Advise From a Groomer: Your Dog's Shedding

All dogs shed hair. I hate to break it to you but there is absolutely no breed of dog that doesn't shed any hair. Shedding is also a natural process and there is no way to stop it completely, but there are ways to decrease or manage it. There are different types of fur coats and they simply shed hair in different ways. As a groomer, I know there are certain things you need to be looking into as to why your dog could be shedding so much. There are also different ways to help with shedding depending on the reason and the type of hair your dog has. If you are dealing with an obscene amount of hair and don't know what to do, I hope this post helps.

Why is my dog shedding so much?

Medical Reasons

There are different reasons why your dog could be shedding and if more than usual. If for any reason you suspect your dog is losing hair more frequently than normal, it may be time for a trip to the vet. If you notice your dog is losing hair and balding in certain spots, it could be a sign of a medical condition. If you notice your dog is losing a lot of hair, itching obsessively, has any type of weird odor, or their coat is just out of the ordinary, take them to the vet. Dogs can get different types of skin infections due to various reasons, and can also have many types of underlining health conditions that first show themselves through the skin. So, before you try anything for shedding that I mention below, make sure it isn't a medical condition first as your vet could find the reason.

Nutrition and Supplements

Many dogs can shed an abnormal amount of hair due to not eating an appropriate amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in their diet for their specific coat type. According to the AAFCO, (The Association of American Feed Control Officials), which is a voluntary group of federal agencies that help regulate the animal food industry, listing a minimum amount of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids is not required, although there are guidelines to reach a sufficient ratio maximum. This means that dog food companies that follow the AAFCO guidelines are not required to add a specific amount of these fatty acids into their adult maintenance diets. The guidelines only restrict the excess amount in the case that they are being used. According to Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University,