The Shedding Season By Karla Addington-Smith For
Feeders Supply
We love our furry friends! But this time of year the "furry" part can be a problem. The fur flies, it sticks to carpet, furniture and clothing. This natural shed cycle is nature’s way to prepare your pet for the hot summer months ahead. Call it nature’s air conditioning!
To stay comfortable and a socially acceptable part of the family, your furry pet, whether dog, cat or rabbit, will need your assistance in getting through this hairy experience. There is no magic cure for the dreaded shed, but a healthy diet, regular outdoor exercise and routine brushing will help the process pass more quickly and with a lot less mess. The benefits of a healthy diet are well known. Outdoor exercise is helpful to the shedding process, since it is believed that sunshine and extended daylight hours trigger the seasonal shedding cycle. Once this process begins, regular brushing will remove this dead and loose undercoat from your furry friend before you find it on carpeting, furniture, etc.
There are other important benefits of routine brushing for your pet. Regular brushing stimulates the hair follicles and distributes the skin’s natural oils throughout the coat, providing shine as loose hair and dead skin is removed. Most pets learn to enjoy the brushing session and enjoy the added attention they get when they look and feel great.
For most coated breeds of dogs, cats and rabbits, a slicker brush is the best choice for routine brushing and coat care. The hair should be parted and gently brushed from the skin out. The bent wire bristles of the slicker brush grasp the undercoat and remove it from your pet. This process prevents matting of the coat and drastically reduces the potential for hairballs in cats and rabbits.
Heavily coated and double-coated dog breeds, such as the Pomeranian, German Shepherd, Samoyed and Newfoundland, will greatly benefit from the use of a shedding slicker brush. This slicker is slightly curved and the bristles penetrate the coat at two depths, allowing greater efficiency in removing undercoat.
Breeds with short- to medium-length smooth coats, such as the Pug, Labrador Retriever and Mastiff, will benefit from the use of a shedding blade. This grooming tool captures loose undercoat as the rippled edge is pulled over the pet’s body. Vigorous brushing with a firm bristle brush, used against the growth of hair, will help to loosen and remove the shedding coat on these breeds as well.
An undercoat rake will assist the brushing process of double-coated breeds with profuse hair around the neck and rump area, such as the Collie and Keeshond. The Teflon coated teeth of the rake are very rigid and spaced far enough apart to facilitate easy penetration into the thickest areas of coat.
The dreaded shedding season can be short and bearable with the correct grooming tool from Feeders Supply. Stop in and let one of our knowledgeable staff show you which tool is best for you and your best friend! |