How To Remove Burrs From Your Dog's Fur

Burrs are seed pods with hooks or teeth that can cling to clothing or hair. They can attach to any dog but are more likely to become tangled in the fur of dogs with longer coats or dense undercoats.

Although burrs can lodge anywhere, they tend to cause the most trouble when they do so on your dog's butt, in the area under their armpit, tail, earflap, or the space between their toes.

The teeth on burrs are sharp enough to make little cuts which can irritate the skin and become infected. If your dog gets burrs on them, you'll need gloves, a wide-toothed metal comb, and cooking spray to remove them safely.

After putting on your gloves, begin with burrs that appear to be the least knotted. Pull the fur away gently from the burr while keeping your hand between the skin and the burr to prevent it from falling over and reattaching.

Cooking oil can lubricate your dog's coat if it's dense. Cooking oil is a better choice because your dog will want to lick everything after you're done, and it's safer to consume a little canola oil rather than products containing chemicals.

You can use the wide-toothed comb to get between the skin and fur as you remove burr fragments. Make sure to comb away from the root, just as when trying to untangle your hair, to prevent pulling on your dog's skin.