7 month old puppy shedding

Question
QUESTION: I have a 7 month old border collie/lab mix (most likely :)). We got her at 4 months and starting at about 5, 6 she began shedding and the shedding is progressively getting worse. We are in January now so I don't know if it would be seasonal (or would it?) She is also shedding both her undercoat AND her top coat. If not brushed for 1 day she will leave the top boat on whatever she is rubbing against. I can pull about a few hairs out of her at any given time if I pull on her coat. Could it be puppy coat shedding even if the most of the stuff coming out is the coarse top hair?
Or could it be triggered by forced air heating system in out house (she likes sitting in front of the vent).
I guess my main question is: is this dramatic shedding temporary or is this here to stay?
(I do brush her with both the Furminator and a blade. Always tons coming out.)

ANSWER: Oh no! That sounds like a lot of hair and dust bunnies!

Both breeds you mentioned are notorious shedders. While shedding can worsen seasonally, some dogs will shed year round.

Her age *might* be related to an extra amount of shedding (puppy coat blows out around 5-7 months to be replaced by the adult coat) but I wouldn't expect it to get tons better. If she is losing coat to the point of bald spots, I would recommend a vet to look for issues, otherwise, some ideas...

There was no mention of her diet, and that can contribute as well. Diets high in omegas and fatty acids will help create more of the slick coat that is less prone to shedding.

While the Furminator is a great tool, as a groomer, it is used a finishing tool. I will shampoo the dog, then coat with a conditioner especially made for shedding. While this soaks on the coat (it makes the hair slick) I will use the high force dryer and create a wet snowstorm of hair! You wouldn't believe how much hair comes off a dog slicked up with deshed conditioner!

I then rinse... use the high speed dryer to blow the coat dry, then do a final brushout with the furminator.

If this process is repeated every 3 weeks for about 3-4 sessions, the improvement starts to show (I wouldn't expect immediate results, as the coat growth is cyclical and needs to adapt to the growth pattern being established). It will take repeated visits to see a dramatic improvement.

Being that it is cyclical, it is highly likely that you will always be dealing with loose fur around the house, especially if she is a fan of the warmest part of the house, as you stated.

Good luck and get a really good vacuum!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your quick answer. Just to clarify, when a puppy blows its coat the top, coarse hair would not be involved as a part of the transition, correct? Just the undercoat, right?
Again, thank you so much for all the wonderful grooming tips.

Answer
As a puppy, yes, you will see some loss of the topcoat. As an adult, this should lessen. Puppy coat is a different coat than adult type, so your pup may have a completely different texture coat a year from now!

Either way, there shouldn't be enough loss to cause balding or naked spots, as this signifies either nutritional deficiency or other possible health issues.