How to Reduce Dog Shedding

As the temperature rises, your dog’s winter undercoat will start to fall out. It’s a normal canine process that happens twice a year, but a dog shedding after winter is usually worse. The moment you notice an increase of loose dog hair, it’s time to jump into action for best results. Do know, you don’t have to live life coated in dog hair. Try these tips to drastically reduce dog shedding.

Choose the Right Dog Brush

Before you reach for any old dog brush, understand that not all dog brushes are alike. Depending on your dog’s coat length and texture, you’ll need a special brush that will do the job quickly by capturing and pulling out any loose hair caught in the coat. Slicker brushes and undercoat rakes do the best job for medium to long-coated breeds.

When using either dog brush option, make sure to use light pressure; never push the bristles down onto your dog’s skin, or you’ll cause large scratches. When using these brushes, brush your dog’s hair slowly and by sections for long, thick coats. Short-coated dogs do well with a rubber curry comb or your hands running along their body over and over.

Teach Your Dog to Stand Still

Dogs don’t understand to stand still while their coats are being brushed. Follow these quick dog grooming tips that will quickly teach your dog to stand still, which makes brushing much easier for both of you. If your dog already stands still, reward good behavior to make sure it sticks around. 🙂

Brush Your Dog Daily

By far, brushing your dog daily is the single most important step to shorten the process of shedding. Unfortunately, many pet owners brush their dogs once and assume all loose hair has been removed, and that’s furthest from the truth. When a dog is blowing coat (shedding like crazy), it can take at least two weeks of daily brushing to get it under control.

Yes, brush your dog daily until you notice a drastic decline in dog shedding hair. The first few days will be crazy, so bring a chair outdoors and brush away. Don’t worry about the loose dog hair in your yard; birds will quickly grab it to make cozy nests for spring eggs. Of course, keep flying dog hair away from your neighbor’s yard and any pools. If your dog is large or has tons of hair, brush one side per day and alternate until you reduce dog shedding.

You’ll be totally convinced your dog is bald or has lost 10 pounds by the end, but keep brushing. Around the sixth or seventh day, you’ll notice a sudden decrease in dog shedding, which indicates it’s time for a bath. 🙂 However, you’re still not done! You’ll need to brush your dog for another week to remove any leftover shedding hair, but it will be much fewer now.

If you notice any bald patches or lesions, schedule a veterinary appointment. It’s amazing what you’ll find when your dog sheds.

Bathe Your Dog

When dogs shed and loose undercoat is brushed out, their skin gets dry and dusty. Use a gentle and highly moisturizing shampoo to soothe the dry skin and coat left behind after brushing daily for seven days.

When bathing your dog, wet your dog’s coat, add shampoo and lather from skin to hair. Allow shampoo lather to remain on your dog’s coat, depending on your chosen shampoo’s recommendations. Now, rinse and rinse again. Grab your dog’s shampoo and bathe again. I know this takes longer, but a second shampoo will thoroughly loosen any dead hair and remove skin flakes. After your dog’s second shampoo, rinse, rinse and then rinse again.

On warm days, allowing your dog’s coat to air dry is pretty safe. For longer and thicker coats, it’s best to use a force dryer (has no heating element and made specially for dogs) to blow excessive water out of your dog’s coat. Some thick dog coats can trap moisture and start to smell.

If this all seems like too much, schedule a thorough bath and blow-dry with a professional dog groomer. Using a force dryer can blow dead undercoat out too, so it’s totally worth it after brushing your dog’s coat out for seven days.

Don’t forget to continue brushing your dog for an additional seven days after his bath. Sometimes, bathing stimulates a dog’s skin to drop excess undercoat, so you’ll need to keep brushing. 🙂

Moisturize From the Inside Out

There’s no way to stop dog shedding–it’s going to happen. To make the dog shedding process a bit easier, I recommend supplementing with fish or coconut oils. Adding omega-3s to your dog’s diet daily will keep his skin moisturized, which prevents dandruff and irritated skin.

Stick to brushing your dog thoroughly for 14 days, and you’ll soon notice a huge reduction in dog shedding. Happy brushing!