Why Does My Dog Shed so Much?

If there is one thing that irritates dog owners more than anything else, it's probably shedding. Finding clumps of dog hair in the corners with the dust bunnies or stuck all over the couch, car, carpet or bed is a constant source of complaint. Even short-haired dogs seem to shed enormous amounts of hair. Comet, my sister-in-law Kari's Pug, sheds like a champ.

The bad news is that all dogs shed. Some shed more than others but only the American Hairless Terrier or the Chinese Crested don't shed. 

 

The good news is that there are many things you can do to keep the unwanted hair around the house to a minimum. You can get one of the breeds that sheds less than others. President Obama's dog, Bo is a good example.

 

He's a Portuguese Water Dog and like Poodles, Bishons, and some Terriers, he'll leave less hair around the house. You may need to take these types of dogs to the groomer every once in a while, but they have the hair type that is less likely to end up on your sweater than other dogs. You also have to be on the lookout for mats with these types of dogs.

 

If you have a long haired dog with an undercoat you can expect biannual periods of increased shedding. In the springtime these dogs typically "blow" their coats and you'll definitely notice it. I used to fill grocery bags of hair in a single grooming session with our old dog Darcie and she was only about twenty pounds soaking wet.

 

The best option for those of us that don't like being covered in our pets' hair is regular grooming. In most cases if you brush your dog twice a week you'll notice much less hair around the place.

 

There are as many brush types as there are dog breeds it seems and some have special functions that make grooming easier and more effective. Instead of going into all the types take a gander at this handy article. They know this stuff better than me.

 

One mistake that some people make is to bathe their dog too often. You'll get a lot of dead hair out of a dog's coat with a bath but if you do this too frequently you run the risk of drying out your dog's skin. That can lead to dry, flaky skin and a dull coat. Brushing, on the other hand, tends to spread the natural skin oils through the hair and make the coat shiny and pretty.

 

You should also make sure you've got your pup on a good diet. High quality dog food is rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins that help maintain healthy skin and coat. 

 

Those of us that love dogs know that you have to take the good with the bad. Sometimes that means tolerating a little hair around the place.