Our readers keep the lights on and my morning glass full of iced black tea. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.7 Best Brush For Australian Shepherd | Dematting Without Pain

Check Price on Amazon

This slicker brush earned a direct vote of confidence from an Australian Shepherd owner in real reviews, who called it the best brush for the breed’s dense, long fur. The thin stainless steel wires are long enough to penetrate the topcoat and reach the undercoat without scraping the skin, which is critical for an Aussie’s sensitive areas like the groin and behind the legs. The 3.8” by 3.2” head covers a solid amount of surface area for a medium-large frame dog.

The wooden handle sets it apart from plastic-bodied competitors—it offers a natural, secure grip that doesn’t slide when your hands get tired during a 20-minute grooming session. The included stainless steel comb isn’t just for the dog; it’s designed to rake the trapped hair out of the brush head in seconds, which makes cleanup far less annoying than flicking fur off bent pins by hand. That comb also works well on small mats around the ears and tail.

Compared to premium slickers that cost twice as much, this Petqueen brush delivers similar undercoat removal performance at a fraction of the investment. One reviewer noted that their dog, previously resistant to brushing, now tolerates sessions without protest. The trade-off is that the pins are thin and flexible—great for comfort—but they may not be ideal for breaking up heavy, compacted mats without multiple passes over the same spot.

Check Price on Amazon

When your Australian Shepherd’s undercoat has matted into felt-like clumps, especially behind the ears and along the rear legs, the Mars Coat King is the tool that breaks through. This isn’t a slicker brush—it’s a stripping rake with 18 sharpened stainless steel blades set into a double-wide head. The blades are designed to cut through dead undercoat and small mats without pulling the healthy topcoat, which is exactly what you need when a standard brush just bounces off the tangles.

The wood handle and all-metal construction give it a heavy, substantial feel that inspires confidence. It’s the kind of tool you see in professional grooming salons, and for good reason: the action is fast. One reviewer reported filling two grocery bags of loose fur from their Golden Retriever in just 15 minutes. For an Australian Shepherd with a full winter coat, you can expect similar volume. The key is technique—use short, gentle strokes in the direction of hair growth to avoid over-stripping or irritating the skin.

Because the blades have a slight cutting edge, this tool requires a gentle hand. Pressing too hard can cause brush burn, especially on thin-skinned areas like the groin and armpits. It’s not a daily maintenance brush—it’s a weekly or bi-weekly deep-stripping tool for when the undercoat is at its peak. If you’re dealing with burrs or debris from outdoor adventures, the rounded teeth also deburr effectively without snagging the dog’s skin. This is the premium specialist tool for truly matted or shedding-heavy Aussies.

Check Price on Amazon

Andis is a name that professional groomers trust, and this fine-tooth deshedding rake brings that salon-grade standard home for Australian Shepherd owners. The teeth are spaced closely together and have fine, rounded tips that glide through the topcoat and gently lift the loose undercoat without cutting or pulling. The manufacturer claims it reduces shedding by up to 90%, and real-world reviews from Airedale, Great Pyrenees, and Golden Retriever owners confirm the results are dramatic without causing bald spots.

The polymer handle is sculpted for all-day use—it fits the hand naturally and doesn’t slip, even if your palms get sweaty during an extended session. The head is narrow enough to maneuver around the Aussie’s feathering on the legs and tail, where mats love to form. It works best when used 2–3 times per week for 5–10 minutes, targeting the flanks, back, and rear. One reviewer noted that this rake gets deeper than the popular Furminator, and their dog actually enjoys the process rather than trying to escape.

The primary limitation is that it’s a rake, not a slicker brush, so it won’t smooth out tangles or give the coat a polished finish. You’ll still need a slicker brush for final grooming and to work on the legs and head. Also, the fine teeth can be a little too aggressive on thin-skinned sensitive areas if you press too hard—use light strokes and pull the skin taut before raking over loose skin folds. For maintenance deshedding, this is the tool that removes the most fur with the least stress.

Check Price on Amazon

This kit arrives in a neat purple package that includes a large slicker brush, a wooden grooming comb, and a flea comb—a practical starter bundle for any Australian Shepherd owner. The slicker brush features long, dense stainless steel pins that are long enough to reach the undercoat on a double-coated breed. The manufacturer specifies that this brush is intended for long-haired pets only, and the reviews back that up: owners of Goldendoodles, Poodles, and Australian Shepherds report excellent mat removal and smoothing performance.

The wooden handle on both the brush and the comb gives a warm, tactile grip that’s more comfortable than plastic. The flea comb deserves special mention—it has a long wooden handle that lets you crush fleas against it easily, but its primary use for Aussie owners is cleaning out the slicker brush. One pass with the comb through the pins removes all the trapped fur in seconds, keeping the brush effective throughout the session. The three-piece design means you get a detangling tool, a finished smoothing tool, and a brush cleaner all in one purchase.

Some users noted that the pins are sharp and flexible—effective for mat removal, but they require a gentle hand on sensitive dogs. The combo is also on the larger side, which is fine for a medium to large Aussie but might feel bulky for small dogs or precise work around the face. If you’re looking for a single purchase that covers daily brushing, detangling, and coat finishing without buying separate products, this kit delivers strong value. The packaging is also gift-worthy if you’re buying for a fellow Aussie owner.

Check Price on Amazon

What sets the NeatHoiho slicker brush apart is its pin length—each pin is roughly 1 inch long, which is 50% longer than a standard slicker brush. For an Australian Shepherd with a dense, medium-length double coat, that extra reach is the difference between skimming the top and actually pulling the loose undercoat from the skin level. The pins are bent at a 45-degree angle, which helps them grab and lift tangles without scratching the dog’s skin.

The brush head has a retractable cushion pad that gives a little under pressure, protecting the dog from hard pin impact while still allowing the pins to penetrate deep. The included heavy-duty metal comb is strong enough to work through small mats on the legs and ears, and it doubles as a brush-cleaning tool. The ergonomic handle has a slip-resistant rubber coating that reduces hand fatigue—critical for the 15–20 minutes an Aussie coat demands. One reviewer with a Pomeranian with a rough puppy coat said this brush saved them hours of effort compared to their previous slicker.

The downsides are minor but worth noting: the rubber grip can attract pet hair over time, and the cushion pad makes the brush feel slightly less solid than a rigid-head design. Also, the 1-inch pins are long enough to reach the undercoat, but they may not have enough rigidity to break through heavy, compacted mats in a single pass. For routine weekly grooming and light detangling, this brush is a clear winner that balances depth, comfort, and affordability.

Check Price on Amazon

The GENPEPADO undercoat rake uses a clever dual-sided head to tackle two stages of grooming in one tool. One side has 9 wide-spaced teeth designed for breaking up stubborn mats and tangles—the extra space between teeth lets the rake pull through thick clumps without clogging. The other side has 17 closely spaced teeth for finer deshedding and thinning work, grabbing the loose undercoat that the wide side might miss. This two-step approach is particularly effective on Australian Shepherds, where the topcoat is coarse and the undercoat is dense.

The stainless steel teeth have rounded outer tips that glide over the skin without irritation, and the inner edges are sharpened to cut through mats without yanking. The TPR (thermoplastic rubber) handle is soft, lightweight, and shaped to prevent slipping, even when your hands are wet from a bath. It weighs just 4.66 ounces, so you won’t feel fatigue after working through a full coat. One verified reviewer called it a “must have for double coated dogs” and noted that it removes large amounts of hair in a single sweep without tangling or pulling.

That said, the larger teeth are undeniably sharp—if you press too hard or use an aggressive angle, you can scratch the dog’s skin. The rake works best when you use long, gentle strokes following the direction of hair growth. Also, because it’s a rake and not a slicker brush, it won’t smooth the topcoat for a show-ready finish. But for removing loose undercoat before bath time or during heavy shedding seasons, this dual-sided rake is a highly effective and affordable tool that fills a specific gap in your grooming kit.

Check Price on Amazon

The Hertzko slicker brush is built around a single convenience feature that makes it stand out: a push-button retraction mechanism that pulls the bristles back into the brush head, letting you wipe off the collected fur in one clean motion. After a long grooming session with an Australian Shepherd, that feature alone saves you minutes of picking hair off bent pins. The fine, angled bristles are gentle enough for sensitive skin while being effective at removing loose hair and tangles from both the topcoat and undercoat.

The comfort grip handle is contoured to fit the hand, reducing strain during extended brushing. At 3.2 ounces, it’s the lightest brush on this list, which makes it a good option for owners with arthritis or wrist issues. The bristles are soft enough that most dogs tolerate it well—even a notoriously brush-averse cat tolerated it for the first time in five years according to one review. For an Australian Shepherd, it works well for quick daily maintenance between deeper grooming sessions with an undercoat rake or dematting tool.

The trade-off for the self-cleaning mechanism is that the plastic construction feels less durable than an all-metal or wood-handled brush. Some reviewers noted that the brush feels “a little cheap” in the hand, though it has held up fine during regular use. Additionally, the bristles, while gentle, may not have enough rigidity to penetrate a very dense winter undercoat in a single pass—you may need to brush the same area twice to pull all the loose fur. It’s a solid entry-level or backup brush, but for heavy shedding, pair it with a more aggressive tool from this list.