About a year ago, the owner of my neighborhood pet store showed me a dog brush they’d gotten in, the FURminator. I was indifferent–it was just a dog brush. Then the owner loaded up an online video showing the brush swiftly removing from a golden retriever a pile of fur bigger than the dog itself. I was floored. Even though shedding had never been a major problem with Penny, my pitifully short-haired pit bull, I had to have that miracle brush.

I brought Penny into the shop to try the FURminator on her–nothing. She just didn’t have enough fur for the brush to make any difference.