Top 10 Best Brushes for German Shepherds

Top 10 Best Brushes for German Shepherds

German Shepherds (GSDs) have long been among the most popular dogs, and there’s a reason for that. These incredible dogs are intelligent, loving, devoted, and absolutely gorgeous — and as any owner of a German Shepherd will tell you, they are huge shedders! These dogs come in short- and long-haired varieties, and they both have thick undercoats that shed. So, you need the right tools for the job: brushes, deshedders, rakes, and so on.

We know that you’re busy, so we reviewed various tools that can be used for your German Shepherd to best take care of their coat. We hope that these reviews will help you find just the right brush for your pup!

The 10 Best Dog Brushes for German Shepherds

FURminator Short Hair Dog Deshedding Tool — Premium Choice

FURminator Short Hair Undercoat deShedding Dog Tool (1)
Type: Deshedder
Color: Blue, green, or orange
Material: Stainless steel and plastic
Size: Small, medium, or large

The FURminator Short Hair Dog Deshedding Tool will work perfectly for your short-haired German Shepherd. It effectively removes the excess fur that your GSD sheds by going straight to the undercoat. The handle is sturdy and ergonomic, so it’s comfortable to use, and the edge is made with stainless steel and is curved to fit your pup’s body. It was designed by a groomer and is effective at reducing the amount of hair that your dog sheds.

The main issue beyond it being a little expensive is that if it is not used properly, there’s a possibility of damaging your dog’s skin. Just be sure to follow the directions carefully.

Pros
  • Effectively removes excess fur from the undercoat
  • Sturdy, ergonomic handle
  • Curved stainless-steel edge
  • Designed by groomer
  • Greatly reduces shedding fur
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Might damage dog’s skin if not used properly

Safari Soft Slicker Brush — Best Value

Safari Soft Slicker Brush
Type: Slicker
Color: Green
Material: Stainless-steel pins and plastic
Size: Large

The best dog brush for German Shepherds for the money is the Safari Soft Slicker Brush. Beyond it being well-priced, this brush is a good slicker brush that is a little softer than some others because it has coated tips. This means it won’t accidentally scratch your GSD while grooming. Overall, it is a good, sturdy slicker brush that is durable and will do a great job at keeping your dog’s coat healthy and smooth.

The main issue with this brush is that it might not be that effective for a German Shepherd because of the coated tips — it depends on how thick the coat is.

Pros
  • Inexpensive
  • Stainless-steel pins with coated tips
  • No accidentally scratching the skin
  • Durable slicker good for all dogs
Cons
  • Coated tips might not work on thick coats

Safari Self-Cleaning Brush — Best Overall

Safari Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush
Type: Slicker
Color: Green
Material: Stainless-steel pins and plastic
Size: Small, medium, or large

The best overall brush for German Shepherds is the Safari Self-Cleaning Brush. This slicker brush is self-cleaning, and since slicker brushes are notoriously difficult to clean, this is a welcome feature. After you’re finished grooming, there’s a button that you press that causes the pins to retract so the fur can just be swept off. It’s made with stainless steel, and the handle has a comfortable grip, so it shouldn’t slip in your hands or make your hands tired after grooming for a while. It’s also available in three sizes — small, medium, and large — but you’ll definitely want the large for your GSD.

The flaw with this brush, however, is that the handle is made with sturdy plastic, but vigorous brushing through a dense coat might cause it to break after a while.

Pros
  • Self-cleaning brush by pushing a button
  • Comfortable and non-slip handle
  • Retractable stainless-steel pins
  • Available in three sizes
Cons
  • Plastic handle might break

Li’l Pals Coated Tips Brush — Best for Puppies

Li’l Pals Coated Tips Brush
Type: Slicker
Color: Purple and green
Material: Plastic
Size: Small

The L’il Pals Coated Tips Brush is well priced. It is a great size for your GSD puppy because it’s small, and the coated tips should help prevent accidentally scratching their sensitive skin. The pins are flexible, so they’ll fit your puppy’s contours and will gently remove any mats and tangles. This brush will be the perfect way to introduce your puppy to brushing, and it will keep their coat shiny and healthy.

However, this brush is quite small. It should work well for tiny puppies, but it might be too small for anyone who has issues with their hands to hold onto.

Pros
  • Puppy size
  • Great price
  • Coated tips so no accidental scratching of the skin
  • Gently removes mats and tangles
Cons
  • Might be too small
  • Might not work for anyone with issues with their hands

FURminator Dog Grooming Rake

FURminator Dog Grooming Rake
Type: Rake
Color: Gray
Material: Stainless-steel pins and plastic
Size: 5 x 2 x 9.65 inches

The FURminator Dog Grooming Rake is designed to literally rake through your GSD’s coat and can help untangle mats and knots in the undercoat. The stainless-steel pins are rounded on the ends to prevent scratching the skin, and they fully rotate for an effective way to easily remove tangles. The handle is ergonomic and antimicrobial, so it’s both safe and comfortable.

The issues are that this rake is just a way to remove tangles. This won’t have any real impact on your GSD’s shedding and will only really work for dogs with thick or long fur. Also, the handle sometimes starts to become loose and might fall off after a while.

Pros
  • Effective at removing tangles and mats in the undercoat
  • Stainless-steel pins rounded on the tips
  • Pins rotate for effective removal of tangles
  • Ergonomic and antimicrobial handle
Cons
  • Only suitable for long hair or dense fur
  • Handle might come loose or fall off after a while

Hertzko Self-Cleaning Dog Brush

Hertzko Self-Cleaning Dog Slicker Brush (1)
Type: Slicker
Color: Purple
Material: Stainless-steel pins and plastic
Size: Small or regular

Hertzko’s Self-Cleaning Dog Brush is a self-cleaning slicker brush that has the ability to retract its pins for easy removal of your dog’s fur. You just push the button, the stainless-steel pins retract, and you wipe the hair away. This brush enables you to brush out any tangles and mats and works on any dog with any coat length. The handle is strong and comfortable and is designed to not slip in your hands.

The problem is that the button for retracting the pins is prone to breaking or stops working, so it stops retracting. You might also end up having to press the button the entire time that you’re grooming, which can be uncomfortable.

Pros
  • Push of a button removes the hair
  • Good for tangles and mats
  • Suitable for any coat length
  • Strong, comfortable, and anti-slip handle
Cons
  • Button might break and might not retract
  • Might need to press the button constantly to groom

Safari Dual-Sided Shedding Blade

Safari Dual-Sided Shedding Blade Dog Grooming Tool
Type: Deshedding blade
Color: Green
Material: Stainless-steel blade and plastic
Size: 25 x 4.75 x 12.75 inches

Safari’s Dual-Sided Shedding Blade is a tool that can help with your GSD’s shedding. It has a dual-sided stainless-steel blade, which means one side has coarse teeth for thick coats and getting rid of excess fur, and the other has fine teeth that help smooth out short coats. The handle is comfortable to hold, and it can be unhooked and turned into one long blade, which will work well for a large GSD.

The problem is that if you have a long-haired German Shepherd, this blade isn’t suitable, and if you don’t use it right, it’s capable of hurting your dog. Also, it seems rather flimsy.

Pros
  • Dual-sided stainless-steel blade
  • One side for deshedding, the other for smoothing
  • Comfortable handle
  • Handle can be unhooked for a long open blade
Cons
  • Not suitable for long-haired breeds
  • Seems flimsy
  • Can hurt dogs if not used properly

HandsOn All-In-One Pet Bathing & Grooming Gloves

HandsOn All-In-One Pet Bathing & Grooming Gloves
Type: Grooming gloves
Color: Black, green, or purple
Material: Rubber
Size: Junior, small, medium, large, or x-large

The HandsOn All-In-One Pet Bathing & Grooming Gloves are truly all in one. You can give your GSD a bath and groom them all at the same time! The gloves come in black, green, or purple and in sizes from junior up to extra-large, so they can fit almost any hand size. These gloves have rubber nodules on the palm and along the fingers and will feel like a massage for your German Shepherd. They also act as a deshedder.

The issue is that they don’t remove as much hair as you might expect. They can get rid of excess hair, but they aren’t a substitute for a brush. Plus, once you’re done, it can be challenging to remove the hair from the gloves.

Pros
  • Can groom and bathe your dog
  • Comes in three colors and five sizes
  • Rubber nodules can massage your GSD
  • Acts as a deshedder
Cons
  • Won’t remove as much hair as a brush
  • Difficult to remove hair from gloves

Four Paws Magic Coat Professional Series

Four Paws Magic Coat Professional Series Instant Mat & Tangle Remover
Type: Rake
Color: Blue
Material: Stainless-steel pins and plastic
Size: 10 x 1.5 x 3.5 inches

The Four Paws Magic Coat Professional Series is well-priced and goes through deeply matted fur. This rake has a V-shaped design that can help get to hard-to-reach spots on your GSD, and it has a double row of stainless-steel pins that shouldn’t pull on your dog’s coat. The handle, like the rest, is ergonomic and anti-slip.

However, while it can work wonders for some dogs, others might find that it pulls too much and scratches the skin. It might work better at small mats or just preventing them rather than being able to get through large mats.

Pros
  • Well-priced and excellent for bad mats
  • Durable stainless-steel pins in V shape
  • Double row of pins won’t pull on the coat
  • Ergonomic and anti-slip handle
Cons
  • Some dogs find it uncomfortable
  • Might not work on heavy mats

KONG Dog ZoomGroom Multi-Use Brush

KONG Dog ZoomGroom Multi-Use Brush
Type: Curry brush
Color: Red or Blue
Material: Soft plastic
Size: Puppy or Adult

KONG’s Dog ZoomGroom Multi-Use Brush is effective for use while in the bath and attracting loose fur. You can use it for just grooming purposes, but it’s designed for use in the bath too. It’s available in two colors and in puppy (3.75” x 2.25”) and adult size (4.75” x 3”). It’s designed to reduce shedding and to promote a healthier and shinier coat.

The negatives are that it can be difficult to hold because it’s wide and flat without any kind of handle and that the fur can be difficult to get off. Conversely, sometimes the hair won’t stick to it at all.

Pros
  • Good for bath and attracts loose fur
  • Available in two colors and in puppy and adult sizes
  • Designed to promote a healthy coat and reduce shedding
Cons
  • Has no handle and can be difficult to hold
  • Fur can be hard to get off the brush
  • Hair doesn’t always stick to it


Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Brush for German Shepherds

Now that you’ve reviewed a variety of brushes and other grooming products, check out this buyer’s guide. We go over a few points that might help you make the right decision for a product that will work best for you and your pup.

German Shepherd Brush
Image Credit: Annabelle I, Shutterstock

Type

The type of brush will depend on what you need it for. There are several different products to help with grooming your GSD: slickers, rakes, deshedders, pin, curry brushes, etc. You’ll need to determine exactly what kind of brush will suit your needs best. In most cases, you will want to invest in a couple of different brushes. Many GSD owners like to use slickers and a deshedder, like the FURminator and a rake. The choice is yours.

Size

The size of the dog dictates the size of the brush. You don’t want to purchase a small brush for your large German Shepherd — that would be more work for you! Always double-check the measurements of the brush. Don’t rely only on the word, “large,” or even pictures of the brush, as these can be misleading. Check the measurements, and compare them to your hand and your dog’s body. This way, you know exactly what you’re getting.

Read the Instructions

This is important! Some of these items have sharp blades, and you don’t want to accidentally hurt your German Shepherd. When it comes to deshedding blades and similar products, read the instructions carefully and maybe watch a few videos. Using the product correctly can make all the difference in the world for how well it works and for keeping your pup safe.

Conclusion

Our overall favorite brush for German Shepherds is the Safari Self-Cleaning Brush. This self-cleaning slicker brush is easy to use and clean up and is comfortable to hold. The Safari Soft Slicker Brush has coated pins, so it’s softer than some other brushes and has an excellent price. Finally, the FURminator Short Hair Dog Deshedding Tool is our premium pick because it is effective at removing your short-haired German Shepherd’s excessive shedding.

We hope that all these reviews have helped you find the right brush for your GSD and that you’ll get to enjoy excellent bonding time together — with a little less fur flying about.

Edward Hollon is an avid dog lover and writer, knowing all there is to know about our furry friends. Edward has been writing for petdii for three years now, wanting to use her knowledge for good and share everything she can with new dog owners. Edward has two dogs herself - a German shepherd called Banjo and a chocolate labrador called Buttons. Edward knows more than anyone how adjusting to new life with a puppy can turn your life upside down, and she wants to ease some of the burdens through her articles.