Question for dog owners

sarahp86
sarahp86 Posts: 692 Member
edited October 5 in Chit-Chat
I spent the last two days cleaning the house to get ready for Christmas. I spent two hours vacuuming the house alone (I don't live in a big house) I realised I was fighting a losing battle because I ended up following the dog and vacuuming up his hairs.

They are EVERYWHERE! It's non stop shedding all year round! He's a 16 month fawn bullmastiff so there's a massive amount of blonde hairs and I'm at my wits end!!

Aside from strapping the vacuum cleaner to him what's the best way to deal with this. My boyfriend is oblivious to it. I keep threatening to shave the dog so my boyfriend will vacuum.

Does anyone else have this problem? He is mainly an indoor dog he's only outside when we're at work.
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Replies

  • alecta337
    alecta337 Posts: 622 Member
    Brush your dogs. Depending on how much they shed you might have to do it every day. When you brush them all their loose hair will come off into the brush and not onto the floor.
  • RunLiftEat
    RunLiftEat Posts: 213 Member
    Do you brush the dog at all?
  • wee_wolfie
    wee_wolfie Posts: 40 Member
    Groom him regularly. That will reduce the amount he sheds around the house but it will not eliminate it completely. It's one of the joys of owning a dog! :D
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    The most practical answer: Match your carpet and couch to the dog.

    Regular brushing, especially with something like this: http://www.remmeer.com/dog-grooming-brush-glove-p-1482.html

    A mastiff is very short haired, so I'm surprised your noticing that much around the house. If it's excessive shedding, you might want to check with the vet. Sometimes tapeworm can cause hair loss.
  • annabellj
    annabellj Posts: 1,337 Member
    yep brush brush brush. we have 3 and one is a bassett hound and sheds like a fiend. also if you find a good groomer that should help with the undercoat also.
  • OnMyWeigh464
    OnMyWeigh464 Posts: 447 Member
    Not a dog owner, but we have a cat. And yes, he sheds. We do vacuum but I don't make it my goal to get rid of his hairs. I know he sheds. My friends and family know we have a cat. They know that when they come over that they WILL get cat hairs on them. I don't try to clean to impress them or anything. It is what it is. Pets shed.

    I don't have any advice really. I know my mom keeps a towel on her couch where the dog lays. So then she just needs to take it off when people want to sit there.

    Also another thing...a dog's diet can affect the shedding.
  • Saffyra
    Saffyra Posts: 607 Member
    Brushing will help a lot with the shedding inside the house but do it outside or it defeats the purpose!! :D I learned that the hard way >.<
  • Pinkmaddycat
    Pinkmaddycat Posts: 175 Member
    i have wooden flooring and tiling all in my downstairs.....i sweep daily and im surprised the dog has any fur left!!

    Just gotta clean up after him, even with brushing he;ll still shed some
  • Cinnamonie
    Cinnamonie Posts: 138
    Trust me I have a long hair german shepherd mix who sheds year round and NO amount of brushing helps. We have tumbleweeds of her fur everywhere! Vacuums would die in our house just looking at the rug.

    The BEST one I ever tried I still have on recommendation from my mom who has a pack of shedders too...it's Hoover windtunnel P.A.W.S. and has these rubber nubs that really drag up the fur.

    We still have to vacuum weekly (2x per week really for the living room if we really want to be spotless) but that really helps with getting all the fur up.
  • jakejacobsen
    jakejacobsen Posts: 584 Member
    Try this type of brush it has done wonders for me and my pup. It allows you to get the hair off the dog rather then finding it around the house. My brother has had good results also.

    Dogs used on
    Shepard wolf mix
    Pug
    Short hair mut

    http://www.amazon.com/FURminator-Large-Yellow-deShedding-4-Inch/dp/B000FSN0A4/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1322413813&sr=1-1
  • sarahp86
    sarahp86 Posts: 692 Member
    Sorry forgot to put that in, I do brush him daily and he's groomed once every two months. Even the dog groomer can't get over the amount of hair for a short haired dog
  • CouchSpud
    CouchSpud Posts: 557 Member
    Parents have a rhodesian- labrador mix - he's short haired and loses lot of hair, neber mind though as carpet and couch match the dog lol. He also get's brushed daily. My sisters dog is a berge blanc - she needs brushing at least twice a day. There isn't much else you can do. Especially if the fur coat looks alright. If he shows bold patches... now that would be a different matter
  • cindymarguerite
    cindymarguerite Posts: 52
    Get a brush that will get down to his undercoat, that's where all the hair is coming from!
  • Cinnamonie
    Cinnamonie Posts: 138
    Try this type of brush it has done wonders for me and my pup. It allows you to get the hair off the dog rather then finding it around the house. My brother has had good results also.

    Dogs used on
    Shepard wolf mix
    Pug
    Short hair mut

    http://www.amazon.com/FURminator-Large-Yellow-deShedding-4-Inch/dp/B000FSN0A4/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1322413813&sr=1-1

    Good point. The furminator is great. I found that it really took off a LOT of fur and made my dog look scrawny and weird, so I don't use it but it definitely works great for fur. Since the mastiff is short hair anyway this should not make a difference in appearance for you so should be good!
  • surfrgrl1
    surfrgrl1 Posts: 1,464 Member
    I have a corgi mix, He has a thick undercoat that requires a special type of brush (looks more like a comb). He is getting his winter coat in right now, so shedding is pretty bad. I could swiffer 3 times a day and still not be able to get it all. I have him bathed when I take him for day-care about once every couple of months and it helps keep the shedding down. I'm guilty for not brushing him like I should, completely my fault! My cat sheds too, so its just sooo much fun!
  • slicksps
    slicksps Posts: 33
    Use a slicker brush which will help pull loose hairs from his undercoat, but you may also need to consider seeing a vet, particularly if the hair loss is resulting in bald patches. It could also be diet related.

    I've not used the furminator mentioned above but some people do swear by it.
  • sarahp86
    sarahp86 Posts: 692 Member
    Try this type of brush it has done wonders for me and my pup. It allows you to get the hair off the dog rather then finding it around the house. My brother has had good results also.

    Dogs used on
    Shepard wolf mix
    Pug
    Short hair mut

    http://www.amazon.com/FURminator-Large-Yellow-deShedding-4-Inch/dp/B000FSN0A4/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1322413813&sr=1-1

    My groomer told me not to use the furminator, we were using one but she said its main,y for long haired dogs, our vet said the same. He's completely healthy and has no bald spots. I use a flat brush, like the ones they use on horses but it's for dogs. I should have massive bicepsby now from all the brushing! He loves being brushed and will bring the brush toome. He loves being vacuumed too. I have to put him out the back when I'm cleaning because he will stand in my way until I use it on him

    Good point. The furminator is great. I found that it really took off a LOT of fur and made my dog look scrawny and weird, so I don't use it but it definitely works great for fur. Since the mastiff is short hair anyway this should not make a difference in appearance for you so should be good!
  • FatassFairy
    FatassFairy Posts: 166 Member
    in one word Furminator!!


    http://www.furminator.com/?gclid=CLj2jeyo16wCFRAq7AodnEI0pw
  • Maryfullofgrace
    Maryfullofgrace Posts: 342 Member
    I have Labradors. They constantly shed hair, and then seasonally the shed their winter or summer coats. (which is a hair festival around here!) Pet hair is part of owning a dog, cat, goat. Even people shed! There are a few breeds that don't shed. It is healthy for your dog to shed. If you shave them it does change their coat structure, at least with the Labrador, and makes it fluffier, which doesn't really solve the problem.

    I vacuum and sweep floors daily. I wash my dogs a little more frequently during the seasonal shedding time to speed the process along and harvest the hair in the tub with a drain cover that is mesh and snags the hair so it isn't going down the drain. During a bath I can get out hair the size of a cat! My dogs are both indoor dwellers. I have heard on a housekeeping website for every pair of legs in your house, that is as often as you should vacuum per week... so if you have you, your mate, and your dog... that is 4 sets of legs so you should vacuum 4 times a week. I hold with this rule in my house, so I vacuum daily and sometimes twice daily when company is staying with us.
  • themetra
    themetra Posts: 174 Member
    I bought a shedding rake, and I take the dog outside to do this because once i'm done, there is easily enough fur to cover a whole other dog! Once i get him back inside, I use the vacuum hose, and vac him. He actually seems to like it.
  • sarahp86
    sarahp86 Posts: 692 Member
    My groomer told me not to use the furminator, we were using one but she said its mainly for long haired dogs, our vet said the same. He's completely healthy and has no bald spots. I use a flat brush, like the ones they use on horses but it's for dogs. I should have massive bicepsby now from all the brushing! He loves being brushed and will bring the brush toome. He loves being vacuumed too. I have to put him out the back when I'm cleaning because he will stand in my way until I use it on him
  • caveats
    caveats Posts: 493 Member
    Unfortunately ... keep vacuuming.

    It's one of the perks of being a dog (or pet) owner. I had a Great Dane/lab mix when I was younger, and he ran true to his lab side ... stiff black hairs everywhere, and it was hard to get out of the upholstery (he didn't sit or lie on furniture, being a really submissive type and preferring to lie near your feet instead, but the hairs still got there.)

    Grooming can help, but with a bullmastiff, it's not like you're dealing with a massive amount of fur and an undercoat to begin with. If you have even floors (without a lot of rugs), a Roomba-type device can help keep up with daily upkeep (although you will still need to do the full house clean periodically). A friend of mine has 2 cats and he swears by it.

    We have 4 cats. Dustballs seem to magically appear within 2 minutes of the vacuum being put away. We just accept that pet hair will be a fact of life, and we keep up with it the best we can. I sometimes need to wear suits to work, and when people find out I live with 4 cats, they don't believe me because I'm pretty diligent about keeping the cats and cat fur out of the closet. (And one of them is a pure white cat. Trust me, his white hairs get EVERYWHERE.) It takes a bit of policing, attention to closed doors, periodic vacuuming, and a lot of lint rollers. :)

    But if you're also willing to be diligent, you'll have the joy of a happy tail and a wet tongue every day to greet you. :)
  • sarahp86
    sarahp86 Posts: 692 Member
    Try this type of brush it has done wonders for me and my pup. It allows you to get the hair off the dog rather then finding it around the house. My brother has had good results also.

    Dogs used on
    Shepard wolf mix
    Pug
    Short hair mut

    http://www.amazon.com/FURminator-Large-Yellow-deShedding-4-Inch/dp/B000FSN0A4/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1322413813&sr=1-1


    My groomer told me not to use the furminator, we were using one but she said its main,y for long haired dogs, our vet said the same. He's completely healthy and has no bald spots. I use a flat brush, like the ones they use on horses but it's for dogs. I should have massive bicepsby now from all the brushing! He loves being brushed and will bring the brush toome. He loves being vacuumed too. I have to put him out the back when I'm cleaning because he will stand in my way until I use it on him
  • annadilynn
    annadilynn Posts: 84
    they are shedders...and like other comments have said..brushing helps...they dont have super thick hair so dont get one of the "point" scratchy brushes or you will be torturing him...get a brisle brush, doesnt have to be expensive...you can use a human brush on him :0) do it somewhere out of a draft so they dont float all over while your brushing...I have two jacks and they shed insanely, i swear there is a naked 3rd dog running around cause i empty my vac like 3 or 4 times when i vaccum..its a small house and i vacuum pretty much every other day...and they are both white furred dogs...we have a chocolate couch..UGH..what was i thinking!..lol
  • Newf77
    Newf77 Posts: 802 Member
    As the owner and past owner of Mastiff;, Newfoundland; Great Dane; Labador: Begales... Yhea I have grown-up with a lot of dogs. You either groom them weekly or shave them bald.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Oy, I have an Australian Shephard. Nuff said.

    I brush her every day, and still she waits until I am leaving for work in my black pants, and 'hugs' mommy good bye:sad:
  • sarahp86
    sarahp86 Posts: 692 Member
    Oy, I have an Australian Shephard. Nuff said.

    I brush her every day, and still she waits until I am leaving for work in my black pants, and 'hugs' mommy good bye:sad:

    Yeah I get that too, normally accompanied by a big drooly kiss!still love him tho!
  • katdouce
    katdouce Posts: 79 Member
    You could try a Lamb based dog food...It has cut the shedding in my house by ALOT...however I have 2 dogs and a cat so I also vacuum everyday...nothing will stop that LOL, but believe it or not...alot of dogs have a low tolerance to chicken and that is the most common dog food.
  • foremant86
    foremant86 Posts: 1,115 Member
    What do you feed him?
  • netsirk419
    netsirk419 Posts: 30 Member
    I also have a bullmastiff and twice a year ( around March and October) he goes through a period of ridiculous shedding. The furminator brush helps alot.
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