Menu

Pet grooming technology

Grooming tools matched to your dog's coat

Pick your breed to see its coat type, how often it needs brushing, the tools that suit it and the ones to avoid, from breed-club and veterinary sources.

Find your breedWhere the facts come from

Find your breed

Takes you from your dog's breed or coat to how often it needs grooming and which tools suit it, with a source on every field.

Choose your breed to see the key facts and what fits. Each fact links to its source on the full page.

All breeds

Start here

Our top pick for the most common fits. Each one says who it suits and links to the research behind it.

All best picks

We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. How we make money

Start with what you need to do

All topics

Tools, shortlists and comparisons

ShortlistHome grooming vacuum kit and clipper: two picksNarrows a crowded category to one vacuum kit that meets our plug and voltage bar, plus a clipper alternative, with limitations stated.Open →
ShortlistPaw and nail trimming tools, plus styptic powderHelps you choose between a paw-hair trimmer and a nail grinder for the small jobs between grooms, and use the grinder safely.Open →
ShortlistSlicker brushes for double and curly coats: two picksMatches a slicker brush to your dog's coat, double or curly, and says what each listing leaves unproven.Open →

Common buying mistakes

  1. Shaving a double coat

    Shaving does not keep a double-coated dog cool or stop it shedding, and the coat may grow back differently. Brush out the undercoat instead, and leave severe matting to a groomer or your vet.

  2. Cutting mats out with scissors

    Mats sit tight against the skin, so a blade can cut skin you cannot see. Veterinary guidance is to use clippers, never scissors, and to get help with large mats.

  3. Trusting the plug, not the voltage

    A US plug alone does not prove a tool is rated for 110-120 V. Choose a variant that states both, and check the rating label when it arrives.

  4. Believing 'silent'

    'Low noise' and 'ultra quiet' are seller claims without a stated method. If your dog is noise-sensitive, introduce any device gradually, starting with it switched off.

Guides

All guides
GuideShould you shave a double-coated dog? Why not, and the one exceptionTells you whether shaving will fix heat or shedding (it won't), when a shave-down is justified, how long regrowth takes, and what to do instead.Read →
GuideHow to groom a double-coated dog at home: tools and routineGives you a step-by-step brushing routine and AKC's breed-by-breed brushing advice, so you remove loose undercoat without harming the coat or skin.Read →
GuideHow to trim dog nails at home, step by stepWalks you through a home nail trim with the margins and stop signs veterinary sources give, so you can decide whether to do it yourself and how to do it safely.Read →
GuideSlicker vs pin brush: which one your dog's coat needsMatches the brush to your dog's coat type using AKC's breed advice, so you buy a brush that reaches the skin without scraping it.Read →
GuideHow to groom an anxious dog: a calm, step-by-step planGives you a low-stress way to groom a fearful dog, and clear points at which to stop and get professional help.Read →
GuideAt-home dog grooming kit checklist: buy only what the coat needsBuilds a short shopping list from your dog's coat family so you skip the tools that coat does not need.Read →

Recently updated

Glossary of 90 termsQuestions and answers

A scruffy dog having its coat brushed outdoors
Photo: Vidak / Unsplash

How we choose

We start from your pet's coat and the job at hand. Welfare guidance comes from veterinary and breed-club sources, and every specification is labeled with where it came from. For products, we look for an identifiable model, a stated plug and voltage on anything that plugs in, and an established store; a store's name alone does not show that the brand authorized it. Nothing here has been tested by us, and we make no health or safety claims for any device.

Read the full methodology