Its the Time for Spring Molting!

It’s the time of year for Spring Moulting!

The change of the seasons from Winter, to Spring and then to Summer has always been the natural time of year for dogs to cast their winter coats. In the wild, a dog’s natural instincts would have sensed the rise in temperature and the lengthening of the daylight hours. So the process of moulting began readiness for the warmer summer months.

Our domesticated friends still induce this process at this time of year. However, in the last few decades with more dogs living indoors in a centrally heated environment, their senses have gotten somewhat confused. Being inside the warm house stimulates the dog to cast off its coat. Yet, going out into the cold winter air has the opposite effect.

According to a recent UK survey conducted by Dog World, in association with Yumega, this has accounted for 58% of owners saying that their dogs cast their coats all year round. The survey also indicated a sharp rise in the amount of hair that each dog sheds. It is estimated that the extra hair left on furnishings in the home requires an extra half hour of
vacuuming every week.

Each hair on your dog will be at one of three stages at any given time.

• The growth phase where the hair is continually growing.

• The resting phase where it has stopped growing but is still attached to the hair follicle. At this stage, the hair can easily detach if touched or rubbed against furnishings or clothes.

• The final phase where the hair is dead and falls out by itself to make way for new hair growth.

So how can you stop this process? Well you can’t actually stop the process of your dog’s hair growing, just as you can’t stop your own hair growing. However, you can certainly assist to remove unwanted dead hair and reduce the nightmare of dog hairs all over your home.

Firstly, your dog’s nutrition has a major affect on the condition and strength of his coat. Hair that doesn’t receive a balanced level of nutrients soon becomes dull, loose and falls out prematurely. Therefore, by feeding oily fish weekly in their diet, provides oils such as Omega 3 and Omega 6 as well as other valuable nutrients which all help nourish the hair and skin by keeping it moist, supple and healthy.

Daily brushing is important to remove the hair in a controlled manner. Brushing stimulates the natural oils in your dog’s coat. But, the type of brush you use can dramatically affect the quantity of hair removed during brushing. Please ask if you need help choosing a good quality brush that will give you great results.

Grooming your dog at this time of year will greatly help removal of dead hair and undercoat. A deep wash combined with professional shampoos will strip out the unwanted coat leaving the healthy and shiny top coat. The shampoos also condition the remaining hair so that it’s stronger and less likely to fall out. If you’re having trouble with your dog moulting, please give us a call for more advice on coat care.

xxxDoggy Licks & Kissesxxx Jackie

Posh Pawz Dog Grooming Studio,Home of The Dog House

Where warm kisses greet Cold Noses!