Lab Owners...

[Tuffcookie]

It's that time again...Tumbleweed Season! At least that's what I call it when it warms up and Hunter starts losing his winter coat. I am brushing him outside, daily to keep the fur down in the house. I'd hate to see it if I didn't!

TC

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Well if you think it is bad for labs....you should see a lab/shep. It is unreal!!How the heck much hair do these dogs have. Even when I vaccuum I need to empty the canister three times on floors that look like there is NO fur.

 

[PlutoPony]

Tumbleweed season ? Good one! Fortunately we have a yellow lab and light carpet so it's not quite so noticeable, but daily vacuuming is necessary. Our 2nd dog is the problem - shepherd/husky mix that I "pluck" all the time.... I get handfuls of fur off at any given time.

 

[transparant]

So far - my choc. lab Gunner isn't to bad. But my Golden Retriever - when he gets up off of the floor - 40% of him is still lying there!!!

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

We have a black and a chocolate (both large dogs) with light carpet, so I can relate. They come out of their kennels in the morning and shake. That's the first time I get out the vacuum!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Add me to the Tumbleweed Collection list.

Kong puts out a rubber "brush" that if you vigorously rub the dog's coat with, a lot of the loose hair comes to the surface where you can brush it away. If you use it regularly (which I can't say I do, LOL) then it does a pretty good job of keeping the hair down. I usually leave some of the hair that comes off in the backyard and the birds use it for their nests. So funny to see a nest that's fallen out of the tree with dog hair weaved throughout.

 

[Disney Doll]

My uncle had a St.Bernard who used to allow himself to be vacuumed. My dog, on the other hand, looks upon the vacuum as his mortal enemy!!!

 

[Jpgirl]

Both my labs shed pretty equally all year round. Maybe b/c we live in Texas their witner coats don't get so heavy-not sure. Our one lab we got when we lived in Ohio and I know his winter coat was way less think than it used to be in Ohio but the other is a native Texan and he's always had a thin but EXTEREMELY waterproof coat-almost impossible to bathe him. That being said we have "tumbleweeds" 24/7-especially since the first floor is tile and wood. Iagree about lab mixes-we had a lab mixed with something that had an undercoat (shepherd or retriever) and man what a mess. We'd get on of those shedding brushes you use on horses and get 3 garbage bags full of fur every other day for 3 weeks. Man I hated that. That's why we chose labs-fairly easy coats. Gotta love them though

 

[ktulu]

German Shepherd Dog's only shed once a year, all year long

No matter how much I take the shedding blade to her, the same amount of hair comes off. The birds love to visit our backyard for hair, it's probably like a foley's red apple sale to them. My wife and I were talking about our GSD, and we were both happy we didn't get the cute, long hair fluffy puppy, vacuuming once-twice a week is enough. Thank God for bag-less vacuums!

We're thinking of trying out petsmart's grooming, they have a package where they take a $60 tool for hair removal and spend some time on the dog to get as much hair as they can out. It's not bad, $45, plus the rest of the regular grooming (bath and all that stuff).

 

[Pea-n-Me]

German Shepherd Dog's only shed once a year, all year long

Agreed!!

We're thinking of trying out petsmart's grooming, they have a package where they take a $60 tool for hair removal and spend some time on the dog to get as much hair as they can out. It's not bad, $45, plus the rest of the regular grooming (bath and all that stuff).

Yes, give it a try! I've always groomed my GSDs myself, but recently I took my 2yo to Petco for grooming for the first time and they did a really nice job, I was very pleased. What's also nice is that they have a self-groming area where - if you prefer - you can "Do It Yourself" for $10 - you get to use all the same tools they do.

 

[ktulu]

Agreed!!


Yes, give it a try! I've always groomed my GSDs myself, but recently I took my 2yo to Petco for grooming for the first time and they did a really nice job, I was very pleased. What's also nice is that they have a self-groming area where - if you prefer - you can "Do It Yourself" for $10 - you get to use all the same tools they do.

I'll have to check that out, my wife will say $10 is better than $45, I on the other had feel that $45 is a great deal! Dealing with 80lbs of puppy who doesn't want to sit still is not my idea of fun I'll be glad when she's a bit older (ours is 2 yo as well), and she is less of a puppy and more of an adult.

darren

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Our lab/shepard sheds like crazy, all year long. I keep telling DH we should save all the hair - we'd have enough to make a whole new dog.

We just got a new puppy - he's a newfie/lab (definitely more newfie than lab) I can't wait to see how much he actually sheds. Right now, I just wish he would. He's 10 weeks old, and is so hot all of the time. At least he has learned to swim!

Jen

 

[NeverlandClub23]

We have a 9 year old yellow lab with an extremely thick coat. The other night I was in the garage cleaning out my car and it was maybe mid 80's and she was panting so hard. I felt so bad for her. I went upstairs to get the dog trimmers we had for when we had a cocker spaniel. My intention was to shave her but when I started I started going in the direction of the hair growth instead of the opposite direction. I got so much hair off of her and she looks exactly the same! Her hair is just much, much thinner. That was almost a week ago and I haven't noticed any shedding. If it still seems to bother her (the heat and having so much hair) I might go back and shave her completely. No one ever sees her, except for us, and I know she would love it.

 

[nhrenee]

Tumble weed season! LOL! It will fit in nicely around here with our extended mud season this year.

 

[lclark0621]

I have a Siberian Husky & a German Shepherd. Talk about shedding!

When I brush them (daily if possible), it looks like there was a blizzard in my backyard. And I am up to vacuuminig 4 times a day!

 

[DVC Sadie]

Yes its tumbleweed season here at our house.

We have a yellow lab and a chocolate lab and the whole shedding thing going on. I brush them daily and still end up filling a vacumn bag of hair every two days.

 

[Sandy V.]

Tumbleweed Season is a very appropriate name.

We have a Norwegian Elkhound, and the amount of fur is incredible. We call it "molting" around here, as Tundra walks around with these ridiculous looking tufts sticking out all over. We brush almost daily, but those darn things keep working their way out!

 

[transparant]

Hey - I'd love to see pictures of everyone's labs! Share them if you can

Here is my Gunner

 

[maxiesmom]

Before she died last year, my beloved german shepard was on steroids. Talk about shedding!

We have now become parents of a yellow lab. She was a rescue, and I knew nothing of their grooming needs. She sheds all over, and she hates to be brushed. We know she was abused so I don't want to push her, but does anyone have any tips?

 

[transparant]

Before she died last year, my beloved german shepard was on steroids. Talk about shedding!

We have now become parents of a yellow lab. She was a rescue, and I knew nothing of their grooming needs. She sheds all over, and she hates to be brushed. We know she was abused so I don't want to push her, but does anyone have any tips?

Poor little thing. How about those mits you can put on your hand - maybe just sit with her and pet her - she might like that.