Dogs and shedding

Dogs shed to get rid of old, damaged, or extra hair. Changes in the length of daylight hours trigger the shedding process. With the arrival of spring, many dogs shed their winter coat, and you may notice hair everywhere – especially on your clothing, carpets and furniture. Dogs who are kept indoors may not wait for the seasons to change; they shed all year round. It is normal for dogs, both those who go outside and those who live indoors, to shed regularly.

While you cannot stop a dog from shedding, you can reduce the amount of loose hair flying all over the house. When your dog’s shedding increases, so should the time you spend grooming. When shedding begins, remove as much of the irritating dead hair as possible by daily brushing or combing. If your dog is not used to regular grooming, you may need to take it slow. Grooming is good for your dog’s coat and will remove those hairs that would normally fall out. From a housekeeping point of view, it is better to have the hairs come out on the brush than around the house. 

Finding the right brush or comb

Different breeds have different coats and there are different brushes and combs for each style coat. 

• A pin brush can be used on most coat types, but is used mostly on dogs with long coats.
• Slicker brushes, with many fine pins of metal set into a pad, can be used on most coat types.
• A deShedding tool removes the undercoat and loose hair without cutting or damaging the coat.
• A shedding blade is a band of metal, U-shaped, with teeth along the edge. The teeth on the blade are designed to pull the loose hairs from the outer coat of breeds with short or medium coats such as Labradors and German Shepherds.
• A curry or stripping comb is used to pull out, or strip, the loose excess undercoat of breeds with a coarse or wiry coat, like most terriers.
• A dematting rake has cutting edges on the blades for cutting through tough mats that are resistant to a comb or brush.

Use combs that match your dog’s coat density and length:  a thin, fine-toothed comb for thin, fine coats, and a thick, wide-spaced comb for a dog with thick hair. The teeth of the comb should be able to reach through your dog’s coat to the skin.

A hound glove is a brush that you wear like a glove, usually made of rubber with short nubs covering one side. Although it can be used dry on a smooth- or short-coated breed, it is best used during a bath. After wetting and lathering your dog, use the glove in a circular motion on your dog’s body, to remove dead hair. Never use a human type shampoo on your dog as they are usually too harsh for your dog’s skin and perfumes and other additives may trigger hypersensitivity reactions.

Grooming sessions offer you an excellent opportunity to check for any problems with your dog’s skin and coat. Before grooming your dog, do a thorough examination. Do you notice any hair loss, redness, bumps or cuts? Be on the lookout for parasites, such as fleas and ticks too. If you do find anything unusual, make sure to report it to your veterinarian.

Sources:

Palika, Liz. Howell Book of Dogs.  New Jersey:  Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2007.