The 4 Best Brushes for Long Hair Dogs

Owning a long-haired dog can be like owning a Persian cat. No matter how many times you brush it, it seems that the hair gets everywhere. And when the pup goes outside, it comes back dirty, covered in mud and with thick knots in its fur. You can't stop your dog from running around and playing outside, but you can invest in a high-quality brush that makes grooming easier and keeps your pet healthy and comfortable throughout the year. Plus a good long-haired-dog brush can remove loose hair from your dog's coat, reducing the amount of fur that you find lying around your house. Here's our rundown of the best grooming tools for long-haired dogs.

1. Millers Forge Deluxe Shedding Comb

If you're like most dog owners, you probably dread shedding season. You find so many clumps of hair lying around that your dog should be bald by now. But somehow, it’s always got more fur to shed. And it's not just stressful for you — you know that your dog probably isn't comfortable either.

When shedding season arrives, we recommend investing in a Millers Forge Deluxe Shedding Comb. This comb features stainless steel bristles with gaps in between that allow the comb to swipe through your dog's fur and pull out any loose hairs. You can comb through knots, remove tangles and remove loose fur from your dog's undercoat, allowing it to feel more comfortable in the warm summer months.

The bristles are strong enough to withstand your dog's thick fur, but they won't cause pain or scrape against the skin. Plus each brush is made with a special grip handle that makes it easier to hack through thick knots and tangles.

2. Vista Matt Remover

It seems like it doesn't take much for your dog's fur to get tangled and matted. One afternoon of playing outside, and its fur has thick mats that are nearly impossible to get out with a regular brush. You don't want to injure your pet by tugging on its fur, but you also don't want to pay for a trip to a professional grooming salon.

The Vista Matt Remover is specially made to remove mats and tangles from your dog's coat without causing pain or injury. For your money, it's one of the best brushes for dogs with long hair. The thin, needlelike bristles can comb through mats, straighten your dog's fur and leave the fur looking clean and shiny. This comb is small enough to tackle stubborn knots that require more personal attention. And the bristles might look sharp, but they're gentle enough that they won't irritate your dog's skin.

3. Vista Large Shedding Blade

When you're dealing with a large long-haired dog, you need a large grooming tool that covers a wide surface area. And when that dog starts to shed, you don't have time to attack every inch of fur with a small shedding brush. That's when you need to break out a large, impressive grooming tool that can help your dog through the shedding process.

The Vista Large Shedding Blade is great for those times when you want to quickly remove loose fur from your dog's undercoat. Unlike traditional brushes, this shedding blade offers a large serrated blade that pulls out loose fur. The blade is made from stainless steel, so you won't have to worry about it rusting or tarnishing. If you don't have time to sit down and brush your dog's coat for an hour, run the shedding blade through the fur to give it a quick grooming session.

4. Millers Forge Designer Slicker Brush

Once in a while, you decide to sit down and treat your dog to a full grooming session. Swiping a tiny brush through your dog's coat isn't going to cut it. You need a full-size brush that can comb multiple layers of fur, pull out loose hair, cut through tangles and knots and leave your dog looking like it just got back from the groomer's. That's what you'll get with the Millers Forge Designer Slicker Brush, which is possibly the best brush for long-haired dogs.

This brush offers a rectangular mat of needlelike pins that are made to comb through the top layers of your dog's fur as well as the undercoat. The pins are made from high-quality stainless steel, so they can withstand mud, dirt, water, sludge and anything else that your dog might get into. For best results, Millers Forge recommends brushing your dog's fur one layer at a time to ensure that you're getting the entire coat — not just the top layer.

Ultimately, it's good to have a combination of different brushes on hand. Sometimes you'll need a small brush for tight knots, while other times you'll need a large brush to comb through your dog's mane of fur. In any case, you can't go wrong with one of these tried-and-tested products.