The best way to overcome shedding in your pet.

One of the great misconceptions about pet ownership is that short haired animals do not shed as much hair as their long haired counterparts. Unfortunately, your lounge and your clothes will still be covered in pet hair a few times a year even if you own a short haired breed and in some cases they even drop more hair than the long haired varieties.

Shedding in pets is a normal process.How much hair a dog or cat sheds will depend on the breed, the time of the year and even the diet of the animal.  In dogs, the German Shepherd can shed its hair all year round, where as the poodle loses very little.  Understanding that all dogs shed is important. Some breeds just  shed more than others.  There is no such thing as a non shedding pet! In cat breeds, the Devon and Cornish Rex shed very little hair where as Persians can lose masses of it. If you have pet hair allergies, we recommend doing plenty of research into a specific breed.

Dogs typically lose their summer coats in autumn and replace this shorter coat with a thicker one for winter. The opposite happens in spring as they drop their thicker coat for summer.

Since shedding is a natural occurrence in your pet, your aim should be to manage it as even the heaviest shedders can be managed with a regular schedule of combing and brushing and in many cases, a few minutes a week is all takes although this will vary from breed to breed. Some breeds lose so much hair when they shed that their owners have even been known to make wool out of it and knit jumpers! Animals such as guinea pigs and rabbits also lose their hair.  Rabbits actually replace their entire coat three times per year. Grooming tools are available for small animals and we recommend that you maintain a weekly grooming routine for a number of reasons.

Firstly, it keeps your rabbit or guinea pig used to being handled. A grooming routine will allow you to closely examine your pet and give them an overall health check. Any changes to their health can be remedied sooner with a trip to the vet or to your pet store for a solution.

When should I see the vet?

If you groom your pet regularly, you will have the opportunity to pick up any changes early. If there is something that is bothering your dog and causing excessive trauma from licking, always have this seen to by your vet. You could also visit your vet if your pet is showing symptoms of:

What is the best dog grooming tool for dogs?

The best grooming tool for controlling shedding dog hair is the fur deshedder. This tool  removes the undercoat of your dog. It is self cleaning and you simply run it over the coat and the teeth pull out the loose hair.  A slicker brush can be useful on long haired breeds of dogs and cats. Talk to your groomer or the staff at the store about the grooming requirements for your specific animal. Dual purpose grooming gloves are also worthy of a mention. They will have a side designed for massaging and brushing your pet and the other side is used to collect the hair left behind on furniture or clothing.

 

Start grooming your pet as early as possible and it will become a routine aspect of it’s life. Many cats enjoy being groomed on their owner’s knee, whilst dogs respond well to rewards after the grooming session is over. It is important to groom your cat more often when they become older. Many senior cats find it difficult to groom themselves due to arthritis and other ailments. This can lead to a build up of matt's in their fur.  Always maintain you dog or cats comfort when they are older. Special attention may need to be given to how and where you groom them. Ensure they are warm, have a non  slip surface to sit or stand on and that they feel secure. Small sessions may be easier for them to manage.

 It is a well known fact that grooming your pet will not only make them feel great, it will make you feel good too. Physical contact with pets reduces stress related hormones such as cortisol in humans. Eye contact produces the happy hormone known as oxytocin in both animals and humans. This hormone is beneficial to humans as it plays a social role in relationships.

A few minutes every day is better than leaving it for weeks and being faced with a knotted mess.  Modern day shampoos, conditioners and detanglers are ideal products that can make the  grooming routine easy for you and your pet. We recommend using the detangling spray to help comb or brush out the dogs coat before bathing them. 

How often should I bath my dog?

It is recommended that you bath your dog at least once every three months or as required. Dog shampoos today are very mild and we recommend using a shampoo that is free of sulfates, parabens, PEGs and synthetic fragrances. Never use your own shampoo or conditioner on your pet. They can burn their skin or cause irritation. Use an absorbent towel to thoroughly dry your pet & avoid using a hot hair dryer as these can dry out your pets skin. Only ever use a low setting.

Shedding in cats

Cats are great at grooming themselves. There are several factors to consider when grooming cats.

Firstly, consider the age of your cat. Grooming should start from a young age so that it is as routine as feeding. As cats age, they can loose mobility and can find it difficult to groom themselves. Daily brushing or combing can help as well as a good diet. There are hairball formulas of cat food to help prevent hairball build up in cats.

How to decrease shedding in cats?

Cats don't enjoy being bathed & if you value your relationship with your cat, I wouldn't recommend this! Healthy cats rarely smell, however, if your cat needs a little attention, try a grooming powder. This can assist with matted fur.

Feeding a good diet will also help, there are supplements that you can add to your cats food and as mentioned previously, hairball formulas to feed your cat.

 

 

Try and become familiar with your pet's normal pattern of shedding. Throughout the year some shedding of hair is normal, but dry patches, licking and constant itching are not. These sorts of skin problems can be caused by allergies.  A common one in summer is fleas, but dogs and cats can also be allergic to ingredients in their diet.

Remember, grooming is a primal behaviour, one that originated over 60 million years ago, way back before we evolved, as a social activity. So, even though  today we have have Facebook, YouTube, mobile phones as a modern day approach to communicating and socialising, for our pets, grooming should be an enjoyable experience that strengthens our bond and reinforces social structure.