Best Brush for Chihuahua

The best brush for Chihuahua can detangle and remove dead hair.

Typically it should have soft or rubberized bristles that won’t scratch or abrade your pet’s skin.

The type of brush you use will also depend on whether your Chi is long-haired or short-haired.

Based on all these factors, we have 5 top picks for you to choose from. These choices are recommended by real Chihuahua owners, so go ahead and select them with confidence!

Just in case you are in a hurry, click on our short summary below to view our Top 5 reviewed products for the best brush for Chihuahua:

1. Our Editor’s Pick: Groomer's Best Small Slicker Brush for Small Dogs
2. Best Brush for Short Hair Chihuahua: Glendan Dog Slicker Grooming Brush
3. Best Brush for Long Hair Chihuahua: Furminator Undercoat DeShedding Brush
4. Best Budget Brush for Chihuahua: Coastal - Li'l Pals - Dog Slicker Brush with Coated Tips
5. Best Deshedding Brush for Chihuahua: SleekEZ Deshedding Grooming Tool for Short & Long Haired Dogs

Best Brush for Chihuahua – 2022 Top 5 Picks

1.  Our Editor’s Pick: Groomer's Best Small Slicker Brush for Small Dogs

Groomer’s Best Slicker brush from Hartz’s is ideal for use on small dogs like your Chi because it detangles matted hair gently without causing any pain to your pet.

Its rubberized bristle tips also gently massage your pet’s skin to stimulate natural oils, giving your pet a healthier and shinier coat.

You will love Groomer’s Slicker brush for its thin bristles that smoothly slide in and out of short or long hair without hurting your delicate Chi. Moreover, its ergonomically designed handle will reduce the fatigue on your hands.

Furthermore, this brush has breather-holes to ensure a smoother and gentler brushing action so your pet will look forward to its daily or weekly grooming sessions!

In other words, Hartz’s grooming slicker brush is the only tool you’d need for everyday de-shedding of your small fur-baby.

What we like about it

• This slicker brush is developed by professional groomers for small dogs like Chihuahua
• Gently and effectively de-sheds your pet without pain
• Thin bristles are suitable for long and short-coated Chis.

What we don’t like

• Not easy to get the trapped hair out.

2. Best Brush for Short Hair Chihuahua: Glendan Dog Slicker Grooming Brush

Glendan dog brush has a small brushing area of 2.36 x 2.36 inches. This width is perfect for grooming small dogs like Chihuahuas.

However, the best part of the Glendan dog brush is its 360-degree rotating head.

This rotating feature allows different orientations that are very handy while brushing your tiny Chi’s neck, face, and belly area.

Furthermore, it’s thin and short bristles slide in and out of short coats with ease while massaging its skin with protected bristle tips.

Glendan brush also has a long and comfortable, anti-slip handle of 6.3 inches that makes it very easy to quickly brush out small pets without tiring out the users’ hands.

What we like about it

• Short surface with rotating feature ideal for small Chis
• Comfortable, durable, anti-slip handle

What we don’t like

• No self-cleaning feature.

3.  Best Brush for Long Hair Chihuahua: Furminator Undercoat DeShedding Brush

Furminator undercoat brush is specially designed for dogs weighing less than 25lb with long-haired coats.

Firstly, it comes with a short width that is perfect for small bodies. Its ‘teeth’ are also curved slightly to conform to your pet’s natural body shape.

Secondly, its de-shedding stainless-steel toothed surface gently reaches the undercoat to remove dead and loose hairs without hurting your pet or damaging its top coat.

Thirdly, and most importantly, Furminator features the EdgeGuard® technology that prevents digging at the edges and eliminates pain, scratches, and abrasion.

And finally, you are going to love this tool’s ‘ejector’ button which makes releasing trapped hairs so much easier!

What we like about it

• Highly rated grooming tool especially made for small dogs with long hair
• Safe and easy to use
• Curved edge for comfortable, painless, and efficient hair removal
• Ejector button for easy hair removal

What we don’t like

• Some units do not trap fine or wispy hairs – they fly around making cleanup a hassle.

Also Read: Long Haired Chihuahua Grooming – Everything You Need to Know

4. Best Budget Brush for Chihuahua: Coastal - Li'l Pals - Dog Slicker Brush with Coated Tips

Coastal Lil’ Pals slicker brush is specially made for small and petite sized pets since its width is just 4.9 inches. This gives a good coverage and lets you cover a wider area on your pet’s body.

In addition to a shorter width, this economical grooming brush is also equipped with flexible wire bristles that glide easily along your pet’s natural contour.

As a result, you can quickly and efficiently remove mats and tangles and even capture loose/stray hairs.

Each bristle is also covered with protective tips that gently massage the skin and coat without hurting your delicate pet.

What we like about it

• Perfect for small and petite dogs
• Made with high-quality flexible wire pins with safety plastic tips
• Easy to use, clean, and remove trapped hairs
• Economical

What we don’t like

• Bristles bend after a while.

5.  Best Deshedding Brush for Chihuahua: SleekEZ Deshedding Grooming Tool for Short & Long Haired Dogs

Sleek EZ is considered as the world’s best de-shedding tool – it comes in various sizes for different dog breeds.

The 2.5-inch brush is ideal for small dogs and it comfortable fits round your petite pet’s natural contour.

SleekEZ de-shedding tool has a patented wave pattern on its stainless-steel blade. This gently removes loose, stray hairs without tugging painfully or causing any pain to your pet.

You will love the fact this de-shedding brush is made in the USA itself with non-toxic materials like polar wood.

In addition to this, your hand will have a better grip on the brush due to its unique oval shape. This prevents the tool from slipping while also reducing user-fatigue while grooming.

Furthermore, cleanup is easy with SleekEZ tool as the brush captures all of the loose hairs and prevents them from falling to the ground.

Last but not the least: this brush can be used not only on your pet’s coat but also on bed, sofas, upholstered furniture, and your clothes to remove the stray and loose hairs.

What we like about

• Small size specially for small pets
• Controls shedding of pet hair all over your house and furniture
• 100% USA made
• Patented wave pattern for painless hair removal
• Easy to use, clean, and remove trapped hair

What we don’t like

• Wooden part is slightly rough and unpolished.

Long Hair vs. Short Hair Chihuahua Grooming

Understanding the difference between long and short haired Chihuahuas can help you make the right decisions while purchasing grooming tools.

Many people choose the short-haired Chi variety thinking that it will save them grooming troubles.

This isn’t the case since both short and long-haired Chis shed seasonally.

In fact, the short haired breed can sometimes shed even more than the long-haired one.

This does not mean that the long-haired ones don’t shed at all – both breeds do!

The amount of shedding mainly depends on the season, your pet’s hormones, and heat cycles in unsprayed females, your pet’s diet, and overall health profile.

Here are some features of grooming short and long-haired Chis:

Grooming Your Short Haired Chihuahua

In order to groom your short-haired Chihuahua, you’d need a slicker brush, a bristle brush, and a de-shedding tool. You can also use a de-shedding grooming glove or a two-sided grooming brush.

These tools gently reach the undercoat and remove the dead and loose hairs there without damaging the top coat.

(Please note that your short-haired dog might not always have a double coat. Many short-haired Chis are known to have single coats only.)

In case your Chihuahua has a single coat, then too a slicker brush is the best grooming tool.

Whichever style of brush you choose, make sure it has a shorter width to firmly grip the natural contours of your pet’s body.

A slicker brush with a rotating head (listed above) can also help ease the grooming process because it covers a wider area and moves and glides easily over your small pet’s neck, tummy, and face with ease.

The key to grooming is to reach down to your pet’s skin and move the brush upwards and outwards.

This will bring out all of the loose hairs and also stimulate the natural oils in your pet’s skin.

Regular grooming will help your pet develop a shinier and healthier coat.

Grooming Your Long-haired Chihuahuas

The key to grooming a long-haired Chihuahua is to reach its undercoat and skin without harming the long silky hair in the topcoat.

You can use a pin brush, a slicker brush, a de-matting brush and a comb for grooming your long-haired beauty.

Make sure that these brushes have rounded tips covered with protective covers that won’t hurt your pet’s skin or pull its hair.

Long-haired Chihuahuas are prone to matting and tangling of their feathered hair present on the back of the legs, on the ears, behind the ears, and in between the paws.

Therefore, you must groom your pet regularly and, if needed, trim the longer hair in areas that are prone to matting.

How to Choose the Best Brush for Chihuahua?

Here are some factors to consider when selecting grooming brushes for your Chihuahua:

A) Matches the length and texture of your pet’s coat

Select a brush that matches your short or long-haired pet’s coat length.

For long-haired Chis, you can use a brush with slightly longer bristles.

Conversely, select a brush with shorter bristles or teeth for your short-haired pet.

Softer bristles are ideal for pets with silky coats while thicker and slightly rougher bristles would work better on short, rough coats.

B) Has a short width

Avoid wider brushes as they would extend outside your small and petite pet’s body.

In general, look for a brush-head width ranging between 2.5 to 5 inches in case of rectangular slicker brushes and de-shedding tools.

C) Has protective rubber tips

Always look for brushes having bristles with protective rubberized coverings.

These help the brush glide easily on your pet’s skin without scratching, abrading, or causing ‘brush burns’.

Rubber-protected tips also gently massage your pet’s skin to stimulate the natural oils and give your pet a shinier and healthier coat.

D) Is easy to clean

Opt for grooming brushes and combs that securely hold the trapped loose and wispy hairs until you can discard it appropriately.

Some brushes can make it very difficult to remove the hair caught at the bottom. To avoid that, you can opt for brushes with the ejector button that brings up the hair trapped at the root of the bristles.

E) Has an ergonomically designed handle

Grooming brushes should have comfortable handles that are easy to grip and also anti-slip and ergonomically designed.

The brush should not fall while grooming your pet. Besides, its gripping area should be soft and comfortable for your hands.

In short, look for a tool that won’t cause any pain or fatigue on your hands especially if you have to groom for prolonged periods.

Also Read: Best Shampoo for Chihuahua

How Often Should you Brush your Chihuahua?

Both breeds of Chihuahuas need regular grooming to maintain their coat, prevent parasites, mats, tangles, and keep it clean and healthy.

For both breeds, keep the grooming session short and do not brush too hard or roughly as that can damage your pet’s coat.

Long-haired Chihuahuas

Brush your longer haired Chihuahua at least 4-5 times a week.

This will help you remove mats and tangles before they worsen.

It is important to brush your pet daily during its seasonal shedding season to prevent hair all over the place.

Short-haired Chihuahas

You can brush your short-coated Chi 3 times a week.

This will help you trap dead hair and also stimulate the natural oils in its coat for a shinier and smoother coat.

How to Brush your Chihuahua?

Short-coat Chihuahua Grooming Steps

1. Brush firmly with a medium soft brush recommended above. You can also use a de-shedding or grooming glove.
2. Brush in the direction of hair growth but with an outward and upward movement to bring out the dead undercoat.
3. Do not irritate your pet’s skin but make sure that the bristles massage the skin well.
4. You can use a soft, damp cloth afterwards to remove leftover stray hairs.

Long-haired Chihuahua Grooming Steps

1. Brush firmly yet gently in the direction of hair growth.
2. Brush the hair from the bottom and not just the top coat.
3. Pay special attention to the feathering or long hair on the ears, chest, legs, and tails because it is prone to matting.
4. You can use a comb to put the feathering in order after you finish brushing.

FAQs on Best Brush for Chihuahua

Do Chihuahuas need to be brushed?

Yes, both the short-haired and long-haired varieties need regular brushing.

Both varieties shed their coats seasonally, so you must make it a point to brush out the dead hair. Regular brushing is also important for stimulating your pet’s natural skin oils.

Besides this, regular grooming sessions can help you foster a loving bond with your pet.

How do you stop a Chihuahua from shedding?

Shedding in dogs is normal and even necessary to maintain their coats.

However, unseasonal and excess or abnormal shedding is something you need to bring to your vet’s attention.

Besides regular grooming, you can do the following to prevent excess shedding in your Chi:

Feed it a high-quality nutritious diet

Your Chihuahua needs balanced amount of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and omega essential fatty acids in its diet to prevent excess shedding.

Consult your vet to decide on the right diet for your pet.

You can also check out our guide on the Best Dog Food for Chihuahuas.

Feed it coat-nourishing supplements

You can also feed your pet skin and coat nourishing supplements. These mostly contain herbs, vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids.

They help curb allergies and prevent skin issues and nutritional deficiencies that can cause excess shedding.

Treat underlying health issues

Many times, unseasonal, excess shedding can stem from fungal infections, liver or kidney disease, endocrine issues, hormonal imbalance, and even certain cancers.

See your vet to rule out these health problems.

Conclusion

The best brush for Chihuahua can get rid of loose and stray hairs, mats, tangles, parasites, and dandruff.

It can also massage your pet’s skin to keep it healthy, clean, shiny, and soft.

We recommend the Groomer’s Best Slicker Brush from Hartz as it is suitable for both long and short-haired Chihuahuas and is the number choice of professional groomers.

Do check out our other recommendations as well.