and gives you a weekly look at the skin underneath, where problems show up first. Our guide to skincare after grooming covers what to do when that skin turns dry or itchy.

Slicker brush. Fine wire pins set close together, angled so they work through the coat without digging into skin. The most versatile option, and the one to own if you only own one.

Pin brush. Looks like a human hairbrush, with spaced pins on a cushioned base. Gentler than a slicker, good for fluffing and everyday detangling, less effective on packed undercoat.

Rubber or curry brush. Soft nubs that lift loose hair from short coats and work shampoo in during a bath. Useless on mats.

Undercoat rake and dematting tools. Long teeth that reach the dead undercoat beneath the topcoat. Effective, and easy to overdo.

Everyday Brushes for Regular Coat Care

These are the two I would leave somewhere visible, because the brush you actually pick up beats the perfect one in a cupboard. Our grooming directory has more where these came from.

1

DOG By Dr Lisa Dog Brush

$19.99 at Chewy

Price last checked September 2026 · may vary

A gentle everyday brush that does not feel like a grooming session, which is exactly the point. It is the one I reach for when my dog is already settled beside me and a quick tidy-up doubles as attention.

Great for: Cavaliers, Beagles, French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, easy-coated mixes.

Skip if: you are dealing with real mats or a double coat mid-shed.

2

Pet-Able Easy Release Dog Brush

$13.99 at Chewy

Price last checked September 2026 · may vary

Press the release and the collected hair comes away in one go. That sounds like a small thing, but cleanup is the step that quietly stops people brushing as often as they meant to.

Great for: Labradors, Beagles, Border Collies, Corgis, Goldens, regular shedders.

Skip if: your dog's coat needs serious detangling rather than routine upkeep.

Slicker and De-Shedding Brushes for Heavy Shedders

If your dog sheds like it is a full-time job, this is your section. Both pull loose hair out before it settles on the sofa.

3

Pet Teezer De-Shedding Dog Grooming Brush

$13.99 at Chewy

Price last checked September 2026 · may vary

Made to lift loose hair out of thicker coats, and especially useful in shedding season, when you brush your dog and end up with enough fur to build a second one. It handles a heavy coat without feeling harsh, which is rarer than it sounds.

Great for: Goldens, Labradors, German Shepherds, Border Collies, Huskies.

Skip if: your dog has a very short or sensitive coat.

4

Swihauk Self Cleaning Slicker Brush

$19.99 at Amazon

Price last checked September 2026 · may vary

A straightforward slicker for loose hair and light tangles, with a retract button that clears the pins in one press. Slicker brushes fill up fast on a thick coat, so that button earns its keep.

Great for: Aussies, German Shepherds, Corgis, Shelties, medium to large mixes.

Skip if: you have a very small dog or one with sensitive skin, as the head is large and the pins are firm.

Pin and Combo Brushes for Long Coats

Long hair needs regular gentle work rather than occasional heavy work. Both of these are built for keeping on top of it.

5

Safari Combo Brush for Dogs

$16.99 at Chewy

Price last checked September 2026 · may vary

Pins on one side for tangles, bristles on the other for smoothing and finishing. As a dog mom I love anything that does two jobs, and this is a sensible starter if you are still working out what your dog's coat needs.

Great for: Cocker Spaniels, Shelties, Collies, Springer Spaniels, medium-coated mixes.

Skip if: you need a dedicated slicker or de-shedder, as a combo brush is a generalist.

6

We Love Doodles Professional Dog Pin Brush

$24.97 at Chewy

Price last checked September 2026 · may vary

Pin brushes move through a coat without flattening it, which is why they suit long hair you want to keep looking full. Use it for gentle detangling between grooming appointments rather than heavy lifting.

Great for: Shih Tzus, Maltese, Havanese, Yorkies, Poodles and doodle crosses.

Skip if: your dog is a heavy shedder, since a pin brush will not clear packed undercoat.

Curly and Doodle Coat Brushes

Curly coats are the ones that catch people out. They look fine on the surface while quietly matting underneath, usually behind the ears, under the legs and around the collar. Brush before bath day rather than after, since water tightens whatever you missed, as our step-by-step washing guide explains.

7

Freshly Bailey Doodle Brush

$24.95 at Amazon

Price last checked September 2026 · may vary

Doodle moms, this one is for you. It reaches deeper into curly and wavy coats than a standard brush manages, which is what those hidden tangles need. Work in sections and lift the coat as you go so you can see what you are brushing.

Great for: Goldendoodles, Labradoodles, Bernedoodles, Cavapoos, Cockapoos, Poodles.

Skip if: your dog is short-haired, as this is more brush than that coat needs.

Dematting Tools for Thick Undercoats

Treat this category with respect. Mats pull on the skin underneath, and VCA notes that matted fur close to the skin traps moisture and leaves dogs prone to rashes and other skin problems, with the skin beneath becoming thin and easy to tear.

8

Maxpower Planet Hair Brush

$16.99 at Amazon

Price last checked September 2026 · may vary

Better suited to the tougher jobs: tangles, loose undercoat and dense double coats. Use it slowly, not as a daily once-over, and hold the hair at the base with your free hand so any pull lands on your fingers rather than your dog's skin.

Great for: German Shepherds, Huskies, Malamutes, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Newfoundlands.

Skip if: the mats are tight and close to the skin. That is a groomer's job, not a home one.

Bath Brushes for Short Coats and Muddy Dogs

Bath time is chaos: water everywhere, a dog plotting an escape, you trying to scrub and stay dry at once. Both of these help, and both double as gentle dry brushes for short coats.

9

Bodhi Dog Shampoo Brush

$11.99 at Amazon

Price last checked September 2026 · may vary

Soft rubber bristles work shampoo down through the coat while giving your dog a massage, which makes the whole business feel less like something being done to them.

Great for: French Bulldogs, Boxers, Pugs, Dachshunds, Labradors.

Skip if: you need to get tangles out, since rubber does nothing for mats.

10

Dandylion Scrub Dog Brush

$18.00 at Chewy

Price last checked September 2026 · may vary

A sweet option for dogs who take one look at a wire brush and leave the room. It lathers shampoo in the bath and works as a gentle scrub on dry fur, reading as a massage rather than a grooming tool. That is often the difference between a dog who tolerates brushing and one who enjoys it.

Great for: Boston Terriers, Boxers, Pugs, Chihuahuas, short-haired mixes.

Skip if: you have a long or matted coat to deal with.

Dog Brush Types Compared

Which Brush Suits Your Dog's Coat Type

Coat type matters more than breed, and plenty of breeds carry more than one. Work from what is on your dog.

Short coats. French Bulldogs, Beagles, Boxers, Dachshunds. A rubber brush, curry brush or mitt is plenty. Anything firmer is uncomfortable for no gain.

Long single coats. Shih Tzus, Maltese, Havanese, Yorkies. A pin brush for daily work, plus a comb to check the spots a brush glides over.

Curly coats. Poodles and doodles. A slicker made for denser coats, worked in sections, lifting as you go.

Double coats. German Shepherds, Huskies, Corgis, Goldens. A de-shedding brush or undercoat rake, used more in spring and autumn and gently the rest of the year.

Sensitive skin. Soft bristle, silicone or rubber, with light pressure. If the skin looks red, flaky or sore, see your vet before brushing it again. Persistent itching sometimes traces back to diet, which our guide to the best dog foods for allergies covers.

What Groomers Use, and What Is Worth Buying at Home

Professional kits look different from ours, and it is worth knowing why before you copy one.

Groomers overwhelmingly favour firm slicker brushes with long pins, backed by a metal greyhound-style comb to catch what the slicker missed. The comb is the step most owners skip, and it is why a coat can look brushed and still be matted underneath. They also use a high-velocity dryer, which clears loose undercoat in a way no brush matches, and that is the piece you cannot replicate at home.

Worth buying: a good slicker and a metal comb. Between them they cover most of what a groomer does with a brush.

Not worth buying: dematting blades and stripping knives. They cut coat rather than detangle it, and in inexperienced hands they take out far more hair than intended.

Choosing a Puppy Brush

A puppy brush has a different job from an adult one. Most puppies barely shed until their adult coat comes in at around a year old, so early brushing is really training: teaching a dog that being handled all over is pleasant and boring rather than something to squirm away from.

That means the softest tool you own: a grooming mitt, a rubber brush or a soft slicker used lightly. Keep sessions to a minute or two and stop while your puppy is still happy rather than when they have had enough.

Do the fiddly bits early: paws, ears, tail, belly. A groomer needs access to those for the next fifteen years, and a puppy who finds them normal saves everyone trouble. Handling the feet now makes nail trims far easier later.

How Often Should You Brush Your Dog?

Short-haired dogs are fine with once or twice a week. Long and double coats want several sessions, more in spring and autumn when the coat turns over. Curly coats often need daily attention, because they go from fine to matted in about a week.

Little and often beats one long session. Five minutes most days keeps a coat in better shape than half an hour on a Sunday, and your dog will mind it far less.

How to Brush a Dog Who Hates Being Brushed

Usually there is a reason, and usually it is that brushing has hurt at some point. Pulling through a mat is memorable.

Start below the threshold. Let your dog sniff the brush, give a treat, put it away. Next day, one stroke somewhere easy like the shoulder, then a treat. Build from there over a week or two, working where they are comfortable rather than where the tangles are.

Stop before your dog wants to stop. Ending on a good moment is what makes the next session easier, and it is the thing most of us get wrong.

When to Leave It to a Groomer

Some jobs are not home jobs. Tight mats sitting flat against the skin need clipping out, not brushing out, and working them free hurts and can tear skin that is already inflamed underneath.

Book a groomer or call your vet if you find mats you cannot lift away from the skin, if the skin under a tangle looks red or sore, or if your dog reacts painfully to being touched in one spot. Older dogs need extra thought, since standing for a long groom is harder on stiff joints and early mobility changes are easy to miss.

Final Thoughts

The best grooming tool is the one your dog will actually let you use. Some dogs love being brushed. Others act like you have personally betrayed them the moment it appears.

If you want one everyday brush, the DOG By Dr Lisa is the easiest place to start. For shedding, the Pet Teezer and the Swihauk slicker do the heavy lifting. For curly coats, the Freshly Bailey is built for the job. And for bath day, the Bodhi shampoo brush and the Dandylion scrub brush both make washing less of a wrestle.

Anything that means less fur on my clothes is a win.