What can I do about my shedding dog?

 Well, it is summer here in the western hemisphere of our planet. With the warmer temperatures, your little buddies will shed more than in the winter months.

Certain breed also tend to shed much more than others. German Shepherds and Labradors tend to shed larger amounts of fur than some other breeds. The Lovely Shane may not believe this based upon the hair that accumulates around the Dog Trainer shack, but, Beagles are fairly moderate shedding dogs. Cuddles, our Corgi mix barely sheds at all.

I once had a lab/pit bull mix named Critten. She was a big time shedder!

A little more hair shed this time of year is normal. However, excessive shedding can, in some cases indicate a medical problem. This is particularly true if there are also other symptoms such as excessive scratching, skin irritation, etc. Our friends at the ASPCA have some information on their website that lists other symptoms for which to be on the lookout. The information may be obtained at http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/dog-care-shedding.aspx .

I have mentioned before that our Whopper Beagle, Copper has a thyroid problem that we treat with medication. Before he was diagnosed, one of his symptoms was excessive shedding. Since he has been on the medication, he does not shed nearly as much and his coat is much brighter and softer.

Excessive shedding can, in some cases, be caused by insufficient nutrients and can be treated through diet or supplements. Only your veterinarian can diagnose this for certain however.

There are things that can be done to control the normal summer time shedding.

I have found that regular brushing is a very effective way to cut down on the amount of shed hair that we find in the shack. The Lovely Shane and I do our best to routinely brush our little guys. The way we do it is that we brush them on the back porch just before they come in to the shack. I use a slicker brush(similar to the red one in the picture)

. It is the type of tool that I have used for many years on Beagles. You must be careful not to scratch the dog's skin with the bristles but once you get the feel for it you will have no trouble.

The slicker brush however, is not the tool that most professional groomers that I know recommend. Most groomers that I know recommend a tool like the Zoom Groom (the blue one in the picture). It is made of some sort of rubber like material. The bristles will never cut into the skin.

There is a great deal of hype about the Furminator (the yellow tool in the picture). It is a good tool but I can not justify the outrageously high price for my use. I have also been cautioned by some of the groomers that I know to be very careful with the blade on these things because they can be rough on the skin.

When I worked for Petco we did a remodel. As a result of this remodel we replaced some of the items that we previously carried with similar items in different sizes. There was quite a good clearance sale on much of the stuff we were no longer carrying. I picked up a bottle of spray on conditioner that was suppose to control shedding. I got it for almost nothing. I tried it and in my experience the stuff works very well. Petco still carries it in a different size than I purchased. The same sort of stuff can also be sourced from many other places.

The Lovely Shane and I have very little carpet in the shack here. Our goal is to have no carpet at all. We have mostly wood and vinyl flooring. This may be extreme for you and I am not suggesting it for everyone, we just find that it makes clean-up exponentially easier.

Something that I do recommend is changing or checking your central air conditioning filters very often this time of year. You will probably be surprised how much dog hair get sucked up by the returns on your AC system.

Remember, if you have any dog training needs or dog related questions or concerns, please contact me at any time.


Till next time

-William -

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com
678-702-4791

Visit to the vet and how to get the pup to take the pill.

Copper went to see his friends at the vet's office today. As you may remember, he has thyroid problems. They did a blood test just to make sure that the medication is working properly. I should get the results early next week.

Since he was diagnosed, I have been giving him two pills each day. If you have never given pills to a dog before, I thought that perhaps I could give a little advice here.

The problem is that dogs don't really swallow pills naturally. So, you have to be a little creative when it comes to getting the pill into the pup. Nutro makes a cool little thing under their Greenies Brand called Pill Pockets. This is basically a semi moist malleable treat that wraps around the pill.  Most dogs will eat the treat and not notice the pill. Petco sells a 3.5 ounce bag with 30 of these things in it for about $10.00.

I have found a more economical solution.
The Lovely Shane picked up the bag of cheese on the right for about $9.00. It is already cut into chunks that are about the proper size. And there is two pounds of this stuff in the bag. Copper loves this cheese. He can have a treat, Cuddles can have a treat, The Lovely Shane can have a treat and I can have a delicious cheese treat all from the same bag!





Notice to the left here, how the pill pushes easily into the chunk of cheese. Copper never knows that his is the only treat with a hidden surprise.

These chunks are really the perfect size for his pill. Block cheese works well too. But, believe it or not, the unit cost was less on the stuff already cut into chunks.

Well eventually Copper may figure out that there is a pit inside the cheese (the pill) and he will likely spit it out. Don't laugh I have had this happen with more than one Beagle over the years.

After he was diagnosed, I picked up the little gadget on the right. It is a Pill Dispenser. Years ago, I think we called these pill poppers. It works a little like a syringe. The one end has little finger like things that hold the pill in place inside the syringe. You put the syringe in the dog's mouth and push the plunger which pops the pill down the dog's throat. They do not like it. It is, however, the only way that I have found which is almost fool-proof.

Copper showed a little bit of Anxiety at the vet's office today. He was a good boy but he was just scared. I remembered something that I have suggested to many students. I am going to take him to the vet's office when he does not have an appointment and let him greet the office staff, get petted, maybe get a treat or two.... then leave. This way he does not always associate the vet's office with bad experiences (like being stuck with a needle to draw blood). I can identify with the little guy, I hate needles too! I did also assure Copper that the vet was likely not a Alien and certainly not evil... anyone who would give a dog Puperoni after a needle stick can not be evil . :)

I hope my ramblings to day may have been of some help to you.

Remember I am always available if you have questions.

Till next time

-William-

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com
678-702-4791
: