How to Make a Dog Lose Its Winter Coat

Dogs naturally grow a thicker coat in the winter to protect them from the cold, harsh weather of the season. When springtime rolls around, the thick winter hair is shed and the shorter summer coat begins to emerge. The dead winter hair is often shed in chunks, giving your dog an unkempt, moth-eaten look. Helping your dog lose his winter coat will make him more comfortable and keep him from looking like he never gets groomed.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog shampoo and conditioner
  • Towels
  • Dog coat rake
  • Garbage bag
  • Slicker brush
  • Shedding block
  • Coat conditioning spray
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place your dog in the bathtub and wet his coat with warm water. Apply a generous handful of dog shampoo and massage through the coat, scrubbing down to the skin to help loosen the dead hair. Rinse the dog until the water runs clear, rubbing conditioner into his fur once the soap is rinsed away. Allow the conditioner to sit for 5 minutes, rinsing with plenty of water. Towel dry the dog to keep him from getting chilled.

    • 2

      Set your dog on a table or work bench and comb through the hair with a coat rake, starting at the neck and working backwards towards the tail. Dog coat rakes have long teeth designed to penetrate the and pull away the dead outer coat. Remove the dead hair from the rake after each pass, disposing of it in a garbage bag to minimize cleanup.

    • 3

      Brush your dog with the slicker brush to loosen and remove dead undercoat once the longer guard hairs have been combed away. Slicker brushes are made of many short metal teeth that catch the shorter dead hairs and pull them from the body. Comb from head to tail, making sure to comb under the dog's belly and legs to remove as much dead hair as possible.

    • 4

      Run a shedding block over the coat to catch any stray hairs that might have been left by the slicker brush. A shedding block is a porous square of fiberglass material that pulls stubborn hair off your dog and exposes his slick summer coat. Hold the block in your hand and gently press down on it as you move it along the body in the direction of the hair growth to remove any remaining winter coat.

    • 5

      Spray your dog's entire body with a coat conditioning spray. This spray contains oils and hair conditioners that will leave your dog's summer coat soft and shiny.