Jump to content
BC Boards

Blowing their coats


Recommended Posts

I think of it as being code for shedding so much that it looks like a fur bomb went off. And then they look a bit straggly for a couple weeks while the new coat finishes coming in. I've had dogs that seemed to blow coat in a couple of weeks and a couple that lasted a couple months. I think that the thicker the coat is, the longer it takes to finish shedding out, and the more help they need in the form of brushing. My Micah has food intolerance issues and sheds year round, but it just isn't the same as "blowing coat."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Basically, they drop almost their entire coat (leaving them looking very naked) and start from scratch growing a new one. It's seasonal in males as well as neutered dogs of both sexes. In females it is controlled by changing hormones. They blow their coat then grow a new one before coming into heat and after having pups. It's most extreme and noticeable in intact females. Intact males are much less extreme. It is least noticeable in neutered dogs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This July my neighbor's golden retriever is shedding like nothing I've ever seen before. There are literally balls of his fur lying about the ground. It's almost unnerving... petting him and his coat falling off in my hand!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always heard blowing coat to refer primarily to females after a litter, when the loss is really dramatic.

 

My dogs are shedding more than usual this year as well. I suspect they grew denser than normal undercoats in response to the extreme cold last winter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My dogs are shedding more than usual this year as well. I suspect they grew denser than normal undercoats in response to the extreme cold last winter.

 

Tessa hasn't shed much of that thick coat she grew last winter. She's feeling the heat more this year, too.

 

I hope she's not holding onto it for a reason. Uuuuugggggggggggggghhhhh . . . .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well Mya has already been fixed and she isn't naked but dang you can't pet her or hold her without being covered in hair and even if she shakes you can see it floating everywhere in the air. . Even using the deshedder brush I got hasn't helped a lot. . I knew our American Eskimo lost his in clumps but he probably had 10 pounds of hair. . Not like her. . Geesh.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always heard blowing coat to refer primarily to females after a litter, when the loss is really dramatic.

 

My dogs are shedding more than usual this year as well. I suspect they grew denser than normal undercoats in response to the extreme cold last winter.

 

They sure must have. I guess I just assumed a smoother short haired dog wouldn't lose so much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This July my neighbor's golden retriever is shedding like nothing I've ever seen before. There are literally balls of his fur lying about the ground. It's almost unnerving... petting him and his coat falling off in my hand!

Our American Eskimo we had did that but it was his undercoat when he got his summer coat. I literally could cover our yard in white with his undercoat and the birds loved it for their nests cause it was like cotton balls and so soft. My son showed him in 4h one year and he was shedding while walking around the ring in clumps even after being brushed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My dog that sheds the worst is the JRT, you just don't notice those short hairs all over the house as much as the rolling hairballs the BCs leave. But when it comes to being covered in hair after kicking the dog off your lap, the JRT wins, hands down.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

They sure must have. I guess I just assumed a smoother short haired dog wouldn't lose so much.

The smooths seem to shed more since they don't have the long guard hairs to trap the loose undercoat - the hair falls right out instead of needing to be brushed out.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They sure must have. I guess I just assumed a smoother short haired dog wouldn't lose so much.

 

I've had three smooth coat dogs and two with rough/double coats. I always found that the smooths shed notably more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ricky is ready to blow coat, going to take the ferminator to him tomorrow, usually takes 2-3 sessions and it's all shed out. Have others that are in mid blow. Ferminated 4 different dogs the other day, that area looks like it has a blanket of dog hair on it, the birds were more then thrilled. All smooth coats, the ones with a softer hair shed out way easier then the ones with the courser near wirey hair, those tend to mat quite a bit, almost seems like the undercoat is a tightly woven blanket close to their skin. A good work out and a couple of good soaks in the water tank helps a bunch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My smooth coated girl was AWEFUL a couple weeks ago. Brushed her one night and woke up the next morning to Tons on hair all over the floor. Gave her a good bath and used a air force dryer to blow out her coat after and that helped a ton. Used a soft curry comb in the tub so I think most of the hair I left at the kennel instead of the house.

Lots of grooming places have self bath tubs these days.

 

You have to watch using furminator, I hate them. They break the coat. Yes the get the under coat out but at a cost. If you pet your dog before and after you will a difference and it is not a good one. I use a double toothed rake from Jeffers pet supply catalog, it like 5.00 WONDERFUL. I use it on all the dogs I groom and it does an equally great job on everything from labs to pyrs. It gets out the undercoat with breaking the hair like those razor blade type brushed do

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Lots of grooming places have self bath tubs these days.

 

Some car washes now include a bay set up as a dog wash. There are 2 in my area and I love them! Big raised stainless steel tubs with ramps and short leash attachments for the dogs, choices of shampoos and conditioners and blow dryers. Dogs can do all the shaking they want and you can just walk away from the mess (other than cleaning the drains of any hair that accumulates there).

 

Best invention ever!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When my GSD blows his coat there is fur everywhere and I don't want people over unless they have dogs. I worry they will think I never vacuum!

 

attachicon.gifDSC03847.jpg

 

I love my furminator. It was worth every penny!

 

As a kid I used to love pulling out the clumps of fur when our GSD blew her coat--more fun than popping bubble wrap!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some car washes now include a bay set up as a dog wash. There are 2 in my area and I love them! Big raised stainless steel tubs with ramps and short leash attachments for the dogs, choices of shampoos and conditioners and blow dryers. Dogs can do all the shaking they want and you can just walk away from the mess (other than cleaning the drains of any hair that accumulates there).

 

Best invention ever!

 

Wouldn't it be great if we could just send them through the standard car was? Stack them on a cart and send them on through, with the deluxe wash cycle of course!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm maybe an idea for someone as a business to start a drive through dog wash! I have a double rake that I will try. Never even thought about that but I have rakes from our American Eskimo. That's what I used on him. . If I did him at least twice a month he was good except spring time then I had to do him at least every other day of the week for about a month. I had forgotten that since it's been a few years. .Wish our area had a car wash like that gentle Lake that would be awesome. Hopefully she will be done soon. Hers is some loose and some in small clumps.

 

I do know what you are talking about with those little hairs Gideons mom. We used to have a toy fox terrier probably 27 years ago now, beautiful with white body and black ears. We used to have white hairs everywhere then. .Everyone was scared to death of our little 10 pound Toby. . My dad said I should have called him ears.lol Mya's hair is different than that hers is much softer and not so coarse at least for now. At 9 months do they have their adult hair yet?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...