can anyone recommend what are the best brushes for a shih tzu coat. I was using a pin brush but they dont seem to last five minutes so bought a slicker brush and although it seems to do a good job he doesnt like it and hides when the brushes come out whereas before he used to get excited and look forward to it. Also I am not sure what sort of sprays to use. I bought a good one off of e bay which is a spray on conditioner and de tangler but I would like to be able to use one that can be put on a dry coat. The slicker seems to have made his coat very fly away and it also seems a bit dry. Its not silky and seems quite wiry at the moment.

dont know about the breed but do know chris christensen brushes are good., available from petcetra or Hub
I like amazing trix grooming spray from dezynadog or 'The Stuff' grooming spray from Hub or petcetra

Hi I have 3 shih tzu's, two clipped and one in full coat who I show.
I would give the slicker brush a miss, does more damage than good. I use a soft pin brush...no bobbles on the end, and a untangler comb to get any mats out. I also use which is with out a doubt the best out the lot a mason and pearson brush, bristle and nylon one(quite pricey but last for years) as for sprays.....I have loads,lol. but find coat handler detangling spray and ''the stuff'' spray very good, you spray on dry or wet coat:)

yes Mason and pearson I have one of those too but for a pin brush CC are top notch

What is a slicker brush good for? When I first got my dogs, the pet book said to get one, so I did, and I still do use it on the Cavaliers. But I found most Yankee owners use a pin brush, so I switched to that. When I did my grooming course we were all told to use the slicker followed by the comb. But there seem to be more and more breeds where the experts say not to use one!

i never use a brush. i only ever use a comb. brushes i find break hair

Thanks for the replies, where would I get the mason and pearson brush from and the grooming sprays you mentioned,also Furbaby you mentioned you have two clipped shih tzu's, is it ok to clip them as I thought this was,nt good for the coat

I usually do pet shih tzu clips on my 5/8 blade, leaves them fluffy but manageable length. I haven't noticed the coats getting any harder to care for over time.

Hi, I have my 2 clipped shih tzu as LucyDogs said......they are kept fluffy, lots of people have them like that, but if I had the time I would have all of them in full coats, I prefer the natural look. The sprays can be bought online with HUB or petcetra, and the brushes too, although ebay sometimes have good prices on them:)

The only thing I use slickers on nowadays is my stair carpet & rubber back mats to get the hair off before I vacuum! For my dogs I use a Les Pooch double brush which is bendy, was on offer at Crufts last year & a good investment for me.

sheepskin rug is what I use my slicker on brings it up lovely and to collect up loose coat after I've groomed his nibs :-)  Years ago they were the brush to use... not the case these days.

> I use slickers on nowadays is my stair carpet & rubber back mats to get the hair off before I vacuum!

LOL yep for the rubber backed mats and stairs here too.!!

I do like to pick up the loose hairs brought to the surface of the coat by brush and comb with a slicker on our double coated Elkies and tend to take one to shows for a quick once over before going in the ring, as they will have been given a thorough going over the night before the show.

> What is a slicker brush good for?

For the final 'plush' look on the ears ( using a Doggyman) just before going into the ring...otherwise I dont use them.

> For my dogs I use a Les Pooch double brush which is bendy, was on offer at Crufts last year & a good investment for me.

Thought I might try to get one of these at Crufts - any idea who sells them?

I was wondering about all this when brushing my pup yesterday. Her coat is starting to change now at 5mths.
On my last dog (Irish setter) I used a stiff brush, followed by a slicker and comb on her feathering, but my Leo will need a different approach as her coat is so much thicker.

I'm using a slicker atm, but i don't think it'll reach her undercoat when her grown up coat comes in. Would a rake be better?

Rakes are better I find. Try getting one with wide teeth and one with narrow teeth. slickers are ok, but you have to lift and separate to make sure you get right down to the skin.

I must have 30 different grooming tools not including all clipper blades etc, but I always go back to my favourite tools: my poodle comb, my clippers (for feet) and my nail grinder. :-)