Reference

Grooming tools by dog breed and coat type

Pick your breed to see its coat type, how often it needs grooming, the tools that suit it, and the ones to avoid.

Your breed

Choose your breed to see the key facts. Each one links to its source on the full page.

Double-coated shedders

What AKC means by a double coat, how often to brush through shedding season, the tools that fit, and why shaving does not keep these dogs cool.

Golden Retriever Golden
Labrador Retriever Lab
German Shepherd Dog German Shepherd, GSD
Siberian Husky Husky
Pembroke Welsh Corgi Corgi, Pembroke
Australian Shepherd Aussie
Bernese Mountain Dog Berner
Border Collie BC
Shetland Sheepdog Sheltie
Pomeranian Pom

Curly, low-shedding coats

Why low-shedding curly coats still need daily brushing or a short trim, the slicker-and-comb routine, clipping limits in summer and the tools that fit.

Poodle

Long coats that mat

Daily brushing to the skin, paw and face trims, clipping options and mat safety for long, silky and feathered coats like the Shih Tzu, Yorkie and Cocker.

Shih Tzu
Yorkshire Terrier Yorkie
Maltese
Havanese
Cocker Spaniel Cocker
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Cavalier

Wire coats

What a wire coat needs: hand-stripping or a pet clip, weekly brushing and combing between grooms, and why clipping softens the coat over time.

Miniature Schnauzer Mini Schnauzer

Short smooth coats

Smooth-coated breeds need a weekly mitt or bristle brush, regular nail trims and skin-fold care rather than rakes or clippers. What AKC says, breed by breed.