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Dog
Facts &
Information,
Honest Review On Dog Breeds,
All About Dog Training &
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Shedding in Dogs
One of the occurrences, that all
dog owners have to learn to live with, is that of
their pets shedding hair periodically. Barring dogs
which are completely hairless, as for instance the
American Hairless Terrier, all dogs shed hair, some
more profusely than others. It is a natural phenomenon
involving a dog losing his old coat of hair so that
a new coat can come in to replace it.
The amount of hair that a dog
sheds depends very largely on his breed. For instance,
there are some varieties, like the Poodles, which
hardly seem to shed any hair at all while some short
haired dogs cast off huge amounts. One of the reasons
for dogs shedding very large quantities of hair
is that they may belong to a breed that is “double
coated”. This means they have an undercoat
and the top layer of hair sheds more frequently
and more profusely than it does with dogs with a
normal layer of hair.
A common misconception amongst
people is that longhaired dogs shed more hair than
shorthaired ones. This may not necessarily be true
as the longer strands of hair may well give the
impression that the dog is shedding more while this
may not factually be the case.
Then there is also the phenomenon
of seasonal shedding for some breeds. Certain varieties
of dogs shed their winter coats in the spring and
if you are the owner of one such breed, you will
have to be prepared for large-scale shedding at
these times of the year.
Dog Breeds that Shed Less
If you happen to be a sufferer
of allergy and want to keep a dog as pet, you would
do well to select one which doesn't shed. These
non-shedding dogs are termed hypoallergenic. This
term means that, unlike normal dogs, these species
produce less dander and flaky dead skin and consequently,
far less allergens. Allergens are what gives rise
to allergies in humans. So, go in for a dog which
is not “double coated”. This is more
important than the length of the coat as far as
shedding is concerned.
Not that you can ever get a dog
that does not produce Dander at all. All dogs do.
Some even shed their skin every few days. You just
have to try and get a breed which sheds less.
However, be warned that dogs which
do not shed heavily have to have their hair tended
to much more carefully than other normal breeds.
Because the hairfall is much less, the hair on his
body tends to stay on for longer and therefore gets
matted after a while. Hence the need for more intense
grooming.
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Dog Breeds that Shed Less
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Problems of Shedding
Regular grooming is useful not
only in the case of dogs that shed less, but for
all canines. It not only prevents matting but also
reduces the fall of hair. In case however, you get
the impression that your dog is shedding excessively,
show him to your vet. There may be some deeper problem
– such as thyroid imbalance – involved.
It may seem to you sometimes that
your dog is shedding all year round, instead of
in the Spring and the Fall, as is usual with most
dogs. You may not be far wrong actually. Dogs which
mostly stay indoors have the habit of shedding hair
perennially. This is because, with the insulation
they get inside their house from the extreme conditions
outside, their natural body regulation gets thrown
off balance. So when they step outside and experience
the sudden change in the weather, their body registers
the same sort of change that a normal dog's does
when the temperature changes in the Spring and the
Fall. Thus there is a light amount of shedding at
all times of the year as they go in and out of their
insulated houses.
Suggestions for Reducing Shedding
in Dogs
The best way, as we have said
earlier, to prevent or at least reduce shedding
is to groom your dog on a regular basis. Brush his
hair with a slicker brush and you will find that
less loose hair will fall on your furniture and
on your floors thereafter.
Do this thorough grooming at least
once a week and, apart from the slicker brush, also
use a shedding comb. Pull this through his hair
till you find it runs smoothly.
Two other items you will require
for the purposes of Grooming
are an undercoat rake and a dematting rake.
The first is used on dogs with
double coats where you run this rake through his
undercoat to pull out all the loose hair. The second
rake is used to cut through areas where his hair
has got matted. Be prepared, in this second operation,
to have chunks of hair come out when you pull the
dematting rake through. Do not worry as the hair
that has come off is more than there should be on
the dog's body.
You might find that your dog requires
time to get used to these tools. If so, you can
use sticky hair-removal rolls or the remote attachment
on a vacuum till he's ready for the real thing.
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