Anyone use a FURminator?
- Thread starter AgilityPup
- Start date
It cards the coat and with frequent use with break off top coat, sometimes badly. I've seen dogs come in for grooming with patches where the owner has been going to town with the Furminator and the top coat is broken off and shortened because of it. It's just a clipper blade on a stick and nothing more.
IME you can get away with it on dogs with double coats that are short/not super thick. You couldn't pay me enough to use it on dog with long double coat, however. Too much potential for damage. And keep in mind, as long as you keep brushing, the hair will keep coming. When people try to brush "until the 'shedding' stops" they end up demolishing the dog's coat because they're just ripping out hair, not working dead coat. The hair will never "stop coming" when you use a Furminator.
Honestly, I find that traditional tools like an undercoat rake, slicker brusher, and good bath and forced air dryer are more effective and healthier for the coat.
IME you can get away with it on dogs with double coats that are short/not super thick. You couldn't pay me enough to use it on dog with long double coat, however. Too much potential for damage. And keep in mind, as long as you keep brushing, the hair will keep coming. When people try to brush "until the 'shedding' stops" they end up demolishing the dog's coat because they're just ripping out hair, not working dead coat. The hair will never "stop coming" when you use a Furminator.
Honestly, I find that traditional tools like an undercoat rake, slicker brusher, and good bath and forced air dryer are more effective and healthier for the coat.
I borrowed one and used it for about 3 strokes on Quinn - I stopped because I noticed it was tearing her top coat. Perhaps her coat is just too long for a Furminator.
Quinn's coat isn't very dense so a lot of brushes go right through without grabbing much undercoat. I haven't found anything that works better than a regular old comb.
Quinn's coat isn't very dense so a lot of brushes go right through without grabbing much undercoat. I haven't found anything that works better than a regular old comb.
Works pretty good on Labs/Goldens/GSD type coats. During shedding season I don't notice much breakage. Sometimes I'll get a full hair of outercoat, but rarely a broken one in the fluff that comes off. Probably works fine up to Malamute or spitz (seems ok on my mom's Pom- when its not biting you).
Nose to tail strokes only. Going the other way I can get quite a bit of breakage.
Not sure if the Sheltie/Aussie breakage is because the longer fur is weaker, or the owners have a higher standard of fur.
Nose to tail strokes only. Going the other way I can get quite a bit of breakage.
Not sure if the Sheltie/Aussie breakage is because the longer fur is weaker, or the owners have a higher standard of fur.
Not sure if the Sheltie/Aussie breakage is because the longer fur is weaker, or the owners have a higher standard of fur.
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I have one and I have the regular rake. I prefer the rake overall. The furminator doesn't work too well with my longer coated girl. I do use the furminator when my other is looking like a molting sheep, but you can overdo it with that and they end up looking very stripped down.
If I had to chose one, I'd stick with the rake. I do like the furminator, but only on occasion.
If I had to chose one, I'd stick with the rake. I do like the furminator, but only on occasion.
IMO they are REALLY destructive on double coated dogs. It's true that a lot of coat came out of Kobe and Ollie (Malamute/Husky mix, and pure Husky) but it also took a lot of the still-good topcoat.
For Husky/Malamutes, I still prefer a good old comb and slicker brush.
I didn't like using it on Priscilla either, but she was severely underweight most of her young life so Furminator on bone felt awful lol. (German Shepherd)
I can see how it'd be good for a lot of dogs though. Don't be fooled by how much hair it pulls out, make sure it's not pulling the good hair out too.
For Husky/Malamutes, I still prefer a good old comb and slicker brush.
I didn't like using it on Priscilla either, but she was severely underweight most of her young life so Furminator on bone felt awful lol. (German Shepherd)
I can see how it'd be good for a lot of dogs though. Don't be fooled by how much hair it pulls out, make sure it's not pulling the good hair out too.
Difference between Furminator and Mars Coat King
This is more appropriate for the Grooming section but I'll ask here since it is your reply that raises this question for me.
I understand the Furminator is a blade with comb teeth in front of it and the Coat King is a row of independent, hooked blades. I've never seen either tool in person.
How does the Coat King discriminate between guard hair and undercoat? The Furminator doesn't (though the marketing seems to suggest it does).
This is more appropriate for the Grooming section but I'll ask here since it is your reply that raises this question for me.
I understand the Furminator is a blade with comb teeth in front of it and the Coat King is a row of independent, hooked blades. I've never seen either tool in person.
How does the Coat King discriminate between guard hair and undercoat? The Furminator doesn't (though the marketing seems to suggest it does
).