Autumn is here! How can you tell? Must be the fur all over couches, floors, and your clothes! Some dogs are even double-coated, meaning they have a dense undercoat in addition to the soft top coat you like to pet. Both spring and fall bring temperature changes that trigger a seasonal “coat blowing,” which translates to that much more cleaning for you!
The key to minimizing this inevitable process is staying on top of it with professional assistance from your favorite groomers. While brushing at home is important, it’s rarely enough—even outside of shedding season. Here are 3 tips on how to control shedding from professionals!
1) Routine grooming visits.
Groomers use a specialized set of tools including combs, blowers, and specialty products designed to loosen trapped fur from both of your dog’s coat layers. Most at-home brushing can’t penetrate the top coat, leaving a ton of fur to naturally drop out on your floors, furniture, and clothes. Regular visits to the grooming salon prevent loose fur from accumulating, which also can help stop mats from forming. Matting can be an uncomfortable and potentially painful experience for dogs of any breed. Most dogs benefit from routine grooming visits year-round and even more visits during the height of shedding season, which is in the spring and fall.
2) Shed Control treatments.
High quality grooming salons like the one at Wiggles are equipped to take shedding season head-on with special shed control treatments. This process involves special products and specific techniques to physically remove the trapped fur and debris from your dog’s undercoat. It’s a multi-step treatment that includes brushing with special tools, a deep and soothing FURminator® bath, and a blow-out followed by an additional brushing. While this treatment can significantly reduce the amount of hair your pet leaves around the house, it also helps your dog feel much lighter and cleaner. A win for everyone!
3) Shaving is usually not the answer.
Why not just shave your dog to control shedding? This is typically not a good idea for double-coated breeds. Many dogs use their coat to control their body temperature and keep out moisture so removing their fur can prevent them from keeping warm, dry or cooling off properly (including cold-climate breeds like Huskies!). Additionally in some cases, the coat won’t grow back quite the same as it did prior to shaving. De-shedding treatments by professional groomers are far more effective and healthier for your dog than shaving.
At Wiggles Pet Resort, we provide full-service grooming including an array of Shed Control techniques to minimize the impacts of shedding season. Click here to learn more!