Is this normal for a Yellow Lab?

[Spinning]

jessie will be turning 3 in May and all of a sudden she is hardly shedding...Granted I am excited but it just seems werid. She still sheds but now I can pet her back for long periods without a huge hand full of hair!
She is still on the same food, same bathing and brushing ( well I must admit I don't brush her that often..too messing in the house so it is a warm weather activity! )

 

[JoNo]

Is she having grass trips? Maybe some new vitamins? Dogs can be weird like that. Lady Nola started to shed really bad one day so we took her into the vet and she had a staph (SP?) infection on her skin. she got a shot & is back to normal. Maybe it's the weather? dogs are weird about that too.

 

[Spinning]

Nope nothing has changed. She is the same as always no rashes, no extra scratching. I am just wondering if it is a maturity thing....I know these dogs shed but she was excessive! Even others commented on it!
What is grass trips? She isn't eating grass when we are out.

 

[JoNo]

yeah, we call them "grass trips" when she goes and nibbles on some grass. It might be a maturity thing. I used to have a golden retriever /collie mix and she didn't shed too bad till we fixed her. I would say keep an eye on her and just go with the flow... less hair = less mess!

 

[tkyes]

Is it leaving bald spots or is it just her winter coat that you can pull out in clumps?

When it gets warm (still waiting for that!) you can grab chunks of our labs fur too, but it's the thick winter stuff.

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

I have an American Eskimo, and when he starts to shed, watch out, he starts dumping clumps of hair. That's when I take him to the groomer, and they get him all cleaned up pretty for me.

 

[airhead]

I have Dobies. They shed but its nothing like you guys deal with!!
I can't imagine what the shedding is like with the American Eskimo and a Golden! Gymnasticsmom68,how do you deal with 2 dogs that shed so much!!!

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

I vacuum AT LEAST 2 times a day, everyday. They are so lovable though. BTW I also have a Persian. LOL

 

[Doesney]

Originally posted by airhead
Gymnasticsmom68,how do you deal with 2 dogs that shed so much!!!

or maybe things are not as they appear

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

Oh trust me, they appear very furry.

 

[Doesney]

Originally posted by gymnasticsmom68
Oh trust me, they appear very furry.

Well honey, why is it that if you are so new, there is not one post from you on any other board except the CB and they are mostly sarcastic nasty replies? And I especially liked that you were the first one to post to a thread called "Caitlyn's Home". Now according to my investigation you would not have known what exactly the thread was about if you are who you say you are

So what are you, man, woman or beast? My vote goes for oh, never mind. Ya see honey, what goes around comes around or is it just bad karma?

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

WTH are you talking about?

 

[Serena]

My lab goes through phases where she sheds a blanket or two and then she doesn't. It has to do with the seasons more than anything.
I know when they are around 3 or so they start to mature. Maybe it has to do with hormones settling down.

 

[ByTheSea]

We have a (approx. give or take a few years) 10 year old Brittany and I never really noticed too many variations in her shedding. She shed's a lot more in the late Spring.

Our newest addition is a Brittany/Beagle mix, much shorter hair which makes grooming a breeze, never thought of our older dog as having difficult fur to groom... until we got a short haired dog.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

My beagle is also a consitant shedder. I mean litterally you could make a coat. And its that think course hair. I vacuum alot.

 

[DocRafiki]

This isn't great, but a decent link for a quick search.
http://www.keratin.com/aa/aa008.shtml#03


a little info on hair growth cycles. This talks about different cycles in different species, but doesn't mention that there are breed variances too. (There are.)

 

[Blondie]

I have a Weimaraner, and they hardly shed at all, at least mine doesn't!

I love big fluffy furry breeds like the Great Pyranese and the Alaskan Malmute, but I just couldn't put up with all that fur!

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

I don't have a dog right now. I used to have a beagle. I thought short haired dogs didn't shed so much.


I was mistaken.

Now I've got cats. funny how the white one always knows when I am wearing black...

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

I think of my animals, the AE sheds the most. I hardly notice the cat shedding. I'm getting the Golden a 'Lab' cut tomorrow. His hair is unbelievably long! His tail is unreal, and he's gotten so big that if he doesn't want me to brush him, I won't be brushing him. Trying to bathe him is hilarious. he just sits in the tub and won't move. I can't even get him to stand up. And you should have seen the pool of water that came out of the tub with him. Dear God!!

He loves the baths, he just doesn't want to put a lot of effort into it. LOL

 

[JoNo]

Originally posted by Blondie
I have a Weimaraner, and they hardly shed at all, at least mine doesn't!

I love big fluffy furry breeds like the Great Pyranese and the Alaskan Malmute, but I just couldn't put up with all that fur!

So you too have one of the grey elephants eh? Dont'cha love em? does yours drool water everywhere after it drinks?