More often than not, some of our favorite buys are small, how-didn’t-I-know-about-this products that solve an everyday problem. That’s what we’re highlighting in our Little Lifesavers series: cheap, simple purchases that you’ll use on the daily. Hit “Add to Cart” and thank us later!
➥ Problem: My German Shepherd and husky shed their brown and white hair everywhere year-round.
➥ Solution: The FURminator Undercoat De-shedding Tool helps control my dogs’ shedding and significantly reduces the time spent vacuuming and lint rolling.
Pet ownership has many downsides. Maybe your dog drools, your cat has really bad gas, or your pup has the occasional accident in the house. Despite these annoying and often gross characteristics, most would agree that the good outweighs the bad. So, we unconditionally love our pets — just as they do us.
Speaking as a dog dad to a German shepherd and husky, without a doubt, my least favorite thing about my dogs is their endless shedding. No lie: I could probably create an entire fashion line out of my husky’s hair! He consistently leaves behind hair clumps anywhere he sits. My German shepherd Mika isn’t innocent, either — her brown hair just isn’t as noticeable against my hardwood floors.
I bonded with a woman at the dog park with a Samoyed who also endlessly sheds. I told her how helpful my robot vacuum is in keeping those hair dust bunnies to a minimum, and she raved about her FURminator, which I had never heard of. She called it an absolute game-changer, and honestly, she was shocked I didn’t have one.
FURminator Undercoat De-shedding Tool
I looked it up as soon as I got home from the dog park. Basically, the FURminator is a metal, rake-like comb with a rubber handle and long teeth that reach through your pet’s topcoat to remove loose undercoat hair. The brush also has a convenient ejector button that quickly releases the collected hair.
I immediately scrolled through the customer reviews on Amazon. At the time of publishing, the tool had over 34,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. What& really sold me, though, were the customer photos of heaps of loose dog hair piled up like raked leaves. When I first brushed my husky, Ghost, I took a photo of my own. See for yourself!
Although the FURminator won’t eliminate shedding, it does lessen its severity. If I brush my dogs once or twice a week with it, I can avoid lint-rolling my clothes—something I previously had to do every time I left the house. I still have to vacuum regularly, but the dust bunnies that gather underneath my dining room table are definitely less severe now.
It’s worth mentioning that the FURminator works best on clean, conditioned, and dry pets. Although experts recommend using the FURminator de-shedding tool once or twice a week for 10-20 minutes each session, I probably use mine once a month — and it still makes a significant difference.
➥ Just a pro tip: You should always use the brush in the direction of your pet’s hair growth. I start at the base of my dogs’ neck and then brush all the way to the tail. Make sure you don’t press too hard, either — just glide it across the fur, and it will get the job done without damaging your pet’s coat. You also should not attempt to use the brush to remove tangles or mats from your pet’s hair. Although you can use it to brush your pet’s stomach, ears, and tail, both of my dogs won’t let me. So, your mileage may vary.
FURminator has a convenient list of dog breeds and cat breeds that can benefit from the de-shedding tool. If your pet is known to have sensitive skin, bruises, or sores, you should also consider consulting your veterinarian before investing in a FURminator brush.
Shop the FURminator Undercoat Deshedding Tool
Brandon Carte is a writer and editor with over a decade of experience covering technology, gadgets and appliances. His reporting has been featured on Best Products, Top Ten Revies, Good Housekeeping and USA Today. When he's not researching washing machines or testing robot vacuums, you can find him at concerts, swimming laps, or at the movies. He thinks smartphones are too big, prefers MP3s to Spotify and misses his iPhone’s headphone jack.
