How to Deshed a Double Coated Dog
Double coated dogs are those breeds that have both a soft, layered undercoat and a tougher, heavy guard coat of hairs on the top. These breeds -- such as the husky and the collie -- require regular grooming to keep their coats from becoming dirty, matted and extremely uncomfortable. While these dogs may be high on the maintenance scale for grooming, regularly going through the deshedding process will make things easier in the long run, and cut down on dirt, smell and stray, and it will make the dog much more comfortable.
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Instructions
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Comb the dog at least weekly, even in seasons that aren't heavy shedding seasons. This gets rid of any dead or loose hairs, and keeps both the coat and skin healthy. Use a long-bladed comb to get through all the layers of the coat. This regular upkeep will make shedding season much easier to manage.
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Bathe the dog. This will help loosen some of the coat that is being shedded, and much of it will come out during the process of lathering with a shampoo and rinsing. Because some dogs are prone to dry skin, a puppy shampoo or one with oatmeal can help retain moisture during shedding season baths.
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Depending on the sensitivity of the dog's skin, a conditioner can be used to help reduce the amount of tangles and the ease with which the dropping coat can be brushed out. Dogs with a history of dry or sensitive skin can have their problems aggravated by conditioners, so use caution.
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Let the dog dry completely. If started from a puppy, it can learn to tolerate a hair dryer which can further loosen some of the undercoat that is being lost.
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Go over the dog with an undercoat rake. This is a special brush that is designed to grab and remove dead hairs from the undercoat of a double coated dog; these hairs can be missed by a regular comb or brush. During shedding season, you may need to do this as often as twice a day.
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Finish grooming with a slicker brush, a rectangular brush with fine wire bristles. It removes stray hairs and smooths the outer coat.
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Tips & Warnings
After shedding season has passed, some dogs can benefit from a trip to a professional groomer.
Never shave a dog with a double coat unless it is beyond hope of repair. The double coat will rarely grow back right, and the result will be a coat that grows in irregular patches.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images
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Comments
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Hi Adrienne! We adopted a border collie husky mix from the humane society last november and these twice a year sheddings are a real challenge - literally bagfuls of fur around the house and after I rake her fur. Is it best to get her groomed during or right after? She is too big for me to bathe alone - i definitely will need to take her to someone. Any other tips for double coated dogs? - this is my first!
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I wouldn't recommend using a slicker brush on a double-coated breed. It will break the coat & cause flyaway hairs. A better brush to use is a pin brush: usually a round brush with a handle & straight pins. Most have little rubber tips on the pins. Brush up against the lay of the coat, and brush down in layers. This is called 'line brushing', and is much more appropriate for double-coated breeds as well as naturally long coated breeds like Shih-Tzus, Malteses & Lhasa Apsos.
