Is a shedding blade inhumane?

Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
First of all, this is a shedding blade. I've been using one for 20 years on the advice of my first Rottie's breeder. It works great. However, I was completely told off (in the nicest Canadian way) by my SD trainer today in our 1x1 for using one on Carbon.

I'd asked advice as Carbon keeps laying on his back when I'm trying to brush him. I think it's because he likes it on his belly plus he gets a sausage for getting up again. She thinks it's because I've been too harsh with it on his back so he's avoiding more discomfort/pain. I'm appalled that the latter could be true.

The trainer said shedding blades shouldn't be used at all, especially on Labs that have more sensitive skin than some other breeds. She said to rake it down my arm over and over and see what it felt like. Again, she wasn't being nasty, just trying to educate.

However, I have to ask...is this really inhumane? I DID rake it over and over my arm with the same pressure I use on Carbon and it was fine. The curry brush she told me to use instead (and which I have and use) just doesn't cut it when he's blowing coat. She recommended a Furminator, which I've always heard is even harsher on the coat. And isn't it more or less the same difference except the shedding blade has shorter teeth?

Anyway, I don't want to be one to not take advice. But I also wanted to ask here what people think.

I'm a bit oversensitive tonight, but feeling pretty crummy that I could be hurting Carbon. But why does he love it on his belly if it's bad? Brogan truly loved the thing and would do a little dance when it came out.

Confused... :oops:
 
Charlie

Charlie

Location
Argyll & Bute, Scotland
Sorry you are feeling off tonight. The shedding blade looks a little harsh to me and looks like it is for a more curly or very dense kind of coat :confused: I wouldn't and don't use a furminator on Charlie I just brush him which he absolutely adores. Just my thoughts. xx
 
Oberon

Oberon

Location
Canberra, Australia
I don’t see why Labs would have more sensitive skin. I don’t think the shedding blade is cruel. That said, I think it’s likely that it doesn’t feel nice to Carbon, and that the rolling over may be avoidance. Metal implements don’t conform to the body over joints, hips, spine etc so that may be the issue, or it may feel like it’s pulling his fur too much. I use a metal undercoat rake on Obi and I have to be really slow and gentle with it when he’s shedding - he will try to avoid it if I pull his fur even a little bit.
 
Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
Oberon said:
You have to be careful to only use them on areas that are well covered in muscle. No bony bits.
Click to expand...
Very true: I don't use it one legs for this reason. I tend to use it mainly on his ruff and backside and lightly on his sides.

Would an undercoat rake be more comfortable or is it essentially the same from the dog's point of view?
 
SwampDonkey

SwampDonkey

See this cute little kitty I used to use one on her on her bum and fatty bits. It was her favourite thing in all the world. She would go into estatic rolling. She was weirdo but she loved it. None of the dogs except Doug liked it so I did not use it on moo or Rory. Rorys sensitive so he can't tolerate a furminator. I only occasionally us d it when Doug had a furious moult. He was on. Supliments which gave him a very 02052014589.jpgthick coat
 
Oberon

Oberon

Location
Canberra, Australia
I’m not sure he’d love an undercoat rake.

Why don’t you try bringing out the shedding tool and sitting with it without approaching him (but so he can see it). Just wait and see what he does. If he comes over to you very gently use the tool on a small area. If he allows it to continue, then continue. If he moves away, let him, and you have your answer. You sitting and holding the tool can become the signal that the procedure is on offer and him coming over will be the thing that pushes the start button. He has control of it. Google ‘start button behaviours’.
 
M

M.F.

I have a furminator. Snowie hates it. My thoughts now are that anything metal has the potential to scratch. I prefer rubber. I have a rubber mitt with rubber studs/teeth that I use for brushing. It can’t scratch the skin. And a lot of hair comes out. Sometimes I use a small plastic fine-tooth comb (got on an airplane in the toiletry bag) if he’s shedding a lot. The teeth don’t touch his skin but it does grab the hair well.
 
snowbunny

snowbunny

Location
Andorra and Spain
I don't think it's necessarily a bad tool, although it looks like an instrument of torture :D

I love the rake I have, it's just brilliant. Sadly, I can't find it online and can't remember where I bought it. I tried to buy another one similar so I could have one in each home, but I hate that new one.

I would do the test that @Oberon suggests. I know my lot all love to be brushed by the fact that they approach me without coercion and try to push in on each other's grooming sessions. I love that the rake gets out a huge amount of hair when they are shedding, but none when they are not - this tells me that it is neither plucking hair, nor cutting it (unlike the second rake I bought, which definitely cuts the hair). So I would want to know that was the case with this tool, too.

Shadow rolls over often when I'm grooming him. It's not avoidance - he rolls over a lot all the time. He just loves having his chest rubbed, it's who he is. He rolls over during social play, too. He likes being on his back! So as much as it's worth keeping in mind that the behaviour might be avoidance, you're the one who is best placed to determine if that is actually the case.

I always brush my dogs outside, and if Shadow rolls over, then we might have a bit of a play, but then I'll walk away. When he follows me, I can brush him a little more while he's standing. If I were bothered about it, I'd train a solid stand, like the stand for inspection, and build up the duration of the grooming. But, for me, it's social bonding time so a little rolling around bitey-face play is perfectly acceptable as part of that.
 
Boogie

Boogie

Moderator
Location
Manchester UK
I’ve never seen one.

I doubt if rolling over is avoidance ‘tho :unsure:

Spencer hated being groomed and I had to introduce it really, really slowly. His avoidance was backing away and wriggling away.

Now that he’s used to being groomed he will roll over for his tummy to be done - but it’s taken a year for him to allow that!

:)
 
jazzmynn

jazzmynn

Location
Ontario, Canada
I use both the shedding tool and the Furminator on Ariel and she loves them both. She sometimes presents a “cat back” and pushes into me for more brushing when I stop. Her tail wags continuously! She also loves being vacuumed (hoovered), and will come and flop herself at my feet, right in the spot I’m cleaning. Then over to the stairs she goes, puts her front feet on the 2nd step and waits for the nozzle to come and suck her loose hair up. It’s quite comical! :inlove:
 
Ashley

Ashley

That is what OH always used on his previous labs, but I actually have no clue how to use it properly so we didn't get one. I’ve never heard much about brushes/de-shedding tools being inhumane here, and they are sold mostly everywhere. I use a small horse brush with a metal blade which can't feel much different than what you are using (EquiGroomer 5-inch – EquiGroomer) although, it says in the description that it is better for sensitive skin compared to the de-shedding blade, so who knows. Quinn likes it, especially on her bum. I avoid bony spots, then go over her coat with a rubber curry brush.
 
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