The hair that ends up on your sofa is mostly hair that was already loose in the coat, waiting for something to lift it out. A slicker works by combing fine bent pins through the topcoat and down into the softer undercoat beneath, catching dead hair before it drops. A few minutes at a time, several times a week, makes a visible difference to how much fur circulates around the house.

The pins here are shaped with rounded tips so they part tangles rather than scraping the skin underneath, which is the usual reason a dog starts backing away from grooming. The handle is soft-gripped and shaped for the hand, and that matters more than it sounds: most people abandon a long session because their fingers ache, not because the dog objected. Work in small sections, from the skin outwards, and stop before either of you is fed up.

• Anti-scratch shaped pins that ease tangles without scraping skin
• Works dead hair out of both the topcoat and the undercoat
• Soft-grip ergonomic handle to reduce hand fatigue
• Two sizes: Small and Medium
• Not suitable for corded coats

Not for every coat. Corded breeds such as the Puli, Komondor and corded Poodle should never be slickered, as the pins pull the cords apart and undo months of growth. Smooth-coated dogs get little from one either; a rubber mitt lifts more from a Staffie or a Beagle.

What the options mean. Sizes run from Small to Medium — £9.99 for the smallest, £11.49 for the largest.

Who it's for: Owners of medium and long-coated shedders such as Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs, Spaniels and German Shepherds, who groom little and often rather than in one long battle.