Hertzko slicker brush, medium

What it is good at

• Fine pins reach into a medium coat without dragging on the top layer.
• Retractable pins make the brush easier to clear and to store.
• A cushioned pad and a handle that suits a long brushing session.

Check before you buy

• Pin length against the coat: short pins skim, long pins reach the undercoat.
• Whether the pins have rounded tips, which matters on a pet who dislikes brushing.
• How the pad is fixed, because a pad that unscrews can be cleaned properly.

Who it is not for

Short, smooth coats that need a rubber mitt rather than wire pins, and dense double coats that need a rake first.

A slicker is the general-purpose brush of coat care. The wire pins are set in a cushioned pad, and they lift loose coat and open small tangles without cutting them the way a blade tool would.

Two specifications decide how it behaves. Pin length sets how deep the brush reaches, and tip shape sets how the pet reacts: rounded tips glide, sharp tips catch. Brush in the direction the coat grows, in short passes, and clear the pad before it fills up.