Proper grooming requires the right brush for your dog’s coat. Although there are many different shapes and sizes, there are basically three different brush types.

Bristle Brush
Bristle brushes come in a wide variety of styles. A bristle brush is best used on short-coated dogs for everyday grooming and to remove surface dust and dirt. On a long-coated dog a bristle brush can be used to finish the coat and bring out its natural luster and shine. Longer, widely-spaced bristles are better for dogs with longer coats, while shorter, tightly-packed bristles are made for short-haired dogs.

Pin Brush
Pin brushes have metal bristles set in a flexible rubber base. They are available in different pin lengths for a variety of coat lengths, textures and fullness. Pin brushes work well on dogs with medium to long hair or those with silky, curly, or woolly coats. Flexible pin brushes are also perfect for pets with thin coats and/or sensitive skin. Pin brushes work great to separate and untangle. Make sure you get a brush that has polished pins or coated pins so the brush doesn’t scratch and irritate your dog’s skin.

Slicker Brush
Slicker brushes have fine wire bristles with pins that are bent at an angle approximately halfway down the pin. Slicker Dog Brushes are available in a variety of sizes and degrees of pin stiffness. The heavier and thicker the coat, the stiffer the pins should be.
A slicker dog brush is usually used on long-coated dogs and are especially useful for removing mats and tangles.

Combs

Useful for combing out hair after detangling. There are different designs depending on your breed’s size and coat length. Medium/Coarse Combs are for breeds with medium-length hair or a coat that may require a gentle touch.

Skin

You can check your dog’s body and coat to make sure there are no stones or burs caught between his toes, in his ears, mouth or skin. You will be able to check your dog closely for any problems while grooming. Move the hair aside and examine the skin closely for signs of fleas, ticks or skin irritations. Look at her skin to see that it looks healthy and doesn’t have any sore spots.

Coat

Brushing your dog is the best thing you can learn to help your dog stay healthy. Look for any unusual problems with the coat such as mats, tangles, dandruff, etc. Mats and tangles can be carefully removed while grooming. Brush in the same direction that the hair goes. Don’t forget to brush everywhere, especially behind the ears, on his stomach, and on his tail and back legs. Brushing the coat has similar effects on puppies as adult dogs in that it cleans the coat, removes loose hair, and stimulates the oil glands of the skin. At this age, the puppy will see the brushing as just another form of petting. Get them used to it now so they will let you do the same when they are adults. Reading about your particular breed will help you to know how to brush your dog correctly.

Teeth

You should buy special toothpaste for dogs and with a toothbrush, brush your dog’s side teeth. Most dogs like the taste of the toothpaste. Brushing your dog’s teeth once or twice a week will help keep teeth clean and the breath fresh

Nails

There are several styles of nail trimmers, including a guillotine type and a scissors type.  If your dog does not like having his/her nails trimmed you might consider a nail trimmer which will file the nails istead of cutting them.
If you cut too short and the nail bleeds, place a tiny piece of tissue paper tightly against the end of the nail and hold it for a few minutes. Better yet, have some Quick Stop Powder available and put a small amount up against the bleeding end of the nail to stop the bleeding right away. If you do nothing the bleeding will stop in about 5 to 7 minutes.