Rake, then edge
Open the coat with a rake comb, then use the deshedding tool. Doing it the other way round is why people describe these tools as painful.
Match the tool to the coat length
Above or below 5 cm (2 in) is the line the manufacturer draws, and the wrong tool either skates over the undercoat or drags through it.
Short sessions, spread out
In heavy moult, ten minutes on alternate days clears more than an hour on Sunday and does less to the coat.
Stop at mats
Every brush on this site stops at a mat felted to the skin. That is scissors, in the hands of someone who can see underneath.
This does not replace your machine’s manual. Sensor thresholds, cycle delays and temperature limits differ between models, and the manufacturer’s instructions for yours take precedence over anything written here.
The questions owners ask
How often is too often?
More than one or two sessions a week on the same area. FURminator publishes that guidance itself: a deshedding edge cuts as well as lifts, and the coat does not grow back on your schedule.
Why brush before deshedding?
Because a deshedding edge dragged into a knot pulls skin and blunts the tool. A rake comb opens the coat first, which makes the second pass quick and painless — the maker’s own listing says to do it in this order.
Last reviewed 2026-08-17
