I remember being at my local pet store a couple of years ago and watching a commercial on the Furminator. The presenter was pulling off enough fur with the tool to stuff two pillows and a mattress.
It got to the point when it started to look rather unbelievable but that’s what the Furminator does. It is able to get rid of so much hair from your pet that it works more like a razor blade than a deshedding tool.
But does the Furminator cut hair? The Furminator deshedding tool does not cut hair as there aren’t any sharp edges or blades on the tool. The Furminator deshedding tool has very closely spaced metal bristles to remove as much loose dog hair as possible from your dog’s coat.
In this article, we will be taking a closer look at this deshedding tool and if it is something worth having as a grooming tool.
What Does The Furminator Do?
The Furminator brand has a couple of other products like combs, brushes, shampoos and conditioners. But the one product that has always been a topic of discussion is the deshedding tool.
The Furminator isn’t meant to style or detangle the fur of your pet, The main purpose of the Furminator deshedding tool is to remove the loose hair from dogs’ coats or undercoats without damaging the top coat.
There are some dog breeds that have two coats of fur. The outer coat has thicker and longer guard hairs to help protect the dog’s skin from the weather and as well as dirt.
The undercoat is made up of many shorter and finer hairs which help to keep the dog warmer during the cold months.
Dogs with double coats will start to shed their inner coat when the weather starts to get warmer (spring) or colder (fall). And for many pet owners, this would mean having dog fur all over the house and rolling across the floor like a tumbling weed.
The Furminator deshedding tool claims to do a great job at removing pet hair from such dogs when your dog starts to shed.
How Does The Furminator Work?
The Furminator deshedding tool looks pretty much like a rake. The magic of this tool lies in having very closely spaced metal bristles that help to pull the loose hair from your dog’s undercoat.
It is rougher in between the bristles which help to better grip the fine undercoat when deshedding your dog.
Does The Furminator Have A Razor In It?
If you have used a Furminator deshedding tool before or seen a commercial about it, the amount of fur that it can remove from the dog’s coat is astonishing.
It looks like someone is trying to shave the dog bald.
But in fact, there is nothing sharp enough about the Furminator that can cut your’s skin like a razor. There is nothing that needs to be sharpened or replaced for the Furmintaor to work as intended.
This tool isn’t made to be like a razor blade which requires the blade to be replaced once it starts to get dull.
Can The Furminator Remove Too Much Fur?
This is one common ‘complaint’ that many Furminator users tend to have. Many claims that it removes too much of the dog’s fur as needed.
The main job of the Furminator is to remove loose hair from the dog’s undercoat. It may come as a surprise to many dog owners but some dogs have a very dense undercoat.
The amount that is being removed by the Furminator is just the tip of the iceberg. It can seem like it is stripping your dog bald when it is shedding season.
That being said, the Furminator can remove too much of your dog’s hair if you use it too often and too hard on your dog.
What Is The Proper Way To Use A Furminator?
The number one thing that you need to do before even buying one is to ascertain if your dog even needs it.
The job of the Furminato is to deshed your dog’s undercoat. And if your dog just has a single coat, you’re better off just using a normal brush for your dog. Here is a list of dog breeds that you should not use the deshedding tool on.
Avoid using this on your dog if it has sensitive skin as well.
I have used the Furminator on my dog for quite a while and this is what works best in my opinion.
Give your dog and good bath to untangle any matting and apply some conditioner to soften the fur. If possible, blow dry your dog until it is completely dry before using the Furminator.
I will make it a point to comb my entire dog to straighten out any entanglements first. It can be painful for your dog if you rake the Furminator over such spots.
Once your dog is soft and smooth, lightly run the Furminator in the direction of the hair growth. You do not have to use the same amount of pressure as when brushing your dog.
Think more about gliding than brushing.
Deshedding your dog with too much pressure can cause abrasions and skin irritation to your dog.
Another point to note is to avoid places that are bony like the hips and spine as well as sensitive areas like the belly and groin.
You don’t need to use the deshedding tool every day as it can be too harsh on your dog’s skin. I normally used it on my dog about 1-2 times a week for about 5-10 minutes each time.
Don’t forget to also brush your dog’s tail as this is one place that most dog owners forget to brush which results in matting and entanglement.
Can The Furminator Be Used On Cats?
The Furminator can also be used on cats, you just have to get one with a smaller head. The same rules apply when using it on your cat.
Indoor cats tend to shed year-round which every cat owner can attest to. Brushing your cat regularly not only cuts down on the amount of loose hair all over the house but it also helps with your cat’s hairballs.
Your cat’s tongue is a mini deshedding tool by itself. It has tiny hooks which help to remove dirt and loose fur when the cat grooms itself.
All the loose hair is ingested by the cat which is then vomited or expelled in the poo. The problem arises when your cat swallows too much fur which can cause an intestinal blockage that can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.
Do note that cats have much more sensitive skin as compared to dogs so you need to be really careful when using the Furminator on your cat.
I find short but regular deshedding worked better for my cat than long ones. It might cause a sensory overload in your cat and cause it to get irritated.
Furthermore, do not brush a single area for too long as that can burn your cat’s skin.
When Should You Not Use A Furminator?
Besides not using the Furminator on pets that do not have an undercoat or have sensitive skin, a Furminator isn’t good for pet owners that just want to brush and forget.
Let me explain.
When I was using the Furminator on my dog, I always had to be careful or where I was brushing, how much pressure I was using and the amount of hair that I was removing.
I was constantly watching my dog’s reaction to see if it was in pain or discomfort from all the deshedding. My dog is intuitive enough to let me know if I am using too much force by moving away from the Furminator.
It isn’t a tool that you can use on your dog while focusing on the TV or phone. You really do need to be paying attention to what’s going on. It also takes some effort to use the Furminator on your pet as the bristles are so fine and positioned so closely together.
I’ve heard stories of dog owners being too casual when using the Furminator which ended up giving their dogs bad skin irritation.
Although the Furminator doesn’t have a build it blade, the metal bristles can be sharp enough to cut your dog’s skin if you use too much pressure from repeated brushing.
One more thing, it does seem to work better on shorter hair dogs than long ones. If you have a dog like a Rough Collie with a full-grown coat, the long hair can cause a lot of drag when brushing your dog.
Is The Furminator Necessary?
If you ask any dog owner who has used the Furminator, you will probably get a mixed response about the effectiveness of this tool.
I found that it did a decent job of removing my dog’s undercoat but my dog wasn’t really fond of the metal bristles.
How good the Furminator is as a deshedding tool depends mostly on your dog. If your dog’s coat, hair length and tolerance level suit the Furminator, then it might be a good grooming tool for you.
A common feedback from pet owners is that the Furminator is rather expensive compared to other alternatives, so that can discourage some from giving it a go.
It took me a while to find a brush that both me and my dog were happy with. Don’t be afraid to test out a few in the market to see which one works best for your dog.