What Can I Use for My Constantly Shedding Labrador Retriever?

Labrador retrievers are big shedders. Some labs, typically black labs, shed during the spring and the fall. Others, such as yellow labs, shed all year long. A shedding dog can leave its hair all over your floors, furniture and clothing. Using grooming tools to remove some of the hair can be a big help. Do this regularly to minimize the dog hair cleanup around your home.

  1. Brushes

    • Brush your Labrador retriever frequently to minimize the dog's shedding. Because the lab has a short coat, a bristle brush can work well to remove the dead hairs that continually fall off of the dog. During the dog's prime shedding season, you might need to do this daily. Other times of year you can likely use the bristle brush twice a week.

    Rakes and Blades

    • While the bristle brush can remove the Labrador retriever's dead hair, a rake or a blade made especially for shedding can work even better. You should only need these tools during the dog's prime shedding time. Rakes look like small rakes and when you pull it through the dog's coat, it removes a large amount of hair. Blades are U-shaped and have small teeth that are effective in removing the hair from the lab's thick undercoat.

    Shampoo

    • Bathing your Labrador retriever during its shedding season can help by simply washing away the dead hair. Using a shampoo that is formulated for shedding dogs can help even more. Choose a deshedding shampoo that contains Vitamin E and Omega 3 fatty acids. When you work these shampoos into the coat, the dead hairs in the thick undercoat become loosened. When the dog is dry, use a deshedding tool to complete the process.

    Gloves

    • Labrador retrievers love being petted, so give your dog some love while removing dead hair. Choose a glove that has plastic or rubber nubs all over the palms and fingers. Simply rub the glove all over the dog's coat to remove hairs. This is a good option for a dog that does not like to be brushed.