When you and your dog are roasting, cleaning up dog hair is last on your list.
Hot weather can be brutal on your pet, and you want to provide some relief.
You might believe shaving their coat will make them cooler and lessen the massive amounts of dog hair, but it´s actually not a good idea.
You should not shave your dog to stop its shedding. Shedding is natural and should not be interfered with. As a result of shaving, your dog could become even hotter because their heat regulation is disrupted.
This article will discuss some ways to control shedding, dog breeds that shed less, and some of the negative consequences of shaving a dog.
Read on to discover why a dog’s fur is beneficial for them.
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How Do I Get My Dog To Stop Shedding So Much?
The constant need to pick up dog hair can get very annoying if your dog doesn’t stop shedding.
Somedays, you’ll feel you just can’t get ahead of it and wonder if anything can be done to lessen the madness.
Luckily, reducing excessive shedding is part of the usual routines for keeping a healthy dog.
Make Sure Your Dog Is Getting Adequate Nutrition
One of the most important ways to control shedding is by providing your dog with good nutrition.
Humans need a healthy diet to function well, and your pet is no different.
By feeding your animal a diet rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals, you can reduce the amount of fur dropping.
If your dog isn’t getting enough of it in their diet, an Omega -3 supplement can provide your pet with a healthy, shiny coat and thereby reduce shedding.
Several other oils can also be great for your dog’s coat.
For example, coconut oil, olive oil, and fish oil can be supplied as a supplement or used topically on the skin.
Some essential oils, such as lavender oil and chamomile oil, give relief when applied topically.
Hydration is another way to prevent your dog from shedding excessively.
Dehydration can cause dry skin in dogs, which causes itchiness and hair loss.
Bathe Your Dog Regularly
Be sure to bathe your pet with skin moisturizing ingredients regularly, but not too often.
Many shampoos will help loosen skin debris and hair.
It is recommended to avoid using shampoos that contain harsh chemicals, as they can dry out the skin.
Brush Your Dog Often
Brush your dog often and with the proper brush.
The right brush will depend on how long and thick the coat is.
Not only does regular brushing lessen the shedding, but it also stimulates the oils in your dog’s skin.
Bathing and brushing your dog will also help you keep fleas under control.
Protecting your pet from fleas goes a long way in preventing itchy, irritated skin, which eventually falls out.
Dog Breeds With Little Shedding
All dogs shed to some degree, but some breeds shed much less than others.
- Basenji. They know to groom themselves and require very little maintenance
- Bichon Frise. These are hypoallergenic little dogs but require regular brushing
- Brussels Griffon. Low maintenance with little grooming required
- Lhasa Apso – Long-haired. Has minimal shedding.
- Maltese. Not much shedding but needs lots of grooming
- Shih Tzu. Curly hair with low shedding.
- Portuguese Water Dog. Hardly sheds, making it great for people with allergies.
- Tibetan Terrier. Very low shedding.
- Terrier breeds. Low maintenance and shedding.
- Labradoodle. Some shed more than others.
- Poodle. Hypoallergenic dog with almost no shedding.
Here Are Some Reasons Not To Shave Your Dog
Shaving your dog’s coat is not a good idea for several reasons.
Despite thinking you are doing them (and yourself) a favor, you aren’t.
- When you shave a dog’s fur, it will still shed, but with shorter hair.
- If you shave the fur of dogs with undercoats, like the Siberian Husky, the undercoat will grow back faster than their top coat, giving them a very uneven appearance.
- Also, a dog can be sunburned when their skin is exposed due to shaving.
- Shaving a dog can also affect its metabolism, as their fur acts as a heat regulator.
- Insect bites can be more prevalent and severe when a dog’s skin is exposed.
- Shaving a dog leaves them more prone to irritation, dryness, and itching.
Shaving your buddy harms them more than it helps.
The Benefits of a Dog’s Fur
Is all that fur benefitting your dog?
Your dog’s fur acts as an insulator.
Shaving your dog disrupts its protective mechanism, leaving it vulnerable to heat stroke or inefficient hair growth.
A double-coated dog sheds its undercoat in the summer to remain cool but keeps its outer coat.
Single-coat dogs, such as Greyhounds and Poodles, require some grooming, but the hair should only be cut down up to one inch from their skin.
They don’t have an undercoat for protection from the sun or bug bites, so be careful with them.
Remember that dogs don’t cool down the same way humans do.
One way they do this is by panting.
In addition, they use vasodilation (expansion of blood vessels) to stay cool, especially on their faces and ears.
Increasing blood vessel size brings hot blood closer to the skin’s surface.
The merocrine sweat glands on a dog’s paws work similarly to human sweat glands, but they only function when the dog is hot and has to cool off.
As you can see, your dog has several methods to cool off when necessary.
And while talking about the importance of dog fur, let’s also chime in on the importance of their whiskers.
I have an article discussing what would happen if you cut your dog’s whiskers, and how you should take care of your dog while the whiskers grow back. [What Happens if You Cut Off a Dog’s Whiskers?]
Check it out to learn more about the physiology of your canine buddy.
Final Thoughts
It is tempting to shave your dog’s coat when they appear exhausted by the heat.
But if you shave them, you will do more harm than good.
A dog’s temperature regulator will not function properly when you shave its hair.
They are also exposed to sunburn, insect bites, and skin irritations.
Feeding your dog a healthy diet is important for many reasons, but it will also help reduce shedding.
You can also choose a breed that shed less than others.