We love them to pieces, until we’re ready to go out to dinner and there’s too many of those black strands all over our white jeans.
Dog hair. Is it not the bane of a pet owner’s existence?
I have a black dog, a rescue that was labeled a shepherd mix but looks like a Labrador and sheds like one. I find dog hair everywhere, even in places she never goes, such as the closet, my purse and the grandkids’ toy bin. When other pet owners visit, they immediately understand why the vacuum is at the ready.
Shedding is a year-round dilemma but it is heaviest during spring and fall.
As we head into autumn, we are bracing for another deluge, not quite as heavy as the earlier seasonal assault but enough to elicit gasps of horror every time we sweep the floor or get up from the sofa.
Why do dogs — and, yes, cats and guinea pigs — shed so much? And what, if anything, can we do to control it?
Abby Panozzo is here to help. The veterinary medical technology program coordinator and associate professor of veterinary medical technology at Joliet Junior College understands your frustration and has some tips on how to keep pet hair from getting the best of you, and your furniture, clothing, flooring, car seats, countertops, etc., etc., etc.
But first, some understanding. Why do animals shed?
“People think there are some breeds of dog that don’t shed at all but that’s not true,” Panozzo said. “Every dog sheds, the amount depends on the breed and hair coat.”
Some dogs, such as those in the “doodle” family, shed very little, she said. Other dogs, particularly those with a double coat, can shed a great deal. The kind of coat an animal has depends on genetics and where the breed comes from.
Most Northern and Nordic breeds, such as huskies, malamutes and Labradors, have a thicker undercoat; their hair is designed to be a protective mechanism that insulates during cold weather. “So when their dead hair is ready to come off, it’s more noticeable,” she said.
While it does seem like these breeds of dogs and cats shed all the time, shedding typically is worse during seasonal changes.
Spring into summer is usually the biggest time, Panozzo said. This is when double-coated dogs can look super puffy because they’re starting to “blow their coat.” They’ll hang onto dead fur in the winter but as spring comes, they let it go, almost like molting, because they don’t need it anymore.
But dogs and cats shed heavily again as fall transitions into winter, she said.
It’s not just the weather that causes an animal to lose hair, Panozzo said. Stress, fear and anxiety can make them shed more too. This is why many pets will shed more around the Fourth of July.
What can you do?
“Frequent brushing with the right tools can be really helpful,” she said.
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“If you have short-haired boxer, for example, use a bristle brush. Boxers do not have a deep undercoat and the brush will be gentler on their skin,” she said.
But a shepherd needs a rake or a slicker brush, which goes deeper into that second coat. It can relieve the animal of some of the hair that might get stuck, she said.
Most animals really like being groomed, Panozzo said. “It can be a good bonding experience, especially for cats and guinea pigs. They can really enjoy it.”
It’s important to know, she said, that a poor hair coat or excessive shedding can be a sign of a health issue, such as poor nutrition, endocrine disorders, fungal disease, bacterial disease and even parasites.
“Dogs need good omega fatty acids to minimize dander and shedding,” she said. “If you think your pet sheds an excessive amount of hair, check with your vet. Anytime you see a change, check with vet.
“The skin is the biggest organ in the body, just like with humans. When we start to notice changes in health, whether mental or physical, usually the skin is one of first places it manifests. It could be indication your animal needs help. It might be a big deal. And it could be an easy fix.”
So can getting a decent vacuum.
Panozzo relies on the Dyson Animal model.
It worked wonders when she had a German shepherd mix and a cattle dog, both of which left “hair all over the place.”
“Now I have a bull mastiff with very short hair and very minimal shedding,” she said.
“My vacuum doesn’t take as big a hit these days.”
Donna Vickroy is an award-winning reporter, editor and columnist who worked for the Daily Southtown for 38 years.