Spring Time=Shedding Time

Spring Time=Shedding Time

There are different types of hair textures, hair lengths and hair types with dogs.  This article is about spring time shedding.  To start, I want to define a few terms; coat- all the hair on a dog, Shed/ding-when the coat naturally dies and falls out, blowing-when the coat sheds excessively...these definitions will give you a better understanding of this article and future articles.

The days are getting longer and temperatures are getting warmer.  These factors trigger a dogs body to change coat for the new season.  Winter is over and the dog no longer needs the heavy undercoat that kept him warm from the winter elements. 

Double coated breeds come in short,, medium and long lengths and can be straight or curly and in various textures.  Some double coated breeds are Collies, Shepherd breeds, Samoyeds, Huskies, Malamutes, and others.  These breeds are the dogs this article is about.  They produce a soft, finer, shorter coat under a longer, sometimes coarser top coat.  These double coated breeds will shed to some degree all year long.  In the spring the undercoat starts to fall out excessively and blow.  When this process starts some coat will fall completely off the dog.  As it comes out in greater amounts, the coat can not actually fall out..it will start to get caught in other undercoat and the top coat.  If this coat is not brushed and combed out on a regular basis it becomes packed in and will mat.  Leaving dead packed in coat on the dog can lead to hot spots, give parasite a place to hide and other possible bacterial and fungal infections.

When this coat mats, depending on the degree and amount of matting, if may be difficult or impossible to demat.  The only way to remedy that matted or packed in coat is to clip it down.  Clipping certain double coated breeds can ruin the beauty of the natural coat.  First clipper blades have to clip under the packed in or matted coat, blades do not clip through mats.  The tighter the mat is to the skin, the closer (shorter) the cuts has to be.  When undercoat is clipped, instead of removing it naturally by brushing, the coat life cycle is interrupted.  This change in the coat can make the body produce more and thicker undercoat.  This growth action can also decrease the production of the top coat due to the over production of undercoat.  Color change is another result.  Even though an undercoat can be darker then the top coat it is usually lighter giving the dog an entirely different look in color when clipped.  This clipped coat also can prevent the dog from having natural protection from sun (yes, dogs can get sunburn), parasites, and heat.

To keep your double coated dog looking and feeling it's best, you must brush and comb.  Brushing and combing every day is best (just like your own hair).  Depending on the length of top coat will determine how frequently you need to brush..the longer the coat the more brushing.  Slicker brushes give the best result.  Don't just brush over the top of your dog.  When you brush, make sure you get down to the dog's skin.  Brush all the hair against the way it grows, hold the coat with your opposite hand and brush small amounts of coat in the direction it grows, like you are brushing a part in the coat down to the skin...this is actually called line brushing.  Brush this way over the entire dog.  Then repeat this process using a comb.  Don't forget to clean the dead hair from your brush and comb as you go.

To reduce shedding and remove the dead undercoat many grooming salons offer Deshedding Service.  Groomers have specialty shampoos, conditioners and sprays that help loosen the dead coat during bathing.  High velocity dryers are used to "blast" the water and loosened coat off the dog.  Watching a deshedding session looks like it is "raining hair".  While blow drying your groomer then brushes, combs and desheds the dog with specific tools.  This process can remove most of the shedding coat and reduce future shedding, up to 80-90%.

Now that the dog has been correctly groomed for the spring your dog's body will produce just enough new growth to protect it from the summer elements.  Think about wolves, of course they haven't been bred by man to change their coats, but they live in very cold temperatures in the winter with thick coats, they shed in the spring for the hotter summer weather. In the fall most dogs will do this same process to ready the dog for the winter to grow in.  Again, these breeds shed all year long.  They may even blow a coat for other reasons; a trauma, whelping puppies, heat cycle, medication or others.

So get ready for that hair to start flying!  The hair bunnies rolling around on your floor and under the furniture.  Schedule your dog to have a Deshed Service today!  I hope you found this article helpful, if you have any questions please comment or contact me, my website has many specials running for new clients.
Beth M at Good Dogs Spa & Studio