How to Tackle Dog Hair

     We all love our fur babies am I right? However, their dog hair can get a little out of hand at times. It seems like overnight, dog hair piles up in the corners, covers the couch, and floats in the air. To tackle the dog hair problem, you need to be proactive and do some things that really help combat the dog hair problem. These are the steps I take to tackle Ginger’s dog hair. Just a side note, my dog has short hair, but sheds like crazy. (You might have to adjust some of these steps to fit your dog and lifestyle.)

1. Weekly dog baths

     We live out in the country, so Ginger tends to get dirty a little faster. Ginger is an inside dog, but she loves to play outside. Throughout the week, she tends to get a little stinky so she gets a bath about once a week. This is a great first step because baths tend to get a lot of loose hair off of her body before it gets traced all over the house. Your dog will smell better, dog hair gets washed away, and your dog will feel better. Imagine not getting a routine bath, you wouldn’t feel your best. Chances are your dog doesn’t feel great either. Take the time to bathe your dog weekly, or set up a routine that works for you. Ginger loves baths and sometimes tries to get into the shower even when it’s not her bath time. 

Another thing to think about, invest in a quality dog shampoo. Dogs need some oil on their skin and coat so don’t use your shampoo or dish soap. Our shampoo can strip those natural oils from their coat, causing them to itch and have dry flaky skin. The picture below is the dog shampoo I use on Ginger.

2. Brush out their fur

     Brushing out Ginger’s hair is something I need to remember to do frequently. My goal is to brush her once a week. When the seasons change and she starts to shed more frequently it’s good to brush them more. We use the FURminator on Ginger, we got it at a pet store, but you can find it on Amazon as well. 

     Brushing your dog’s fur helps get to their undercoat. This helps get rid of a lot of the hair that you would normally find around your house. Be gentle when starting to brush your dog. Ginger is not a fan of this, so I often brush her while she’s laying with me to avoid her feeling nervous. There are many types of dog brushes so find one that works for you and your dog, and then stick to a brushing schedule. 

Vacuum regularly

     Ok, if you have a dog this should go without saying, however, vacuuming is very important when tackling dog hair. Like I have said before, we live in the country. Ginger not only sheds all over, she tends to track in dirt, grass, stickers, etc. I would say on average, I vacuum every other day. Now, that doesn’t mean I vacuum the corners, move furniture, and do a deep clean kind of vacuum. I usually do a quick run through the living room, and bedroom where she spends most of her time. I love my vacuum and it is lightweight so I think it makes it fun to get out my vacuum!

4. Wash dog blankets

     You might be thinking why on Earth would I let my dog lay on our couch and blankets and bed? Simply put, she is my girl and I love her. If you don’t feel that way about dogs, you probably don’t need to be reading this post because you have outside dogs or don’t have dogs at all. Anyway, we have couch blankets so I usually throw those in the washer about once a week. I also wash her dog beds and yes, her dog toys. This is huge on cutting down the fur in your living room. 

     Dogs are amazing! I couldn’t imagine my life without her, even if the fur gets annoying. Doing these simple steps will definitely reduce the extra dog fur in your house. I mean really, we know we would do anything for our fur babies right?!

What are some of your dog hair tackling tricks?