The hair a dog sheds onto a sofa is undercoat, not topcoat, and a standard brush mostly moves the top layer around without ever reaching the layer actually causing the mess.

FURminator's deShedding tool uses a stainless steel edge that reaches through the topcoat to remove loose undercoat hair, without, FURminator say, damaging the topcoat or cutting the skin. A guard glides over the skin to stop the edge digging in at the edges of a stroke, and a curved shape follows the dog's build. This is the medium, short-hair version; FURminator also make it in large and small.

• Stainless steel deShedding edge
• Skin guard to stop the edge digging in
• Curved shape to follow the dog's build
• FURejector button to release collected hair
• Edge guard to protect the tool's teeth in storage
• FURminator's own use guidance: 1-2 times a week, 10-20 minutes a session, on dry hair

On the 99% figure. FURminator say the tool removes loose hair 'up to 99%' without stating what that's measured against or over what period — treat it as a manufacturer's headline figure rather than a number you can check yourself at home.

Who it's for: owners of a short-haired, double-coated dog dealing with a real shedding problem, who are prepared to do the 10-20 minute session FURminator recommend rather than a quick once-over.