Looking to add a beautiful Lab to your family? Great choice! Labradors are well known for being wonderful family dogs. But be prepared for excess amounts of hair all over your house! Labradors shed quite a lot; in fact, they are considered to be one of the breeds that shed the most overall.
So, before you get a Labrador, you need to ask yourself – are you prepared to deal with how much they shed? In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at what you can expect from Labradors in terms of shedding and how best to minimise it.
Despite a Labrador’s hair appearing short and neat, Labs shed a lot. This is due mostly to their double coat. They have a lower layer, which consists of dense, soft hairs, while their top layer is made up of sharp and wiry straight hairs. This lower layer is hidden, which makes the Lab’s coat appear misleadingly short.
Labradors don’t have a double coat just for the sake of it; both layers of the coat play a very important role in maintaining their well-being. The top coat is protective in more ways than one – not only is it water repellent, but it protects the dog’s skin underneath from harmful UV rays. This allows the dog to thrive in several climates.
The lower coat, on the other hand, uses soft hairs to create a cooling effect, which helps to regulate the dog’s body temperature on extra hot days.
Labradors, like most other double-coated dogs, experience heavy shedding seasons twice per year. Although they shed the whole year round, they shed an extra load during the spring and autumn seasons.
These ‘blow’ seasons see the Labrador preparing its coat for the coming summer or winter. In the autumn, they’ll grow out of their summer coat and grow in their extra thick winter coat. In the spring, they’ll lose this dense winter coat and grow in a lighter summer coat.
Labradors don’t necessarily shed more as puppies but do experience one heavy shedding season during their first year. This normally occurs around six months in and sees them losing their initial puppy coat and growing into their first adult coat.
No matter how much you groom your Labrador Retriever, you’re probably going to have to get used to the fact that you’ll be picking up plenty of dead hair once around your home. There are two dog hair types you’ll soon be finding around your home: wiry, sharp, and abrasive hairs from their top coat and light, soft, downy hair from their undercoat.
To control your Labrador shedding, you can follow these steps.
Omega fatty acids are healthy for your Labrador Retriever’s skin and hair, so feeding them a diet rich in them should reduce the shedding process somewhat. Fish oil, in particular, is normally recommended by vets for Labrador Retrievers who are going through a heavy shedding season. That said, studies have shown that Labs with healthy diets seem to shed significantly less than those with bad diets. To sustain a healthy diet for your lab, this is the breakdown of the daily nutrients they need:
A hydrated dog means a healthy coat. Ensuring that your Lab has easy access to water at all times may reduce the amount of loose hair you find lying around. Over-shedding can be a cause of dehydrated skin. Try to ensure that your Lab has at least 2 litres of water a day. This should keep them sufficiently hydrated.
Bathing doesn’t stop Labs from shedding, but it does help you remove loose hair more easily. Once bathed, the de-shedding process is easier, as the hair is loose and ready to come out. Giving your dog a good bath around shedding season will help them out big time. Experts say that you should try to give your Lab a wash once a month.
Running a dog comb over your Labrador’s coat once per week is, of course, the best way to control the shedding process. Purchasing a de-shedding tool will make dealing with shedding tons easier. These tools are designed to pick up the loose hairs on your lab before they fall off. Give your Lab a brush once a week with a de-shedding tool, and you could reduce the amount of hair drop significantly.
Considering just how much Labrador Retrievers shed, you can consider this breed the opposite of hypoallergenic!
Labradors are top dogs – they’re also top shedders! When adopting a Labrador, be prepared for the amount of hair that’ll soon be lying around your home. Be sure to groom once per week and keep your pup on a healthy diet to reduce the amount Labs shed.
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