Sable sheds like there's no tomorrow - I used a slicker brush and comb for years, but it didn't do enough; after using one at PetCo, I finally broke down and bought a furminator (http://www.furminator.com/). It wasn't cheap - Sable weighs over 80 pounds and the large one for big dogs was $60 - but it's paid itself back already in the time I save, because I can shed his whole coat with it in about 10 minutes instead of 30, the clean-up afterwards is easier, and he likes it better, so he's less likely to try to walk off in the middle. There are some off-brands that look similar at PetCo - whether they work the same or not I'm not sure, but the price difference was minimal, so I bought the name brand version. The one for cats is about $25, I think.
