The Springer Spaniel is an exceptionally lovable breed, and this contributes to its popularity. Out of 196 breeds recognized by the AKC, this one ranks 27th in popularity. Considering the competition, that’s pretty good.
In spite of their show dog appeal and hunting ability, there is just one little problem with owning one of these dogs.
They have a thick, long coat that requires a lot of maintenance. For those who are struggling with this problem, let’s take a look at some of the best brushes that we could find online. We will then go into an in-depth discussion and try to determine which is the best.
1. Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush
This is one of the “self-cleaning” slicker brushes, and we chose this one because of its high level of popularity. It gets great reviews, so it must have something going. The main selling point of this product is the retractable pins.
These allow you to easily remove all that extracted hair. It also has a comfortable grip, and the retraction button is ergonomically located.
This one has rubbery, bendy bristles, even though they are made of steel. That means less chance of scratching your dog’s skin, and you’ll cover a lot of ground at once with that widened head.
However, this is one of the more expensive options, and it would become totally useless if the retraction mechanism were to break.
Pros
- Pins retract for easy hair removal
- Comfortable ergonomic handle design
- Bristles are bendable
- Wide head gets a lot of hair
Cons
- Somewhat expensive
- Retracting mechanism could break
2. Le Salon Essentials Rubber Grooming Brush
This is an all-rubber brush that is meant to be used with a petting action. Instead of a handle, it has a hand strap, which is both comfortable and convenient. It also lends itself to the soft, massaging action of the brush, which dogs should find soothing.
This one is also very affordable, and will barely cost you anything. There are several variations on this brush type, including sets of gloves with rubber bristles, but this is the more popular type.
This kind of brush is obviously waterproof, so it’s a good choice for the bath. You can use it to work the shampoo into your dog’s fur and to work it out again while rinsing. Still, it won’t straighten the dog’s hair, so it’s only good for light jobs.
Pros
- Very gentle
- Acts as a soothing massage
- Cheapest brush on the list
- Waterproof=best choice for the bath
Cons
- Doesn’t provide a deep cleaning
- Doesn’t do much straightening
3. WAHL Premium Double Sided Pin-Bristle Brush
This is a pin-type brush, but it also includes a bristle brush on the other side. While we could have selected a pin-only brush, this one offers dual functionality.
Why wouldn’t you want that? The pin side is great for straightening out those deep tangles, and then you can turn it over and brush a nice sheen into your Springer Spaniel’s coat.
This one is pretty comfortable in the hand, and it seems tough enough to last a while. It comes from a relatively respected brand, so that’s also a plus. However, we did find one or two reviews that said the heads of the pins were prone to detaching.
This could create a sharp and dangerous point, so you want to be on the lookout for that. Still, most buyers did not report this issue.
Pros
- Basically two brushes in one
- Great for daily surface-level cleaning
- Thick and sturdy construction
- Effective for deep tangles
Cons
- Pinheads might be prone to detaching
4. Conair PRODog Pet-It
This one is meant to be used in the palm with a “petting” action. This means that you can pet your dog and brush the surface of their fur at the same time.
This one is very cheap, and it’s very small as well. That means you can easily carry it in your pocket without looking too awkward.
This one has two different types of bristles: natural and synthetic. This combination gives it the best of both worlds, but we do wish those bristles were longer.
We’re concerned they will lay over and become blunt, making them useless. It’s no good for big jobs, but it’s great for the small ones.
Pros
- Used with a petting action
- Very cheap
- Compact and portable
- Two types of bristles
Cons
- Only good for surface brushing
- Bristles are a little short
5. Furminator DeShedding Tool for Large Dogs
This one comes recommended highly so that always makes a good impression. It is a rake-type brush that is meant for the toughest jobs and the deepest of mats and tangles. When your hunting Spaniel has been out in the woods getting filthy all day, this is probably your best bet.
As the name implies, it is also meant to remove all the loose hair from your dog’s coat. That means it won’t end up on the furniture.
Like the slicker brush we examined above, it also has retractable teeth, so the fur just falls right off. The only real downside here is that this brush is kind of expensive for a product of this type.
Pros
- Excellent for eliminating deep tangles
- Very durable construction
- Help to keep that hair off the furniture
- Retractable teeth for easy cleaning
Cons
- Most expensive on our list
Best Brush For A Springer Spaniel Buyer Guide
So, we have taken a look at good examples from all the most common types of dog brushes. That’s a good start, but let’s go a little further.
The first question we need to ask ourselves is: How many different types of dog brushes are there? Every article seems to give a different number.
This one gives 12, which we think is a little excessive. In general, all dog brushes can be placed into one of five categories:
- Slicker brush
- Rubber brush
- Pin brush
- Bristle brush
- Rake
Let’s look at these designs one by one and try to determine which is the best choice for a Springer Spaniel.
1. The Slicker Brush
The slicker brush consists of many pins that are set in a head-piece with an attached handle. It’s as simple a design as you could want, and it seems to do the job pretty well.
These brushes do a good job of getting mats and tangles out of your dog’s long fur, and they go a lot deeper than a bristle brush. They can also be used with a rapid motion, allowing you to do the job quickly.
At the same time, we do see a couple of problems with this type of brush for a Springer Spaniel. On most brushes, the teeth simply aren’t long enough to do the job fully.
Also, these brushes tend to remove a lot of hair as well. You probably don’t have to worry about your dog going bald, but it probably hurts to have a lot of hair pulled out at once. Also, those little pins can scratch your dog’s skin if you aren’t careful.
2. The Rubber Brush
Rubber brushes, as we already learned, are probably the most gentle option. They won’t pull on your dog’s coat or scratch their skin, so they do offer the highest safety factor. At the same time, they won’t really deal with a tangled, matted mess.
Anyone who has ever had a Springer Spaniel can tell you that this rubber brush won’t cut it for serious cleaning. Still, it is a good option for those times when only a light brushing is needed.
In most ways, it is just a gentler alternative to the bristle brush. The rubber teeth of the brush do a good job of grabbing loose hairs and removing them without pulling on anything that is still attached.
3. The Pin Brush
This one is very similar to the slicker brush, except that the pins have little plastic tips. This is good because it mostly eliminates the danger of skin abrasion.
At the same time, those smooth pinheads don’t grab the hair as effectively as a slicker brush, either. One advantage of a pin brush, however, is the fact that it can straighten even the longest fur.
The feathered areas of the Springer Spaniel (the legs, ears, chest, and belly) will present the biggest problems.
The pin brush is ideal for these longer-haired areas where all of our other brush types are too shallow. Only the rake is able to compete with the pin brush when it comes to the hardest brushing jobs.
4. The Bristle Brush
Bristle brushes are familiar to most of us, as they are often used on human hair. If you have ever used one yourself, you know basically how it works.
You also surely know that there are limits to what a brush like this can do. When you are dealing with a serious tangle, a bristle brush isn’t going to do much.
At most, it might straighten out the surface issues, but the problem will remain. Still, it would be fair to mention that these brushes aren’t designed for deep matted tangles.
A bristle brush is a great choice when you want to clean and straighten the surface-level coat. Your Springer Spaniel doesn’t always need to be combed and cleaned from head to toe.
In many cases, simple daily brushing will do the job, and prevent the need for deeper cleaning. Thus, this kind of brush makes a great daily care choice for a Springer Spaniel.
5. The Rake-Type Brush
Some people would argue that this type of brush is more like a comb. In terms of its design, that would be true. However, this one is used more like a brush, and that is why we placed it in this category.
Besides, there is another reason to include this tool. It is specifically meant for long-haired dogs like the one we are discussing.
When we went to Reddit and saw a thread on this subject, we found that most people were recommending the “Furminator” rake tool that we examined earlier.
We can’t help but suspect that this was some covert advertising, but no one spoke up to contradict any of the claims made. Considering all of this, we think that the rake is a very fierce competitor for the top prize.
The Verdict
So, which one of these brushes can be crowned as “the best?” Unfortunately, it isn’t as simple as we thought. All of these brushes are meant to be used in different ways, meaning that it depends on the situation.
However, we can definitely say that the rake tool is the best for removing deep mats and tangles. The pin brush is a close second, however.
For a quick, daily brushing, it comes down to the bristle brush, the rubber brush, and the slicker brush. We find the rubber brush to be useless except as a bath brush, and the bristle brush only works on the surface.
As such, we would probably call this one a draw: The rake is the best for heavy brushing and the slicker brush is the best for light brushing. We hope that we have answered all your questions and that you will come back to read more.
