Are you a dog owner? Well, then, at least once in a lifetime, you might have faced the problem of dog hair shedding and have been wondering how to get your dog to shed less. If this is what you have been searching for, then here are some home remedies to stop dog hair shedding that actually works!
Dog hair shedding can be harmful to kids who are one to two months old to even six months old. It becomes even worse when you are allergic to your dog’s hair, but then again, you love your dog, and all that matters is that fact. If this is the case, then searching the cause due to which the hair shedding is occurring and having the home remedies tried out is the only way to get rid of such a problem.
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Why Does Shedding Occur?
This might be one of the first questions that arise in your mind. Shedding of hair, just like in humans, is a process that is found in dogs as well. Like humans age and tend to lose their hair, dogs also tend to age and lose a lot of their hair. Some might lose hair due to old age, while others due to no proper care given to dogs’ hair and others due to damaged hair due to overuse of products. While shedding is quite common and is a natural process in all dogs, the amount and duration within which the shedding occurs entirely depends on the dog’s breed.
Causes Of Dog Shedding:
Before jumping right into the remedies, you must know why dog shedding occurs and what the factors are that lead to dog hair shedding. Dogs of different breeds tend to shed hair in various manners. For example, those dogs that belong to breeds like German shepherd or golden retrievers tend to shed hair a lot.
On the other hand, those dogs that belong to breeds like poodles, basenji, or border terriers shed only a minimal amount of hair. The shedding of hair is also found occasionally in some, while others shed whole year-round and some other breeds only tend to shed hair seasonally. Here are some of the major factors that affect hair loss in dogs:
Improper Diet
Food plays a vital role both in humans’ functioning and in dogs’ functioning. If you are not providing proper nutrition, it can lead to many problems, including hair shedding. It also indicates that there is a lower number of vitamins, minerals, and other essential elements. This makes it one of the causes where dog hair shedding increases.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy in female dogs affects the hair shedding process a lot. Due to the dog’s body using a lot of vitamins and minerals when being pregnant, it leads to a lot of hair shedding.
Hormones
Hormonal changes in dogs can create a lot of havoc especially leading to hair shedding. Different levels of hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, thyroid, and growth hormone tend to promote hair loss. Hence keeping a healthy hormone level is very important when fighting dog hair shedding problems.
Stress And Anxiety
Similar effects are found in both humans and dogs. Shedding increases when the dog is undergoing any stressful situation. Hence checking out for the following symptoms is a must:
- Lethargy
- Aggression
- Panting
Remedies You Can Try Out:
Olive And Flaxseed Oil
Using nutrition supplements apart from the said diet will help reduce hair shedding. Using olive oil or flaxseed oil in the daily diet for nutrition will let the dog acquire the required Omega-3 fatty acids. All you need to do is add a teaspoon of either of the oils into your dog’s daily diet to keep it healthy and nutritious. You can also include some fish in the daily diet, such as salmon and tuna, which are also a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids.
Apple Cider Vinegar
One solution to most of the dog’s problems that you face is apple cider vinegar. With its dilute acidic abilities, apple cider vinegar enables bacterial and fungal infections to stay at bay, reducing the amount of hair loss. It also gives a much-refreshed skin and hair once you apply a layer of apple cider vinegar on your dog. You can include the following to their daily diet:
- Use one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in 1 cup of water and give it daily to your dog; you can find changes in as little as a month.
- Make a solution by adding both apple cider vinegar and water and rinse your dog’s fur in the solution to lower the shedding problem.
Lemon Juice
Using lemon juice as one of the alternatives to apple cider vinegar will also reduce hair loss.
Yogurt
To reduce the amount of yeast infection in dogs, you can try out giving a small amount of plain yogurt to your dog as a snack. This will also help in reducing hair loss in dogs.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is known for its various health benefits, and using the same will promote hair growth with stronger roots and hence the hair shedding can decrease by a great amount. It is also good for your dog’s skin as it keeps it nourished apart from which it also helps in improved digestion and fight against allergic reactions.
Final Words:
These home remedies work and will be very effective if you follow them on a daily basis. But you need not worry if these still do not work, then you can visit a vet and check for any other persisting medical condition. Make your dog happy and healthy now with just small changes in diet!
