Shedding, how animals lose their old or damaged hair, is a natural process for our furry friends.

Although shedding is normal for dogs, the amount they shed often depends on their grooming, health, and breed.

Although it is impossible to completely stop a dog from shedding, there are ways to reduce it. Grooming your dog is an important part of parenting.

Not only does it help build the bond between you, but it also gives you a chance to give him a quick check-up. Searching for any lumps and bumps, fleas, or ticks.

During the winter months, dogs tend to shed less as they retain their coats for the cold months ahead. However, during the summer dogs tend to shed a lot more hair as they adjust to warmer temperatures.

Here we discuss how to reduce your pet's shedding during summer and throughout the year.

Brushing Your Dogs Coat to Reduce Shedding

Brushing your dog's coat is one way to reduce the amount of hair that your dog will shed. It has numerous benefits:

• Promotes a silky, shiny coat.
• Promotes good blood circulation.
• Stimulates the skin, producing natural oils to permeate through the skin and coat.
• Acts as bonding time, allowing you to nurture your relationship with your dog.
• Allows you to check up on your dog, seeing if they have picked up anything unwanted i.e. fleas, ticks, lumps, rashes, etc.

How to Brush Your Dogs Coat to Reduce Shedding:

• Select the correct brush for your dog's coat type and always brush your dog's hair gently.
• Move the brush movements around your pet's body, to avoid brush burn. Your pet's skin is quite delicate.
• Always brush in the direction the hair grows. Brushing against the hair growth will irritate.
• If you come across any matted hair in the coat, detangle them. A mat splitter is useful to release very knotted hair. Do not attempt to brush matted hair as this can damage the skin. 

Shop Popular Dog Brushes

Washing Your Dog Top Tips

• Always brush your dog fully before washing. Try to remove as much dead, loose and matted hair as possible. Matted hair holds water. Hence it can be a nightmare to remove while wet and can leave your pet with sore irritated skin.
• Use lukewarm water and test the water temperature with an elbow before bathing.
• Use a dog shampoo suitable for your dog, i.e. puppy shampoo.
• Use a calm voice to reassure your pet if bath time proves challenging.
• Post wash, towel dry your dog. For long-haired dogs, use a hairdryer to dry the hair (this is when the matts start to form!)
• Reward your dog with a tasty treat, so that they are compensated for their good behaviour.

How Often Should I Wash My Dog?

• Most dogs should be washed once every 3 months however if your dog falls into any of the following categories, follow the relevant instruction.
• Oily Coats (i.e. Terrier, Cocker Spaniel): Wash them once a month. If the coat is extremely oily, wash them in an oatmeal shampoo.
• If the skin is irritated from being too oily, use a medicated shampoo such as Malaseb shampoo.
• Water Resistant Coat (i.e. Poodle, Golden Retriever): Bathe them less often (once every 4-5 months) to save their natural oil.
• Short Haired Coat (i.e. Labrador, Beagle): Once every 6 months.
• Thick Coat (i.e. Samoyed, Malamute): Don’t need many baths but need regular, daily brushing.

Shop Popular Related Grooming Products

There are so many products on the market at the moment that it can be hard to find the right one for your pet. How do we decide which ones are best? How do we know which ones are most effective?

At Petworld, we recognize this struggle. That's why we have compiled a list of some of our top products for grooming. Check them out below!

Pet World Recommendation

• The Bob Martin Range includes flea and tick treatments for dogs of all sizes.
• Soa+ Itch Be Gone Soap is a great bar of soap for soothing the skin and managing a range of sores including tick, flea, mite and bug bites, ringworm, eczema, psoriasis, hot spots, and sweet itch.
• Dog Xcel Oil is an oil with Omega 3 as its main ingredient. The Omega 3 helps to maintain healthy skin and coat and brings the shine back to a dull and lifeless coat. It also supports a strong and healthy immune system, as well as promotes joint mobility.
• Irish Kelp is a food supplement. It is a blend of three seaweeds, harvested off the west coast of Ireland. Its purpose is to boost the skin and coat condition, maintain glucose levels and promote a healthy immune system.
• Oculus Prime is another 100% natural product that can be used to reduce weeping eyes in dogs.
• If you want to learn more about shedding and grooming, call your local Petworld Store where our helpful and knowledgeable staff will be happy to help and answer your questions.

If you have more questions, reach out to our nearest petworld store or call us now