Hair Removal for a Labrador Retriever

Use a shedding rake to help pull loose hair from the Labrador retriever's undercoat. Although this loosened hair would eventually be shed naturally, removing it will help keep hair shed in your home to a minimum. Pull the shedding rake gently through the Labrador's coat, moving it in the direction of hair growth. Use a light touch as you move the shedding rake through the coat; the goal is to remove already loosened hair, rather than to pull out hair that's still part of the coat.

After using the shedding rake, run a fine-tooth comb through your Labrador retriever's coat. This will remove any loose hairs that the shedding rake left behind, and will also remove flakes of dried-out skin and debris that may be buried in the dog's hair. Move the fine-tooth comb gently through the hair, taking care not to get the comb stuck in the thick coat that is so typical of the Labrador retriever breed.

After excess hair has been removed, use a grooming pet brush on the Labrador retriever's coat. Choose a quality grooming brush with rubber teeth that reach all the way through the dog's hair. A grooming brush of this type will massage your dog's skin as you use it, prompting the capillaries to produce natural oils that help make skin and coats healthier. After you finish with the grooming brush, your Labrador retriever will have a well-groomed appearance, with a shiny coat free of excess hair.

Bathe your Labrador retriever on an "as needed" basis to remove excess hair that the grooming tools don't remove. Generally, this will be only once a month, or even less frequently, because regular grooming minimizes the need for baths. Use a shampoo formulated especially for dogs, and lather the whole coat, making sure to get shampoo all the way through the hair to your dog's skin. Rinse completely with warm water, and briskly towel-dry your Labrador retriever.

Tips for handling Summer Shedding in your Labrador

It is quite natural for dogs to lose their old hair through the process of shedding. But the amount of shedding usually depends on the breed and health of the dog. The season also has an impact on the shedding process.

Shedding in Labradors

Most Labrador owners will tell you that this specific breed of dogs is prone to a lot of shedding, especially in the spring-summer. So why do Labradors shed so much hair?Well, the answer is fairly simple: Even though a Labrador has a neat and short coat, it is quite dense in comparison to several other breeds. In fact, Labradors have what is termed as the “double coat”.If you observe closely, you will find that they have a warm, dense undercoat right beneath the glossy outer layer, designed for keeping them snug during the winter. Generally speaking, dogs that are mostly kept inside the house are susceptible to minor fluctuations as far as the thickness of the coast is concerned. Hence, they shed almost the same throughout the year. Generally, yellow Labradors are noted to shed more than black Labradors.

Managing Hair Shedding

The truth is that you really can’t do much about the shedding of hair in your Labrador. This is bound to increase during some months in the year. But there are two approaches that can help in minimizing the effects of this hair shedding. These are:

• Removal of dead/damaged hair from the dog
• Removal of shed hair from the home

Proper grooming plays a significant role in managing hair shedding in Labradors. If you pay attention to the hygiene of your dog and clean them up, you will have much less trouble dealing with the hair shedding later.During the shedding months, a lot of Labrador owners brush their dog at least once every day. For the other months, a few times a week is also sufficient.When cleaning furniture, several owners are comfortable removing the hair using a dog comb or brush. But there are others who swear by the effectiveness of all kinds of heavy-duty equipment, such as a ‘Furminator’, which has a contraption similar to a blade.Using a vacuum cleaner on a regular basis and covering your furniture with throws could help keep the house free of shed hair.

Vet Alert

Sometimes excessive shedding in your dog could also be a sign of an underlying medical condition. If you notice on or more of the following symptoms in your dog, it might be a good idea to take them to the vet:

• Open sores
• Skin irritation (scabs, rashes, bumps etc.)
• Thinning coat/bald spots
• Scratching