What's The Best Thing...?

[Paws79]

Hi guys, just looking for some suggestions on the best product to use to get the undercoat out of my Rough Collie? There seem to be a few products out there now e.g. Furminator, Mars Coat King etc... and to be honest it gets a little confusing!

I currently have a rake shedding type tool, and it does an okay job, but I still find there is quite a bit of hair coming out, even after I've used it. I guess I'm looking for something that will get the undercoat out but not rip the top coat out with it?

If anyone out there with a Rough Collie or similar type of dog can recommend a good product, I would be very grateful. He is in the process of dropping his coat now, so I'm open to suggestions before my house gets covered in fur...lol!

[Natsu chan]

I have roughs too, all I've ever used is a metal comb, a rake, or a slicker/pin brush (depends what I have on hand). You can always take them and hydro bath them and blow dry which will shift a lot of coat but basically it comes down to elbow grease. I'm not sure about the mars or the furminator to be honest as I've never used one and I'm a bit precious about the top coat. I do find that brushing down to the skin (carefully!) with a comb or slicker gets a lot more out than anyother way. I do it layer by layer back combing as I go.

There's a few collie breeders and other collie people on here and I'm sure they'll be much more help than me.

Personally I'd like to know what to do with all that hair! I swear I could stuff a bed with what comes out of Koo.

[BC]

Furminator and coat king will cut the top coat. Best way is as NC said, layer brush the entire coat, so hold the coat up and brushing down layer by layer with a slicker and a metal comb will remove the hair. It is time consuming but done once or twice a week you will have it under control

Also, a good blow drying will blow most of the coat out and loosen any other coat so that it is easier to brush out.

[Guest Tess32]

I have roughs - use a metal comb to get the undercoat out. If they are shedding they need a bath/blow dry to get it all out.

[Paws79]

I have roughs too, all I've ever used is a metal comb, a rake, or a slicker/pin brush (depends what I have on hand). You can always take them and hydro bath them and blow dry which will shift a lot of coat but basically it comes down to elbow grease. I'm not sure about the mars or the furminator to be honest as I've never used one and I'm a bit precious about the top coat. I do find that brushing down to the skin (carefully!) with a comb or slicker gets a lot more out than anyother way. I do it layer by layer back combing as I go.

There's a few collie breeders and other collie people on here and I'm sure they'll be much more help than me.

Personally I'd like to know what to do with all that hair! I swear I could stuff a bed with what comes out of Koo.

Haha, I know what you mean about all the hair that comes out when they lose their coat. I sometimes think I could knit a jumper with it all! :D Serioulsy though, for dogs with such thick coats, I am amazed that they don't drop hair all over the place. He only seems to shed his coat about twice a year, so I can live with that

I have a rake and a slicker brush, but I guess I just wondered if there was any special tool out there that can make the job a little easier. He could do with a bath soon, so I'll see if I can get more hair out that way. With the blowdrying, this may be a silly question, but do you blow dry them with cold air or warm? Only reason I ask is that my hairdryer only blows hot air, and I don't want to overheat him trying to get him dry. Usually I just let him dry naturally.

[Paws79]

Furminator and coat king will cut the top coat. Best way is as NC said, layer brush the entire coat, so hold the coat up and brushing down layer by layer with a slicker and a metal comb will remove the hair. It is time consuming but done once or twice a week you will have it under control

Also, a good blow drying will blow most of the coat out and loosen any other coat so that it is easier to brush out.

Thanks for that advice. I wasn't sure if the furminator and the coat king would cut the top coat, because that's the last thing I want. Perhaps they are more suitable for breeds with shorter coats.

[Paws79]

I have roughs - use a metal comb to get the undercoat out. If they are shedding they need a bath/blow dry to get it all out.

Thanks for the tip. I'll get myself a metal comb soon and hopefully that will do the trick.

Tell me something, when they lose their coats, are there products available that make their coat look a bit less tatty e.g. if you have a show or something coming up and their coat needs to look better? His coat is usually lovely but at the moment he looks a bit scraggy cos he's losing his undercoat

[Natsu chan]

I was thinking of a dog dyer actually and as I haven't used one since the 90's I honestly can't remember what the temperature was like. Warm not hot I think. If you roughed him up with a good towel you'll shift a fair bit of loose hair that way and they love it. In fact once in desperation many years ago when we had 4 bitches all trying to strip down to their petticoats at once I used an old Hessian chaff bag to rub them dry. They looked absolutely scandalous afterwards but the hair positively clouded out.

I've had collies for 25 years now, and I have to say they're very good the shedding it is only an issue when they're actively dropping coat. You're lucky though in my experience the boys aren't so eager to strip off. Perhaps they're shy? I had one girl who would strip right down to her underwear never mind her petticoats she spent all summer looking like she had an advanced case of mange but that was just her. :D

There's all sort of volume sprays and things around. If you really want something.

I'd find a hydro bathing place somewhere with dryers they are around and take him in and give him a good bath and blow dry. The blow dry will fluff the remaining coat up as well. Then get our that metal comb and comb away. Just be careful with it, you can inadvertently scrap them if you get too vigours.