Best brush for a Labrador
Labradors have a short but dense double coat and are famous for shedding heavily and fairly constantly, not just at seasonal changeover. The right brush will not stop that shedding altogether, but a proper deshedding tool used regularly makes a real difference to how much hair ends up on your floors and furniture instead.
Why a Labrador's coat needs more than a quick brush
Underneath a Labrador's short, coarse top coat is a dense, insulating undercoat, and it is that undercoat doing most of the shedding, not the visible outer hair. A standard bristle brush mostly moves loose hair around on the surface rather than reaching down to where the shedding is actually happening.
This is why owners of short-coated heavy shedders like Labradors are often surprised by how much hair a proper deshedding tool removes compared to a brush that looks, on paper, like it should do the same job.
What actually works
A dedicated deshedding tool, such as the Ancol Ergo Shredding Blade or a self-cleaning deshedding comb, is built to pull loose undercoat hair out without damaging the tougher top coat, which is the combination a Labrador's coat specifically needs. Used regularly, this is far more effective than an ordinary brush used more often.
Bathing with a proper dog shampoo before a deshedding session can loosen hair further and make the brushing itself more effective, particularly during the heavier shedding periods many Labradors go through each year.
Keeping on top of it
A weekly deshedding session is a reasonable baseline for most Labradors, increasing to a few times a week during their heavier shedding periods. Doing it outside, or somewhere easy to clean up, saves a lot of hoovering afterwards.
Persistent excessive shedding beyond what seems normal for your individual dog, especially alongside bald patches, redness or scratching, is worth mentioning to your vet rather than assuming it is just "a Labrador thing".
What we stock for this breed
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Ancol Ergo Wooden Handle Slicker Brush
A stainless steel slicker brush on a wooden handle, for short, long, wiry and curly coats
From£6.99
Wahl Competition Series Clipper Blades
High-precision, chrome-plated clipper blades with a rust-resistant finish, available in 17 sizes for every coat type and clipping style.
From£37.99
Ancol Ergo Double Sided Comb
Ancol Ergo Double Sided Comb: a SGL grooming comb for combing the coat
£8.79
Ancol Ergo Grooming Glove
A rubber grooming glove for dogs, for removing loose hair on wet or dry coats
£9.79
Wahl Pet Grooming Scissors with Finger Rest
Stainless steel finishing scissors with ergonomic offset handles — perfect for tidying around eyes, ears, mouth, and paws.
£5.49
Ancol Ergo Universal Slicker
A universal slicker brush for dogs, for coats from smooth to curly
From£6.79
Large Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush for Mats and Tangles
A self-cleaning slicker brush with fine, bead-tipped wire pins that gently lift loose undercoat, mats and tangles from short or long-haired pets. A one-click button releases the collected fur for fuss-free cleaning. Cat-ear shaped design.
£18.99
Slicker Brush for Dogs — Detangling & De-shedding
An ergonomic slicker brush with anti-scratch pins that works through tangles and removes dead hair from top and undercoat.
From£9.99
Groom Professional Curved Soft Slicker Brush
A professional-grade curved slicker brush with soft pins, designed to groom delicate and soft-coated pets without discomfort.
From£8.99
Round-Tipped Deshedding Rake Comb
A double-sided undercoat rake with rounded stainless-steel blades that gently cut through mats and remove loose hair. The non-slip ergonomic handle makes deshedding dogs and cats quick and comfortable.
From£8.99
Self-Cleaning Deshedding Slicker Brush
A deshedding grooming tool for dogs and cats that lifts loose undercoat and eases out tangles, with a self-cleaning button that releases the trapped fur in one press.
£25.99
Common questions
- Why does my Labrador shed so much?
- Labradors have a dense double coat with an insulating undercoat that sheds fairly constantly, not just seasonally, which is a normal trait for the breed. Regular deshedding with the right tool manages it, even though nothing will stop it altogether.
- Do Labradors need a special brush?
- A dedicated deshedding tool works better than a standard bristle brush, because it reaches down into the dense undercoat where most of the shedding actually happens, rather than just moving loose hair around on the surface.
- How often should I brush a Labrador?
- A weekly deshedding session is a reasonable baseline for most Labradors, increasing to a few times a week during heavier shedding periods, which many Labradors go through more than once a year.
- Is heavy shedding ever a sign of a health problem?
- Occasionally. Persistent shedding beyond what seems normal for your individual dog, particularly alongside bald patches, redness or scratching, is worth mentioning to your vet rather than assuming it is purely breed-related.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.