Twice a year our double coated dogs and cats shed their seasonal coats all over our home, clothes, and furniture.
My first four legged baby, Bear, was a Labrador Retriever / Chow mix and twice a year she could walk into a room, shake, and change the color of the carpet. In my life before grooming, my solution to this excess hair was two fold. I changed my wardrobe to all black during shedding season, hoping the hair wouldn’t show as much. Once I was good and frustrated with the extra Bear Hair rolling around my house like tumbleweeds in a dust storm, I took her to the groomer for a shave down (also called a smoothie).
When I started my grooming career, I learned about de-shedding treatments and I often wondered why no one ever suggested this to me as a pet owner. I still don’t have an answer to that question.
My first four legged baby, Bear, was a Labrador Retriever / Chow mix and twice a year she could walk into a room, shake, and change the color of the carpet. In my life before grooming, my solution to this excess hair was two fold. I changed my wardrobe to all black during shedding season, hoping the hair wouldn’t show as much. Once I was good and frustrated with the extra Bear Hair rolling around my house like tumbleweeds in a dust storm, I took her to the groomer for a shave down (also called a smoothie).
When I started my grooming career, I learned about de-shedding treatments and I often wondered why no one ever suggested this to me as a pet owner. I still don’t have an answer to that question.
What is a De-shed and How Long Will it Last?
A professional De-shed treatment gets rid of the majority of the shedding undercoat. There may be some minor shedding afterwards, but most people find this to be a nominal amount and say it is a great improvement. De-shed treatments may need to be repeated every 3 –4 weeks during shedding season and can last up to several months if your pets coat has finished “blowing” at the time of the service.
Professional De-shedding starts with a bath using high quality shampoo, followed by a leave in conditioning treatment that loosens shedding undercoat.
The majority of the loose coat is removed during the drying process using a high velocity dryer, a heat free air dryer similar to a vacuum cleaner except that instead of suction the dryer blows air. This removes the majority of loose coat quickly and painlessly from your pet.
After your pet is dry, the remaining loose undercoat is removed using a Furminator tool to gently brush the loose hairs from your pet’s coat.
I also included ear cleaning, tooth brushing, nail trimming, sanitary trimming, optional gland expression, and a scissor/blending/thinning finish.
Professional De-shedding starts with a bath using high quality shampoo, followed by a leave in conditioning treatment that loosens shedding undercoat.
The majority of the loose coat is removed during the drying process using a high velocity dryer, a heat free air dryer similar to a vacuum cleaner except that instead of suction the dryer blows air. This removes the majority of loose coat quickly and painlessly from your pet.
After your pet is dry, the remaining loose undercoat is removed using a Furminator tool to gently brush the loose hairs from your pet’s coat.
I also included ear cleaning, tooth brushing, nail trimming, sanitary trimming, optional gland expression, and a scissor/blending/thinning finish.
What about a Summer Smoothie/Shave Down?
For many owners, a shave down, or spring/summer smoothie is the solution. I find that many Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever owners prefer this option.
A shave down or smoothie without a de-shed treatment can result in your pet shedding shorter hair, instead of longer hair. While still an improvement, a quality spring/summer shave down should include a de-shed treatment with the haircut.
Combining a Sping/Summer shave down with a de-shed treatments minimizes the amount of shedding hair in your home, it also results in shorter less noticeable hair if your pet continues to “blow coat” after the service. Another benefit of combining a de-shed service with a Spring/Summer trim is that the hair can be left longer with a similar benefit.
If My Pet Gets Shaved Down, Will His or Her Coat Grow Back?
With very few veterinary and age related exceptions, your pet’s hair will grow back. Many people are concerned about destroying their pet’s coat by shaving them down. What they are noticing is that the hair does not seem to grow back evenly or at the same time. Guard hairs (over coat) and undercoat grow at different rates at different times.
This can be dependent on the seasons or the pets own hair growing / shedding cycles. For this reason, it may take many, many months for a pet’s coat to grow back in like it was prior to the shave down.
If this is a concern, I recommend a de-shed service, instead of a smoothie.
For more information about the benefits of House Call Pet Grooming in the Sarasota County or Manatee County please call Sunny Dawn House Call Pet Grooming 941-301-8543.
This can be dependent on the seasons or the pets own hair growing / shedding cycles. For this reason, it may take many, many months for a pet’s coat to grow back in like it was prior to the shave down.
If this is a concern, I recommend a de-shed service, instead of a smoothie.
For more information about the benefits of House Call Pet Grooming in the Sarasota County or Manatee County please call Sunny Dawn House Call Pet Grooming 941-301-8543.
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