Am I hurting him?
 

I bought a brush and a comb and after a bath and dry I brushed my puppy's hair for the first time. It went through the hair pretty easily but he screamed as if it was hurting him tremendously. The brush I got is called a "slicker brush". It's sorta made of wires, I would say. I don't want to hurt him, but I also want to make sure he doesn't get matted.

Am I actually hurting him, or is he just not used to it? Also, am I supposed to go all the way to his skin, or just surface brush? By the way, he's 11 weeks old.

Some of the wires may be sharp or have burrs. Depends on the brush. Run the brush across your skin, and see how it feels. If it feels sharp to you, it'll feel worse for him. Also, don't press against the skin when you are brushing him.

I'd advise against using a slicker brush. I have a Chris Christensen that works great and my three really enjoy it. Brooklyn and Coral actually push each other out of the way over who is going to get brushed first!

Where do you get that brush???

I do know that when daizy was small she acted like I was killing her too..and I wasn't using a hard brush...however after awhile she calmed down and now she stands totally still for her hair to be brushed....but I do and have always given her a special treat that she gets only after being brushed..

I've had this same brush for 2 years or more so I don't remember the website. Here is a website (that I haven't used before) that sells the brush we have though.

Chris Christensen - 20mm OVAL PIN BRUSH, ORIGINAL

I use a Chris brush too. I really like it and so do my "kids". I just wish they weren't so darn expensive :(

Ouch! Throw that brush away. I do the arm test and brush my arm with it before buying. If it hurts big me it will definitely hurt little him. Make grooming a good experience and start slow with a small section each night. Mine love to be brushed and will fall asleep with a nightly gentle brushing. Soon he will jump on your lap when you get the gentle brush out. Happy grooming!

How do the pins differ from the slicker brush?

I looked a little more and you can buy differently from the CC website:

Pin Brushes

The tips are ground and polished.

Here is a good link that talks about it:

Tip Test

I didn't want the slicker brush, but my boyfriend insisted we get it. :( His dad used to groom dogs and he said that that brush is the one he recommends and unfortunately I'm with a very stubborn guy, so what I say won't matter to him cuz he thinks he's always right! Ughh...but I don't want to hurt my baby! I guess I'll just have to "accidentally" lose it and go out and buy a better one lol.

I use an oval pin brush, and mine love it. I started out brushing a little at a time to get them used to it. Now they love being brushed and will even fall asleep. I always give them a gentle massage first, so they associate brushing with something good, and they're nice and relaxed. I don't go all the way to the skin, I just brush gently. It takes a little while for them to get used to it when they're puppies.

I purchased a Chris Christensen pin brush. I prefer my slicker brush. Maybe it's because I'm used to the slicker brush.

How are the wire tips on the Chris Christensen slicker brush? This may be a good way for me to go, not that I have a problem with my pin brush.

Hrm. I've been using a slicker brush too and Belle doesn't seem to like it. :confused:

I think it depends on the quality of the slicker brush. I suspect the Chris Christensen slicker brush may be a good one.

I like the slicker brush, because I pull/drag it. The pin brush needs a side motion, which is awkward for me.

Slicker brushes are more for taking out matts. You need a pin brush

Definitely the wrong brush!
 

But at 11 weeks old, what's more important is to teach your pup to love being groomed! I bought a baby brush for mine and used it for several months almost every night just to get the positive experience going. I slowly progressed to a slighty harder brush, which to everyone else would also seem soft. She is now just over a year and we now use a natural bristle brush and she loves it. They have no undercoat, so you have to be careful. You should also not brush her while she is wet. I brush mine before her bath, dry her with a soft towel, and blow dry (another grooming step to be learned)using very warm but not hot heat, although she is just beginning to like spirts of hot!!! go figure! Once she is dry, I brush her with the bristle brush. I guess at this point you could use a slicker brush to finish her off, but honestly, my pup hates the slicker brush, so I only used it one time and tossed it out. The fur is like our hair. I gave some thought to how I might feel with a slicker brush. Yep, I tossed it out! To get tangles out I use a de-tangle comb which has teeth that roll so it doesn't get stuck in matts. Go slow, so you don't get it stuck and pull. If you brush your dog daily, you won't get matts nearly at all. When we do, I carefully cut as little as I have to to get the matt out and then continue with the comb. Remember, you're trying to teach her to love the experience of being groomed. Leave the brush around so you can pick it up often to help her get used to it. Stroke her as you brush her. Pretty soon, she'll be bringing you the brush!

Definitely the wrong brush!
 

But at 11 weeks old, what's more important is to teach your pup to love being groomed! I bought a baby brush for mine and used it for several months almost every night just to get the positive experience going. I slowly progressed to a slighty harder brush, which to everyone else would also seem soft. She is now just over a year and we now use a natural bristle brush and she loves it. They have no undercoat, so you have to be careful. You should also not brush her while she is wet. I brush mine before her bath, dry her with a soft towel, and blow dry using very warm but not hot heat, although she is just beginning to like spirts of hot!!! go figure! Once she is dry, I brush her with the bristle brush. I think this is the point where you can use a slicker brush to finish her off. To get tangles out I use a de-tangle comb which has teeth that roll so it doesn't get stuck in matts. If you brush your dog daily, you won't get matts nearly at all. When we do, I carefully cut as little as I have to to get the matt out and then continue with the comb. Remember, you're trying to teach her to love the experience of being groomed. Leave the brush around so you can pick it up often to help her get used to it. Stroke her as you brush her. Pretty soon, she'll be bringing you the brush!

Well, after using the pin brush for a few days, I've changed my opinion. I like the pin brush :thumbup: because it makes his hair silky, shiny, and soft. Unlike the slicker brush where he wouldn't stay still, he is motionless and seems to enjoy the pin brush

Sorry, but I would tell that bf if he wants to use the slicker so bad he can use it on his head. stubborn or not, I would never keep anything around that could hurt my kiddos. I cannot imagine using one on a yorkie!