Shedzilla~ Does it work?

Furminator

Mars Coat King

shedzilla

I have to confess and I am hoping that there is some type of Al-a-non program for non professional groomers who suffer with the addiction of  wanting professional grooming tools such as myself!  We should call it ‘Al-a-dog.’  I am sure would still be on step 1 of a 12 step program!

Let’s face it, I am a prude when it comes to the dog grooming products that I keep inside my dog grooming bag. After all don’t most  non professional dog owning people have their own grooming bag? And doesn’t everyone wait anxiously for Christmas morning to find that new dog grooming product under the tree? You know, the one you always wanted but thought too expensive?  Oh sure, to most it’s no new kitchen aid blender, but hey, in my world grooming tools rock!

In my last blog article, assuming you follow my blog, you read about PuppyTweets  for dogs (made by Mattel). But in case you missed it, PuppyTweets is a device that sends you tweets via Twitter when your dog moves.  As if I were not delirious enough with that find at Ollies bargain outlet store, there were yet even more products to delight me!

 As I stood next to the PuppyTweets, a brilliant bright light overtook my vision and I awaited to hear the sweet sound of choral voices singing,  “Aaaaaa~Haaaa!”  And when the light ceased and I once again became of sound mind, I saw before me an array of Oster products! Oster is one of the most commonly used dog razors used by groomers and Vets, and they sport a good name as far as dog products go. 

  Oh my tail was just a waggin’ as I knew I had just hit the dog lover’s jackpot!

“Peter! Peter! Bring the cart!” I shouted as I put my arms out preventing any other humans from entering that aisle!

Amongst the items I picked up to examine was the Shedzilla.  Hmmm, the wheels in my brain started churning. Was this akin to the Furminator which I saw in use at the fair? Because I was not impressed with the Furminator, not for my big dogs.  

I picked up the Shedzilla, then put it down, then picked it up, then put it down again.  Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, is as good of a tool as the Mars Coat King that sits in my protected well hidden grooming bag. I paid a whopping $40.00 for that product and have recommended it a thousand times over to many people!  

 This particular Shedzilla package I was eyeing up had a picture of a cat on it so I thought maybe it is specific to cats, even though no where on the package did it state that it was strictly for cats. 

 How much of a nuclear scientist did I need to be to determine whether it was also for dogs? I finally found the word “Pet” on the package which made me think it was universal!

     I don’t own cats and I have nothing against them I just have too many dogs that would like to eat them!

So for the price of $9.99 I figured I’d buy it, and if it were just for cats I could wrap it up and give it to my son who does own a cat.

 Later in the month I did  a little internet searching and  found that Wal-Mart also sells Shedzilla for $19.99 and there are some packages with a picture of a dog on the front, so it might be pet specific but that didn’t stop me, oh no, I went full fledge ahead and scoured out victims to test it on.

My victims:

 Emma was the first victim I tried this product on. I had recently given her a light shave and she looked like she had mange because her under coat suddenly stuck out all over the place. She did well with the Shedzilla brushing, as did the others who are very used to my torturing ways! Abby, Emma’s mom, was the second victim, her coat had been shaved down by a professional last year and was neither too long nor too short.   Also Abby happened to be cleaning Emma’s ears at the time I was brushing Emma so she became a prime target for a pounce! Hey, I do not discriminate in this house! All dogs are treated in whatever order they lay in!

  The remaining victims: Steeler , Casey, and Bentley. Steeler’s coat is much longer and thicker as he is not usually shaved down, (well until a couple nights ago when I did shave part of his back!)  Casey is not a Newfoundland like the others but a Golden Retriever, and I might add the best damn Golden Retriever in the world! Casey’s coat is vastly different than each of my Newf’s coats.  The last victim was Bentley, the daddy Newfoundland of all, who had undergone a shave down from the groomer two weeks ago so that he looks more like a Lab than a Newfoundland. Bentley hardly paid any attention to me while I tortured the others. I guess he thought his torture of products was done since he had little hair  left!

Before I go on, let me be clear here so as not to upset real groomers. I do know that the dogs should not be shaved completely down, especially since their coats help them to not only keep heat in but also act as cooling system. If my dogs were outside dogs they would not be shaved. But they are inside the home with me always and in a climate controlled atmosphere going out for potty reasons only!     

I had heard from other people who own short haired breeds such as Labradors that they like the Furminator better than the Shedzilla and I can understand why. Personally the Furminator would not work well for me.   If you look at the teeth on a Furminator they are straight, if you look at the teeth on the Shedzilla  that I purchased, they are curved. There is not enough hair on some dog breeds to get curved teeth through.

(Anyone going through the Al-a-dog 12 step program would see this on maybe step 2, after their excitement of the product wore off! )

My verdict on the Shedzilla after using it on five dogs with various hair growths and fur thickness is that I would agree with this product not working as well as the Furminator for a really short haired dog.  

That being said and though I thought I would NEVER, EVER say this, the Shedzilla  is comparable to the Mars Coat King as far as a de-shedding tool. The differences I found between my beloved Mars Coat King and the Shedzilla that I purchased, is that the Mars Coat King comes in many widths to cover different dog sizes, for me a Mars 12 double wide is used to cover a larger body area. When it comes to comfort for the human though, the Shedzilla’s handle is much easier to grip and more comfortable than my Mars Coat King. My Coat King has a thin wooden handle which can cause cramping in your hand after use especially if you have arthritis. The Shedzilla has a wider better shaped plastic grip which makes it more comfortable to use and it is less likely to slip out of your hand.

The job it did on all my dogs aside from Bentley whose hair was Labrador like, was comparable to the Mars Coat King and I would give the Shedzilla a four paws up, but for use on those dogs whose fur has some substance to it.

You can see the video on my tortured dogs here and pardon my New York accent as I pronounced Oster as Osta!  fagedaboudit!    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lNGcHzH60E&feature=youtu.be

Here you can find information on how to pick the right Mars Coat King for your Breed should you want to try that product http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/grooming/marsguide.htm