The best dog brush review

Regular dog grooming and brushing your dog isn’t just good for your pet- it’s good for you too. Using the best dog brush will make your pet’s skin and coat healthier and it will reduce the amount of shed hair that is left around your home. Regular brushing will also foster the bond that you have with your pet, and most pups enjoy the feel of a good brush for dogs.

* Scroll down to watch our detailed and honest VIDEO REVIEW of the best brush for dogs.

I chose the KONG Zoom Groom as my top pick in this best dog brush review (read my thoughts below).

This brush can be used to groom your dog and also as a shampooing brush in the tub. The rubber material removes loose hair like a magnet and stimulates the capillaries in your pet’s skin. The Kong Zoom Groom also promotes natural oil production to encourage a healthy coat and skin.

Compare TOP 10 Best Brushes for Dogs (reviewed below):

My best dog brush pick

I wanted my top pick to be a dog brush that could be used by a vast majority of dog owners. It needed to be safe and easy for owners to use. The KONG Zoom Groom meets the needs of both of our dogs, and we even use it on all three of our cats! My main concern is always that our animals are comfortable and safe. A rubber brush, like the Zoom Groom, provides both.

The entire brush is made of rubber. The bristles will not hurt your pet or scratch his skin, and I know that’s a concern for many pet owners. The rubber grips hair like a magnet and pulls it from your dog’s coat. When I use this with my girls I just give the brush a little shake after a few swipes down their body and most of the hair will fall off without you having to pull it off.

The soft, rubber bristles of this brush stimulate the capillaries in your dog’s skin and help to promote natural oil production that will improve dog’s skin and coat.

I’m always in search of products that are made in the USA, and this is one of them. It also comes in two colors: raspberry or boysenberry. The Zoom Groom by KONG is also available in a regular size or a smaller size for puppies and small breeds.

Using this best dog brush on our short haired boxer, Chloe, is amazing. It pulls more fur off of her than any other brush we’ve ever used. Chloe’s fur is fairly coarse, but the Zoom Groom is still able to grab the loose hair and remove it from her coat. It works on our lab too. It pulls a lot of hair out of her top coat and removes a lot of dirt and debris as well.

Our lab, Saddie, has a double coat and she sheds A LOT! This rubber bristle brush doesn’t work as well as other deshedding tools like the FURminator on her double coat. The Zoom Groom is a great overall brush to have on hand, but if your dog has a particular issue, like shedding or mats, you’ll want to be sure to get a brush or comb that is specifically designed to relieve the issue.

It is my personal opinion that every dog owner should invest in a KONG Zoom Groom for one simple reason: it can be used as a shampooing brush as well as a dry brush. This is my favorite feature. I never give my girls a bath without the Zoom Groom anymore. It works deep down into their coat to reach their skin and remove all the dirt from their coat.

All I have to do is wet their fur, apply the shampoo, and the Zoom Groom does the hard work for me.

I don’t have to dig my fingers in to massage the shampoo into their fur anymore. My hands used to get so fatigued after giving the dogs a bath, but after testing out the Zoom Groom I no longer have that problem. No matter how often you use this brush in the bath, it won’t change its effectiveness on dry fur. This best dog brush is two products in one!

Who else likes it?

Other dog owners love this brush as much as I do it. It’s been reviewed on Amazon nearly 1,300 times, and it currently holds a 4.5 out of 5 star review. Dog owners love the versatility of this brush. It works on so many different coat types, and it’s comfortable for the dog owner or groomer to use. Consumers with multi-pet households are impressed with the Zoom Groom’s ability to work on other animals too. Many pet owners purchased the brush to use while shampooing their dog and ended up loving the way it works on dry fur as well.

Jenna Riane: Pet Owners MUST Have Zoom Grooms (May 16, 2007. Read full review.) “I’ve been a Zoom Groom user for 6 years. I had 2 cats and 1 dog in that time and have used it on all three…The brush also works better and is easier to use than any other brush I’ve tried. It really pulls up the undercoat and makes her super smooth and shiny. It also works great on my short haired Boston Terrier/Chihuahua cross dog…”

MercyStreet: Makes bath time better (November 26,2006. Read full review.) “Our beagle barely tolerates getting a bath — not a fan of water, he tries to wiggle out of the tub. We tried using the zoom groom as a bath brush and it helped a lot. He calmed down immediately and even seemed to enjoy the way it felt. He has such a hard, dense coat — the zoom groom during bath time helped strip out more of the loose fur, and it got him a lot cleaner than using our hands alone…”

proud pug mom: UNBELIEVABLE how well this brush works! (August 9, 2007. Read full review.) “I’ve never written a product review, but felt compelled after using this brush on my pug. I never realized how much he sheds until I brushed him with this product and the loose hair started literally piling up on his back. Every time I changed direction (with and against the grain of his fur, sideways, in circles, etc.), even more loose hair surfaced. I think it has something to do with the static electricity from the rubber “bristles,” but I’m just guessing. He hates regular brushes but loves the feeling of the Zoom Groom’s pliable, rubbery “fingers” — he even carries it around in his mouth!…”

Flaws but not deal breakers

I mentioned briefly that KONG specifies that this best dog brush can be used on all coat types. My only concern would be dogs with long hair. The hair sticks to the rubber, which is what you want to remove the loose hair, but I’m afraid that the brush may pull long hair. You’d need to be sure to use a pin brush and remove any mats or tangles before using the Zoom Groom on a dog with long hair.

Many consumers agree that this isn’t the best brush for a dog with an undercoat. It works great on Saddie’s top coat – removing all the loose unwanted hair and pulling the dirt from her fur. However, if I brush her with the Zoom Groom and then immediately brush her with the undercoat rake that we have, I always get a lot more hair. Typically I use the undercoat rake on her first and then use the Zoom Groom to tidy up the top coat and leave her fur looking smooth and shiny.

As I mentioned, I love how you can just shake this brush and the hair falls out. You don’t have to stick your fingers in the rubber bristles and fight to pull hair out. Not all pet parents like that though. Many consumers noted that loose hair tends to fly off the brush as you are brushing your pet. I brush my girls outside, so this isn’t an issue for me, but if you brush your dog in a confined area where you’ll need to pick up all the hair and dispose of it in a trash can, this may be an issue for you as well.

The runner-up for the best dog brush

If you’re looking for a deshedding brush, there’s no better grooming tool on the market than the FURminator DeShedding Tool. The company claims that by using this brush on your pet for just 10 minutes per day you’ll reduce his shedding by up to 90%. That’s 90% less hair that will be in your home, on your furniture and stuck to your clothing.

The FURminator is equipped with the FURejector button that cleans the loose hair from the tool with ease. That means you can use the brush with one hand and use the other to caress or hold your dog to keep him still. It’s a great feature if you’ve got a wiggly dog like I do. Saddie sits still while I brush her, but as soon as I take both hands off of her she starts walking around.

This deshedding tool from FURminator is highly recommended by professional groomers, veterinarians and other canine professionals. In fact, it was designed by a professional groomer to give pet parents professional results at home. The handle is ergonomically designed to make brushing comfortable and easy no matter how many dogs you groom in a day. It’s perfect for dog owners, multi-pet homes and professionals.

The impressive response from consumers says a lot about this dog brush.

The stainless steel teeth are durable, and you won’t have to worry about rust. They reach deep into your pet’s coat to remove all the loose hair and debris. The teeth aren’t sharp, so they won’t scratch your dog’s skin, and FURminator guarantees that their patented technologies will reduce shedding better than any dog comb, brush or rake on the market.

The company has also redesigned the brush to work for virtually any size and breed of canine. It comes in two styles- one for short hair and one for long. It also comes in five sizes ranging from extra small to giant. The price varies by size, but typically this brush is a bit more expensive than others on the market. A brush for a large breed dog with long hair is going to cost you about $58, but remember that you’re getting what you pay for – the mostly highly reviewed and recommended deshedding tool available.

In order to grab the hair and remove it from the coat, the teeth of the FURminator are very close together. This means that if your dog’s coat has any knots, mats or tangles it will pull them and cause him pain. You need to make sure that you only use this tool on a completely dry coat that has been brushed to remove any tangles.

If my other picks aren’t available

These aren’t the only high quality dog brushes on the market. There are other kinds of brushes available as well. Remember to choose a brush that is suited for your dog’s coat and comfortable for you to use. Nutrition will influence the appearance of your dog’s skin and coat as well [14]. If you feel that you’re maintaining his overall health and wellbeing well from the outside, you may want to have a chat with your vet about how his health is being maintained from the inside.

A healthy diet and the best dog brush are the two best ways to keep your dog healthy and looking great. Once you decide which dog brush or brushes that your pet’s coat requires, you can start shopping for the best one in that category. If you’re in doubt, do what I did and buy multiple brushes. Try them out on your dog and keep the one that works best on his unique coat.

To remove tangles and brush through short and curly coats, a boar bristle brush is a great option. Full boar bristle brushes are softer than brushes that mix boar bristles and nylon (or synthetic) bristles. The PRODogs Pet-It Boar Bristle Brush for Dogs features 50% boar bristles and 50% synthetic bristles. It’s a hand-held brush that smooths your pet’s coat and helps to distribute natural oils through his fur.

This best dog brush is designed with Conair’s Palm-Petting Grip technology that fits easily in the palm of your hand. You can slip the grip through your fingers and hold the brush comfortably in your hand instead of having to firmly grasp a handle. This prevents hand fatigue while grooming, and allows you to use the same motion as petting, which will make your Fido feel more comfortable.

Consumers rave about this brush’s gentle bristles. Especially for dogs with thin, short coats it can be easy to scratch their skin as there is not much fur protecting them. Both the boar and synthetic bristles will be soft on your dog’s skin, while still strong enough to work through tangles and minor knots.

If you’ve got a dog with a thick coat or an undercoat that seems to shed constantly, you’ll need a special grooming tool that will reach deep down and remove all the loose and unwanted hair before it is shed around your home. Excessive shedding isn’t always healthy, but in some cases, like with our chocolate lab Saddie, dogs just shed a lot – there’s nothing wrong with their skin or coat, they are just a dog that tends to shed heavily [14]. For breeds like this, the ShedMonster De-Shedding Tool will be a big help.

I highly recommend this tool for dogs with an undercoat. The teeth are designed to reach into the undercoat and remove hair that would otherwise be stuck underneath harboring dirt and bacteria.

This best dog brush from Oster is equipped with stainless steel curved teeth that easily reach through the topcoat to penetrate deep down into the undercoat. The teeth look intimidating, but the smooth, round edges actually provide a massaging action that stimulates your dog’s skin. Many pet owners that purchased this brush said their dog enjoyed being groomed with it.

The one-piece handle provides a sturdier design than other similar products. The ShedMonster is equipped with an ergonomic handle that is covered with a non-slip grip. Not only will this brush provide deshedding action, but it also detangles and demats your dog’s coat as well. It works great on dogs with short or long coats, and Oster also promises a 90% reduction in shedding if you use this tool on your dog daily.

Another top choice for dogs with a short, silky coat is the FURminator Dog Dual Brush. One side is a pin brush and the other is a soft bristle brush. The pin brush can be used to remove knots and tangles and the bristle brush smooths the coat and gives it a gorgeous shine. This brush is specifically designed to follow the natural contours of your dog’s body and head.

You may think that your short-coated dog doesn’t need regular brushing, but that’s not the case at all. Research has shown that a proper diet can do wonders for the health of your dog’s skin and coat [15], but he’ll still need regular grooming. Dogs with short hair still shed, and that can be helped with regular brushing. Using a brush like this one from FURminator will also remove dirt and debris from your dog’s fur, aiding in his overall health and well-being.

This best dog brush only comes in one size, and many consumers were displeased – saying it was too small for their dog. It seems to work well for small and small/medium breeds, but owners with large/medium, large and extra-large breeds were disappointed. The brush measures 8.2 inches long, the brush head is 2.6 inches across and it is 1.6 inches wide.

For most of us, dogs are our best friends- part of our family. But for those with dog allergies, they can be torture. Although there is no such thing as a completely hypoallergenic pet [16], regular brushing can reduce some of the hair and allergens that can make guests in your home have an allergic reaction. For pet owners looking for something a little different than the traditional deshedding brush, you can try the Petmate FurBuster 3-in-1 Grooming Glove for Dogs.

The grooming glove features interior straps to accommodate groomers with smaller hands and ensure a universal fit for all consumers. It also has an adjustable wrist strap to keep the glove secure. One major benefit of this best dog brush is that it can be used wet or dry. The mesh outside allows water to flow through, and it encourages quick drying of your dog’s coat.

Like the KONG Zoom Groom, you can use this grooming glove from Petmate as a shampoo brush to scrub and massage your Fido in the bathtub.

If your dog has anxiety about grooming, this would be a great product to start using on him. It’s one of the gentlest grooming tools on the market, and because it’s a glove it feels just like you’re petting him. The physical closeness that this best dog brush fosters may help ease his anxiety.

A pick for dogs with undercoats

Canines are an amazing species. They have one of the widest ranges of physical characteristics of any species, and researchers are constantly studying their genetics [17]. As far as scientists are concerned, this wide range of physical characteristics is fascinating, but as far as dog owners are concerned that’s a challenge. One of the downfalls to many of the best dog brushes that I have listed here is that they work well for dogs with thin coats, but they aren’t designed for thick or double coats.

I mentioned that I use an undercoat rake on my lab Saddie, and the Oster Professional Pet Grooming Undercoat Rake is the one that I prefer. Undercoat rakes have specially designed teeth that strip the dead hair and shedding undercoat out of the dog and leave the topcoat undisturbed. The long, sharp blades of an undercoat rake separate the fur and dig through the coat to draw any loose clumps out.

You need to be careful not to use too much force when grooming your dog with an undercoat rake. This rake from Oster does have rounded ends on the teeth to help prevent skin irritation, but if you press too hard you may still end up causing your dog some discomfort or cutting into his skin. This is an issue common with all dog undercoat rakes, not just the Professional Pet Grooming Undercoat Rake from Oster.

This undercoat rake will also work out minor tangles and mats without having to use a dematting comb. Take it from me, this will save you a lot of time and hassle.

I did a lot of research on this product before purchasing it, and for the money you won’t find anything better on the market. You can buy this rake for about $22 on Amazon, and other comparable products are usually around $40-$50. It pulls clumps of hair from Saddie, and consumers say it has the same effect on breeds including huskies, golden retrievers, and long haired shepherds.

Full list of top ten best dog brushes

1. KONG Zoom Groom
2. FURminator DeShedding Tool
3. Safari Pin & Bristle Brush for Dogs
4. Groomeasy Deshedding Self Cleaning Slicker Brush
5. barkOutfitters Dematting Comb
6. PRODogs Pet-It Boar Bristle Brush for Dogs
7. ShedMonster De-Shedding Tool
8. FURminator Dog Dual Brush
9. Petmate FurBuster 3-in-1 Grooming Glove for Dogs
10. Oster Professional Pet Grooming Undercoat Rake

What to look forward to

Technology is always changing and researchers are discovering new things about canines every day. We’ll surely see these two forces come together in the near future to bring us new and improved grooming tools for our furry friends. As we learn more about coat types, skin conditions and illnesses that affect our pet’s skin and coat we gain a better understanding of the tools that we need to care for them properly.

Deshedding tools have grown in popularity in recent years, and I believe there will be many more released in the near future. I don’t know if any will be able to top the FURminator DeShedding Tool, but we’ll just have to wait and see. New products are always hitting the market, so keep your eyes open for the latest dog brushes to hit store shelves. Just be sure to do your research first. You don’t want to waste your money on a new product just to find out it doesn’t work.

Wrapping it up

Proper grooming reduces shedding and allergens, cleans your dog’s coat and aids in his overall health and wellbeing [18]. Every dog requires basic brushing, no matter what length or type his coat is. You need to select a brush that is going to work best on your dog’s unique coat. Speaking with your veterinarian or a professional groomer will give you excellent insight into the types of brushes and grooming tools that you’ll need to care for your dog.

I’ve learned the hard way, and I don’t want you to follow in my footsteps. Don’t make your brush selection based on price alone. Everyone loves a good deal, but when it comes to dog brushes, the cheaper options won’t work as well and they may not be as safe. Once you decide what type of dog brush you&rsq

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