It’s shedding season, and everyone who has shedding dogs knows it, because there’s dog hair everywhere in your house! It seems to happen suddenly and without warning. You find yourself vacuuming and sweeping up your dog’s waste nonstop, with no end in sight. So what can you do? Well, first let’s talk about why and when your dog moves. Then we’ll talk about how you can handle it.
Why does a dog shed
Everyone knows the most common reason for shedding, and that is when your dog sheds his heavy winter coat in the spring. There are a few other reasons dogs shed:
- Undisturbed adult females molt when in heat.
- Puppies change their puppy fur for their adult fur.
- Stress. Yes, just as humans can lose hair when stressed, so can dogs.
- Dry skin or damaged coat. Dogs that are bathed frequently or with a strong detergent-based shampoo can become dry and lose the natural fatty acids that help maintain a healthy, conditioned coat.
- Dogs with a medical condition, such as sarcoptic mange or a fungal infection, will lose their hair.
Keeping your dogs at bay
Let’s focus on the common causes of shedding, as they can all be treated at home with similar methods without the help of a veterinarian or groomer. Note that the seasonal moult cannot be removed; it is a natural process that no drug or treatment can stop. But you can do a few things to keep it to a minimum so you and your dog can live in harmony during their shedding period.
- Mark your calendar! Shedding is much easier to control when you know it’s coming and are prepared. Think of it as preparing for any season. A snow storm is much less stressful if you have everything you need in case it snows, right? So start looking for signs of shedding by giving your pup a good coat rub. You’ll know by the amount of fall that the glorious shedding season has begun.
- Take some time each day to brush your dog’s coat. 5 minutes or less should be enough for most dogs. Focus on the back, sides, chest, and particularly the hindquarters. Don’t have time to brush? Give your kids (or the kids in the neighborhood) an incentive by giving them extra Xbox or TV time where they can brush the most hair. But of course do it outdoors; after all, it’s the indoor hair that’s driving you crazy!
- Use the correct brush. A bristle brush won’t do much good on a dog with undercoats. Bristle brushes are best to use on short coats. Use a coat rake on really long coats (but be careful what pressure you use) or a pin-head brush (your dog’s groomer can recommend one that works best on your dog’s coat).
- Give your dog a good massage with a rubber curry brush at least once a week. Rubbing will not only relax your dog, but it will remove a lot of hair without the risk of over-brushing and damaging the skin.
- Bathe and condition your dog’s coat once a week before and during shedding season. Note: Be sure to use a conditioning shampoo in addition to a conditioning treatment after shampooing. The ones that are best are those that contain Omega3 and 6 fatty acids. There are also supplements on the market that can be added to your dog’s food that contain these acids and vitamins A and E are good for promoting a healthy coat.
- Use a peel off treatment. There are many on the market that make it easy to remove dead hair.
- Intensify your visits to the hairdresser. If you don’t have time to bathe and brush your dog, cutting his coat very short will remove a lot of hair. Your hairdresser can also provide you with a good shedding removal treatment along with your regular hairdresser for a minimal charge.