Short coats do well on once or twice a week. Long haired and double coated breeds need three or four sessions a week, and daily attention through shedding season. Frequent short sessions beat one long one every time.

Short coats respond best to a rubber curry brush or a grooming glove. Medium and long coats need a slicker to work through tangles. Double coated breeds such as Huskies, Golden Retrievers and Indian Spitz need a dedicated deshedding tool that reaches past the topcoat.

Cap the first few sessions at two minutes, begin on the shoulders and back where they already enjoy being touched, and finish with a treat every time without exception. Leave paws, belly and tail until they're relaxed about the rest. Consistency counts for more than duration.

Not when it's used properly. Work in the direction of hair growth with light pressure and stop as soon as you're no longer lifting loose hair. Bearing down hard or going over the same patch repeatedly can irritate the skin, so let the tool do the work for you.

Take only the tip, staying well clear of the pink quick that's visible in light coloured nails. On dark nails, remove small amounts at a time and stop once a pale oval appears at the cut surface. Clippers with a safety guard help, and keeping styptic powder within reach is sensible insurance.