Brushing a puppy....

Yes, brush him!  It's not just a matter of shedding, brushing stimulates the oil production in his skin, which will help keep both skin and coat in good condition.  It's also a good bonding exercise and gets your pup used to you handling him.  I groomed my lab so often when he was very young that he now goes and stares at his grooming tools (he can see them but not reach them) when he wants to be brushed.  Some dogs really love being groomed, some don't, but it's a very good idea to get them used to it when they are young, whether they enjoy it or not.  Even the ones that aren't thrilled about it do quickly learn to put up with it.
 
Brush him, and sooner rather than later.  The longer you leave it, the harder it will get to brush him at all. 
 
The 3 tools I have, which I am sure work for longer haired breeds as well, are a slicker brush, a "zoom groom" (available at any pet store) and a rubber grooming glove.  If you're having difficulty brushing him at all right now, try giving him a bath and using puppy conditioner (not human stuff)...brush through his coat while the conditioner is it, and that should make it easier.  Brush him again while dry, and then keep up a grooming routine.
 
Hope that helps!
 
Kate

I strongly agree with getting your puppy used to grooming early.   It will make your life so much easier.

Hmm.... an idea I had is that if you can't get a brush through his fur, then maybe you could spray some detangler on it (such as horses' mane and tail detangler/conditioner) and then brush it. It would keep his fur shiny, too, and I don't think it would harm his skin at all. I've never tried it though, my dogs have easy coats to brush. Just a funny idea I had. After you put the detangler on it, you probably shouldn't have to do it again frequently as long as you brush it often, every day or every other day, I'd say. The mane and tail detangler really does work though! I've used it on my horses, and my hiefer ( the cow I showed at the fair), and I've wanted to use some on my own hair because I love the smell of the kind we get []