How to Deshed Your Dog at Home: A Summer Coat-Care Routine for Less Hair Everywhere

If your couch looks like a second dog in June, your dog is blowing coat – and a regular brush isn’t going to cut it. Deshedding the right way pulls out all that loose undercoat before it ends up on your floors, without irritating skin or yanking topcoat.

Here’s a low-stress at-home routine that works for double-coated breeds, heavy shedders, and mixed-coat mutts. Do it once, you’ll get a grocery bag full of fluff. Keep it up weekly through summer and the house hair drops dramatically.

What you’ll need before you start

Keep everything within reach. You don’t want to stop mid-session to hunt for a tool.

• A slicker brush and a steel greyhound comb – your everyday detangling pair
• A proper undercoat rake or deshedding tool with rounded teeth – not a razor blade stripper
• High-value small treats, spread out on a lick mat if your dog is wiggly
• A non-slip mat or grooming table – stable footing keeps dogs calmer
• A lint roller for you, and a trash bag for the hair mountain

Work on a clean, completely dry coat. Never deshed a wet dog – damp undercoat clumps and pulls.

Step 1: Prep – check for mats and dry the coat

Run your hands over your dog nose-to-tail. Feel for any tight knots behind the ears, in the armpits, on the pants, and at the base of the tail. If you find mats, stop and work those out first – see our full guide to detangling your dog’s fur without pulling.

Once the coat is mat-free, do a quick pass with the slicker brush all over, with the grain. This lifts surface dirt and separates the coat so your deshedding tool can actually reach the undercoat. Reward every few strokes. Five calm minutes here saves you 20 minutes of fighting later.

Step 2: Line brush the undercoat out

This is where the hair actually comes out. Line brushing means working in small sections, one at a time.

1. Start at the hindquarters. Use your free hand to lift the topcoat up, exposing a thin “line” of undercoat close to the skin.
2. With the undercoat rake, take short, gentle strokes away from the skin, in the direction the hair grows. 3–4 strokes per section, then move up half an inch.
3. Comb through with the greyhound comb after each section. If the comb glides through easily, that line is clear. If it snags, do another 2–3 rake passes.
4. Work forward: pants and thighs, then sides and back, then neck and chest last.

Go slow around sensitive spots – belly, armpits, and behind the ears. Use the slicker there instead of the rake. If your dog gets fidgety, take a break, give the lick mat, and come back. A 15-minute session with a break beats a 30-minute wrestling match.

You’ll be shocked how much comes out. That’s normal. You’re pulling dead, loose undercoat, not healthy topcoat.

Step 3: Deshedding bath – optional but powerful

If your dog is really blowing coat, a warm deshedding bath right after brushing loosens another huge amount. Lather with a de-shedding or oatmeal shampoo, massage right down to the skin for 5 minutes, rinse thoroughly, then blow-dry on cool/low while line brushing again.

A deshedding bath with the right shampoo loosens a ton of coat – here’s how to choose shampoos for canine skin issues if your dog has sensitive skin. Skip harsh clarifying shampoos – they dry out the skin and actually increase shedding.

Step 4: Finish, check skin, and clean up

Once the comb passes freely over the whole body, do a final slicker pass to lay the topcoat flat and catch any stray fluff. Check the skin as you go: it should be pale pink, no redness, no hot spots, no bald patches.

Wipe your dog down with a slightly damp microfiber towel to catch the last floaty hairs, then a good shake outside. Done.

Pair this with a simple at-home grooming calendar so brushing, nail trims, and ear checks don’t all pile up on one weekend.

How often should you deshed?

During heavy seasonal shedding – late spring and early fall – once a week for 20–30 minutes. The rest of the year, every 2–3 weeks is plenty for most double-coated dogs.

Short, single-coated dogs need far less – a quick slicker pass weekly is usually enough. Over-deshedding irritates skin. If you see redness or your dog flinches, stop. You’re done for the day.

Common deshedding mistakes

• Using a Furminator-style blade too aggressively. Those cut topcoat if you press hard. Light pressure, short strokes, and stop when the tool stops pulling out fluff.
• Deshedding a wet or dirty coat. Mud and moisture turn undercoat into felt. Always brush clean and dry.
• Shaving a double coat. Never shave a Husky, Golden, Shepherd, etc. to “stop shedding.” It ruins temperature regulation and the coat often grows back patchy. Brushing out the undercoat is what actually helps.
• Skipping the comb check. If the greyhound comb snags, undercoat is still in there. The slicker alone lies to you.

Troubleshooting

My dog hates the deshedding tool. Totally normal at first. Start with the slicker only for 3 days, treat heavily, then add 5 rake strokes per session. Build up. A lick mat smeared with peanut butter buys you a solid 10 quiet minutes.

Hair is still everywhere after brushing. You probably missed the pants and neck ruff – that’s where 60% of the undercoat hides. Go back and line-brush those sections with the comb check. A high-velocity dryer on cool after a bath blasts out the last loose stuff too.

Skin looks pink/red after. You pressed too hard or went over the same spot too many times. Give it 48 hours, use a soothing oatmeal wipe, and next time use lighter pressure with fewer passes. If redness lasts more than a day, check with your vet.

Bottom line

Summer shedding doesn’t mean your house has to look like a fur factory. A weekly 20-minute line-brush session – rake, comb-check, reward – pulls out the blowing undercoat before it hits your couch. Work dry, work in sections, go easy on sensitive spots, and stop when the comb glides. Keep it up through coat-blow season and you’ll cut the house hair by half, and your dog will actually enjoy it.

FAQ

How long does it take to deshed a dog at home?
For a medium double-coated dog, about 20–30 minutes for a full session. Heavy seasonal blowouts may take 40 minutes split across two days. Short daily 10-minute touch-ups between full sessions keep the hair down.

Can I deshed my dog too much?
Yes. Once a week during peak shedding is plenty. Brushing daily with a deshedding rake can irritate skin and damage topcoat. Use a soft slicker for daily maintenance and save the undercoat rake for weekly deep sessions.

What’s the best tool for deshedding at home?
A long-toothed undercoat rake with rounded pins plus a steel greyhound comb. The rake pulls out loose undercoat without cutting, and the comb tells you when a section is actually clear. Skip sharp blade strippers unless a groomer has shown you how to use them safely.

PupPursuit Team

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