Share Your Anti-Shedding Secret [Archive]

BethS0103

08-09-2007, 09:35 AM

If there's already a thread about this, I apologize. I didn't have time to do a thorough search, but I would love to know if some of you have found the secret to keeping your dogs from shedding profusely.

Our pugs shed year round and it is awful! This is what my husband always looks like after he brushes our one pug:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/beths0103/06-ThisiswhathappensafteryoubrushFr.jpg

We've tried flax seed oil, that didn't really work, we bought one of those Kong brushes which does help get rid of hair, but it doesn't keep them from shedding, we took them to Petsmart and had them give us the "low shed package" and that didn't really work, aside from shaving them bald, I don't know what to do.

Now I'm under no false pretenses that I'm going to find a remedy that will prevent them from shedding at all, but I'd at least like to find something that helps to noticeably reduce it.

So have any of you high-shedding dog owners out there discovered any secrets that the rest of us don't know about?

sdianems

08-09-2007, 09:53 AM

Ooooh....great thread! I have the same problem and no answers, so I will be watching this one :)

meganth

08-09-2007, 10:04 AM

we bought one of those Kong brushes which does help get rid of hair, but it doesn't keep them from shedding
Have you tried using it every day? I've got a fuzzy, fuzzy boy with a double coat and i discovered that if i use the kong brush every day plus brushing and combing it seems to cut down on the amount of shedding.

cr8zyforaf

08-09-2007, 10:13 AM

OK- I normally don't pimp products - but get one of these:

www.furminator.com

We have a lab and all of my clothes look like your picture - this thing is amazing. My mom saw an ad in a magazine and purchased it for me. I use it three times a week and cannot believe the difference. The first time I used it on him, enough hair came off to fill a trash can (When I first started brushing I though "how will I ever know when to stop" and eventually I couldn't get any more hair off of him.

I was at the end of my rope...i was so sick of all the hair and now, I don't even notice it. He hasn't stopped shedding 100% but it is pretty darn close to 85-90% with regular brushings.

I have about 100 different brushes and NONE work in comparison to this thing.

meganth

08-09-2007, 12:11 PM

After reading reviews on the furminator i'm going to buy it this evening!

BethS0103

08-09-2007, 02:12 PM

I just went and bought the furminator while I was out running errands today. I'm going to try it tonight. For the price, it better work! :p

MES in Chicago

08-09-2007, 06:05 PM

Beth- Please let us know how this works!! You know my pug needs one too.

CheartsQ

08-09-2007, 06:24 PM

The furminator really does work if you do it consistently. I work at a luxury dog grooming/boarding suites facility and we offer furminator treatments. You wouldn't believe the amount of hair that comes off of these dogs! We have many regular customers who swear by it. We get everything from Beagles to Saint Bernards and the results are great!:)

meganth

08-09-2007, 06:46 PM

HOLY CRAP! So i had been using the Kong brush almost every day on my double coated collie/rott mix and my double coated cat. I went and bought the furminator and it's TOTALLY worth every penny. Even though i brush my pup every day i still managed to pull out a large cats worth of undercoat.

I can't believe how much more fur it pulls out than the Kong brush! It really pulled out my pups fine undercoat.

However i don't think it worked as well on my cats coarser upper coat - the kong seems to work better on that.

BethS0103

08-09-2007, 07:45 PM

However i don't think it worked as well on my cats coarser upper coat - the kong seems to work better on that.I agree that the furminator is better for undercoat and not so much for the coarse upper coat. I used it tonight with both pugs and I couldn't believe the amount of undercoat that came out. The top coat didn't budge though - which is where my black pug sheds the most (my fawn pug sheds mostly in the undercoat) I guess the Kong brush will still be in use along with the furminator.

P.S. MES, are you still journaling? I haven't heard from you in a while.

Peppy

08-10-2007, 05:00 PM

I don't have a dog, but I do have a cat who sheds constantly. A groomer recommended Bamboo's de-shedder to me. He said that it worked as well as the Furminator, but was less expensive. (He also liked the handle better than the Furminator because he felt like he had more control, but Bamboo has a product with a Furminator-type handle as well.)

Bamboo de-shedder (http://www.bamboopet.com/all_products/detail.php?ID=580914457&nID=3z1)

I would love to hear from someone who has tried both. I love the Bamboo, but if the Furminator is even better, I would buy it. (For what it's worth, my cat doesn't have a coarse upper coat--it is very soft and silky--don't know if that makes a difference.)

penybryn

08-10-2007, 06:16 PM

I have 2 basset hounds and know what you mean. I rarely wear black and if I do, I get out of the house quick. A trip to the vet with nervous animals means practically wearing plastic clothes to avoid the hair (and slobber).

http://s39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/thejudges/th_100_2148.jpg

I wash them every other week with Selson Blue (CVS brand) and then finish with a quick wash of Hartz de-shed shampoo. The Selson blue is to help with their skin allergies (yeasts).

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:9bgLjPJYuz60UM:http://www.minimus.biz/images/C03-0147101-8200bg.JPG

http://www.hartz.com/Our%20Products/products120/3270095068.jpg

I have a Roomba and use it everyday!

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:Oem_uBqGJ0y4mM:http://www.woot.com/Images/Sale/iRobot_Roomba_Sage_Vacuuming_RobotHUE-detail.jpg

Hello Kitty

08-14-2007, 09:01 AM

Well I just ordered the furminator for my double coated cat, and I can't wait to get my hands on him and take out his pesky undercoat.

Wish I would've checked this thread, because I probably would have ordered the bamboo one instead, as I also like how it's gripped, but ah well! :p

Wen

08-14-2007, 09:29 AM

MES in Chicago

08-14-2007, 09:33 AM

P.S. MES, are you still journaling? I haven't heard from you in a while.

Beth-

I sure am. See my link in my siggy :) Tons going on. I have been horrible keeping up with you on LJ, but I will be over there today to catch up!

Melissa

BethS0103

08-14-2007, 09:55 AM

MES, the link in your siggy doesn't work. I'll have to go search for your journal. I don't know why you're not on my subscription list anymore.

MES in Chicago

08-14-2007, 02:35 PM

Beth- I fixed it. Thanks for letting me know.

Foley42

08-15-2007, 07:30 AM

I bought a FURminator at Petsmart yesterday. It was worth $34! Abby (Beagle) will only sit still for about 5 minutes to let me brush her, but I get off a ton of hair. The thick fur behind her neck on her back is where I especially get a lot off.

*Peer pressure: go buy one! :p

whos that girl

08-15-2007, 06:48 PM

Hello Kitty

08-15-2007, 08:20 PM

There's a furminator just for cats. :D

Will let you know how it works (hopefully it comes soon!!!)

Foley42

08-15-2007, 10:52 PM

Will it work on cats too?
From the FURminator website.

FURminator deShedding Tool for Cats (1.75” wide deShedding edge)
Reduces shedding up to 90 percent by removing the loose, dead undercoat without damaging the topcoat
This tool is recommended for all shedding cats.
• Helps to eliminate hairballs in cats
• Reduces shedding up to 90 percent
• Guaranteed to reduce shedding better than any brush, comb or rake
• Works great on all shedding, long and short haired cats
• Brings out the cat’s natural oils, promoting healthier skin and a shiny topcoat

bjean

08-16-2007, 05:32 AM

I have a Greater Swiss Mountain dog (basically a short haired Bernese) and he sheds soooooo much. I could and should vacuum every day. I bought the Furminator on Friday and brushed out a large cat's worth of hair. Result - soooo much less on the floor in my house! If I can keep up with brushing him at least once a week it will change my life - I won't have to vacuum constantly! Yeah! (It was really expensive, since I had to get big one because he's so big.) Thanks for the rec!

whos that girl

08-16-2007, 06:23 AM

what's the difference between the furminator and a shed blade? They are similar with design and they appear to work the same way.

meganth

08-16-2007, 06:41 AM

I bought the medium furminator so that i could use it on both the dog and the cat.

Hello Kitty

08-20-2007, 09:30 AM

I got the furminator over the weekend, and even for a cat, I wish I'd gotten just a bit bigger of a blade.

My cat liked it, and he's definitely NOT easy to please and hates to be groomed. It did take out a lot of his fine downy undercoat, but it's definitely not a substitute for a go with a regular brush. It does make brushing infinitely easier, though, so I really like having both items.

sdianems

08-21-2007, 01:00 PM

I have been reading all these posts with great interest, because I was thinking of buying this product, but one of my coworkers had a horrible experience with it and his akita.
So it looks like he is the only one....he said he used it two or three times, with Percey wimpering each time. He said that he followed the instructions (did not go over an area twice) and he noticed that it was pulling up small bits of her skin along with the fur (that there was some blood on it). Figured that is why it worked so well, and why she was crying and promptly threw it out.
After hearing that I was never going to buy one (although I could certainly use it with my dog) but now I am rethinking it with all these positive posts! Just don't know what to do (it is so darn expensive to try it and have it not work well).

colleenjoy

08-21-2007, 01:16 PM

i haven't had a chances to go to the store yet. How much is the furminator? We'll probably need the large dog size.

MES in Chicago

08-23-2007, 09:28 AM

FYI - The nice thing about PetSmart is you can return anything bought in store. I think I will be getting a FURminator this weekend!

Hello Kitty

08-23-2007, 09:54 AM

I bought it from Amazon.com seller turkeyfootcreek (click through from CC :D) and I got it in just a few days. It was priced considerably less than petsmart and the local feed store, even after shipping.

meganth

08-23-2007, 10:20 AM

So after a couple weeks of using the Furminator every few days i can definitely tell a difference in the amount of fur i vacuum up off the carpet!

I still use 3 difference kind of brushes when i'm grooming the pup and one of my cats, but i imagine a real groomer would use a bunch of different brushes.

JAJ

08-31-2007, 12:46 PM

I love my dog I cant stand the hair...esp now that we have kids.
We have a Black Lab and have her grommed at a place that offers Hyrdosurge Bathing System, which helps alot. We also give the Furminator treats. In the summer months we get her coat shaved down which really helps stop the shedding for awhile.

mimieliza

08-31-2007, 02:48 PM

I have two cats (one black, one white) and an Australian Shepherd, and we are DROWNING in fur. My poor ten-month-old daughter is usually covered head to toe in fur and likes to find and eat clumps of dog hair (off of the carpet I vacuum daily).

The white kitty is actually a new arrival (stray who showed up at our door) and would love to come inside, but I just can't handle any more fur.

If I order the medium furminator, do you think I could use it on the cats and the dog (50 lbs.)? I'd rather not buy two of those expensive things, but I'm desperate.

t3h_wookiee

09-06-2007, 03:36 PM

We have two Pembroke Welsh Corgis, and the fur they shed is everywhere!! We can brush them everyday and there will still be fur all over the apartment. It seems like we are forever pulling their undercoat out, and I would love to find a way to stop the shedding.

The Furminator was brought up in our obedience class as being awesome, but since they sell them, I was skeptical. You guys really think it's worth the $40-50 for one?

akacharlotte

09-28-2007, 01:31 PM

We just bought the Furminator last night for our dog. He sheds like crazy. I was amazed at how much fur came off him using the Furminator! Not only that but his coat was shiny and felt softer after using it. I'll be able to tell how good it is working by just looking at our carpet. He leaves blanket of black fur on the floor wherever he lays for an extended period.

The funniest thing was our dog's reaction. Normally, when we try to brush him he'll sit for a few minutes and then get up. While using the Furminator he practically collapsed to the ground and then stretched out while we were combing him. It was funny to watch.

imagirliegirl

12-19-2007, 07:01 PM

The Furminator was brought up in our obedience class as being awesome, but since they sell them, I was skeptical. You guys really think it's worth the $40-50 for one?

YES! We bought one today for our cats and it's amazing. I swear we brushed an entire cat off of them. It's insane how much hair came off. I'm in love with this thing!!!

Kimberland30

10-02-2008, 08:50 AM

Just wanted to bump this up. We bought a Furminator for our lab/shepard mix because her hair is driving me (and the vaccum) nuts.

We got it with the expectation that if it didn't work, we'd take it back (30 day guarantee). So yesterday at lunch I unwrapped it and started to use it on our pooch. I cannot believe the amount of hair/undercoat it took off! We have literally used every single brush/undercoat comb/rake on the planet , we've even tried shampoos and suppliments - but NOTHING compares to this. I told DH that this was the BEST money we've ever spent.

We are giving her a bath tonight and will de-fur her tomorrow. I don't think I've ever been this excited about brushing the dog. :)