How To Reduce Dog Hair In Your Home From Shedding

Dog hair in the home can literally drive you crazy. You may love that indoor dog who is curled up by the fireplace, but cleaning up all the loose dog hair drifting around the floor can sometimes seem unbearable.

Omega Fatty Acids

You can reduce some of your dogs shedding by adding an omega fatty acid rich oil supplement to your dog's diet. These are available in special formulations just for dogs and contain fish oil such as salmon or cod. Adding omega fatty acids helps nourish the skin around the hair follicle and reduces shedding noticeably after a few weeks. Your dog's coat will look shinier as well. You can find omega fatty acid supplements in most pet stores such as Petsmart. Look for capsules that are clear to amber in color as a sign of freshness.

De Shedding Brushes

Your dog has two coats of hair. Both shed and end up on your floor. The first coat is easily removed with most dog brushes but the undercoat, which is made of downy fine hair, is left untouched. You need a special kind of comb that has very fine teeth to remove the undercoat. These brushes are more expensive because the teeth are made to very exact size tolerances with no microscopic rough edges. They allow healthy fine undercoat hairs to slide through and remain on the dog but loose ones to be removed. One popular brand is called the Furminator shedding brush.

Regular Bathing

Another way you can reduce pet hair that is shed inside the home is to give your dog a regular bath. Once every two weeks may be enough, but if your dog is like mine and digs in the dirt, it might need to be once a week. Use only dog shampoo with a low or neutral PH. Never bathe your dog with human shampoo or dish soap since this will cause skin irritation.

Good Food

Your dog may be shedding more than normal because of the cheap dog food you are feeding it. Never feed your dog the cheap store brand. These are made from foul smelling by products and cheap filler grains and rarely provide enough complete nutrition. Stick to the brands that veterinarians use such as Iams, Flint River, Wellness, Science Diet, etc.

Feeding your dog a healthy diet and omega fatty acid supplements is guaranteed to reduce shedding. However, if you notice that your dog is shedding an unusual amount it is a good idea to take them to the vet for a checkup. Excessive shedding can be a sign of a number of serious canine health concerns.