Failing to groom our dog properly is definitely a mistake. Whether it has long, short, wavy or curly hair, daily grooming and regular visits to a trusted groomer are an absolutely non-negotiable obligation. But what tools do we need to do the job properly? Essentially, the instruments you should never be without are not that many. There is the comb — available in metal, the most widely used and recommended by groomers, and in plastic, which often breaks easily — and there is the brush, an accessory you should never overlook for truly top-notch dog grooming.

Using the comb

Whatever material a comb is made of, it is extremely important to pay attention to the teeth. They must always be rounded both at the tips and in cross-section, so as to avoid tearing the coat or the animal's skin. All dogs need a wide-toothed comb with teeth spaced at least 2 millimetres apart. Breeds with a denser coat and those whose fur tends to develop knots and tangles also need a finer-toothed comb to detangle the coat perfectly.

The wide-toothed comb is used by working it deep into the coat to untangle the larger knots and snags in the outer fur. The finer-toothed comb, on the other hand, is used to separate the undercoat as well and draw out all the dead hairs that have accumulated over time. You should never pull hard during the process, so as to avoid hurting the dog.

How to use a stiff-bristle brush

For daily grooming, the most commonly used tool is the stiff-bristle brush. This instrument is indispensable for longer-haired breeds to give a dog that has already been combed a quick tidy-up after a run or a walk. The bristles of the brush must be long enough to reach the skin through the coat. The wrong or unsuitable brush can actually cause knots to form.

Short, densely packed bristle brushes are ideal for short-haired breeds. To brush a dog with this type of coat, follow the natural direction of the hair, working from the head backwards towards the tail. If the dog has long hair, a brush with longer, more widely spaced bristles — usually set in a rubber base — is needed instead. Professional groomers are always wary of synthetic-bristle brushes because they generate too much static electricity and often cause the coat to break. It is therefore always better to buy a genuine hair brush for daily grooming, taking advice from your trusted groomer.

Brushing a long-haired dog

To brush a long-haired dog, and those whose coat should stand away clearly from the body, you should start by pushing the tool deep into the coat and twisting it slightly against the natural direction of hair growth. All of this should be done with very short strokes. Never brush the entire coat in the wrong direction: the hairs could weaken and break.

Brushing a medium- and short-haired dog

With a medium-length coat, such as that of a Labrador, particular attention must be paid to the dog's hindquarters. In these types of coat, the primary hair — also known as "guard hair" — is long enough to trap dead hairs. Not only that: the dog's movements, and also its licking of the rear part of its body, can cause shed hairs to migrate around the hindquarters, accumulating over time and forming dense clumps.