LogoPet-1.png
BestForPets is reader-supported. Your purchases via our links may earn us an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Our Affiliate Disclaimer

The 12 Best Brushes For German Shepherds

No matter what sort of coat they have, German Shepherds must be groomed year-round.

During the cooler months, brushing a few times a week is sufficient, but during the shedding season, daily brushing is typically required.

Since we spend so much time brushing our cherished furry companions, it makes sense to choose a brush that is both functional and comfortable for you and your cat.

We have tested as many dog brushes as possible to restrict the field down to a select few options.

BestForPets (bestforpets.org) has compiled this list of in-depth evaluations to assist you in finding the best brushes for German Shepherds.

Reviews

Hertzko Self Cleaning German Shepherd Slicker Brush

It is difficult to say whether our pets or ourselves liked the Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker brush more! Outside of the heavy-shedding season, this brush is the most effective and convenient tool for grooming your Shepherd.

Long fur coats that were matted and tangled did not cause the self-protecting bristles to bend. Even better, they retract at the touch of a button, allowing the removal of every hair. We saved incalculable amounts of time compared to using standard brushes.

The handle was easy to grasp, but the grooming experience appeared to be really enjoyable for our canines! Our dogs were enthusiastic about grooming after using the Hertzko brush since they appreciated the sensation so much.

It makes sense since this brush detangles hair effortlessly while massaging and improving circulation. However, you must be careful with shorter-haired German Shepherds since the bristles penetrate deeply.

Overall, we believe this to be the finest brush for German shepherds.

Pros

  • Retractable bristles facilitate hair removal.
  • Self-protecting bristles are inflexible.
  • Massages and grooming feel wonderful for your dog.
  • Effortlessly eliminates knots and matting

Cons

  • Must be gentle with dogs with short hair

 

Upsky Self-Cleaning German Shepherd Slicker Brush

Upsky slicker brush is the finest brush for german shepherds on a budget if you’re looking for an effective grooming item that is also economical. It offers the same features as our top recommendation at around half the cost. However, it has disadvantages that prohibit it from surpassing the Hertzko brush in our number one position.

A plastic plate slips over the bristles with the pull of a trigger to make hair removal simple. Nonetheless, we saw that some hair, particularly around the edges, would become embedded and need digging to remove. This was not as effective as the Hertzko retractor, and this brush was held back in our sight.

The Upsky brush made brushing our German Shepherds quite comfortable, which is one of the most crucial considerations for us. It was effective in removing knots and mats, and the dogs appeared to like it.

However, the bristles have extremely sharp points, so handle short-haired Shepherds with care. A bristle cover protects your bristles and skin during storage, while a hanging hole provides added convenience.

Pros

  • Auto-cleaning by pulling the trigger
  • Bristle cover and store hanging hole
  • Very inexpensively priced
  • Combs, detangles, and eliminates matting

Cons

  • Bristle tips are sharp
  • Self-cleaning failed to eliminate all hair.

 

HappyDogz Shedding Dog Brush

During the season of severe shedding, your shepherd will require frequent attention to thin their undercoat and prevent their loose fur from matting and tangling. To do this, the HappyDogz pet shedding brush lowers shedding by up to 95%, eliminating nearly all of your dog’s loose fur while detangling and massaging his coat.

With so much thick hair and two coats to remove, you’ll need a shedding brush that can survive everyday usage, which is why the blade of this brush is made of stainless steel. In addition, a 10-year replacement warranty assures that the HappyDogz brush will be available for the majority of your dog’s life.

The majority of shedding brushes on the market now are self-cleaning and capable of removing all fur at the touch of a button. This functionality is absent from this brush, which is one reason why it did not receive our highest recommendation.

Despite lacking this function, the HappyDogz brush was among the most costly products we evaluated. Overall, if you don’t mind spending a bit extra on quality, this is a great option.

Pros

  • Reduce loss by up to 95%
  • Stainless steel blade provides exceptional durability
  • 10-year warranty for replacement
  • Removes basecoat and finish
  • Extremely pleasant in the hand

Cons

  • Non-autocleaning
  • Pricey compared to other brushes

 

Pet Neat Pet Grooming Dog Brush

This grooming brush from Pet Neat is an excellent choice during the summer, when Shepherds shed the most, as it removes up to 95% of knots and dead hair in only 10 minutes. Since you’ll be brushing your dog’s coat every day throughout this season, you need a brush that will make quick work of the task.

This brush’s detachable head facilitates cleaning and reduces the time required to clean the brush. We still like self-cleaning brushes, but this one is too inexpensive to have that function. We were amazed by how pleasant it was to handle, especially considering that it is really sturdy and does not bend or give.

The most significant characteristic of a brush is its ability to effectively remove hair from your German Shepherd’s guard coat and undercoat. The Pet Neat grooming brush did not appear to penetrate the undercoat deeply enough to remove as much hair as desired. It works well for Shepherds with shorter fur but will struggle with longer fur.

Pros

  • The detachable head facilitates cleaning
  • Extremely resilient and comfy
  • Reasonably priced

Cons

  • Did not remove as much hair as desired
  • Does not penetrate the undercoat well.

 

Thunderpaws Dog Tool for Shedding

This de-shedding tool from Thunderpaws is equipped with a four-inch-wide stainless steel comb to assist with the most severe shedding. The blade is removable for easy cleaning, and a blade guard is included for secure storage. It is reasonably priced in comparison to similar items, especially when the lifetime warranty is taken into account.

This brush fell in the center of this list because, although had some positive qualities, it also has a number of disadvantages. First, the teeth were insufficiently long to penetrate the undercoat. There is a lot of stray hair stuck there, so we need a brush that can remove it.

In addition to removing loose hair, this instrument appeared to pull out an equal amount of connected hair. Obviously, none of our canines loved this. Because it continued tugging hair and was ineffective at removing stray strands, grooming a dog with this product took significantly longer than with rivals.

Pros

  • Cheap cost
  • Lifetime assurance
  • Blade guard for storage

Cons

  • The teeth did not penetrate the undercoat properly.
  • Longer than comparable brushes
  • Removes as much hair as it pulls out.

 

CleanHouse Dog Hair Brush

The CleanHouse Pets slicker brush was a competent performer that did not distinguish itself from the competition while being of professional quality and an affordable price. It is extremely sturdy and comes with a lifetime warranty. We thought its nicest feature was the self-cleaning button, which makes removing stray fur from the bristles quick and easy.

However, we disliked that the button had to be depressed with a finger in order to keep the bristles extended. This poorly designed concept resulted in hand cramps.

The CleanHouse Pets brush is less maneuverable than other brushes, making it harder to use around delicate or tiny regions, such as the face or hindquarters. Even worse, the bristles were overly sharp, necessitating extreme caution so as not to injure any of the dogs. As a result, less hair was collected, and the entire procedure took longer.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Self-cleaning
  • Lifetime assurance

Cons

  • Large size is less mobile
  • Bristles are extremely sharp and can injure a dog.
  • Must maintain button press for bristles

 

smartelf German Shepherd Grooming Brush

The smartelf pet grooming brush is a low-priced and low-quality choice farther down the list. It does its intended function adequately, but not for very long! Ours fell apart after only a few weeks of usage, not even during the peak of the shedding season. Occasionally, you get what you pay for, and this is an excellent example.

We enjoyed the self-cleaning button, which makes removing hair quickly and easy. The bristles themselves, however, were a weakness. First, they are quite pliable; if you drop the brush with the bristles extended, you will likely bend a couple. This makes using the self-cleaning function far more difficult.

Worse, they are quite sharp and can easily injure your dog, particularly if it has shorter fur. Although it is inexpensive, we believe there are similarly priced solutions that are far superior to this one.

Pros

  • Automatic-cleaning button
  • Cheap cost

Cons

  • Not very sturdy
  • Bristles readily flex
  • Extremely spiky bristles might injure your dog.

 

Long Furminator Dog Hair Brush

We were eager to test out the Furminator Pro because it came so highly recommended by experts, however, it fell short of our expectations. This one differs from the others we tested since it is more of a comb. The teeth are bigger and farther apart.

Even better, the teeth spin so that they do not become entangled in knots or matting, instead combing through the hair softly. We loved the concept, but our expectations were not met.

During the majority of tested brushes gathered loose fur while detangling, the Furminator merely detangled. The stray fur was then dispersed everywhere! Much of it is still on the dog, with the remainder on the floor and in the air.

The Furminator Pro’s handle broke off on our third use. This was disappointing for such a highly-rated product. It was replaced at no cost, thus Furminator at least stands by its products. We saw that it needed many more strokes with this brush to get a flawless finish. We believe the increased space between the teeth is to blame.

Pros

  • Revolving metallic teeth

Cons

  • Handle fell off
  • Tooth spacing needs additional brushing.
  • Combs hair without de-shedding it.

 

Boar Bristle & Pin Brush for Pets

The grooming brush manufactured by Paws Pamper features boar bristles on one side and a pin brush on the other. We like the concept, however, this brush is not the greatest option for German Shepherds.

While the pin side was excellent at removing loose hair and reaching down into the undercoat, the bristle side knotted up all of our dogs’ hair and made the situation worse! After that, we had to use the pin side once again to eliminate the knots.

Although the pin brush side was excellent at removing a substantial amount of stray hair, it did not collect it. This resulted in hairs floating around on the floor for some time later. We really like brushes that retain hair for simple cleansing.

The final issue we have with this two-sided brush from Paws Pamper is that it is just too large for smaller, more delicate regions, such as the face and hindquarters.

Pros

  • Two distinct types of bristles

Cons

  • Removes stray hair but does not retain it.
  • The bristle of the brush just twists Shepherd’s hair.
  • Extremely big and difficult to apply around the face

 

Self-Cleaning AriTan Dog Slicker Brush

This slicker brush by AriTan occupies the tenth and last position on our list. It’s a self-cleaning design, but poorly conceived. To keep the bristles extended, you must hold down the button, thus you’ll be holding the button the entire time you’re grooming.

This is quite unpleasant, and it caused our hands to cramp. Especially if you groom your pet many times each week, this will rapidly become an annoyance that discourages you from doing so.

The AriTan brush’s bristles were also one of its weaknesses. Due to their thinness, they are readily bent. Worse, they were so sharp that they punctured flesh and even drew blood from one of our fingers!

If it drains blood from us, we dislike the consequences for our animal companions. Due to these factors, we cannot suggest the AriTan brush as the last product on this list.

Pros

  • Automatic-cleaning button

Cons

  • Must maintain button press for bristles
  • Flexible bristles are thin.
  • Needless points might penetrate the skin.

Conclusion

Grooming your German Shepherd may be a bonding experience for you and your dog unless you use the subpar gear. After reading our recommendations of the best brushes for German Shepherds, you should be able to avoid brushes that will hinder your grooming experience and instead choose a brush that will pleasure both you and your dog. The Hertzko slicker brush was the greatest German shepherd brush in our opinion. The self-protecting bristles are inflexible and retract at the touch of a button, making hair removal simple. Our dogs enjoyed grooming time with this brush, which effortlessly detangled their hair and reduced the time we spent grooming.

We recommend the Upsky 005 slicker brush as the best german shepherd brush on a budget. It is incredibly inexpensive and performs just as well as brushes that cost almost twice as much. It is self-cleaning, has a bristle cover and a hanging hole for simple storage, and our dogs appeared to enjoy the way it felt when we used it to groom them. The third-place premium option is the HappyDogz pet shedding brush, which decreases shedding by up to 95%! It features a detachable blade made of stainless steel that is covered by a 10-year replacement warranty and felt great to our Shepherds.

In the end, BestForPets (bestforpets.org) appreciate that you picked our website among dozens of others to read reviews of the best brushes for German Shepherds. Hopefully, this article has assisted you in selecting the most suitable product.

Author Image

Dr. Deborah Fletcher

Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.

Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher

Comment

0.0
Rated 0 out of 5
0 out of 5 stars (based on 0 reviews)
Excellent0%
Very good0%
Average0%
Poor0%
Terrible0%

There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write one.

Related articles