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Find out why dogs and cats shed and check out practical tips to reduce shedding and keep your home free of pet hair.
When you share your home with a dog or cat, shedding often becomes an issue. Pet hair can quickly accumulate on your floors and furnishings. It may be frustrating, but fortunately, you can minimize shedding and keep your home as hair-free as possible. Here’s why dogs and cats shed, and how to reduce shedding and manage pet hair at home.
Why dogs and cats shed
Dogs and cats shed hair year-round, although it’s more prevalent during the spring and sometimes the fall. Shedding is a natural process: old hair falls out to allow room for new growth.
Flag it: Some breeds with longer and/or thicker coats will shed more than others.
However, excessive or sudden shedding may indicate a problem. It could signal nutritional deficiencies or medical issues such as hypothyroidism or diabetes.
Overgrooming, irritation, and rashes are common skin problems that contribute to hair loss. One of the most common causes of excessive shedding is allergies, although parasites such as ringworm, ticks, and fleas can cause abnormal shedding as well.
Steps to minimize shedding and pet hair
Consult your vet if your dog or cat’s shedding seems abnormal or starts suddenly. There may be an underlying health issue that needs treatment. Once you know why he’s shedding, the following prevention and management steps can help minimize the issue and keep your home as clean as possible (see sidebar on page xx).
Regular grooming helps prevent and manage shedding effectively. Grooming on a weekly or even daily basis removes dead hair before it is dispersed throughout your home.
Even with professional grooming, you should brush your pet several times a week. Tailor the frequency to his hair type and shedding level. Choose grooming tools that target loose hair and the undercoat. This removes as much hair as possible, reducing both shedding and matting.
Flag it: One of the best grooming tools is a de-shedding comb, specifically designed to remove loose hair from your animal’s coat.
You may need to test out several different types of grooming tools before you find something that works for your dog or cat’s coat. Be sure to choose something that won’t scratch his skin and make the grooming experience unpleasant for him.
Bathing may seem a good way to manage shedding, but too-frequent baths can dry out your pet’s skin and worsen the problem. This is especially true if you use commercial shampoos that contain detergents and other chemicals.
Use pet wet wipes as an alternative to frequent bathing. They help keep your animal cleaner and reduce odor. Just be sure to choose a product made from natural ingredients.
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Feed him a nutritious quality diet
A healthy, high-quality diet is another essential step to reduce shedding. Low-end commercial foods often contain ingredients that trigger allergies and worsen shedding or skin problems. These ingredients include wheat, soy, corn, and artificial preservatives, flavors, and colors.
Flag it: Some animals may develop allergies to certain proteins such as beef and chicken, commonly found in many pet foods. Giving your dog or cat a diet made from alternative proteins such as duck, bison or rabbit, may help.
Be sure to choose a premium diet made from whole-food ingredients, with no fillers or additives.
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Visit the vet for checkups
Take your dog or cat to a holistic or integrative vet annually to check for medical concerns. If shedding is a problem, have your vet check your animal’s skin and coat for any issues. They can identify allergies, parasites, or other problems contributing to excessive hair loss.
If your dog or cat has any health concerns that might exacerbate shedding, follow the treatment plan recommended by your vet, and follow up with them when required.
Fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting pests sometimes trigger or worsen skin problems in dogs and cats. Redness, itching, hot spots, and other irritations lead to scratching and increased shedding.
Choose natural flea and tick repellents over chemical-based products to protect your dog or cat from pests. Essential oil sprays, such as lavender or lemongrass, repel pests from your animal. Be sure to buy only the highest quality therapeutic grade oils and be cautious using them around cats.
Unless you have a hairless breed, some shedding is inevitable. This is just a reality for dog and cat parents. But taking steps to reduce shedding and manage pet hair at home will make it much less of an issue.
Way to reduce pet hair in your home
- Vacuum your home daily or every other day. Vacuuming is better than sweeping since it captures pet hair more effectively. Use microfiber cleaning tools on hard floors to prevent spreading hair around the house or into the air.
- Upholstered furniture is a hotspot for pet hair. Slipcovers are a perfect solution. You can easily remove and wash them as needed to eliminate pet odors and stains as well as hair. Run cushion covers, clothing and blankets through the dryer before washing them. This helps loosen pet hair.
- Household tools for removing lint from clothing and upholstery also work well with pet hair. Look for sticky rollers and lint removal brushes, widely available in stores or online.
- Stick to fabrics that don’t attract as much pet hair as more textured materials or those prone to static cling, such as wool or polyester. Linen, cotton, and denim are good choices.
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Abigail Jane
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