Tricks to Get Dogs to Shed Winter Hair

Have you ever wondered why your beautiful pet dog suddenly looks shabby and scruffy during the spring season? There's actually no reason to worry. This sad look results from a natural transition associated with external weather conditions. As part of climatic adaptation, dogs tend to have a thicker coat during the winter to safeguard them against the extreme cold. However, as spring approaches, additional hair sheds naturally, revealing a dog in serious need of grooming. There are a number of ways to facilitate shedding of winter hair in a more uniformed pattern.

  1. Baths

    • Bathe your dog using a good quality dog shampoo lathered with warm water. Massage the animal during the process to aid the loosening of dead hair. Afterward rinse the coat thoroughly and apply a conditioner to make it easier to brush. Wait approximately five minutes before rinsing the conditioner. Dry the coat thoroughly with a towel and then start the combing or brushing.

    Undercoat Rake

    • Use an undercoat rake for combing. Its long teeth are perfectly designed to remove dead hair. Always begin combing from the neck region and move toward the tail. Also, ensure that you clean the rake at regular intervals during the combing process to minimize the accumulation of dead hair that prevents gathering of more hair.

    Slicker Brush

    • Although normal combing helps remove long dead hair, a slicker brush with metal teeth is necessary for removal of shorter dead hair. Start from the head and go backward toward the tail. Do not overlook the belly and leg areas.

    Shedding Block

    • Manufactured from fiberglass, a shedding block aids in the removal of dead hair that even a slicker brush is unable to shed. This porous, square-shaped tool successfully sheds even the most stubborn areas of the dog's coat. While moving the shedding block through your dog's coat, apply pressure and move your hand in the direction of the hair.

    Grooming Glove

    • Another device for removing dead hair from dogs is the grooming glove. Apart from fulfilling its fundamental utility of shedding dead hair in a short duration, this tool serves another purpose as well. While you move your hand wearing the grooming glove along the coat of your pet, the body of the animal gets massaged and the blood vessels are stimulated, which helps minimize hair loss. Because the grooves in the glove provide relaxing massage, a grooming glove is ideal for restless dogs that dislike combing. Having your hand covered by a glove also decreases the likelihood of being injured by a bite.