How to Reduce Dog Shedding in 4 Simple Steps

Although longer nights and warmer weather fill us with hope that spring is near, dog owners – although delighted that their dog walks won’t consist of icy weather any longer – know that the end of their tidy home is near. Shedding season is the chance for our furry friends to cast off their winter coat, so they’ll stay at a comfortable temperature when summer hits. Unfortunately, for dog owners, this hair expulsion period covers every carpet in their house in hair to such an extent that you’re often swimming to bed (and we’re only exaggerating a little!).

Eager for the torrent of dog hair to end? By following the four simple steps below, you’ll be aghast to find the amount of hair around your home abated.

Feed Them Food Containing Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Either adding or choosing a food that contains an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids is scientifically proven to prevent dog shedding. There are three kinds of omega-3 fatty acids; EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA). In particular, dogs thrive when presented with EPA and DHA due to their role in reducing inflammation. Other incredible health benefits include strengthening the immune system, boosting heart health, and improving a dog’s skin health and coat character. It is important to note that feeding your dog a kibble high in fatty acids only once a week isn’t recommended – only by profiting from a balanced diet throughout the week can your pet get accustomed to the high amount of nutrition in their food.

A dangerous rumor with concern to fatty acids is the alleged number of them in all kinds of fish. This is partly true: many kinds of fish are capable of providing your dog with the fatty acids required to prevent excessive shedding from occurring. Regrettably, feeding carnivorous fish such as mackerel and tuna to your pup is strongly advised against due to the potential toxins these kinds of such accumulate over the course of their lifetimes. Taking the toxin mercury as an example, a large amount of tuna may result in your dog suffering from mercury poisoning – a potentially fatal health complication. Therefore, small fatty ocean fish rich in EPA and DHA like sardines and anchovies are preferable for your dog’s daily fatty acid dosage. Due to these fish’s shorter lifespan, they therefore have less time to accumulate harmful toxins and pollutants.

Slather Their Bowl of Food in Olive Oil

It may seem like a strange request to add one tablespoon of olive oil to your dog’s food daily. As olive oil is frequently drizzled onto carbohydrates like bread and pasta to bring out their flavors, the condiment is often regarded as unhealthy. Au contraire: actually, people who live in regions in which olive oil is a dietary staple have been proven to live longer due to the major health benefits this source of antioxidants and healthy fats provides.

The principal fatty acid that we have to thank for reducing dog shedding is known as oleic acid – a mono-unsaturated omega-9 fatty acid that is celebrated for its countless health benefits, including preventing heart disease through lowering blood cholesterol levels. Correspondingly, the phenolic compounds pervasive in the condiment facilitate glucose metabolism, improving the potency of insulin and thereby helping those who suffer from type 2 diabetes. Therefore, not only will your house look better by adding olive oil to your dog’s food, your canine will feel like a brand-new dog. Bring on the Mediterranean diet!

Scrub-a-dub-dub Your Dog in the Tub

Excessive shedding unfortunately demands that you bathe your dog regularly. And yes, this is especially a hassle for dog owners whose dogs hate bath time. Believe us when we say you aren’t alone if your dog runs soaking wet and wailing from the bathroom, causing your home to smell like wet dog. Yet don’t worry, you’ll soon find success as long as you have the main tool for bath time at your disposal: patience.

Keep plenty of treats nearby

Your dog won’t protest as much at bath time if you turn it into a pampering experience. Keep up positive reinforcement by showering with praise and treats. Most importantly, treat every milestone, no matter how small, for what it is: an achievement that brings you both closer to bathing in the tub.

Invest in an anti-skid mat

As dogs’ paws are known to slip in the tub, obviously making them even more nervous, an anti-skid mat will keep them tethered to the ground. They’ll feel a lot more in control and start to trust where they put their feet.

Find what dog shampoo works for your pup

Although we shouldn’t have to say this, never use human shampoo on your pet. For starters, their fragrances are far too strong for dogs and even run the risk of burning your pet’s skin. Furthermore, they do not have the recommended level of pH to soothe dogs’ skin in the slightest. The human acid mantle has a pH balance of 5.2-6.2, whereas the pH balance for dogs is 5.5 to 7.5 – meaning human shampoo curated to treat humans’ scalps is too acidic for a dog’s skin. Accordingly, a viable dog shampoo will be completely natural, containing no artificial colors and smells. Instead, it will swap unnatural ingredients for natural deodorizers like coconut and moisturizers such as oatmeal and aloe vera. Vitamin E additionally functions as a laudable addition to any shampoo, given its ability to slow the elimination of the insulated coating of nerve cells.

Brush Your Dog’s Coat Every Few Days

Remember to set aside time in the evening to brush your dog to stop dog shedding. Starting off with a dog comb in tandem with a dog brush to remove the tough knots is important before using any other tools like the ones detailed below. There are predominantly four dog comb designs to curb excessive shedding. Firstly, slicker brushes work best when used on medium to long haired dogs to remove tangles and undercoat hair. A pin brush is for correcting minor tangles, whereas a bristle brush works to remove fine dirt from a short-coated dog’s hair. Finally, rubber brushes are the brush-friendly alternative for dogs who aren’t fond of feeling harsh bristles on their skin.

In terms of combs, long dog hair in particular profits from being combed with a general grooming comb. Dogs with an excessive amount of hair are tamed with de-matting combs. However, it’s important to remember that the main purpose of brushing your dog isn’t to curb the amount of dog hair falling onto your floor, but to keep your pet’s hair and coat healthy. Accordingly, adding in a third tool to use in your grooming agenda – the flea comb – is beneficial for keeping your dog’s hair in prime condition.

Bored of using the same traditional tools to restrict dog shedding? The following inventions below will have you impatient for the grooming hour to arrive.

Why not treat yourself to a FURminator?

Ah, the FURminator. This nifty de-shedding tool was expertly designed in the United States by Angie Porter in St. Louis. It works by reaching through a dog’s topcoat to clear away any loose hair and undercoat, all without hurting your dog’s sensitive skin. Our favorite feature is the same as many other Americans: the FUR ejector. Simply by pressing this button, all the loose hair collected throughout the grooming process is discharged, allowing for one-handed use of this nifty appliance. Although a FURminator’s steep price tag is much more expensive than the average dog comb or brush, keep in mind that this tool will save you hours of time clearing up excessive shedding from your carpet.

Top Tip: As the FURminator is such a powerful tool, we advise you to take your dog out into the yard to use. Otherwise, it will be allergy central in your household.

Grooming gloves are your friends

The grooming glove presents itself as a comforting alternative to a brush for you and your pet. The palm side of the glove features either ridges or bobbles that comfortably glide through your dog’s skin. All you really need to know before you use one on your dog is that you should never brush your hand against the grain of the fur.

To Sum Up…

We hope to have outlined that preventing shedding in dogs can be curbed with only a few simple, effective measures. Yet as you tick each preventive measure off the list, bear in mind that although dog shedding is certainly aggravating, the health and happiness of your dog comes first every time. Therefore, if any one of these simple steps is stressing out your dog, it’s not worth it. Happy de-shedding!