Most of what comes off a double-coated dog in spring is undercoat: the dense woolly layer beneath the guard hairs, which sheds in clumps and mats quietly against the skin if nobody gets it out. A brush that only works the topcoat skates straight over it. This rake carries two rows of pins at different lengths, so one row parts the outer coat while the other reaches the layer actually causing the problem.

The front row runs to 2cm and the back row to 1.5cm, and that difference is what makes a double row worth having rather than simply doubling the pins. The tips are rounded so they part hair instead of scoring skin, and the head measures 12cm wide by 15cm tall — small enough to steer around a hock or an armpit, which is where mats tend to form first.

• Two pin rows: 2cm at the front, 1.5cm behind
• Front row parts the topcoat, back row lifts the undercoat
• Head measures 12cm wide by 15cm tall
• Rounded pin tips to protect the skin
• Plastic and alloy build with a non-slip grip
• Weighs between 106g and 118g
• Choice of blue or pink

One thing to be honest about. Measurements are also taken by hand with a stated tolerance of 0.5cm to 2cm, so treat the dimensions as close rather than exact.

Who it's for: Owners of double-coated dogs — huskies, collies, retrievers, German shepherds — who would rather the undercoat came out of the dog than off the carpet.