shedding

Question
I have a long haired Chihuahua that I like to keep indoors, but she sheds.  Someone told me that Brewer's Yeast helps to stop that but I haven't noticed any difference.  Do you have any suggestions?

Answer
Hi JoNell,

Shedding is a natural cycle in every pet's life. There is no one cure, but it can be helped. One of the biggest nuisances faced by pet owners is unwanted hair in their homes. Dogs shed to get rid of old, damaged, or extra hair. They grow a heavier coat in the winter to help insulate themselves and then shed that extra hair in the summer. However, dogs will also shed broken or damaged hair, and if their skin is irritated from conditions such as allergies, they will also shed excessively.
Daily brushing is the best thing you can do to keep your home free of hair. This will also make your pet's coat softer, cleaner, and less likely to shed. Use the right brush. Slicker Brushes, Shedding Blades and undercoat rakes each have a specific function and work best on the type of coat they are designed for. Most pets need more than one type of brush to remove all of the dead hair. A pet's coat is often a reflection of what they eat. Feed a high quality food with good digestible protein sources such as Life's Abundance you can view all the info on this food at www.pipschoice.com Supplements are also a big factor and I use NuVet seen at www.nuvet.com/42299 (the number is an referral code from Spotts Grooming and must be used in order to buy this product).  The Brewer's yeast is not really much help as you have found out.  Adding omega 3 fatty oil is much better if you are adding anything.  You can also get this in Life's Abundance food as they include it just for this reason. I am a National field rep for this food if you have any other questions.

Hope this gives you some ways to go about helping your little dog and your (hair free) home.
Susan Potts, CPG
www.spottsgrooming.com
www.pipschoice.com
Your holistic pet place!