Has Rover gotten covered in burrs? Here’s how to rescue your dog from the prickers

Gun dogs often dive headlong into rough cover during hunts. Sometimes, they come out encrusted in burrs—seed pods or flower heads with teeth or hooks that latch onto their hair.

Once entangled, these unwanted hitchhikers can poke, chafe and cut skin, putting the dog out of commission. While burrs are inevitable, learning how to properly deal with them can make sure your dog stays in the game.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

Long-haired breeds and dogs with a dense undercoat are more likely to get entangled with burrs. Short of shaving the entire dog, the pre-emptive trimming of problem areas such as toes, legs, armpits and the face can help dramatically. Applied in advance, commercial detangling sprays or spray-on cooking oil can also minimize burrs. Some dogs may lick off the oil and nullify its effectiveness, but it’s worth a shot. While most dogs will gnaw burrs off their paws, good dog boots can protect feet from burrs (and other pokey things) in the first place. While hunting, periodically check your dog for burrs to avoid large clumps.

BURR REMOVAL

Burrs vary in size from tiny blueburs to cockleburs, which can be almost an inch long. Depending on the size of the burr and your dog’s hair, you may need to use different removal tactics. Some burrs can simply be plucked out, while others require more effort. For stubborn stickers, apply a detangling oil. This softens the burrs’ hooks so they can be pulled off more easily; use a grooming comb to work the hair around the burrs until they come out. You can also get specialty combs to remove burrs. Mars Coat King Stripping Combs, for example, feature a series of blades to remove knots and burrs. Cutting the hair with scissors, meanwhile, may be the only way to remove burrs on some long-haired dogs.