dog hair

[duckhunterr13]

i too have been contemplating a new dog, my black lab is getting older and would like to add a new pup into the huntin pack. not only to help out the old boy, but to ease my mind on one day,sniff,sniff, losing my bff! lol
the old lady is always complaining about hair floating around from the lab, are there any breeds, ie chessies, who shed less? or is there something i can do to reduce the loss of hair from my lab? if tried monthly deshedding from my vet,(costly and works for just a few days) bathing twice a week, (doesnt help, and makes a bigger mess than before) and my vet said it could be the tractor supply food i bought him due to high contents of fats not used by the animal so i switched to purina one (top shelf) food. (didnt help) shoot me some comments, suggestions boys!

[Gina Fox]

i too have been contemplating a new dog, my black lab is getting older and would like to add a new pup into the huntin pack. not only to help out the old boy, but to ease my mind on one day,sniff,sniff, losing my bff! lol
the old lady is always complaining about hair floating around from the lab, are there any breeds, ie chessies, who shed less? or is there something i can do to reduce the loss of hair from my lab? if tried monthly deshedding from my vet,(costly and works for just a few days) bathing twice a week, (doesnt help, and makes a bigger mess than before) and my vet said it could be the tractor supply food i bought him due to high contents of fats not used by the animal so i switched to purina one (top shelf) food. (didnt help) shoot me some comments, suggestions boys!

Geez hope I don't have to be a boy to respond to this question.

You are out of luck...unless you go with one of the non shedding water retrieving dogs...Poodle...Portuguese Water Dog...any of the Retrievers including the Chessies are going to shed to beat the band. I actually had a client shave down his lab...I do not recommend it especially if your dog is doing water retrieves!

There are shedding tools you can use....the 'shedding blade' or a stripping knife will help with that dead hair. Labs, like other water dogs have double coats and constant maintenance...once a week of stripping out dead hair is in order. The dogs mentioned above do not shed, however they must be professionally maintained by a groomer...kept to a manageable length so they won't matt up. That trip for those size dogs can run from 60.00 and up depending on where you live, the condition of the dog and the 'style' you put them in. There are 'kennel clips' or utility cuts you can put them in.

You are a duck dude so I don't know of any other dog that will serve your purpose. I have Vizsla, they have very little short hairs I never see it around my house. I know there are guys that use them to do water retrieves, they can do it...not so sure about in very cold water/weather
Put a call out to those guys on M-S that use them for ducks...that may be your answer.

[choc24/7]

get a brush called the FURMINATOR. it is kinda expensive you'll think but SOOOOOOO much worth it. the hair is cut way down in the house, brush a few times a week and VOILA, hair in the house in darn near gone:D

[eyecatcher]

You can always get a labradoodle I think that's how its spelled it a fairly new breed half lab half poodle. they don't shed. I hunted over a full size poodle great retriever. This combination would give you they best of both at least that's the premise.

[Gina Fox]

You can always get a labradoodle I think that's how its spelled it a fairly new breed half lab half poodle. they don't shed. I hunted over a full size poodle great retriever. This combination would give you they best of both at least that's the premise.


Eyecatcher, you are mis informed about labradoodles...they DO shed...they are mixed breed dogs selling for outrageous prices for mutts and I have had a lot of experience with them here at my kennel, they are a nightmare to keep up...the so called 'breeders' are backpeddling on the quality of the dogs and covering their @zzes by continueing to breed to Poodles for the next couple generations, that is why you will see Gen1 2 or 3 in their advertising.

I do not recommend the so called 'breed'

There has been a lot of discussion on these forums just since I have been on about the hybrid dogs...they are NOT what they are cracked up to be.

[Bow Hunter Brandon]

Doh you beat me to the Mutt!!! Darn I live to call doodles that !!! :D

as for Chessies. I would not pick one based on if they will shed a lot or not. Mines sheds moderate. Another I know not to much. The third I am surprised he has any fur on him.

[justbehindit]

get a brush called the FURMINATOR. it is kinda expensive you'll think but SOOOOOOO much worth it. the hair is cut way down in the house, brush a few times a week and VOILA, hair in the house in darn near gone:D

What he said. This tool definitely works and now that I have a yellow lab, I wouldn't be without it.

As for a labradoodle, spend all the money you want on a mutt and it's still a mutt with no registration and no chance at getting points if you decide to hunt test down the road. Labs, Chessies and Goldens are the way to go with my preference being Labs all the way.

[Mike L]

I brush mine down every other day and then use the hose attachment from the vacumn. She's not afraid of it, so I tried it just a little at first, now she just stands there til I"m done. Hey it works great what can I say ?.......:)

[fulldraw]

I bought a furminator for my cats to see how it worked before I bought one for my lab and let me tell you they are a little expensive but they work great. They furminator also makes other products that are supposedly reduces the shedding of dogs.

Hope this Helps,

[smoke]

I second the furmanator. Best thing going for combing the dead hair from your dog. Also if could be the food you are feeding. Talk to your vet and see what they recomend.

Also have your wife run the vac and dust more often! :evil: :hide:
smoke

[duckhunterr13]

great info guys...and gals!

[smoke73]

I bought a FURMINATOR about a year ago. It was well worth the money and works better than anything else I've tried. The first time I used it, I filled a plastic grocery bag.:yikes: All I have to do is pick it up and the dogs fight over who gets to be brushed first. Shop around on Ebay for the best prices.

[choc24/7]

I bought a FURMINATOR about a year ago. Shop around on Ebay for the best prices.

be careful, there are a few imposters on there that look like the real Furminator. i have heard a couple complaints that they break and aren't as good as the real thing.

[Mallard Canard]

AOL has a link to a "drugstore.com" that has the furminator at $25/free shipping. Its against the rules for me to include it in the post.