Manage Your Dog’s Shedding with These Helpful Insights

Have you ever wondered why dogs shed or how to keep them from shedding without mobile grooming in Happy Hounds? When you own a dog, especially a dog with a medium or long hair coat, it’s almost inevitable that a few handfuls of hair will make their way into your clothing, on your furniture, and perhaps even in your food. 

Shedding is the natural process by which a dog gets rid of old, dead hair. This can be frustrating for pet owners, but there are many things you can do at home to slow down or even stop the shedding process entirely.

Reducing Dog Shedding

You can’t say you love walking into the house and seeing the floor covered in stray dog hairs. Luckily, you can take some simple steps to reduce your dog’s shedding throughout the year, no matter their breed. It may surprise you that most of these steps cost little or nothing.

• Feed Them a Healthy Diet: Dogs need a complete and balanced diet to ensure they consume the nutrients to keep their hair growing healthy and strong. Some dogs can benefit from a dietary supplement that includes Omega-3 fatty acids to improve joint, heart, and immune health. 

Talk to your veterinarian even before starting your dog on supplements to determine whether it is safe for them.

• Get the Right Brush: Even mobile grooming services use different brushes for different coat types. The brush used depends on the length and texture of your dog’s mane:
• Comb: A rubber comb also massages your dog’s skin and removes dead hair from short-haired canines.
• Bristle Brush: Suitable for all coat types, but get one with longer bristles if your furry friend has a longer coat. Coarser hair may require stiffer bristles.
• Slicker Brush: This is made with fine wire bristles, which help remove mats and tangles.
• Wire-Pin Brush: This is good for curly, wooly coats that are medium to long.
• Get the Right Shedding Tool: The same logic for the right brush applies with shedding tools. Whether your dog has seasonal or year-round shedding, a shedding device designed to remove dead hair from your dog’s coat can reduce the tufts you find drifting around your home.

Avoid purchasing a shedding blade with serrated teeth that can remove the undercoat without damaging the topcoat, reducing hairballs. A brush with closely spaced stainless steel tines can help remove the undercoat, too.

• Hire Mobile Grooming Services: Bathing your dog with the help of professional groomers helps remove dead hair and cleans away dirt that can help keep the coat and skin healthy. They’ll use special de-shedding shampoos and conditioners containing moisturizers and Omega-3 fatty acids to hydrate the skin and fur and create healthier stronger follicles. These experts can also help to detangle dog fur by removing excess undercoating.

These shampoos and conditioners can help loosen excess hair by giving it a thorough scrub. Bathing regularly and grooming your dog after they're dried can significantly help control their shedding.

• Make Them Drink More Water: Knowing how much water your dog is drinking can be tricky. If your dog seems to be shedding more than usual, you may want to watch the water container. 

Usually, a dog drinks an ounce of water for every pound of body weight per day, meaning a 10-pound dog needs a little over a cup of clean water. Dehydrated skin can easily trigger hair loss and increase the amount of loose fur you have to clean up around the house.

Try Mobile Grooming Today

The tips above help lessen the hair your dog sheds, so you don’t spend as much time tidying up your home. You can also use the time you spend brushing and grooming your dog to inspect your pet for any new cuts, lumps, dry skin, lesions, or parasites that may need to be treated at the vet.

Or, you can go straight to the professionals by contacting The HHG! We provide mobile grooming in Happy Hounds that takes care of your dog by clipping their nails, filing them, bathing them, giving them baths, and more! Contact us today!