Grooming Tools

When it comes to grooming my animals, I'm very minimalist. Luckily, my three dogs all have short hair. My cat poses the biggest grooming job, with her long, fluffy fur often getting matted in the humid summer heat. I try to groom them a little bit each day, which cuts down on shedding and the need to vacuum the house several times per week. These are my favorite tools, I hope you like them, too!

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The Stripping Knife

Tamsco 6-Inch Stripping Knife

I use this stripping knife on all three of my dogs, plus my long-haired cat, and it is great for de-shedding! Such a simple little tool that I use almost every day. Also grabs fleas, so you don't need a separate flea comb.

Dematting Comb

My dogs are all short-haired, so I've only tried this on my long-haired cat, and so far it is awesome. She's currently not got any mats, but it worked beautifully and easily to remove some undercoat (which is where the problems originate). Kitty did not mind it at all. If you have an animal with matted fur, read the Amazon reviews for tips and tricks. Go slowly and be gentle!

Nail Trimmers

Toenail Clippers

I normally trim most dogs' nails with regular toenail clippers, which prevents me from getting the quick. However, some larger dogs, or dogs with thicker nails need something with a wider opening in the blades. Be careful! These clippers are amazing, strong, and sharp. The opening is a great deal larger than regular toenail clippers, so you must beware of cutting too much nail and quicking your dog. These are great though for the bigger dogs, because I've actually busted a pair of regular clippers before trying to cut thick nails.

Additional Tools for Long-Haired or Double-Coated Breeds

The stripping knife and the dematting comb are tools that actually have blades to cut out mats and thin the hair of your animal. It is not recommended to use these on long-haired or double-coated breeds unless you are specifically removing a patch of matted hair. The reason being, you can actually cut and remove too much of the undercoat, leaving the skin abnormally exposed.

The best way to remove excess fur from your fluffy pal, if they have a double coat, is to occasionally bathe them and give them a good blow-out. Prior to the bath, you can use the following tools to loosen up and remove some of the undercoat.

Pro Quality Self Cleaning Slicker Brush for Dogs and Cats

Undercoat Dog Rake