- 1). Bathe your dog before using the Furminator. Wet his coat with a liberal amount of warm water, adding enough shampoo to lather his entire body. Rinse well to remove all traces of shampoo and towel dry or use a blow dryer if he will tolerate it.
- 2). Buckle your dog's collar around his neck and attach his leash. The collar and lead will make him much easier to control while grooming and will keep him from wandering off.
- 3). Check through his coat for any mats or tangles that might have developed during his bath. Labs have a short, dense coat and do not often develop tangles, but they can be very painful if combed over so check him thoroughly just in case. Run your hands through his fur to see if your fingers become tangled in any mats. If you feel any mats, work them loose with your fingers before proceeding with the Furminator.
- 4). Hold the Furminator in your hand and run it gently over the coat in the direction of the hair growth, moving backwards from the neck to the tail. The Furminator will pull large amounts of dead hair from your dog, so you may have to clean the tool after each pass. Press the Furminator down with your hand until it barely grazes the surface of the skin to make sure it penetrates the undercoat, but does not scratch the skin.
- 5). Continue combing over your dog, moving down to his sides and gently combing under his chest and belly. Labradors have an outer coat and a soft, downy undercoat so you will notice a lot of fine hair pulled up when you comb him. Place all the dead hair in a plastic bag to keep it from spreading around your home.
- 6). Praise your dog and offer him a couple of his favorite treats while grooming him. Standing or sitting in one spot for a long time can be boring and uncomfortable, but letting your dog know he is being a good boy with a reward will make using the Furminator a positive experience for both of you.
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