Dealing with dog hair is a normal part of owning a dog. Every dog sheds to some degree. Even "non shedding" breeds such as Poodles and Pulis do lose their hair, but not as much as other breeds. Some dogs shed once a year, some dogs twice. Some do it over a period of weeks, and others do it all at once. Now that can be impressive!
Shedding is usually seasonal, and is most influenced by the amount of light a dog is exposed to. Because many of our pet dogs live inside with us, they’re exposed to fairly constant light. This means that they’re more likely to shed continuously, rather than in cycles.
What’s Normal?
Many people take their dogs to their veterinarian, concerned that their pet is losing too much hair. However, there may not be anything medically wrong with your dog, and your vet may not be able to do much about it. If your dog’s hair coat looks healthy, and you can’t see patches of bare skin through the hair, it’s not likely to be a medical problem.
Active dogs appear to shed less than dogs that are couch potatoes. The increased activity helps them loosen the hair, and it falls out easier. Elderly dogs or overweight animals are less active, so the hair isn’t naturally worn off as it would be if they were out walking or playing.
Female dogs lose their coat twice yearly. This is related to their hormonal cycles. Also, bitches that have raised a litter often shed more than normal, and end up with a thin sparse coat.
However, there are times where excessive shedding is related to an illness such as hypothyroidism, or follows an anesthetic or surgery.
Five Steps to Help Control Shedding
If you’re concerned that your dog is losing too much hair, and you feel like you’re living in a blizzard, it’s important to have your dog examined by your vet. If everything is normal and he can’t find any reason for the hair loss, then it’s most likely a management problem.
While you can’t stop your dog shedding, here are 5 steps you can take to keep our dog’s coat in the best condition, which results in less hair for you to sweep up.
1. Make sure your dog is on a good quality diet like that from The Honest Kitchen .
2. To keep a coat healthy, you need to treat it from the inside. Healthy Skin Shiny Coat is an all natural tonic for dogs which detoxifies their system and results in a general improvement in their health. This leads to a more lustrous shiny coat.
3. Give him plenty of exercise, to encourage the hair to fall out.
4. A gentle shampoo and towel dry will also help remove any loose hairs. Bubbles ‘n Beads two in one shampoo and conditioner is the perfect product to keep your dog’s coat in great shape. It contains a blend of 14 amino acids to improve coat strength, and its conditioning microbeads deliver conditioning vitamins directly to the hair follicle. The result is a stronger, shinier, healthier coat. The beads also act as an exfoliant which helps to ease away hair.
5. Regular brushing is very good for his coat’s condition, as it spreads skin oil along the hair and adds a healthy shine. Try the Furminator grooming tool, it is amazing!
Dog hair is supposed to shed. Keeping your dog’s coat in good condition will reduce the amount of hair he loses in your home, and save you time spent in doing housework – time you can then spend playing with him!