How to Use a Deshedding Tool Without Hurting Your Dog's Coat
Deshedding rakes and undercoat tools can scrape skin or thin a coat if used wrong. Here's the correct grip, angle, and how often to use one.
Use a deshedding tool with light pressure, short strokes in the direction of hair growth, and never more than once or twice a week — the tool's teeth are reaching into the undercoat, and pressing hard or going over the same spot repeatedly is what causes skin irritation, not the tool itself.
What a deshedding tool actually does
A deshedding rake or comb has teeth spaced to catch loose undercoat hair while sliding past the longer guard hairs on top. It's a different job than a slicker brush, which works mostly on the surface. On a double-coated dog carrying a dense undercoat, the deshedding tool is what actually reduces the volume of hair that ends up on your furniture — see the seasonal shedding cycle for why that undercoat builds up twice a year in the first place.
It is not a tool for every coat. Curly coats (Poodles, many Doodles) and wiry coats (many terriers) don't shed the same way and can be damaged by a deshedding rake's teeth. Those coats need clipping or hand-stripping instead.
Step by step
- Start dry, on a coat free of mats. A mat will catch in the teeth and pull, which hurts. Work out mats first, or use a mat-removal method before you start.
- Brush the topcoat first with a slicker brush to clear loose surface hair. This step alone removes a fair amount and makes the deshedding pass shorter.
- Hold the tool at a shallow angle, close to parallel with the skin — not pressed straight down into it. The teeth should skim through the coat, not dig.
- Pull in short strokes, in the direction of hair growth, following the lay of the coat rather than against it.
- Cover one section at a time — shoulders, sides, hips, chest — rather than long strokes down the whole body, so you can feel resistance and stop before it becomes uncomfortable.
- Stop at bony areas. Spine, hips, elbows, and the tail base have thin skin over bone. Use a lighter touch there, or skip the tool and finish with a soft brush.
- Clear the tool often. Most deshedding rakes have a hair-release button — use it every few strokes so the teeth don't get packed and start dragging.
Reading your dog's reaction
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Dog relaxes, leans into the brushing | Pressure is fine | Continue as normal |
| Dog flinches at one specific spot | Sensitive area or hidden mat/tangle | Slow down, check with fingers first |
| Skin looks pink or irritated afterward | Too much pressure or too many passes | Skip that area for a few days, use less pressure next time |
| Dog won't sit still anywhere | Could be discomfort, could be dislike of the process | Shorter, calmer sessions; build up tolerance gradually |
| Hair coming out in patches, not an even thinning | Possible skin issue, not shedding | Stop and see when hair loss means a vet visit |
How often is too often
During a seasonal blowout, once or twice a week is enough to keep up with a double coat. Outside of blowout season, once every week or two maintains the coat without stripping more than is naturally coming loose. Daily deshedding sessions are rarely necessary and raise the odds of skin irritation, especially on dogs with sensitive skin.
If you're not sure whether your dog is mid-blowout or just shedding normally, the visual cue is volume: tufts and clumps of soft undercoat mean it's time to reach for the deshedding tool more often; a light, steady scatter of hair means the once-a-week routine is enough.
Puppies and first-timers
A puppy going through its coat transition doesn't need a deshedding tool the way an adult double-coated dog does — the puppy coat coming out is a lighter, more gradual process. Introduce grooming tools early anyway, well before they're strictly necessary, so your dog is comfortable being handled and brushed by the time a real deshedding routine matters. Short, positive sessions with a soft brush at a young age make the eventual introduction of a deshedding rake far less stressful for everyone.
For a dog that's never had a deshedding tool used on them, the first session should be brief — a minute or two on one area, paired with a treat or praise — rather than a full-body pass. Judge success by whether your dog is relaxed at the end, not by how much hair came out.
Choosing between a rake and a slicker
A slicker brush — fine, short, slightly bent wire bristles — is the everyday tool for surface hair and light detangling, and it's gentle enough for daily use on most coats. A deshedding rake has fewer, sturdier teeth built specifically to reach the undercoat, and it's the tool for a genuine blowout rather than daily maintenance. Most owners of double-coated dogs end up using both: slicker for regular upkeep, deshedding tool for the two seasonal pushes.
Getting it right
The goal of a deshedding session is a dog that looks forward to the next one, not one that tolerates it. Short sessions, light pressure, and stopping the moment your dog seems uncomfortable will get more hair out over a week than one long, forceful session that makes the dog dread the tool. If you're building a full coat-care routine, pair this with brushing by coat type to know which tool leads on your dog's specific coat.
Our picks for this
Maxpower Planet Deshedding & Dematting Undercoat Rake for Dogs & Cats
🪶 Best for Shedding Control
Tradeoff: Built for double coats — the wrong tool, and too harsh, for a thin single coat.
Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush
🧹 Best for Daily Grooming
Tradeoff: Dense double coats need an undercoat rake too.
Frequently asked questions
Can a deshedding tool damage a dog's coat?
Yes, if it's used too often or pressed too hard. Overuse on a single-coated dog or repeated passes over the same skin can thin the topcoat and irritate the skin underneath. Used correctly, on the right coat type, it's safe.
How often should I use a deshedding tool?
Once or twice a week during a heavy shed, and every week or two the rest of the year. Daily use isn't necessary and increases the risk of skin irritation.
Are deshedding tools safe for all dogs?
They're built for double-coated and thick-coated breeds. Skip them on curly or wiry coats, and always go gently over thin skin, healing wounds, or any area your dog reacts to when touched.
Deshedding tool vs. slicker brush — which do I need?
A slicker brush works the topcoat and removes loose surface hair; a deshedding rake reaches down into the undercoat. Most double-coated dogs benefit from both — slicker first, then the deshedding tool.
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