Q: How can I get a short hair Dalmatian dog to stop shedding?
I have short hair Dalmatian. His shedding is horrible. He sits and leaves a puddle of hair, constantly. I love my dog, he is good, but what is going on with his hair? I keep him outdoors now. This has got to stop. Does anyone have tips on putting control on this problem? He eats dog food and sometimes mixed with people's food. Bathe 1xmo. and seems fairly happy. He's quite healthy.
Photo Credit: J. Chris Vaughan/Flickr CC
Answers and Views:
Answer by flowerlover12003
Brushing daily helps to keep the dander down and is good for the skin. Perhaps your shampoo is too harsh for him. My vet recommended an oatmeal shampoo.
Answer by katie.hannah@sbcglob
I have a short-haired Dachshund, so have dealt with your problem. Nutrition and Cleanliness are probably causing your Dalmatian to loose hair.
1) Grocery Store Dog Foods don't have enough of the right kinds of groceries in them for most pets. Pets Mart type stores carry more expensive brands but some of them still don't have good groceries in them. You want to find a brand of dog food that doesn't use corn as a binder. I use dog food that uses Rice which dogs can digest better, and uses whole meats instead of leftovers from meat processing. It also has additives for vitamins and metals a dog needs. That way I don't have to give her a multivitamin.
You can also supplement your dog's dry food with good soft food for a boost, canned carrots for weight gain, and canned green beans for diet food. You just replace a portion of the normal food allowance with the supplement. Good nutrition will help with skin problems, joint problems, hair issues, and extend the lifetime of your pet.
2) Gracie, my Dachshund, insists on getting in the shower at least once a week. She has since I brought her home. It wasn't my idea of fun, but being short-haired she dries very quickly, and if I don't have the time to allow it, she loses twice as much hair.
I have no idea why regular bathing (with a dog shampoo, as they have bases in their products and we have acids in ours. Which can cause skin irritations) seems to help. But it does, a lot. Keeping her clean and running a smooth soft bristle brush over her after she's dry helps with her shedding, which can be intense if she's stressed out.
Locking your Dalmatian outside could INCREASE his hair loss, not help fix it.
This Magic Pro Dog Deshedding Tool Reduces Shedding By 95%
Answer by knittingmom
Well, I hate to tell you Dalmatians are known for their shedding. There is stuff they sell with the dog food that you add to the dog food that is to help prevent or reduce it…it's called something like SHEDD STOP. You could try that. But it is common with the breed. MY dog is only part dal and you can see the hair flying off her when she walks. Buy lots of swiffers.
Answer by australian shepherd
Every after a bath, you have to follow it with a fine-tooth comb to stop a dog shedding. Comb your dog’s skin according to the direction of the hair growth. Be sure to select the right type of brush or comb for your dog's coat.
Avoid the products that promise to stop shedding. As was stated before, shedding is a natural occurrence and can only be lessened, not stopped. Olive oil also helps, add a teaspoon of olive oil to their food once a day.
Answer by garcia1377
Brushing your Dalmatian daily will help with shedding. But I have found the best thing is at pets mart you can have them groomed once a week and they add a conditioner to help with shedding and will blow any loose fur off with the hair blower. It will work! I have a pit bull and it helped a lot!
Know better? Give your own answer to this question!
mcooper06 says
Guess why short haired dogs have short hair? Because they constantly shed hair! There is no way to make them stop shedding. What you want to do is to control the shedding instesad of letting them do it on their own. Go to a pet store and buy a brush recommended for short hair dogs and go to town. The brush will help work out the loose hairs instead of waiting for them to fall out. You really should brush him/her at least once a week (they love it by the way). You can get treatments for dogs like Shed-X, but consistant brushing is just as good.
PS – My in-laws have two dals so I know how you feel. To be sure they do not shed any more than any other short hair, it's just that the white shows soooo badly.
the6ccat says
One of the only dogs in the world that doesn't shed is a poodle.Go to a pet store like pet smart they have these gloves especially made to brush dogs no matter how fine there fur is. Good luck
jt says
feed dog good quality food (about 20% protein), bath every two weeks-try using a rubber horse curry/slicker when he's shampooed to help remove excess hair. use can also use the rubber slicker when he is dry-it doesn't hurt the skin as much
short haired dogs do shed throughout the year, however spring/fall is the worst