Dog Hair Shedding

Shedding is a natural loss of hair in dogs that allows the new coat to come in. All dogs shed; some more then others. There is no such thing as a non-shedding dog, unless you have a completely hairless dog, such as the American Hairless Terrier, however shedding varies greatly from breed to breed.

The majority of breeds that are considered “very light shedders” are usually the breeds that need to be clipped, stripped and/or scissored. Because their hair falls out at a much slower rate, if they are not properly groomed they are prone to matting.

Some breeds have a seasonal shedding season in the spring, as their winter coats are lost. But if your dog is an indoor dog it may not be outside enough for the dog’s body to register the change of season, so he may shed all year round. Today dogs are bred mostly as companions and some breeds are not meant to live outdoors, so do not start leaving your dog outside all day long in hopes to stop the shedding. Longhaired dogs may appear to shed more, but it is really just the length of their hair that gives that illusion.

What can you do to reduce shedding?
Some dogs shed a lot. What can you do to help get the hair loss under control? Grooming is the key. Keeping in mind that the hair is going to fall out either way and it is best to remove it yourself and throw it in the trash, then to let the hair fall out naturally all over your house. The more hair YOU remove the less you will see it all over your house. Brushing your dog once a day will greatly reduce the unwanted hair all over your clothes, carpet and furniture, especially during shedding season. .

There are products that can help you remove all the dead hair in a few grooming sessions, leaving less hair to fall out inside your house. During the shedding season, if you do not remove the shedding winter coat, you will most likely see it falling all out all over your house for about a period of a month or so.

There are physical problems that can cause large, abnormal amounts of shedding such as ringworm, skin infections, stress, mange and cancer. It is not normal for your dogs coat to thin as the dog gets older. If your dog’s hair loss is abnormal you will see bald spots. If you see bald spots or you think your dog is shedding abnormally, take your dog to the vet.

Stop Dog Shedding

Dog’s hair looks good only on the dog itself. Nobody wants to see it on their sofa, carpet, or anywhere else in their home. Unfortunately though, dog shedding is a natural part of almost every dog’s life and it’s happens during the spring and summer season. If you own a dog, it is vital to know how to stop dog shedding, before it turns into a bigger problem for your household.

Even if you can’t stop dog shedding completely, there are several shedding dog solutions that may help you to decrease the amount of hair your dog sheds. Dog shedding occurs through out the year at dogs living inside, but most of the shedding comes in the spring months, when your dog is dropping his coat. Dog shedding also happens because of broken or damaged hair. Different kinds of allergies are another reason why some dogs are excessively shedding.

A simple but effective solution that helps you to stop dog shedding is to brush your dog once in a few days, or if he’s shedding excessively, you should brush him every day. Also, don’t forget to comb, in order to eliminate the dead hair. A head to tail brushing in each direction will make a big difference.

Special grooming gloves can be found at most pet stores. These shedding gloves are surfaced with plastic or rubber teeth, designed to eliminate the loose hair. Another good idea is to get your canine a nice haircut. It will not stop the shedding, but the lost hair will be shorter and less in quantity. Depending on the haircut, it could be unnoticeable.

Clean your pooch regularly and make him take a bath from time to time, especially in summer times. Keeping your dog clean and healthy means a better coat for him, hence that will stop dog shedding.

Coping with Shedding Dogs

We all love our dogs, but there is no denying that we are often presented with aspects of dog keeping that are very problematic in nature. One such dog problem that is impossible to escape is that of dog shedding. Almost every breed of dogs shed hair. Some shed more than the others, but non-shedding dogs are a myth. This is because shedding is the only way dogs can get rid of their dead skin cells. When they lose one coat, they also lose all the dead skin cells on their fur. Since some breeds of dogs do not have too much hair to begin with, their shedding is so negligible that they are referred to as non-shedding dogs.

Most dogs that shed heavily are those that have a very heavy coat of fur. Dogs need thick coats if they live in regions that have very cold climatic conditions. The fur is their protection against the coldness of the weather. But, as summer arrives, this thick coat is no longer required and dogs tend to shed. There are some breeds of dogs that do have a relatively thick coat of fur, but they are so delicate that they need the protection of the fur all year long. Dogs like poodles and labradoodles do not shed heavily despite having thick coats and are also clubbed with the group of non-shedding dogs.

In many cases, having dog fur all over the house is an unpleasant aspect of owning dogs. Some breeds of dog continue to shed hair despite regular grooming, which includes bathing and brushing. Such breeds of dogs can cause a number of problems to dog owners. The first issue is that of hygiene. Dogs have been all over the place and their fur comes in contact with the grass, ground, mud, dust, etc. All these particles cling to their fur, and when the dog sheds they get deposited on articles around the house along with the hair. Additionally, dogs that lick themselves also leave deposits of saliva on their fur which also gets deposited along with the shed fur all over the house.

This is not very hygienic, especially if there are infants and small children in the house who are prone to putting things in their mouths. On the other hand, if this shed food gets into the food or water supply, it can create serious health issues to people who may ingest that food. People are also known to suffer from allergic reactions to the hair that is shed by dogs.

Having a lot of dog hair around the house requires a lot of cleaning, and multiple uses of the vacuum cleaner. One problem caused by dog hair is that of vacuum cleaner breakage. Their hair gets stuck in the suction mechanism of the cleaner and causes it to break down. Also, having a shedding dog also requires owners to take extra care of their upholstery and even cover it up, as dog hair stuck in the upholstery can be very difficult to remove.