7 Best Brushes for Chihuahua With 5 Simple Brushing Tips

Amanda Yantos

Amanda Yantos – Pet Expert

with support from the Pawster Research Team


At Pawster, we are committed to presenting the most accurate and up-to-date information to assist you in your pet care journey. When appropriate, we consult licensed and practicing veterinarians to fact-check our professionally written articles.

Chihuahuas are such unique dogs.

They’re one of the most recognizable breeds and are easy to care for in terms of grooming. Although they may not shed much and may spend more time in clothes than not, having some simple brushes could be a great way to condition the skin and bond with you tiniest companion.

They have outsized personalities that outrank their small bodies, but one thing owners typically love about their small companions is the grooming ease. They don’t need a lot, but you will have to keep in mind their particular skin condition. Luckily, you won’t need many tools, but you do need one or two key ones. If you want to cut down on what little shedding happens with a Chihuahua anyway, a simple brushing once a day plus routine bathing can help alleviate any problems you might have.

They’re an easy breed for grooming, but for many chihuahuas, a light brush helps turn over dead skin and create a soft coat. Brushing can also be a gentle bonding time for you and your pet. Their coats are unique because short hair Chihuahuas typically have single coats while long hair Chihuahuas have double coats. The double coat sheds a bit more and needs more grooming to loosen the undercoat.

The biggest thing to consider is whether your chihuahua has long or short hair because that will affect the bristle size. Longer hair Chihuahuas will need some help with mats or keeping their coat free of dirt and debris. Short hair Chihuahuas may not need much of anything in the way of grooming at all but will still love the feeling of a light brush. Choosing the right brush starts with your chihuahua’s coat type and goes from there.

We’ve put together a list of brushes that would be perfect for your chihuahua. The brushes won’t hurt your chihuahua’s delicate skin and could be just the thing to help condition the skin. They can’t be their charming selves without feeling comfortable in their own skin, so let’s find out which brush can help make that happen.

Different Types of Popular Chihuahua Brushes

Brushes come in all shapes and sizes. Not all of them will be something that can benefit your chihuahua. Long hair chihuahuas will need a brush that doesn’t pull too hard on mats or get tangled up, and short hair chihuahuas need a softer bristle brush that won’t damage the skin. Let’s look at a few common types to see which might be best.

Bristle Brushes

Bristle brushes are great for Chihuahuas with short hair because the soft bristles bend well and help gently pull up any loose hair. They massage the skin and help encourage skin cell turnover so that your dog’s skin is healthier overall. Plus, they feel great on the surface of your chihuahua’s skin. Look for a bristle brush with natural bristles instead of metal or plastic for the best feeling. Avoid metal bristle brushes altogether because they can hurt.

Bristle brushes may not be so great for longer haired Chihuahuas overall because they have trouble getting down to the root of the hair. They are great for finishing grooming sets to help smooth hair down. Aside from that, they’ll still feel great.

Rakes

Rakes use a single layer of bristles to get down to the undercoat and the root to lift dead hair out. They’re particularly useful for double coat breeds but might be a little much for your single coated chihuahua.

Long hair Chihuahuas will have some luck because the rake can fully reach down to the root of the hair. Find one that matches the length of your chihuahua’s particular hair length. For short hair chihuahuas, we don’t recommend a rake brush because it can cause discomfort and pain to your chihuahua’s skin.

Slicker brushes

Slicker brushes aren’t a good idea for your shorthair chihuahua because the bristles are far too irritating. For your long hair chihuahua, a slicker brush can help remove mats and dirt from the coat, but you’ll still need to be careful when using it.

Find a slicker brush that matches your long haired chihuahua’s hair length to prevent getting tangled up or not working effectively. Gentle use can really help cut down on mats and debris.

Grooming Glove

Grooming gloves are excellent for short hair chihuahuas because they feel like gentle fingers that pull shed hair away from the skin. They’re easy to use and are gentle enough for daily grooming. If your chihuahua is too small for a glove, you can get the same type of sensation from a rubber “bristle brush.”

Overall Best Brush for a Chihuahua

Want to know our top pick for a Chihuahua brush? Read on.

Kong Zoom Groom Multipurpose Brush

Kong’s brush has rubber bristles that help massage the skin and gently loosen hair that needs to go. It’s easy to use and won’t damage your short hair chihuahua’s skin, so you can use it absent-mindedly without worry. Every night, brushing your chihuahua with this brush stimulates the skin and creates a great bonding experience for your dog.

Long hair Chihuahua’s can also benefit from this brush as a finisher for after grooming sessions. The bristles are long enough to reach down to the root of the coat and stimulate the skin, but again, you don’t have to worry about it being too rough for your little friend. It’s easy to use and simple to grip. The one downside is that dogs tend to think it’s a toy, but that’s more of a concern for those of you with much larger breed dogs.

6 More Top-Rated Chihuahua Dog Brushes

Here are more contenders worth checking out.

Hertzko Slicker Dog Brush

Hertzko’s slicker brush is a good option for long hair chihuahuas who tend to spend a lot of time outside. It features bristles designed to remove mats and help get out dirt and debris. The bristles should be a good length for your long hair chihuahua’s hair, and you can easily clean it out with a retraction button that pushes the hair away from the base of the brush.

It’s affordable and small enough to fit a Chihuahua. The design is ergonomic to prevent wrist strain and has a good handle grip. Plus, the bristles are curved slightly to penetrate hair more effectively without causing pain or injury to the skin’s surface.

K9konnection Double Sided Dog Brush

K9konnection’s double-sided brush is excellent for those of you with both long and short hair chihuahuas. One side has short rubber bristles which are great for your short hair chihuahua’s coat and skin. They gently pull the hair away without damaging the skin or causing discomfort.

The other side has longer, metal bristles designed to work through thicker, longer hair. They’re tough enough to handle thicker mats but can still be used every day without stressing out your chihuahua’s coat because of small pins on the ends of the bristles. The handle uses a gel style grip that molds to your hand for an ergonomic fit.

FURminator Deshedding Brush

Furminator makes the classic de-shedding brush, and for those of you with long hair chihuahuas will be glad to finally get underneath the top coat to reduce your overall shedding. This particular one is made for small dogs in particular so you can get into smaller areas such as around the legs and underneath the chin.

The teeth are highly rounded to help prevent irritation across the skin. You can reduce the amount of loose hair over time with regular use, but make sure you don’t use it on your short hair chihuahuas without a great deal of care. It can really irritate skin if you’re not careful.

Four Paws Instant Touch Mat Remover

A Chihuahua that has plenty of time outside could find itself forming new mats every few days without a brush designed to get rid of them. Short hair chihuahuas won’t be so much in danger, but long haired ones could benefit from this mat remover brush. It’s specifically designed for a variety of coat lengths and dog sizes.

It’s easy to hold and can help you keep the coat mat free through daily grooming use. The comb has reversible quills os you can get into hard to reach places, and it’s not difficult to clean it out when you need to. It can make getting rid of mats so much easier, but it’s also great for when your chihuahua explores a little too hard and comes back with debris in the coat.

Furbliss Multiuse Deshedding and Massage Brush

Short hair chihuahuas still need some minor grooming, so a brush like this could be a great help. It uses soft, medical grade silicone bristles to gently loosen hair and stimulate the skin for better conditioning. It has curved sides to make it easier to hold, but it’s gentle enough to use every day without worrying about irritating your dog’s skin.

It’s perfect for both wet and dry hair, and it begins to de-shed the more you use it. It gently stimulates the production of healing oils that can help keep your dog’s skin and coat soft and shiny. You can throw it in the dishwasher periodically to remove built-up oil and grime, but make sure your dog isn’t allowed to chew on it.

Furminator Curry Comb for Dogs

Our final brush is a simple, rubber tipped brush designed to massage the skin and gently loosen hair. It uses an ergonomic hand grip that is easy to hold and features a durable body that won’t come loose in your hand. It’s best for short and medium coats, but it can also be used to gently smooth long coats and remove dust.

One great feature about this brush is that it has antimicrobial plastic in the handle to prevent dirt and debris from getting all over your dog’s coat. It’s bright and easy to find. Plus, it’s a great shape for daily brushing.

5 Simple Tips to Properly Brush a Chihuahua

  1. Short haired chihuahuas need gentleness when you’re brushing. Make sure you move in the direction of the hair and gently run the brush over the surface of the coat.
  2. Long hair chihuahuas need extra care when brushing but for different reasons than their short hair cousins. If you aren’t mindful of mats or caught debris, it can really hurt when you run a brush over it. Make sure you do a quick check ahead of time just to make sure you don’t accidentally yank one out in the brushing process.
  3. Make it a habit. Brushing every day is what helps stimulate your chihuahua’s skin and makes it easier to remove the loose hair. Grooming every day also has benefits in the form of bonding and helping get your chihuahua used to regular grooming. Grooming every day also helps keep hair under control and gives you the chance to notice small changes right away.
  4. Using a basic top-coat bristle brush can help distribute vital oils throughout the coat. These oils protect your dog’s skin and hair and give the coat for long hair chihuahuas a polished appearance. Suitable bristle brushes also gently massage the skin for short hair Chihuahuas.
  5. Be gentle and slow. Going through the steps slowly to check your chihuahua for mats, sensitive areas on the skin, or other issues with the skin and coat helps make sure your companion is comfortable and that you don’t accidentally cause pain. Brushing quickly and with force could be painful if you happen to catch a mat or you brush too deeply.

FAQ Regarding Chihuahua Brushing/Grooming

  • How often should you brush a Chihuahua? – This question depends on the type of coat your chihuahua has. In theory, every dog should be brushed once a day to prevent loose hair buildup and to get the dog used to grooming activities. Short hair chihuahuas may get some irritation if you brush every day with a powerful grip. Long hair chihuahuas need to be brushed every day without exception.Daily grooming for most dogs is a great way to bond and keep hair under control. You’ll always have a little bit of hair in your house if you have dogs, but brushing every day could help prevent hair from building up or getting matted.
  • Do Chihuahuas shed? – All dogs shed. Just like humans, they turn over hair every day in some capacity. However, most Chihuahuas only have minimal shedding, especially if they have short coats, but you will experience a little shedding.They won’t blow their coats out twice a year the way some double coated breeds are notorious for doing. They can be prone to shedding if their skin is irritated, however, so if you notice bald patches, something is seriously wrong.
  • Can you over brush a Chihuahua? – If you’re forcing the hair to come out and your chihuahua seems really uncomfortable, you could be brushing too hard. You never want to see any red or irritated skin, and if enough hair comes out that you see bald patches, that’s also a huge problem.

Gentle brushing every day is a great way to help keep things under control and should even help keep the coat healthier over time. Gentle brushing redistributes oils from the skin that can protect the coat. It massages the skin and improves the overall look of the fur. If you keep up with brushing daily, you won’t have as much issue with shedding, although we won’t see much shedding anyway from a Chihuahua.

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