Brushing your dog between groomings
Florida humidity makes between-visit brushing more important than in dry climates. The single biggest factor in coat health is consistency, not technique.
Daily for: long-coated breeds, Doodles, anything with feathering, double-coated breeds during shedding season.
Every 2–3 days for: medium coats, single-coated short hair, double coats outside shedding season.
Weekly for: very short smooth coats (Boxers, Pit mixes, Beagles).
The right tools: slicker brush for the body, metal greyhound comb for tangles, undercoat rake for double coats. Skip bristle brushes for anything other than very short coats — they slide over the surface and miss what's forming underneath.
Technique: brush in the direction of hair growth, then against, then back with the grain. Section the coat — start at the head, work backward. Pay extra attention to behind the ears, under the legs, and around the rear. These mat first.
If you find a mat, don't pull. Apply a detangling spray, work from the outside in with a comb, and tease it apart gently. Severe mats need to be cut out by a groomer — pulling them tears the skin.
Make it a routine: 5 minutes after dinner, brush while watching TV. Most dogs come to enjoy it.