De-shedding

To me, de-shedding is a fancy technical term for what we used to call brushing. They have several tools and conditioning solutions out now that are supposed to reduce the amount of hair in your home by a significant amount should you follow their program, and in a way this is completely accurate. That is because their program recommends regular bathing and brushing of the dog every two to six weeks. Many dogs who are considered to be high shedding are also otherwise low maintenance and groomers are lucky to see them every three to four months. The tools that are used certainly have their place and card the coat, pulling out undercoat. However they can be very abrasive to the skin, and extreme care must be used not to irritate the dog.

My tricks for de-shedding depend on the coat of the dog, but are fairly simple. For a smooth, short coat, such as a Boxer, Dalmation, or Boston Terrier, I prefer to use another of my secret weapons:

I have tried any number of rubber curry combs over the years. For some reason, the Kong Zoom Groom beats them all, hands down. It is easy to hold, easy to clean, removes a ton of hair (so much that you get a little worried the dog will end up bald - trust me, it won't), and is pretty cheap.

The Kong Zoom Groom also works well on the shorter double coats, such as the German Shepherd or Labrador Retriever. With heavier coats of that type or longer, like Malamutes, Shelties and Collies,  my preference is to slather them in a conditioner that has a bit of silicone in it, let them sit for a bit and then, before rinsing out the conditioner, use a grooming rake (a wide tooth comb that exactly resembles a little rake) to comb out as much of the undercoat as possible. Hopefully you will have groomed your dog more than once a year and this will not be too difficult. If it should be seriously packed in there, you might need professional (grooming) help.

Once you have removed as much of the coat as possible, cleaned out your tub, and rinsed the dog, you will need to get them dry. Many folks at home just let their dogs air dry but, to remove as much hair as you can, I recommend using a High-Velocity dryer. You can find one at any professional grooming supply company, and also at most dog shows. In a pinch, take a look at your Shop-vac. It probably has a blower feature. If it isn't too stinky, you can use that blower as a dryer. Stay away from the eyes, ears, genitals and backside please. An HV dryer will get down to the skin, and loosen all of the remaining undercoat. Once the dog is totally dry, follow up with the rake again, a slicker brush, and possibly a finer comb.

This process will absolutely make a mess. Fortunately, you already have your Shop-vac handy. These suggestions are meant for pet dogs only, so don't do this to your show dog or your handler will kill me.

For those who are concerned about their dog's reaction to the dryer and who are convinced that all dogs live in fear, I leave you with this video of my dogs.