Course 14 · Shedding and Undercoat · Lesson 5 of 12

How do you deshed a short coat?

Published 29 October 2026 · Updated 29 October 2026 · About 6 minutes · General information only. This lesson does not diagnose or treat any condition.

Deshed a short coat by brushing with a rubber brush, grooming glove, or soft bristle brush in the direction of hair growth, lifting loose hairs, wiping the coat with a damp cloth, and checking skin, in short regular sessions. Short coats shed small, often prickly hairs continuously, and those hairs can embed in clothing and furniture, irritate skin, and collect in the coat if not removed. Deshedding a short coat is therefore about frequent, gentle removal, not about heavy tools or long sessions, and blades designed for undercoat should not be used.

Why is short coat shedding different?

Short coats have less length to trap shed hair, so loose hairs fall out more readily, but they are often stiff, sharp, and numerous. They can work into fabric, carpet, and skin, and they can cause itching if they collect under collars or in skin folds. Short coated dogs may have a single coat or a double coat with short guard hairs and dense undercoat, and the approach differs slightly: single short coats need mainly surface removal, while short double coats, such as in some Labradors, need undercoat removal with a comb and rake as well, but still without blades. Short coats also show skin more readily, so skin checks during deshedding are easier and more important. A short coat that is brushed regularly will look shiny and even, with healthy skin, while a short coat that is not brushed may look dull, with loose hair visible on the surface and skin that is rarely checked.

What tools suit a short coat?

A rubber brush or grooming glove is the main tool for most short coats. Rubber nubs or bristles lift loose hair by friction, without cutting or breaking hair, and they can be used in gentle, circular or directional strokes. A soft bristle brush smooths the coat afterwards and removes remaining loose hair. A wide toothed comb, used gently, can check for tangles in longer areas, such as the chest, tail, and behind ears, and can remove loose undercoat in short double coats. A damp cloth, wiped over the coat after brushing, picks up remaining loose hairs and gives the coat a shine. Avoid deshedding blades, furminator style tools, and undercoat rakes used aggressively on short single coats, because they can scratch skin, break short hairs, and thin the coat. Avoid slicker brushes pressed hard, which can scratch skin that is close to the surface in short coats. Keep tools clean, check rubber nubs for damage, and replace a glove or brush when it wears.

How do you deshed a short coat step by step?

Work in a calm place, on a non slip surface, with the dog settled. Start with a rubber brush or glove, working in the direction of hair growth, from neck to tail, in smooth strokes, covering the body, then legs, chest and tail. Use light pressure, and let the rubber lift hair rather than scraping skin. Pause to remove collected hair from the tool, and reward the dog. Then use a soft brush to smooth the coat, followed by a comb check in longer areas, and a damp cloth wipe to finish. Check skin as you go, looking for redness, lumps, sores, or parasites, and noting any change. Keep the session to five to ten minutes, which is usually enough for a short coat, and repeat two or three times a week, or more often during heavy shedding. If the dog is shedding heavily, increase frequency rather than session length, so skin is not irritated by prolonged brushing.

1. Settle the dog, prepare rubber brush, soft brush, comb and damp cloth.
2. Brush with rubber tool in hair growth direction, neck to tail, light pressure.
3. Remove collected hair from tool, pause, reward.
4. Smooth with soft brush, comb longer areas gently, check skin.
5. Wipe coat with damp cloth, check skin again, finish and clean tools.

How often should short coat deshedding happen, and what about bathing?

Short coats usually need deshedding two or three times a week, with daily brushing during heavy shedding or for dogs that shed a lot into the home. The frequency should be adjusted to the dog: a dog that sheds heavily into the home, or that has a short double coat, needs more frequent brushing, while a dog that sheds lightly may need only weekly brushing. Bathing can help loosen hair, but it should not be overdone, because frequent bathing can dry skin and coat. A bath every few weeks, or when dirty, with mild dog shampoo, thorough rinsing, and full drying, followed by brushing once dry, is usually enough. Do not bath to try to stop shedding, and do not use shedding control shampoos as a substitute for brushing. Those products may help loosen hair, but they do not remove it, and they can dry skin if used too often. The combination of regular gentle brushing and occasional bathing, with skin checks, is the effective routine for short coats.

When should you stop and get help?

Stop deshedding and contact a groomer or vet if skin becomes red, sore, scratched, or irritated, if the dog shows pain, if hair loss is patchy, if bald patches appear, or if shedding increases suddenly. Do not use a blade or aggressive tool to try to reduce shedding, and do not bath frequently to control hair. A groomer can advise on tools and frequency for that coat, and a vet can assess skin and coat problems, as in lesson 2. Short coat deshedding is a simple, frequent, gentle routine, and its success is measured by a shiny coat, healthy skin, and less hair in the home, not by the amount of hair removed in one session.

A rubber brush, light pressure, hair growth direction, and a damp cloth finish, done often and briefly, keep a short coat clean, shiny and comfortable without damaging skin or hair.

← Back to Shedding and Undercoat