How to Prevent Dog Hair in the House

Most pet owners truly love their dogs, but what they don’t love is the excessive amount of dog hair that tends to accumulate in the house. Depending on the breed of dog, the battle to keep the buildup of dog hair under control can often seem endless. It is typical for all dogs to shed, some breeds far more than others. Some shed on a regular basis, while others tend to shed (or blow-out) their winter coats in the spring.

In most cases, shedding is quite normal, but of course, if you think your dog is losing his hair in excessive amounts, in patches, or at the wrong time of year, you should take him in to see his vet for an examination.  

The biggest reason most dog owners give for wanting to prevent dog hair in their house is that they simply get tired of it. By taking steps to reduce the amount of shedding, you can keep your house cleaner and, to a certain extent, keep your dog healthier and happier.

How to Handle Dog Hair in the House

There are several reasons why your dog seems to be bent on filling every nook and cranny with enough hair to create a second dog. Among these are diet, grooming, and fleas. Each of these conditions is quite normal and all of them have treatments and cures that can help. Most work very well in the short-term but also have long-term results that will help keep your dog healthier and your home much cleaner.

Diet

Your dog's health is directly related to what he eats. If you are feeding your dog a generic or low-quality dog food, he may not be getting the nutrition he needs. A poor quality diet does not contain sufficient proteins, fats, and fatty acids needed by your dog's body to keep his coat healthy and prevent excess shedding.

Not only will a good diet help control the amount of shedding you have to deal with, but in the long run, it will also help to keep your dog much healthier and happier.

Grooming

One of your most important jobs as a dog owner is to take care of his grooming, as such, you should embrace this task. Not only because it helps keep your dog looking his best, but because it helps get rid of unwanted hair.

All it takes is spending a few minutes outside with your dog and his hair brush every day. Doing so will help remove any excess hair outside of your home, rather than waiting for it to end everywhere inside.  By doing this, you not only keep the hair out of the house, you might extend the life of your vacuum cleaner!

Flea Control

Fleas are a constant problem for dogs, not just in the warmer months, but all year long. What you may not realize is that flea bites can cause infections and inflammation. In turn, this can lead to excessive shedding, the one thing you don't want in your home.

By controlling the number of fleas your pup is exposed to you are also reducing the amount of unnecessary shedding these bites can lead to. This is a win-win situation, as not only will you end up with far less hair running loose in your home, but you will be doing your dog a favor by keeping him free of pesky flea bites.

If you are not sure what type of flea preventative to use on your dog, talk to your vet, as he may be able to recommend the best one for your specific breed of dog and the area you live in.

Importance of Preventing Dog Hair in Your House

There are a number of benefits to keeping the amount of loose hair in your home to a minimum. Most are both short and long-term in nature at the same time.

By keeping the dog hair to a minimum, your home will be much cleaner for as long as your furry friend continues to be your companion. Less dust and dander floating around could even improve the air quality inside your house!

When you aren't spending half your time vacuuming up pounds of dog hair, you have more time to do the fun things in life and, more importantly, you will not have to replace your vacuum every couple of years.

Most importantly, taking the time to groom your dog on a regular basis lets you check him over for fleas, ticks, and other problems that might have otherwise gone unnoticed and could lead to health problems.

Keeping Dog Hair Under Control

In the end, it is up to you as a dog owner to prevent hair in your home. It's a simple fact that all dogs shed, but there are steps you can take to ensure the hair stays outside where it belongs. Simply grooming your dog quickly each day the first time you take him outside to do his business is one of the best ways to keep your home free of excessive amounts of hair that you end up having to clean up on a regular basis. Keeping your dog groomed will also make him much healthier and both of you much happier.