Shedding – Is That a Problem?
Does your dog shed? What a silly question! And this time of year – whether it’s spring or fall where you live – your dog is probably shedding right now, or is about to. Now, let me ask you bloggers a question – do you get spam email telling you how to fix your blog? What a silly question! Of course you do. But don’t write every email off as spam. I recently received an email pointing out a couple of broken links in old posts and I’m glad I responded. The guy’s name is Mike, and he sent me a link to an article he wrote about dog shedding that’s comprehensive, beneficial. Click this sentence to read what he has to say. Color me impressed.
There’s no reason for me to reinvent the wheel and restate what he’s already said. I will tell you that some of his tips just won’t work for me. I’m not going to launder bedding every day or vacuum every day. But if we had allergy issues or I was a clean freak, I’d be all over every point in that article. I’d also only have the types of dogs he says are non-shedding. In fact, I already have two of them!
Some Dogs are Non-Shedding
Chewy is at least part Affenpinscher. Mike points out early in his post that no dog is truly non-shedding, much like no human is non-shedding. But Chewy, and many other non-shedding dogs, only drops fur the way humans drop hair. He also requires periodic hand stripping of his wiry fur. I run my hands down his coat and pull clumps of it when I pet him, working from his head to rump until he jumps off my lap. I do the same to Gadget, a Brussels Griffon/Chihuahua mix (we think).
Unfortunately (well, fortunately, since I love them very much and wouldn’t trade them for the world), two of our dogs are heavy shedders. Flash and Patches are half Australian Shepherd, half German Shepherd, two breeds with double coats. Every spring and fall our beige carpet disappears beneath the black of their coats. So right now? There are tufts of fur everywhere. According to Mike’s article, if I fed them better, they probably wouldn’t shed as much. I’m assuming that’s year round, since they’re blowing coat this time of year. Poor old things would love it if I fed them better.
Does Food Make a Difference With Shedding?
That said, I give all four dogs the very best treats. Jones Natural Chews are all natural and all completely grown and produced in the USA. Jones treats are either all meat or bone, or mostly meat, which the dogs love. Dogs know the difference. In fact, I’ve yet to meet a dog that wouldn’t do anything for a Jones Natural Chew. Including, I’m pretty sure, stop shedding.
I wish.
So pop over and read Mike’s article? And then pop over and enter the Knee Cap giveaway! You’ll want to tweet that daily to better your chances at winning! The Knee Cap is a great all-around gnawing treat for most dogs.
Spreading the good chews …
Flea
