The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The best dog brush depends on your dog’s coat length, texture, and density: rubber curry brushes work well for short, smooth coats, while slicker or pin brushes suit many longer, curly, or dense coats. For long coats, brush first and use a metal comb afterward to check for remaining tangles. This current-market roundup draws on product information and expert grooming guidance; the 11 products were not all newly tested in 2026.
The list covers everyday slickers and pin brushes, bath-time curry brushes, deshedding tools, and grooming gloves. The prominent NBC Select roundup featuring these products was published May 8, 2024, so it is a source of expert recommendations, not evidence of new 2026 testing. Prices and availability change; check the manufacturer or retailer before buying.
Quick picks
| Brush | Best for | Coat match |
|---|---|---|
| Maxpower Planet Pet Grooming Brush | Best overall for thick, tangle-prone coats | Medium, long, and dense coats |
| Dog by Dr. Lisa Slicker Brush | Best slicker brush | Small to large dogs with coats that tangle |
| FURminator Short Hair Dog Deshedding Tool | Best for short-haired heavy shedders | Short coats with a loose undercoat |
| Artero Dematting Slicker | Best for long-haired dogs | Long coats; not smooth short coats |
| Chris Christensen Mark VII Curved Slicker | Best for curly or medium-to-long coats | Medium to long, curly, and dense coats |
| KONG ZoomGroom | Best multipurpose and bath-time brush | Short coats and shampooing |
| Les Poochs Pro Brush | Best for mat-prone coats | Short, soft, curly, or wavy coats up to 3 inches |
| Chris Christensen Greyhound Style Comb | Best finishing comb | Long and curly coats after brushing |
| Le Salon Essentials Rubber Curry Brush | Best curry brush | Short, smooth coats |
| Chris Christensen Oval Pin Brush | Best pin brush | Long coats and finishing |
| Delomo Pet Grooming Glove | Best for nervous dogs | Short coats and light surface grooming |
The 11 best dog brushes of 2026
1. Maxpower Planet Pet Grooming Brush: best overall for thick, tangle-prone coats
This dual-sided brush gives you two levels of grooming in one tool. The nine-tooth side is intended for working through tangles, while the 17-tooth side removes loose hair and helps finish the coat. Its rubberized, non-slip handle and 3.5-ounce weight make it relatively easy to control during longer grooming sessions.
It is a practical choice for a dog with a thick or tangle-prone coat, but “overall” does not mean every coat. It is not the best choice for a short, smooth coat, and any dematting tool can be uncomfortable if dragged forcefully through a tight knot. Work in small sections and stop if the skin becomes irritated.
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#1 Best Overall
- 【Easy Desheding】: Swihauk self cleaning dog brush for long haired dogs with release bottom helps effortlessly reduce shedding. A must have dog brush for short haired dogs, cat brush for indoor cats, cat brush for shedding, slicker brush for dogs.
- 【Safe Design】: Soft and protective plastic round head bristles creating a comfortable feeling while deshedding without hurting your pet. Ideal puppy brush for small dogs, dog brush for shedding and grooming.
- 【Sturdy & Durable】: Premium stainless steel metal and compact design make our product sturdy and durable for long term use.
- 【Ergonomic Design】: Press bottom for easy cleaning, high-quality & lightweight TPR handle make your grooming effortlessly.
- 【Effective to Remove Loose Fur】: Swihauk pet grooming brush is effective to remove loose fur, suitable for dogs, cat with long and short hair, perfect for your lovely pet like puppies, golden retriever, rabbit, kitten, bunny, yokie and more.
2. Dog by Dr. Lisa Slicker Brush: best slicker brush
A slicker brush is a versatile starting tool for many medium, long, curly, and some double coats. The Dog by Dr. Lisa Slicker Brush comes in two sizes, allowing you to choose a smaller head for a small dog or detailed areas and a larger version for a bigger body.
The smaller brush has been found useful on a dog weighing about 15 pounds, although its head is also smaller than some competing slickers. That can be an advantage around ears, legs, and armpits, but it means you may need more strokes on a large dog. Use a light touch: slicker pins should move through the coat rather than being pressed hard against the skin.
3. FURminator Short Hair Dog Deshedding Tool: best for short-haired heavy shedders
This tool has a stainless-steel edge designed to reach beneath a short topcoat and lift loose undercoat hair. It can be useful for short-haired dogs that shed heavily, particularly when a normal rubber brush collects surface hair but leaves much of the loose undercoat behind.
It is not a universal brush. The edge is designed for short coats, not for working through long mats or replacing a slicker on a curly coat. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, avoid repeated passes over one spot, and keep the edge clean. The metal edge can dull if it is poorly maintained.
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The Artero Dematting Slicker is aimed at long-haired dogs and combines detangling with smoothing. Its double-sided design gives you more than one grooming surface, and it is particularly suited to everyday maintenance on a coat that regularly forms knots.
This is specifically a long-coat recommendation, not a safe default for every dog. It is not intended for short-haired or smooth-coated dogs. Concentrate on common trouble spots such as behind the ears, under the legs, around the collar, and near the tail. Tight or skin-adhered mats should be handled by a professional groomer or veterinarian instead of attacked with repeated brushing.
Rank #2
- SAVE MONEY: Reduce expensive trips to the groomer. Our dog shedding brush works great as a dog brush for short haired dogs & dog brush for long haired dogs. It is an absolute essential for pet supplies, dog supplies, and a dog grooming kit.
- ALL HAIR & FUR TYPES: Our dog brushes for grooming safely removes loose hair without irritation. SleekEZ dog hair brush works great as a pet hair remover / dog hair remover for pets of all fur types and hair lengths.
- EASY AND FAST CLEANUP: SleekEZ also works great as a carpet rake, pet hair rake, & dog fur remover tool. It removes hair & fur from couches, cars, blankets, beds & more! Its innovative design ensures that hair is easily gathered and removed.
- PAINLESS AND ENJOYABLE: SleekEZ's patented design helps grab at the tips of the hair to extract from the skin without painful tugging. It is the perfect undercoat brush for dogs and deshedding dog brush. Works on all coat types and animal breeds!
- GREAT GIFT: A must have metal dog comb for any pet grooming kit. The perfect pet grooming metal comb for dogs & dog deshedding brush. Worlds best grooming brushes / dog grooming brush. Voted #1 dog brushes for shedding & deshedder brush for dogs.
5. Chris Christensen Mark VII Curved Slicker Dog Brush: best for curly or medium-to-long coats
The Mark VII is a large curved slicker with a rounded head, ergonomic handle, and polished stainless-steel pins. The listed head is 4 inches, with an overall body length of 8 inches. Its curved shape and closely spaced pins make it useful for lifting and separating hair on medium-to-large dogs with medium-to-long coats.
Curly coats generally benefit from brushing before combing, and this is the kind of slicker that can serve as that first step. Use section-by-section strokes with minimal pressure. A large brush may be efficient on the body but awkward around feet, ears, and the inside of the legs, so a smaller tool can still be useful.
6. KONG ZoomGroom: best multipurpose and bath-time brush
The KONG ZoomGroom uses flexible rubber fingers rather than metal pins. The fingers are three-quarter inch long, and the brush can be used on dry hair or with shampoo during a bath. KONG recommends gentle circular motions for dry brushing and gliding the brush through wet hair while bathing.
It is a comfortable, straightforward option for short-coated dogs and can help collect loose surface hair. It does not reach effectively through a long or thick coat, and it will not remove substantial mats. Its bath-time use is an important exception to the overly broad advice that a dog should never be brushed while wet: this tool is designed for wet, shampooed hair.
7. Les Poochs Pro Brush: best for mat-prone coats
The Les Poochs Pro Brush has curved bristles intended to reach closer to the skin, where hidden tangles often start. The cited product information describes it for short, soft, curly, and wavy coats up to 3 inches long, making it a specialized option for coats that mat easily rather than a basic brush for every dog.
Use it in small sections and keep checking how close you are working to the skin. A brush that reaches deeply can also cause discomfort when used with pressure. If a mat is extensive, painful, wet-looking at the skin, or impossible to separate with gentle work, arrange professional grooming.
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- 🐾【Double Sided Dog Hair Brush】The stainless steel pin brush removes pet hair effectively while the air-cushioned design massages the skin, promoting circulation without causing harm. The nylon brush side adds shine and health to the coat. Ergonomic handle for comfortable use.
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8. Chris Christensen 7.5-Inch Greyhound Style Comb: best finishing comb
This metal comb is most useful after a slicker or pin brush. Its wide teeth and rounded corners are designed to reduce snagging, friction, and breakage while checking whether the coat is genuinely free of tangles.
Start with the brush, especially on a curly or already tangled coat. Then run the comb through the coat in sections. If it catches, do not yank it through. Return to the brush and loosen that area, or seek help if the knot is too tight. A comb is excellent at finding the tangles a brush can hide, but it is not usually the right first tool for removing them.
9. Le Salon Essentials Rubber Curry Grooming Brush: best curry brush for short, smooth coats
This rubber curry brush is designed to collect loose hair from short- and smooth-coated dogs. It can be used before a bath or during bathing, when the rubber surface helps distribute shampoo and lift surface debris.
Its limitation is its design: rubber curry brushes generally do not penetrate long, thick coats. Choose something else for a long-haired dog, a heavily coated double breed, or any coat with significant tangling. This is a simple tool for surface grooming, not a dematting brush.
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Pin brushes use long, spaced-out pins to work through loose hair and light tangles on long-haired dogs. The Chris Christensen Oval Pin Brush is a finishing-oriented choice for separating and fluffing a longer coat after more substantial tangles have been addressed.
It is less aggressive than a closely packed slicker, which can make it useful for finishing and for dogs that dislike sharper-feeling pins. It may not be enough on its own for a dense, matted coat. One reported durability concern is that pins may fall out over time, so inspect the brush and replace it if pins become loose, bent, or damaged.
Rank #4
- 【Easy Desheding Brush】: THe self cleaning dog brush for long haired dogs and short haired dogs with release bottom helps effortlessly reduce shedding. It's the one cat brush for indoor cats you must have, cat brush for shedding, slicker brush for dogs and horses.
- 【Skin Friendly】: Soft and protective plastic round head bristles won't scratch you lovely pet while deshedding. No irrataion puppy brush for small dogs, dog brush for shedding and grooming.
- 【Sturdy & Durable】: Made of premium stainless steel metal and comfortable rubber, this dog brush cat brush ensure the sturdiness and durability for long term use.
- 【Ergonomic Design】: Easy cleaning press button and high-quality & lightweight TPR handle make your deshedding job done a breeze.
- 【Efficient to Remove Loose Fur】: This Pet grooming brush is efficient to remove loose fur, suitable for dogs, cat with long and short hair, perfect for your lovely pet like horses, golden retriever, rabbit, kitten, bunny, yokie and more.
11. Delomo Pet Grooming Glove: best for nervous dogs and light grooming
A grooming glove can be an easy way to introduce brushing to a dog that dislikes rigid tools. The soft rubber surface collects loose fuzz while your hand remains in contact with the dog, which may feel less threatening than a metal-pin brush.
This is a surface-grooming tool, not a tangle remover. It will not replace a slicker, pin brush, or comb for a long or curly coat. It is best for short-haired dogs, light shedding, and dogs that need gradual, treat-based desensitization to grooming.
How to choose a brush for your dog’s coat
| Coat | Good starting tools | What to avoid expecting |
|---|---|---|
| Short and smooth | Rubber curry brush, grooming glove, bristle brush, or short-hair deshedding tool | Deep detangling from a rubber tool |
| Medium or long | Slicker or pin brush, followed by a metal comb | One pass removing every knot |
| Curly or wavy | Slicker first, comb second | Starting with a comb on tangled hair |
| Double-coated | Coat-appropriate slicker, pin brush, undercoat rake, or deshedding tool | Using a tool without matching tooth or pin length to the coat |
| Wire-coated | A coat-specific slicker or grooming tool | Assuming a generic “all coat types” claim guarantees good results |
Size matters too. A large brush covers a broad back efficiently but can miss the contours around the feet, ears, and underarms. A smaller brush offers better control in those areas but fills with hair faster and takes longer on a large dog.
For double coats, match the rake or deshedding tool’s tooth or pin length to the coat; a slicker or pin brush may still be useful for surface tangles and finishing. No brush type is guaranteed to work equally well on every coat.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to brush a dog safely
- Check the coat and skin first. Look for mats, redness, scabs, fleas, or areas that make your dog flinch.
- Choose the correct tool. Match the brush to coat length and density rather than relying on an “all coat types” label.
- Work in small sections. Separate the hair with your fingers and brush from the outer layer toward the skin without scraping.
- Use light pressure. Slicker pins can irritate skin when pushed down. Short, controlled strokes are safer than forceful pulling.
- Check difficult areas. Pay special attention behind the ears, under the legs, around the collar, belly, feet, and tail.
- Finish with a comb when appropriate. On long or curly coats, the comb should pass through the brushed section without catching.
- Reward cooperation. Keep early sessions short and use treats, especially with puppies or nervous dogs.
Brush mats out before an ordinary bath because water can tighten them and make them harder to remove. The exception is a product such as the KONG ZoomGroom, which is specifically designed for gentle use with shampoo and wet hair.
When brushing is not the answer
Do not keep pulling at a severe mat because regular brushing is usually helpful. A tight mat can pull on the skin and make every stroke painful. Mats behind the ears and under the legs are especially easy to miss. If the mat is extensive, close to the skin, painful, or accompanied by irritated skin, have a professional groomer or veterinarian assess it.
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Best Value
- DUAL-SIDED DESIGN: Our Undercoat Rake Dog brush is perfect for deshedding your pet's coat. Designed with a dual-sided design, start with a 9-teeth side to tackle stubborn mats and tangles, and finish with a 17-teeth side to thin out and deshed after.
- HEALTHY COAT AND REDUCED SHEDDING: Our deshedding brush for dogs is designed with sharpened but finely rounded teeth that allow you to easily and safely remove mats, tangles, knots, and loose hair without irritation or scratching.
- EFFECTIVE DESHEDDING TOOL: This dematting and deshedding brush gently removes loose hair and eliminates tangles, knots, dander, and trapped dirt. The perfect cat grooming tool solution for pets with thick fur or dense double coats.
- COMFORTABLE TO USE: Keep your pet clean and healthy with our dog and cat brush for grooming. Designed with a lightweight, comfortable handle and a non-slip rubber base to keep the brush from moving around as you brush your pet.
- PERFECT GIFT FOR PET LOVERS: Our dog comb brush is a must-have grooming products for dogs and cats. A great gift undercoat rake dog for pet lovers who want to keep their fur buddies clean, healthy, and well-groomed!
Similarly, no deshedding brush stops shedding altogether. These tools remove loose hair before it lands on your furniture, but normal shedding continues. Excessive or sudden hair loss, bald patches, sores, or intense itching warrants veterinary advice rather than a stronger brush.
FAQ
What is the best all-around brush for a dog?
For many medium, long, curly, or dense coats, a slicker brush is the most versatile starting point. The Maxpower Planet is a useful dual-sided option for thick, tangle-prone coats, while the Dog by Dr. Lisa and Chris Christensen Mark VII are more specialized slicker choices. Short, smooth coats usually need a rubber brush or glove instead.
Should I use a brush or comb first?
Brush first and use the comb afterward to check the coat. A comb can pull painfully on existing tangles, particularly in curly coats. Once a section is brushed out, a metal comb should pass through it without snagging.
Can I use a deshedding tool on mats?
No. A deshedding tool is designed to remove loose undercoat hair, not to cut through tight mats. Stop if the tool pulls or your dog shows discomfort. Extensive or skin-adhered mats should be handled by a professional groomer or veterinarian.
How often should I brush my dog?
The right schedule depends on coat type, length, activity, and how quickly tangles form. Short-coated dogs may need occasional brushing, while long, curly, or mat-prone dogs often need several short sessions each week or daily maintenance. Brush before mats become tight rather than waiting for visible knots.
The Bottom Line
There is no single best dog brush for every coat. Choose a rubber curry brush or glove for simple short-coat grooming, a deshedding tool for suitable short-haired undercoats, and a slicker or pin brush for medium, long, curly, or dense coats. Finish long coats with a comb, use gentle pressure, and get professional help for painful or extensive mats.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
