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Kelly


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less gross dog question ;)
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I need some help from anyone who has a furry, inside dog. Traci has been an outside dog all her life (save a couple months in college when I tried desperately to make her a happy apartment dog until she got so sad I sent her back to live with my parents again). A couple months ago, I got my own house and brought her to live with me. Now she's outside all day while I'm at work and inside whenever I'm home in the evenings or on the weekends.

Her whole life, while she was an outside dog, she's have two really big sheds in the spring and the fall. It was absolutely insane how much fur came off of her, and she's a husky mix so she has the double coat, too. I got her fur all buzzed off at the beginning of this summer and have let it go since, figuring it would grow into a winter coat in time (the one other time I buzzed her a couple years ago, this was the case) I was waiting and waiting this fall for this huge shed, not looking forward to it for the sake of my carpet. But it just never came. I can't figure out why - it's happened all of her previous 9 years. And her winter coat hasn't come in as thick as it usually does.

Does anyone else with a really furry dog have any insight? Do you think it's because the "fall" was so hot this year (it got up to the mid-90s here in the middle of October) and her body couldn't figure out that it was time to shed? Or would being inside at night do this, because she's in an artificial environment? Or could it be because she's getting old (she's almost 10)? I guess I'm wondering...what is going on with "normal" inside dogs' fur right now?

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Elle


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When you shear a dog with a double coat, sometimes it can take years for the undercoat to grow completely back in.  When it does come back sometimes it's not as thick or soft as it once was.

I probably wouldn't shear her again in the future.  Halleybird mentioned a comb she uses on her dogs that gets tons of hair out (can't remember what it's called now though!) so daily use of that during just the big sheds would probably keep her comfortable and from leaving hair all over the house.  You could also have her professionally groomed during those times, if you wanted.

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halleybird


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I think Elle is right about the coat. Or the inside/outside thing has her body so confused that it doesn't know what season it is. Sully has a double coat, but it isn't as thick as most dogs', and he doesn't ever blow his coat.

Grooming can help. Sully is way too skittish to be groomed, however, but a groomer I tried to take him to suggested the Furminator comb, and you can also buy Furminator Shampoo and Furminator treatment. She said she swears by it. I know others with the Furminator who love it too. I just haven't tried it because he hates to sit still to be brushed or bathed.

I have a brush that looks sort of like this that works pretty well.


Other than that, I can just recommend a good vacuum (Dyson!). I have just come to terms with the fact that I will have dog hair in my life.

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Kelly


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Well, she loves being brushed and I don't mind brushing her or vaccuuming up after her. It's not so much my hatred for her big sheds that's the problem...it's that she didn't even have a big shed this year and I can't figure out why! I didn't know if that lack of a huge shed is normal for inside dogs, or if it's normal for older dogs, etc.?

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Elle


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It's probably a combination of her living inside, the shave, and her age.  If you don't shave her again you'll probably still notice her sheds being much lighter than they've been in the past, though they might be more than this year (because of the shave). 




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To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment ~ {Ralph Waldo Emerson}
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