My dog sheds excessively. How often should I brush or de-shed them?

I would think once every 3-4 weeks would be sufficient, but if Toby is shedding it might be difficult to completely clear his undercoat in one go and you may want to use a de-shedding tool daily for a few days.

Heavy shedding can be extremely frustrating! Try bathing Leah about once a month and brush her at least 1-2 times per week in an attempt to minimize shedding. You can also use a special grooming tool, such as a Furminator (https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/furminator-short-hair-deshedding-tool-for-small-dogs which is designed to remove some of the extra undercoat that is most often shed. Just use caution if you decide to use a Furminator because it is easy to overdo it and create some bald spots! I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Dogs typically have a heavy shed in the spring and fall, but they do lose hair all year. Brushing daily to remove the dead hair helps, and giving a fatty acid supplement for the skin and coat will reduce the shedding. This is normal unless you are seeing bald spots or Rex is chewing off the hair. During times of stress they often shed more, like going to the veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Shedding excessively can have many reasons: 1) change of seasons...your dog sheds his summer hair to get a winter coat (this will depend on your climate) 2) food quality is not adequate 3) ectoparasites such as mange mites, demodex mites, fleas, ticks, etc. itch and the dog scratches excessively and loses a lot of hair 4) some dogs naturally shed more than others. 5) hormonal changes, e.g. your dog comes into heat. Females will shed their hair coat You can do the following: 1) feed a good quality complete commercial puppy food for large dogs 2) Check for ectoparasites and treat for them if present 3) Brush or comb your dog every day This should minimize the shedding.

Hello, dogs are expected to shed their fur in excess at least 2 times per year. Other causes for excessive shedding include stress, inadequate diet, or diseases affecting the skin coat or hair growth. You may limit the amount of hair shed onto your environment by brushing Leo daily and ensuring his diet has is adequate (i.e he eats a balanced diet approved by AFFCO). Additionally, you can inquire about feeding Leo a diet with added essential fatty acids to promote skin health. If you feel that Leo is shedding excessively due to being stressed, anxious, or nervous you may talk to your veterinarian about medications to control his anxiety in addition to behavior modification training. Best of luck and hope this helps.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, dogs will shed after a bath. They also shed a lot if they have skin problems like fleas or an infection. If you have bathed him daily for 4 days in a row then that could be causing excessive hair loss and could dry out his skin. If he has fleas I recommend using a long lasting flea preventative like Nexgard, Bravecto, Simparica, or the Seresto collar. Flea baths only last a day and are not good preventatives. Good luck!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Unfortunately, there is not an effective way to decrease the amount of shedding from a dog, nor would it be recommended. Dogs shed their coat as part of the normal hair growth lifecycle. As I'm sure you are aware, Malinois have a very thick coat, and especially as the weather gets warmer, they shed much of their undercoat to better help them with thermoregulation. If they were unable to do this, they would be much more likely to overheat, which is very dangerous. I would not recommend giving him any excessive amount of oils or bathing him frequently, as this could result in gastrointestinal upset and/or damage to the skin, which may actually cause him to shed more. Daily brushing will help him shed this undercoat, which may take up to 6 weeks. I hope this is helpful!