Why Do Dogs Shed?

Over the years of always having dogs in the family I have tried to be selective about choosing non-shedding dogs. There are two reasons for leaning this way - allergies and cleanliness. My first dog was a poodle so that was not a problem. My second dog was a white Spitz which was a real shedding problem. She shed all the time. Years after she died I continued to find long white hairs attached to dry cleaning bags and the under side of furniture. I wasn't upset about the hair because it reminded me of my beloved dog. However, I vowed to never get another shedding dog.

In researching the issue of shedding I uncovered the fact that all dogs shed to some degree, even the so-called non-shedding breeds. Only hairless dogs do not shed. I have had Poodles, a Poodle Llasa mix, a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, and a Havanese. All these breeds are were selected because they were advertised as non-shedding, and for the most part the shedding was unnoticeable. Now I also have a Lab mix in the house and she has caused me to get more curious about shedding. I am sure you have heard that if you have a shedding dog in the house, dog hair becomes a condiment for your food.

Determined to reduce the shedding and save the dog I have looked into why my dog sheds so much and also how I can reduce the shedding. Many articles suggest you look into these reasons for shedding:
- Breed
- Age
- Hormones
- Environment
- Overall health
- Stress level
- Life span of hair shafts
- Season

Since all the above factors are understandable and pretty much out of my control, the two things I can manage are her overall health and her stress levels. Make sure your dog is healthy, and that there is no medical reason for excessive shedding. That is not a problem for my dog. She is healthy, gets regular check ups, eats right, is lean, energetic and gets plenty of exercise. The next factor I can manage is her stress, but again that does not seem to be a problem either. She gets plenty of attention and rest and is not left alone. I have two other dogs to keep her company when I am not in the house and she loves them and they love her. All three dogs are very calm and docile docile.

So the next challenges is how to contain the dog hair in the house. The solutions are:
- Daily grooming
- Professional grooming
- FURminator brush
- Daily sweeping and vacuuming
- Pet tape roller

I have my dogs professionally groomed monthly, I use a tape roller on her daily to try to catch the dead hairs before they hit the ground. Her undercoat and her topcoat are a problem, but she will lay there allowing me to use the tape roller and get as much hair out daily as possible or until she gets bored with that activity. Then I have to use the tape roller on her bed and the furniture daily. Keeping up with the shedding is a daily and never ending job. It is a good thing I love her!