Despite their short stature, Chihuahuas can pack in a lot of fur and upkeep. A dog’s coat is one of the best ways to maintain its health. In this guide, we elaborate on how brushing fur helps a Chihuahua not only look better, but feel better too. We’ll also help you choose the right brush, provide tips to control shedding, and share reviews of 5 of the best brushes for Chihuahuas.
Why is Brushing Chihuahuas Important?
Chihuahuas are feisty dogs who love playing around. At the expense of having fun, their hair can shed everywhere, and their coats get dirty. This is why they need to be groomed often. Here are some ways how brushing a Chihuahua helps:
- It removes tangles and prevents matting, especially in long-haired Chihuahuas.
- It pulls out dead hair and helps control shedding.
- It gets rid of any dirt, grime, and debris stuck in the hair and reduces risk of infection.
- It stimulates the skin to release healthy oils which keep the coat shiny and looking healthy.
How Often Should Chihuahuas be Brushed?
Chihuahuas need to be groomed with a brush at least once per week. Long-haired Chihuahuas need more attention, and have to be brushed three times every week to keep their coat healthy.
How to Choose the Right Type of Brush for Chihuahuas
Whether your Chihuahua is short-haired or long-haired, it is bound to shed its fur, and one of the best ways to control coat-thinning is to use a brush. There are hundreds of grooming brushes available on the market, and it’s important to know how to choose the right one so your furry friend isn’t exposed to skin rashes.
Brush Bristles
Most grooming brushes for dogs have hard, plastic bristles that can cause pain, redness, and discomfort on a Chihuahua. Their skin is delicate and their hair easily sheds, which is why a grooming brush with soft, rubber bristles would work better.
Alternatives
For short-haired or smooth-coat Chihuahuas, you could look for a small, soft-bristled brush or a grooming glove that has a rubberized comb to keep their coat healthy. Since their hair is quite close to their skin and short in length, using a large comb may be overkill.
Expert Tips to Stop a Chihuahua From Shedding
Chihuahuas shed all year long, no matter how long their coat is. Given their aggressive nature, hair can get everywhere. Fortunately, there are a couple ways to deal with a Chihuahua’s shedding. They are as follows:
Brush Often
An important part of grooming, brushing a Chihuahua helps get rid of loose hair. It may be stuck in or around their coat, which ultimately minimizes daily shedding.
Check Their Diet
Make sure the Chihuahua is getting at least 30% protein from their diet. Hair follicles are made of protein, and eating the recommended daily intake helps reduce hair loss and improves a new coat.
Talk to the Vet
Excessive shedding can sometimes be a sign of an allergy or skin damage. Consult a vet just in case, and make sure to ask for remedies to control it. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Reviews of 5 of the Best Brushes for Chihuahuas
1. Hartz Groomer’s Best Small Slicker Brush
Among the best slicker brushes available on the market, the Hartz Groomer is lauded to be the most optimal for small dogs such as Chihuahuas.
The brush is designed with a wide handle so it’s easier to grip tightly and maneuver around a feisty dog’s body. The bed of bristles is triangular, so it covers most of the Chihuahua’s body in a single swipe, and picks a lot of loose hair which ultimately reduces shedding.
The bristles are extra fine and protected with a soft, plastic tip, so every pass is a gentle massage on the Chihuahua’s body. This is especially helpful for small dogs that suffer from hair loss, as the massage stimulates the hair follicles to release their natural oils and heal the skin faster.
The bed of bristles on the Hartz Groomer is also porous, and the breather-holes allow for smoother brushing. It does get a bit difficult to defur the slicker brush, but after a bit of trial and error, we’ve found that running a fine-tooth comb under the loose hair on the brush easily brings them up.
Features:
- Extra fine bristles
- Porous bristle bed
- For adult dogs
Pros
- The grip is wide and durable
- Bristles have protective nibs to prevent skin rashes
- Handle is ergonomic
Cons
- Tough to defur the slicker brush
2. Beiker Large Deshedding Brush Set for Grooming
A great pick for beginners, the Beiker deshedding set comes with a large grooming glove as well as a slicker brush that helps reduce hairfall in short and long-haired dogs.
The slicker brush is shaped like a razor. It’s built with stainless steel teeth, which not only improve the durability of the brush, but also enhance its ability to pick up stray hair from the Chihuahua’s coat.
The bristles are smooth and get down to the undercoat. They gently massage the Chihuahua’s skin, and effectively reduce shedding by 98%.
The Beiker grooming glove isn’t short of incredible. It’s crafted out of soft plastic, and the bristle bed is not only rubberized, but also double-sided – both right and left-handed individuals can use it easily.
The wristband of the glove is adjustable, which allows the groomer to have a secure grip and easily pass it through the paw pads and legs.
Features:
- Soft, rubberized bristles
- Stainless steel teeth
- Double-sided grooming glove included
- Adjustable wristband
- Presented in a gift box
Pros
- Suitable for both right and left-handed individuals
- Slicker brush picks up a copious amount of hair
Cons
- Takes a couple swipes to cover the whole body
3. ConAirPro Small Soft Slicker Brush for Gentle Shedding
Great for small stature dogs like Chihuahuas, the ConAirPro soft slicker brush is crafted with a plastic bed of bristles and a sturdy, memory gel handle.
The tips of the bristles are reinforced with protective nibs, which protect aggressive dogs like Chihuahuas from getting hurt when they wiggle during grooming. The soft plastic nibs also allow the brush to glide over your pet’s delicate skin, help to detangle mats, and help pick up debris.
The memory-gel handle on the ConAirPro is a genius addition to the brush. It not only creates a non-slip grip for the groomer, but also reduces strain on the wrist. Both the Chihuahua and the groomer can look forward to the deshedding session.
Since it’s small in size, the ConAirPro slicker brush easily reaches into hard nooks, like the back of the Chihuahua’s ears and the bottoms of its paws.
Features:
- Soft grip
- Soft plastic bristles
- For small dogs
Pros
- Coated tips of the bristles ensure a smooth comb-through
- Ergonomic handle reduces hand and wrist fatigue
- Memory-gel handle
Cons
- For adult dogs
4. Sharozen Self Cleaning Slicker Brush for Grooming
An innovative take on the traditional slicker brushes, the Sharozen grooming brush is designed with both the pet and groomer in mind. It has a bed of soft, stainless steel bristles with a wide, silicone handle, and a button to clean the brush.
The stainless steel bristles are long, so they pick up most of the dead skin cells, loose hair, and dirt on your dog in one swipe. The bed of bristles is bent at 60 degrees. It’s built with elasticity, which increases blood flow and improves the stimulation of the skin, so your Chihuahua’s coat can be rejuvenated back to health.
That’s not all – the bristles are capped with soft, plastic nibs that protect the Chihuahua from getting hurt if it moves around, and they also reduce the chance of skin redness.
To clean the brush, a button on the non-slip handle easily retracts the bristles in one press, and pushes the pet hair forward. It can then be easily picked up and trashed.
Features:
- Silicone handle
- Stainless steel bristles
- Reinforced rubberized bristle tips
- Large bristle bed
Pros
- One-click bristle cleaning button
- You can pick up loose hair in one swipe!
Cons
- Not for short-haired dogs
5. Home of Paws Upgrade Professional Soft Bristle Grooming Brush
Designed like a computer mouse, the Home of Paws professional grooming brush is great to have for small dogs like Chihuahuas. The bristles are soft but sturdy, the grip is rubberized, and it’s easy to clean.
The bristles are designed with a four-point tip which stimulates the skin, gently massages the roots, and improves the health of the coat. The bristles are made of soft rubber, which is perfect for deshedding short-haired Chihuahuas and senior long-haired furry pets.
Because the bristles are long and the surface is wide, the grooming brush detangles and cleans up the hair down to the undercoat. This means the bristle bed gets full quickly, and to clean it, a transparent screen is placed under the bristles, which can be removed to bring forward the pet hair easily.
The Home of Paws grooming brush is multi-functional, and combs Chihuahuas clean after bath time.
Features:
- Removable fur screen
- Soft, rubber bristles
- 4-point tipped bristles
- Multi-functional
- Easily hang to dry
Pros
- Bristles are long, and rake up loose hair from undercoat
- Ergonomic mouse design is perfect for smaller hands
Cons
- Plastic screen is finicky to place back
Frequently Asked Questions
Do short-hair Chihuahuas need brushing?
Yes, short-haired Chihuahuas need to be brushed. This helps prevent continuous shedding, matting, and harsh knots. Grooming a Chihuahua with a soft-bristled brush also ensures their coat is free of any fleas, and gets rid of dirt and grime.
What months do Chihuahuas shed?
Generally, Chihuahuas shed all year round, but shedding occurs mostly during spring and winter. Shedding the coat promotes growth of better fur, and helps Chihuahuas prepare for the upcoming seasonal climate (a dog’s coat is thicker in the winter so it can keep warm, and thinner during spring to keep cool.) Brushing a dog often helps prevent a fur nuisance at home.
Does Chihuahua hair grow back?
Yes, Chihuahua hair does grow back. Generally, it takes up to six months for a Chihuahua to get their coat back, but it could be longer depending upon a skin condition, existing illnesses, and even stress. Always make sure to consult a vet if a Chihuahua is showing signs of anxiety.
Do Chihuahuas need clipping?
Yes, Chihuahuas need to be clipped to groom their nails and tame the overgrowth of fur around their paw pads and sensitive parts. For short-haired Chihuahuas, a trim is much more suited to upkeep their coat, as their stature is small and clippers may risk injury.
Are Chihuahuas’ coats hair or fur?
Broadly speaking, a Chihuahua’s coat consists of both hair and fur. There are two types of coats in Chihuahuas: smooth or short-haired, and long-haired. Besides the length, there is no actual difference in each Chihuahua’s coat, and both types have a thicker coat (hair) on their head and shaggy fur on their tail.
Do you trim long-haired Chihuahuas?
Yes, long-haired Chihuahuas do need a trim, but it doesn’t have to be all over the body. Simply clip hair around their paw pads so they can walk easily, between their legs, and around their mouth so they can eat with ease. The Chihuahua’s hair should be at least ¼-inch long once it’s trimmed.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, brushing a Chihuahua is the antidote for shedding season. Now that you know how to choose the best brush for your pet, you can easily zero in on any of the above best brushes for Chihuahuas.
