If you share your home with a shedder, you already know the drill: fur on the couch, fur on your clothes, and little tumbleweeds rolling across the floor no matter how often you vacuum. Shedding is completely normal, but it doesn't have to take over your house. A few minutes of the right brushing at home, paired with a professional deshed when the coat really lets go, can make a surprising difference.
Why some dogs shed so much
Many of the heaviest shedders, like huskies, golden retrievers, German shepherds, labs, and corgis, have a double coat: a soft, dense undercoat underneath and longer guard hairs on top. That undercoat is what comes out in clumps. Most dogs shed a little all year, then "blow" their coat more heavily as the seasons change, often in spring and again in fall. Here in Chesapeake and Suffolk, with our long, warm summers, many dogs seem to shed on and off for a good part of the year.
Every dog is different, so if your pup's shedding pattern doesn't match the calendar, that's okay. The goal isn't to stop shedding. It's to catch the loose coat on the brush instead of on your sofa.
At-home brushing that actually helps
Pick the right tools. For most shedders, three tools cover it: a slicker brush for the top layer, an undercoat rake to reach the dense fur underneath, and a metal comb to check your work. If a comb glides from skin to tip without catching, you've done a great job. Not sure which tools suit your dog's coat? Ask your groomer at your next visit.
Brush in sections. Rather than skimming the surface, lift a section of coat with one hand and brush the fur beneath it in the direction it grows, then work your way along. Groomers call this line brushing, and it's how you reach the undercoat where the loose fur hides.
Don't forget the hidden spots. Behind the ears, the "pants" on the back legs, the chest, and the base of the tail tend to hold the most loose coat.
Keep it short and pleasant. Ten minutes with treats and praise beats a long session your dog learns to dread. Be gentle, especially with rakes and deshedding tools. If your dog pulls away or the skin looks pink, ease up.
Find a rhythm. During heavy shedding, a few short sessions a week can help a lot. The rest of the year, once a week may be plenty. It depends on your dog's coat and how much they're shedding at the moment.
Brush before baths, not after. If you bathe at home, brushing out loose coat first helps the shampoo reach the skin and makes drying much easier.
One more note: shaving a double-coated dog can seem like a shortcut to less fur, but it doesn't stop shedding, and a double coat doesn't always grow back the same way. If you're thinking about it, talk it through with your groomer first.
When a professional Deshed Treatment helps
Even with good brushing at home, there are times when the undercoat simply gets ahead of you. That's when our Deshed Treatment is worth adding. You might consider it if:
- You're pulling clumps of fur out with your fingers, or the brush fills up the moment you start.
- Your dog is in the middle of a big seasonal coat blow.
- The undercoat feels thick and packed down, especially around the neck, pants, and tail.
- You've fallen behind on brushing and want a fresh start.
Every Pawsh groom already includes a bath, blowout, and thorough brush out, which moves a lot of loose coat on its own. The Deshed Treatment builds on that with special deshedding products and extra time and care focused on the undercoat. It's an add-on, so you can pair it with any of our services, and it pairs especially well with a Bath & Blowout for double-coated dogs. Most people notice the difference right away: a lighter, softer coat on the dog and a lot less of it around the house.
Because everything happens one-on-one in our grooming trailer at your home, all that loose fur stays with us, not in your car or on your bathroom floor.
A quick note on our other add-on
Since we're talking add-ons, Anal Gland Expression is also available with any groom if you'd like it. Just mention it when you request your appointment. If your dog seems to have ongoing trouble in that area, it's a good idea to check in with your vet.
Less fur, happier home
If your dog's coat is winning the shedding battle right now, we're happy to help you get ahead of it. Request an appointment and add a Deshed Treatment to your pup's groom, and we'll bring the trailer to you in Chesapeake or Suffolk.
Written by The Pawsh Team · Filed under Coat Care at Home
