Shedding Season

All dogs shed—at least a little—but not all dogs “blow coat,” the apt term for when double-coated dog breeds release their undercoat, a phenomenon usually marked by dramatic drifts of dog hair. This shedding can happen once or twice a year and is triggered by seasonal changes and hormones. Outside of these major shedding events, you’ll still notice fur around your house year-round as each hair’s life cycle ends. And some dogs simply shed more than others. Breeds like the Samoyed shed all the time, and even more so during shedding season.

Photo Mary swift/shutterstock

Managing Coat Blow

First off, do not shave your dog. If you shave your dog, you remove their insulation, and dogs need their coat to help regulate temperature.

Grooming tools like an undercoat rake, a slicker brush, a deshedder, and/or a Greyhound comb will help remove the loose undercoat and speed the shed along.

We like ConairProPet’s Pet-It Deshedder. It gently and effectively removes loose undercoat as you brush. ($20, chewy.com)

Pro Tip: Use a blow dryer on “cool” setting to blow off dead coat.

Dog hair everywhere? Use Fur-Zoff, a durable, eco-friendly pet hair remover, to quickly swipe pet hair off clothes, furniture, carpets, and more! ($13, furzoff.net)

This article originally appeared in the award-winning Modern Dog magazine. Subscribe today!