I recently became the new owner of a beautiful 1yr old lab, we have had her just over 2 months now. I am getting concerned about the amount of shedding she is doing. When we first got her she shed but it seems the last two weeks that it has gotten out of control. Can changes in food or the fact that she was fixed affect the amount of shedding? We brush her but it does not seem to slow the formation of black shag carpet in my house.
serious shedding issue
Started by Sara'sMom, May 02 2012 09:51 PM
6 replies to this topic
#2
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Posted 03 May 2012 - 01:45 AM
Yes, labs do shed. But fortunately it's only twice per year. Each shed season can last from ten days to three weeks.
We have a yellow lab with longer hair that takes three weeks to get through it all and a Chocolate lab that takes about two weeks to get through it.
We just completed our most recent shedding experience.
The best way to deal with it is brushing every other day and vacuuming every other day.
I have found the best tools to use are a wide tooth comb and a more narrow toothed comb.
Technique:
Using the wide tooth comb brush the hair in the direction it grows. Then brush it against the grain, this is when you'll see the most hair. Then brush it back with the grain. Follow up with a brush with the grain with the fine tooth comb.
You'll probably see two different types of dog hair. One will be course, this is the outer coat and the next will be a kind of gray fluff. This is the undercoat which causes most of the shedding.
Our Chocolate lab will put out about four or five handfuls of hair and our yellow lab will put out a paper grocery bag each brushing. It all depends on the dog.
With a little bit of work, it's manageable and remember it usually happens only twice a year. Usually when the temps start to get over 60F in the spring and then usually in October.
We have a yellow lab with longer hair that takes three weeks to get through it all and a Chocolate lab that takes about two weeks to get through it.
We just completed our most recent shedding experience.
The best way to deal with it is brushing every other day and vacuuming every other day.
I have found the best tools to use are a wide tooth comb and a more narrow toothed comb.
Technique:
Using the wide tooth comb brush the hair in the direction it grows. Then brush it against the grain, this is when you'll see the most hair. Then brush it back with the grain. Follow up with a brush with the grain with the fine tooth comb.
You'll probably see two different types of dog hair. One will be course, this is the outer coat and the next will be a kind of gray fluff. This is the undercoat which causes most of the shedding.
Our Chocolate lab will put out about four or five handfuls of hair and our yellow lab will put out a paper grocery bag each brushing. It all depends on the dog.
With a little bit of work, it's manageable and remember it usually happens only twice a year. Usually when the temps start to get over 60F in the spring and then usually in October.
#3
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Senior Black Lab
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Posted 03 May 2012 - 05:29 AM
Yes Jake is the same. About twice a year but even in between I still hoover every other day! When shedding its nearly twice a day (but Im a bit obsessed with it!)
I have wooden flooring throughout apart from in the dinning room where there is carpet. This is a green sort of colour however can change throughout the year to black when shedding!
I have wooden flooring throughout apart from in the dinning room where there is carpet. This is a green sort of colour however can change throughout the year to black when shedding!
#4
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Puppy Black Lab
Posted 03 May 2012 - 10:25 AM
Thank you, I feel so much better now. Hopefully since it has been about 2 weeks we will get back to normal soon. I have not had a big dog in many years so I am not exactly sure what to expect as my Chihuahua does not shed for the most part. I swept the floor 3 times yesterday and brushed her before bed getting out a pile of hair that was about the size of my other dog. She is a great dog and the hair is just a minor inconvenience compared to the joy of having her, just wanted to make sure something wasn't wrong.
#5
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Posted 03 May 2012 - 11:23 AM
Here is a photo of the combs I use on our labs:
The top comb is the wider toothed comb.
When using these combs hold them at a 45 degree angle to your dogs skin. This will prevent scratching their skin.
In the heaviest part of the shedding season you'll probably fill the entire brush up with each stroke. Clean the brush by simply pulling the hair off of the comb.
We give each of our dogs a light brush every other day years round. with the large tooth comb only. It keeps them looking nice and combing a dog helps distribute the natural oil of the coat throughout. You'll find that the shiniest looking labs have a good grooming regamine. And it only takes about 5 minutes of your day.
If your dog doesn't like being brushed make sure that after you complete each grooming session (and not during it either) reward your dog with a small treat. You'll be surprised how fast they learn to like being brushed.
The top comb is the wider toothed comb.
When using these combs hold them at a 45 degree angle to your dogs skin. This will prevent scratching their skin.
In the heaviest part of the shedding season you'll probably fill the entire brush up with each stroke. Clean the brush by simply pulling the hair off of the comb.
We give each of our dogs a light brush every other day years round. with the large tooth comb only. It keeps them looking nice and combing a dog helps distribute the natural oil of the coat throughout. You'll find that the shiniest looking labs have a good grooming regamine. And it only takes about 5 minutes of your day.
If your dog doesn't like being brushed make sure that after you complete each grooming session (and not during it either) reward your dog with a small treat. You'll be surprised how fast they learn to like being brushed.
#7
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Posted 04 May 2012 - 04:23 PM
That's a nice comb, but I think that it's not wide enough to do the job quickly. It would seem to me that it would take at least 30 minutes to comb a full sized lab with that brush. Now if that brush was wider...
The width of the large toothed comb we have is 6 inches or 15.24 cm. So look for one that long.
The width of the large toothed comb we have is 6 inches or 15.24 cm. So look for one that long.
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