# Do any of those pet shedding devices work or is it all just snake oil? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 20, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249 "2014-06-20T22:57:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/1 "2014-06-20T22:57:49Z")
Thoughts or suggested products would much appreciated. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/2 "2014-06-20T23:03:59Z")
The Furminator. Expensive, but the best dog brush we have ever used. It really gets in to the undercoat. ---
**Author:** ![Specklebang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Specklebang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Specklebang)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2014, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/3 "2014-06-20T23:32:32Z")
I’ve had good results on my cats with “The Love Glove” which gets a lot of fur and protects me from my occasional grumpy fat orange cats freakouts (yes Bellis, I’m referring to you fatso). > **[Pet Brushes : Amazon.com: Four Paws Magic Coat Professional Series Grooming...](https://www.amazon.com/Four-Paws-Magic-Glove-Brush/dp/B002USK6X6)** > > Find Four Paws Magic Coat Professional Series Grooming Brushes for Dogs & Cats l Trimmers, Nail Clippers, & Brushes Dog & Cat and more at Amazon.com ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2014, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/4 "2014-06-20T23:34:10Z")
Furminator, hands down. We use a “small dog” one on our cats with great success. I can strip a Tribble off of Havoc in less than 5 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/5 "2014-06-20T23:43:39Z")
Another for the Furminator. I inherited one from a friend and damn if it doesn’t work like a charm. Even the cats seem to like it and they were previously not super-keen on brushing. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2014, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/6 "2014-06-20T23:59:20Z")
Do you pets enjoy the Furminator experience or is it more of a chore for them? ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/7 "2014-06-21T00:05:49Z")
Depends on the pet. I’ve got one cat that every time I bring it out she attacks me to get at it, she loves it so much. The rest of them tolerate it but don’t seem particularly interested one way or the other. None hate it. Just don’t use it on their bellies or other sensitive areas, because you can hurt them. ---
**Author:** ![Whatever4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@Whatever4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whatever4)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/8 "2014-06-21T01:23:16Z")
I use a Furminator on my Westie/poodle mix. It works, but he will tolerate it for short periods only. And it’s useless on his ruff, which is pure poodle - dense tight curls. I used the loop-shaped shedder from my horse on my big white dogs with good results. But it would be awkward to use on a small dog. One of my terriers I used a stripping comb on. I think that’s my favorite grooming tool. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/9 "2014-06-21T01:27:23Z")
My cat (apparently the world’s smallest Norwegian Forest Cat - identical to that breed but weighing all of 5 lbs) has the double-thick coat and sheds a lot. She loves getting brushed. I have a regular wire brush, a Furminator which really gets the undercoat and another type (name escapes me) that is great for getting mats out. Yes the Furminator works amazingly well. In a few minutes I’ve got a wastebasket full of fur, Starlet is fluffy and happy and well-groomed and despite the massive amount of fur I comb out of her, she isn’t any smaller. One of the mysteries of the universe, I guess 😃 ETA - the 3rd tool is called a “rake” and that’s pretty much what it looks like - small comb with some large, widely-spaced teeth. Great for getting out mats. ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/10 "2014-06-21T02:11:08Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Do you pets enjoy the Furminator experience or is it more of a chore for them? Yes! My cat rolls around on it until I brush her. It kind of makes a mess though. But I guess anything that works will have fur flying everywhere. I should sit next to the vacuum cleaner hose. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/11 "2014-06-21T02:27:26Z")
Another vote for the Furminator. Spend the extra $5 or whatever for the little button in the back that pushes the hair out - it’s absolutely worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/12 "2014-06-21T03:07:42Z")
You can get a much [cheaper version](http://www.amazon.com/Deshedding-Grooming-Dramatically-Shedding-GUARANTEED/dp/B00CD0H1ZC/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1403320008&sr=8-2&keywords=furminator) of the Furminator from Amazon. It works just great. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/13 "2014-06-21T14:06:01Z")
Leet the Wonder Dog[sup]TM[/sup] gazes at me appealingly until I brush him every night, and collapses into a large heap of contentment uttering low moans of ecstasy as I remove wads of hair the size of a fist from his hairy hide (“a little lower, Grampa - high and to the right - now the other side - now do my tummy” as the leg goes jigglejigglejiggle) but it is just a standard bristle brush and a large comb. I could have stuffed several large comforters with his sheddings had I a mind to, but now that summer is here he seems to have gotten into his summer coat. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/14 "2014-06-21T14:41:13Z")
I misread the thread title as “pet shredding devices” and was expecting … well, I’m not sure what. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/15 "2014-06-21T15:40:26Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Do you pets enjoy the Furminator experience or is it more of a chore for them? Split vote - Havoc and Brindle adore getting Furminated, while Caelan and Pixel barely tolerate it. But all I have to do is sit on the floor and tap the brush to the rug for them to come running for a grooming. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/16 "2014-06-21T15:54:30Z")
Another furminator vote, though here in shedding season, my Snowshoe Siamese needs a brush-over every single og-darned day. Fortunately she loves it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/17 "2014-06-21T16:17:26Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > I misread the thread title as “pet shredding devices”… Me too. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/18 "2014-06-21T21:02:00Z")
I’ve used the Furminator on my dogs and it works great. But recently I discovered something that my lab/border collie loves so much it makes his eyes roll back in his head: The three-tined garden tool thingie! Yes, the three-pronged garden tool thingie gets his undercoat off of him and all over me. Google says it’s called a “cultivator.” Pull it against the fur, from the tail to the head. Don’t rub too hard, the prongs can be sharp. I use it on puppy’s back, not his neck or tummy. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-of-those-pet-shedding-devices-work-or-is-it-all-just-snake-oil/691249/19 "2014-06-22T01:46:03Z")
Yeah, my wife and her dog love Furminator.