How Often Should You Brush Your Dog? A Coat-Type Guide and Autumn Cafe Prep

Have you noticed much more dog hair on the floor and sofa once autumn arrives? Dogs that shed seasonally usually shed the most in spring and autumn. Loose hair on your clothes and the floor is also a concern on days you take your dog to a cafe.

In short, brush a smooth, short coat once a week and a long, silky coat every day, and brush more often in autumn, when shedding increases. The Inucomi editorial team put this article together from materials by US and UK animal organizations and Japanese national and local governments (checked as of October 2026). By the end, you will be able to decide how often to brush your dog and what to do at home before you go out.

How often to brush depends on your dog's coat type

As a guide, brush a smooth, short coat at least once a week and a long, silky coat every day. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), most dogs need only a few brushing sessions a week, while long-coated breeds often do best with daily brushing.

Coat length and density vary even within a breed. Use the table above as a starting point and brush more often where mats tend to form (an editors' suggestion). The materials we checked do not give a guide for curly coats like a Poodle's. If your dog has a curly coat, ask the groomer who cuts its coat how often to brush (an editors' suggestion).

Autumn shedding is the switch to a winter coat, so brush more often

For dogs that shed seasonally, autumn shedding makes way for a thicker winter coat. According to the AKC, dogs lose their heavier winter coats in spring, and in autumn they shed lighter hair to make way for thicker insulation. Dogs that shed heavily may need brushing several times a week or even daily during peak shedding periods.

Dogs with thick double coats (two layers of hair), such as Golden Retrievers, are more likely to shed year-round. According to the owner version of the Merck Veterinary Manual (a veterinary reference), regular brushing is important to remove loose hair and prevent mats. It is especially important for dogs with thick or long fur.

Choose a brush for the coat, and brush gently along the lie of the hair

Choose a brush by coat type and purpose, and use every type without pressing hard.

An owners' guide by local animal welfare promoters, posted on the Yamanashi Prefecture website, explains that you should hold the brush parallel to the dog's body and brush the whole body along the lie of the hair. It says pressing too hard can hurt the skin. The AKC also recommends brushing close to the skin with gentle strokes.

Help a reluctant dog get used to brushing with a soft brush and short sessions

If your dog dislikes brushing, don't force it; build up from short sessions and rewards. According to the Hiroshima Prefectural Animal Welfare Center, forcing grooming can make a dog dislike it, so that you can no longer keep it up. Yamanashi Prefecture's guide adds that pulling hard at mats can hurt a dog and make it hate brushing.

Blue Cross in the UK recommends encouraging a nervous dog with treats and starting with short sessions of very gentle touches with a soft brush. Rewarding your dog well each time it takes part is also important. Here is an example of how to practice at home (an editors' suggestion).

1. Show your dog the brush and give a treat once it sniffs it
2. Stroke a few times down its back, where it is happy to be touched, and praise it
3. As your dog gets used to it, gradually brush more areas and for longer
4. Stop for the day before your dog shows signs of disliking it

You don't have to brush the whole body in one go. You can split it up, such as the back today and the chest tomorrow (an editors' suggestion).

On cafe days, brush at home before you set off

On days you take your dog to a cafe or restaurant, finish brushing at home before you go. In its advice on keeping pets in apartment buildings, the Ministry of the Environment's guidelines for densely populated residential areas list complaints such as dog or cat hair getting into people's meals. The guidelines are not about restaurants, but they show that some people mind hair near their food (the editors' view).

The same section asks owners to brush their pets only inside their home or in designated places. Utsunomiya City also asks owners to take care that shed hair does not fly about when brushing during the shedding season. Avoid brushing in front of a venue, on a park bench or at terrace seating (an editors' suggestion).

On the day, follow these steps in order (an editors' suggestion).

1. Check the Dog Rules section on the venue's Inucomi page to see whether you need a mat or dog manners wear (a belly band or dog diaper)
2. Finish brushing indoors at home before you leave
3. Don't wash loose hair down the drain; throw it away with the trash
4. Put a lint roller in your bag for hair on your clothes
5. At the venue, let your dog settle on your own mat, or on a cafe mat (a mat for your dog to lie on) if the venue lends them

You can test your grooming knowledge with the quiz Grooming and Hygiene Quiz: Practice. You can review what to pack for a day out with What's in Your Outing Bag? Type Diagnosis (Beginner).

To find venues that lend cafe mats, see venues with cafe mat rental.

Tonight, start by brushing your dog's back a few times and praising it.