How does the Automatic Dog Brush work, and what can I use it for?
Brushing is an integral part of grooming, and should be done daily in an ideal world. Many of us struggle to find the time to give our furry friends a full brush out everyday, and the importance of maintaining coat condition can be easily overlooked.
Whether you are a professional groomer brushing and clipping dogs all day long, or a home user with one or two furry friends, the ADB (Automatic Dog Brush) can help you save time and energy while keeping your dogs coat in tip-top shape.
What is the ADB Petite?
The ADB Petite (short for Automatic Dog Brush) is an automatic slicker brush for pets, designed by Labradoodle breeders Hans and Nanja de Koning, developed and produced in the Netherlands.
The brush features an automated conveyer belt with 72 rows of soft pins that continuously pass over the coat, brushing out any knots or tangles in it's path. Due to the continuous movement and the high number of brush pins, this brush is able to achieve around 400-500 brush strokes in just one minute!
When you manually brush with a traditional slicker brush, on average you can do around 60 brush strokes per minute, however this decreases after the first 10-20 minutes, as your arms become fatigued.
The ADB allows you to brush a larger area of fur in much less time, while using less energy and expending less effort.
Does it work on matted dogs?
Yes! The ADB can brush out matts, and does so safely.
The brush belt is placed at an angle to the skin for maximum efficiency. The row of pins closest to the skin will lift a few hairs up away from the skin and will detangle these hairs. The next row of pins will do the same, as will the following rows. The brush doesn't pull, tug or cut the hair, and detangling is done with minimal damage.
To remove matts, you simply lift up the matted coat with your free hand and hold the coat and the skin in place. Then you place the ADB on the coat, and let the unit brush away a few hairs from under your hand (away from the matt). Once the first section has been brushed out, you can place the brush a little bit higher and again, let it brush away a few hairs from under your hand. You can continue this way throughout the coat until you have removed all the matting.
Here's a video of the ADB in action! Watch how it removes the matts on a labradoodle:
Does it work on Double Coated dogs?
Yes, the ADB Petite works just as well on double coated dogs! The slicker pins work to remove any knots and tangles in the coat, as well as any loose undercoat. Due to the excess undercoat that is removed, a double coated dog will clog the brush faster than a non-shed dog, however, you can use the flexible hose to connect the brush to a vacuum cleaner so the hair is sucked away as soon as its removed from the coat.
If the coat is very dense or matted, you will need to brush the coat in layers to avoid activating the brushes safety mechanism.
Here you can see the ADB Petite being used on a Eurasian Spitz:
Is it safe?
Yes, the ADB Petite brush is safe for use on pets, and tested on humans!
The pins on the brush belt don't pass the clipper housing, so you can hold the brush on your hand while its on and the pins will not touch your skin. This means there is no chance for brush burn when brushing your pet with this method.
In this video, you can see the ADB being used on human hair before using it on a dog:
When brushing ears, tails and over joints, we do recommend using caution and avoid brushing the same spot for longer than 3 seconds. Protruding bones can cause the skin to be raised higher than other areas, which may cause discomfort to your pet if using the ADB for extended periods of time in the same area. If the hair on your dogs ears or tail is very long, this can be pulled into the brush belt.
If this should happen, the ADB has a safety mechanism which will immediately turn off the brush to prevent any injury to your pet. The safety mechanism may also be activated if you are brushing a large section of matting, as a matted coat needs to be brushed out in small sections.
This is what happens when the safety mechanism is activated:
Does it work on Cats?
Yes, the ADB Petite brush does work on cats and will remove both matting and undercoat. As cats skin is very delicate, it is especially important to be careful when brushing bony areas, such as the center of the spine and the hips, to avoid any discomfort or irritation.
Here you can see the ADB being used on a cat
How do you clean it?
The ADB is easy to clean and disinfect. To do this, you will unclip the brush housing and remove the brush belt. On the side of the brush belt, there is a small black switch. When you switch this, the belt will loosen and you can remove the belt from the conveyer. To remove the hair, you can simply pull of the hair from the pins, as shown in this video:
What is the Flexible Hose for?
You can purchase the ADB Petite either with or without a flexible hose. This hose will attach onto your Auto Brush and to your vacuum cleaner. When you brush with the vacuum attached, any hair that is removed will be instantly sucked into your vacuum cleaner, which prevents excess hair building up in the brush and saves you time unclogging and cleaning the belt later.
The vacuum attachment will also lift the hairs as it brushes, lifting dirt, dander and fine hairs up and away with it. A great choice for those with pet dander allergies/sensitivities, or when your dog is looking a little dusty but its not quite bath time yet!
Here's a demonstration of the ADB Petite with Flexible Hose being used on a Labradoodle: