Dogs are a wonderful addition to any home. Playing with a pup can boost your mood significantly, particularly if you’ve had a bad day.
Since your dog needs daily exercise, you get a great workout whenever you take them out for their walks and play with them. Because of this, your pet also helps you stay healthy and physically fit.
Also, having a constant companion that will stay with you regardless of whatever you’re feeling will do wonders for your mental health.
However, owning a dog is not all fun and games. You have to be prepared to take good care of your pet to experience these benefits and ensure your home stays organised and in excellent condition.
Minimising Dog Shedding to Keep Your Home Clean
Dog shedding is one of the downsides you have to prepare to deal with once you own a pup.
Although most dogs go through a massive shedding only once or twice a year, their hair continuously falls out and gets replenished. Because of this, expect to find hair everywhere in your home any time of the year.
Learning to live with your dog’s hair flying and lying around is not your only option. You can minimise your pet’s shedding and keep your home fur-free with these tips:
1. Keep your dog well-groomed.
Providers of pet grooming supplies in Dubai say that you can help control your dog’s shedding by brushing her frequently.
When you brush your dog regularly, you make her fur softer, cleaner, and less likely to shed. As such, make this grooming practice a habit to minimise shedding. This will also make your pet look good in a dog dating app or other such platforms.
However, make sure you use a brush and comb designed for your pet’s particular coat type. A bristle-type brush is usually best for short-haired dogs. On the other hand, long-haired pups often need a rake brush.
If you are unsure about which brush and comb to get for your pup, ask your veterinarian or groomer.
Also, check if your dog has an undercoat. This is a layer of soft hair closest to the skin that gives pups extra protection against cold weather.
The undercoat tends to shed during the warmer seasons, contributing to more hair collecting in your home.
Some breeds that have undercoats include the Chow, German Shepherd, Husky, and Pomeranian.
If your dog has an undercoat, you’ll need a specially designed brush that can penetrate the topcoat and trap loose hairs in the inner layer.
Lastly, don’t forget to get some grooming gloves since they are handy tools that help you remove loose hair from your pet’s coat gently.
2. Bathe your dog every month.
Giving your dog a bath once a month ensures they smell great and, at the same time, helps remove loose hair that can end up on your chairs and floor.
When bathing your pup, always use a shampoo and conditioner specially designed for dogs.
Oatmeal and aloe vera dog shampoos and conditioners are your best options since they don’t dry your pup’s skin and can even rejuvenate their fur.
Avoid products manufactured for humans since they contain harsh ingredients that can dry out your pet’s skin and aggravate shedding.
Also, before bathing your dog, brush her hair to remove mats, tangles, and loose hair.
3. Vacuum every day.
If you don’t want fur to accumulate all over your home, vacuum daily.
You can use a regular vacuum with attachments to access nooks and crannies to get rid of fur. However, you can also consider getting a vacuum that targets pet hair.
These cleaning tools usually come with tangle-free brush rolls that resist collecting fur. Moreover, they come with special attachments that can remove fine hair from home furniture and vehicle upholstery and stairs.
Also, don’t forget to vacuum the areas where furballs build up and hide, such as under radiators, couches, and beds, and around table legs.
4. Make it a habit to remove hair from furniture and your dog’s bed.
Since pet hair tends to stick to fabric, you have to remove it as quickly as possible to prevent it from accumulating and giving you more headaches.
This is because newly-shed pet hairs are easier to remove before they can work their way into the upholstery fabric.
Aside from using a traditional vacuum and its attachments or a handheld pet vacuum to remove embedded hair from furniture upholstery, there are other items you may have at home that can help you get rid of dander.
A tape or lint roller is one of the best tools for removing hair. Rolling it over your upholstery allows you to remove dander quickly without too much work.
Another trick you can try is to put on a pair of wet rubber gloves and rub your hand over your furniture. You’ll be amazed at how much hair you collect.
Make sure you also wash your dog’s bedding at least weekly. If you haven’t bought a bed for your pet yet, consider getting one with washable covers.
If your dog already has a bed, get a few blankets that can be easily laundered so that you can have an easier time replacing them frequently.
Lastly, consider getting slipcovers you can use to cover your dog’s bed and their favourite chairs or spots on the couch and other furniture.
Slipcovers keep your pet’s shedding in one place and are easy to remove when you have guests coming by.
5. Modify your dog’s diet.
A poor diet is one of the common causes of excessive pet shedding.
Cheap, poor-quality dog food contains ingredients that can cause dogs to shed more fur. These include excessive salt, sugar, and barley.
As such, make it a habit to buy good-quality dog food (the best that you can afford, and one that is recommended by your vet or other pet experts). Make sure the product you get has good digestible protein sources since they help strengthen your pet’s hair.
Keep this in mind when shopping for pet food in Dubai.
You can also consider adding oil to your dog’s diet since doing so can help improve their skin and coat health and reduce shedding. Flax, olive, and coconut oil are excellent options.
Feed a spoonful of the oil to your dog or mix it into their food to increase their consumption of healthy oils.
With these tips, you’ll find less dog hair around your home. You’ll then have an easier time keeping your abode clean and healthy for every member of your family, including your four-footed one.
