You can try to prepare for it, but no one can really stop it from happening. Particularly if your decor favors plush carpets and upholstered furniture and especially if your wardrobe favors cotton, dogs that shed top the list of cleaning dilemmas—as well as most people’s lists of “What I Would Change about My Dogs If I Could.” Here’s how to cope and keep excessive shedding at bay.
Best Way to Stop a Shedding Dog? Grooming.
If everything in your house has a fine layer of dog hair that seems to reappear the second you vacuum, it means you need to start at the source with a dog de-shedding tool. Invest in a dog brush and establish a once-a-day brushing routine, always in the same place and at the same time. Furry pooches will shed less hair if you brush them regularly, and grooming your dog in a consistent pattern will get them in the habit of reminding you that it’s time for a currycomb.
After brushing your dog, pry the matted hairs from the base of the brush bristles or tines of the comb and dispose of them. Do this each and every time you brush. If you don’t, you’re just leaving the hairs to waft back into the air, scoot back under the bed or closet, and form more dust bunnies—or creep back onto your clothing.
Keep dog brushes clean the same way you clean your own. First, clean out all the dry hair with an old comb. Next, fill a basin or a bucket with some hot water and add a capful (a tablespoon or two) of your favorite shampoo. Rub it into the bristles, then let the brush soak for about five minutes. Rinse the brush clean with hot water and then a little white vinegar, which will remove any soap residue.
If you’ve neglected your dog’s brush for so long that shampoo doesn’t do a good enough job of cleaning it, try this method. Pour some hot water into a bucket or basin and add a little ammonia. Soak the brush for about half an hour, then rinse well with hot water.
Keep Furniture Free of Your Dog’s Shed
If, no matter how often you vacuum, it seems as though your upholstered furniture is still covered with dog fur, try this easy solution. Dampen a piece of fabric—chamois works best, but any cotton rag will do—with some water and rub it over the fabric. Even excessive dog hair will come right off.
No matter what method of fur removal you choose, you can make it even more effective by first spraying the affected area with some antistatic spray, such as Static Guard (which you can find at discount and grocery stores).
Shedding in Dogs Should Stay Off Your Duds
To keep hairs off wool and fuzzy clothing—their favorite clinging places—try to pet dogs and say good-bye before you put on your coat to leave.
Keep a large shirt around to drape over “dry clean only” suits and sweaters when you’re around the dogs or sitting in their favorite chairs.
Always hang up coats and any other dry-cleaned clothing, preferably in a closed closet, and place sweaters in closed drawers. Dogs find these items irresistible when they are left lying around or are hung over the backs of chairs. And if your pooch indulges, you may not appreciate the resulting dry-cleaning bill—let alone the fact that your clothing might still have hairs on it when it comes back.
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