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Best Dog Brush for German Shepherds: 7 Undercoat Picks
The AKC says you can use undercoat rakes on double-coated breeds of all fur lengths, and the German Shepherd has a double coat. All seven picks below have “undercoat” in the listing title, so each is sold for work on undercoats. Five are rakes or a rake set, one is a slicker brush, and one is a double-sided deshedding and dematting tool.
How Often to Brush a German Shepherd
The AKC describes the coat this way: “The German Shepherd Dog has a medium-length, double coat consisting of a dense, harsh, and close-lying outer coat with a softer undercoat.” A German Shepherd is a double-coated breed. The AKC says the breed is “easy to maintain, usually requiring just a quick brushing every few days or so to help remove loose hairs, but they do shed more profusely once or twice a year. During these periods, more frequent brushing will help control the amount of hair that ends up around the house and on the furniture.”
The AKC’s guide to grooming a German Shepherd quotes two AKC Breeders of Merit. Wendy Wilson recommends brushing every other day so “you won’t have balls of fur lying around your house.” She “advises using a Furminator (or similar de-shedding tool) for this brushing routine.” Lisa Walsh also recommends the Furminator. The AKC says she “mostly uses this tool weekly, increasing in frequency to daily during heavy shedding periods.” Walsh says, “It’s amazing what you can get out in five to ten minutes with a de-shedding tool.” When she is showing a dog, the AKC says she uses a slicker brush “just before going into the ring.”
The AKC’s brush guide adds, “Remember to brush the undercoat, as well as the top coat, if your dog is double-coated.” It also says brushing “gives you the opportunity to notice anything unusual, such as cuts or sore spots.” Grooming a dog is also a bonding activity.
For deshedding tools made by one brand, see our picks for the best Furminator for German Shepherds. For the hair that lands on the floor, see the best vacuum cleaner for German Shepherd hair.
What Each Brush Type Is For
The AKC’s brush guide says, “Choose a dog brush based on the size of your dog, their breed, and their coat type.” Here is what it says about each type.
| Brush type | What the AKC says |
|---|---|
| Slicker brush | Brush heads covered with “short, tightly-packed wire pins angled to go through the coat and avoid the skin.” Use them on “medium-coated, long-coated, wire-coated, and curly-coated dogs to remove mats (and prevent mats from forming) by removing loose hair.” |
| Undercoat rake | “One or two rows of metal pins designed to penetrate through to the undercoat to remove loose fur, and remove and prevent mats.” Use on “double-coated breeds of all fur lengths,” but “you must choose the correct pin length for your dog’s coat length.” |
| Wide-toothed comb | “Wide-toothed combs can also help remove mats and tangles.” |
| Bristle brush | “Best used on short-coated dogs.” You can use it “on double-coated breeds as a finishing brush to smooth the coat and add shine.” |
On slicker brushes the AKC adds, “Maintain a light touch when using slicker brushes, as pressing down hard could cause your dog discomfort.”
Top Brushes and Rakes for a German Shepherd
Check price and stock on each listing before you buy.
Maxpower Planet Dog Grooming Rake, Deshedding Undercoat Brush
A dual-sided rake. The listing says to “start with a 9-teeth side to tackle stubborn mats and tangles, and finish with a 17-teeth side to thin out and deshed after.”
What the listing says
- The teeth are “sharpened but finely rounded.”
- It is for “pets with thick fur or dense double coats.”
- It has “a lightweight, comfortable handle and a non-slip rubber base.”
Tsxurepaw Long Tooth Undercoat Grooming Rake + Curved-Tooth Detangling Comb
This is a two-tool set. The listing describes “a raking comb with wide of teeth and a double-row deshedder brush,” and says the set is “Ideal for opening tangles and grooming fluffy coats of medium to large sized dogs and cats.”
What the listing says
- “The comb's grooming section is 16 cm/6.29 inch long and the steel teeth are 2.3 cm/0.94 in. long.”
- The double-sided brush has “9 hooked comb teeth on one side for stubborn mats and tangles. The other side has 17 dense comb teeth for thinning and shedding.”
- The rake has “smooth, rounded rake teeth.”
Tsxurepaw Dog Brushes for Grooming Large Dogs, Undercoat Dog Rake with Anti-Slip Handle
The title of this listing names Golden Retriever, Husky, and German Shepherd. It is a steel rake, and the listing gives its limits in plain words: “Not suitable for cats, puppies or short-haired pets.”
What the listing says
- The pins are “smooth rounded pins.”
- It has an “ergonomic non-slip handle.”
- It is made of “durable and rust-resistant stainless steel.”
Jelly Pet Universal Slicker Brush for Dogs
The only slicker brush on this page. The listing names the German Shepherd in its title and offers two pin types. It says, “Firm for shedding dogs, like German Shepherds, Alaskan Malamutes, Australian Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Springers.” Soft pins are for longer, delicate coats. The listing title ends with “Soft Pin, Purple, Large,” so check which pin type the listing shows before you order.
What the listing says
- Each pin reaches more than three quarters of an inch deep and is angled at the end to grab the undercoat.
- “The plastic body is waterproof.”
- “The lightweight, ergonomic design requires hardly any pressure to remove knots and brush out the coat.”
Tsxurepaw Undercoat Rake for Dogs, Long-haired Pet Grooming Shedding Brush with Handle
This is a different listing from the rake above it, with its own title and its own wording. The listing says the rake is not for cats, small dogs, or short-haired pets.
What the listing says
- “The comb's grooming section is 16 cm/6.29 in. long and the steel teeth are 2.3 cm/0.94 in. long.”
- “The top of the teeth are rounded and polished for painless combing and to get your pet used to daily grooming.”
- It has an “ergonomic rubber grip.”
- The rake “is made of stainless steel and is water and oil resistant.”
OCTCHOCO Dog Brush Undercoat Rake Deshedding Comb for Large Dogs
A rake comb. The listing says, “Great choice for medium to long haired coats like husky,german,golden retriever.”
What the listing says
- It has “No scratch rounded outside teeth.”
- The handle is a “Soft Anti-slip rubber handle.”
- It is made of “Heavy-duty stainless steel.”
- The seller says it provides “lifetime quality assurance.”
The Original FureverBrush by NuewayPets, Pro Undercoat Grooming Tool for Dogs
The listing title calls it a “Deshedding and Dematting Tool.” The listing says, “Remove mats and tangles with 9 blade side. De-shed and get rid of loose hair with the 17 blade side.”
What the listing says
- “The rounded blades are perfect for grooming but gentle and safe for your dogs sensitive skin.”
- “Comfortable grip for no-hassle grooming sessions.”
Brushing a German Shepherd Puppy
The AKC says, “If you have a puppy, start brushing right away to get them used to being handled, and use a soft brush on that fluffy puppy coat, so they’ll learn to enjoy it.” The Tsxurepaw Dog Brushes for Grooming Large Dogs listing above says its rake is “Not suitable for cats, puppies or short-haired pets.”
Bathing and Mats
Bathing is the other part of a grooming routine. The AKC’s breed page says, “The German Shepherd only needs an occasional bath.” In the AKC’s grooming guide, neither breeder bathes her dogs unless going to a conformation show or when really necessary. Walsh says that apart from bathing puppies so they get used to it, “once or twice a year is sufficient,” and that bathing German Shepherds too often “strips their coat and skin of natural oils.” For shampoo picks, see our guide to the best shampoos for German Shepherds.
For tangled mats, the AKC’s brush guide lists slicker brushes, undercoat rakes, and wide-toothed combs, as the table above shows.
The AKC’s grooming guide also says you should not shave or cut a German Shepherd’s coat. Wilson says, “The GSD’s double coat acts as an insulator, keeping them cool in the summer and warm in the winter.”
Sensitive Skin
The Kennel Club lists the common signs of sensitive skin as “excessive scratching,” “hair loss,” and “dry patches.” It says, “If your dog is scratching or licking excessively then it’s time to contact your vet to get an accurate diagnosis and find suitable treatment as soon as possible.”
Buying Guide
Size
Pick a brush that is the right size for the dog. The AKC says, “You can’t expect to use the same size brush on a Chihuahua and a Saint Bernard. Choose an appropriate brush size for the size of your dog.” The AKC gives the German Shepherd’s weight as 65-90 pounds for males and 50-70 pounds for females.
Handle
The AKC says, “You’ll thank yourself for buying a dog brush with a comfortable, ergonomic handle after a long grooming session.” Six of the seven listings name a handle or grip: a comfortable handle with a non-slip rubber base (Maxpower Planet), a comfortable handle (the Tsxurepaw set), an ergonomic non-slip handle (the first Tsxurepaw rake), an ergonomic rubber grip (the second Tsxurepaw rake), a soft anti-slip rubber handle (OCTCHOCO), and a comfortable grip (FureverBrush). The Jelly Pet listing describes a lightweight, ergonomic design.
For another piece of German Shepherd gear, see our best crates for German Shepherds. For a smaller pet, see grooming supplies for hamsters.
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