How Often Can I Use an Undercoat Rake on My Dog?

The thick undercoat of a German shepherd is kept well-groomed with an undercoat rake.
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An undercoat rake reaches through the topcoat and brushes out the loose, tangled and dirty fur underneath. It keeps your dog looking good and prevents painful mats that can form next to the skin. Because an undercoat rake is different from a stripping rake, you can use it more frequently.

Regular Grooming

An undercoat rake can serve as part of your regular grooming routine. You may use it as often as daily for dogs with thick undercoats that mat easily or as rarely as once or twice a week for dogs with thin undercoats. Using the rake more than once per day, though, or grooming the same spot over and over again will irritate your dog's skin and lead to itching, burning or hot spots; eventually your dog will resist grooming because it is uncomfortable. If you use the rake regularly, though, you'll make grooming faster and easier -- tangles and mats won't have a chance to form in your dog's undercoat.