Long days, flowers in bloom -- and dog hair everywhere
It's that time of year.
Shedding is just something we dog owners learn to live with, but it can be a challenge.
You can fight it, but according to this Dog Breed web site article, it's a natural process in most dogs.
"All dogs shed; some more than others. There is no such thing as a non-shedding dog, unless you have a completely hairless dog....."
Paris, a Mexican hairless I know at the San Pedro Dog Park, is one of those. But low maintenance? Hardly. Her owner tells me Paris needs regular applications of sunscreens, a wardrop of T-shirts to protect her skin and weekly baths.
Some dogs, according to an article in the May edition of "Your Dog," a newsletter out of the Cummings School of veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, tend to shed a lot more than others. Among the "Big Time Shedders" listed are Malamutes, Akitas, Australian shepherds, Belgian sheepdogs, collies, English toy spaniels, German shepherds, Great Pyrenees, Keeshonds, Newfoundlands, Pomeranians, Saint Bernards, Samoyeds, Siberian huskies and Shetland sheepdogs.
What to do?
Groom, groom groom:
The more hair you remove, the less you will see it all over your house. Brushing your dog once a day will greatly reduce the unwanted hair all over your clothes, carpet and furniture, especially during shedding season.
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About the Bloggers
Daily Breeze reporter Donna Littlejohn has shared her homes with a succession of wonderful, funny, and occasionally difficult canines -- Muffin, Fritz, Ellie, Mercy, Pilgrim and now Cowboy, an Australian shepherd-border collie, and Tess, a border collie. From strong-willed terriers to weirdly obsessed Australian shepherds, they've invaded her world with boundless energy, wet noses, muddy paws and soggy tennis balls. But they've really brought so much more than that -- like laughter and joy, some unexpected life lessons, and more than a few tears along the way.
E-mail Donna at donna.littlejohn@dailybreeze.com.
Josh Grossberg grew up with the usual array of animals: goldfish, dogs, hamsters, parakeets and turtles. He now owns the loudest dog in the South Bay(Video: Rocket the Dog) and is the least popular person on his block. He spends his free time in dog parks, pet shops and always has an extra plastic bag in his pocket just in case. He also has a cat.
E-mail Josh at josh.grossberg@dailybreeze.com.
Hi Donna,
I own a Samoyed and a Siberian Husky and I know from personal experience, they shed alot. In fact, I had a blanket made from the dog hair off my Samoyed. People need to research the breeds they are thinking of getting, so they don't get "surprised" by each breed characteristics. All breeds have traits that they were bred for, regardless if they are pure bred or mixed breed. Some dogs shed, bark, dig, herd, etc. I believe strongly that people need to do their research before bringing a dog into their home.