I’ve had a fair number of pet dogs in my life, of many different breeds, but most of them were mixed breeds. All of them would shed, but nothing like my current dog Milo, a 7-year-old pure-bred Parson Russell Terrier. (Think of a PRT as a Jack Russell Terrier with much longer legs.) Here’s a picture of him to give an idea of what he looks like when his hair has grown out somewhat.
Milo is a great dog. He weighs 21 lbs. and has a broken coat, but he sheds an enormous amount of fur all year round. While last at the vet I asked whether this was normal for this particular breed, and the vet said it was and that they were prolific shedders and were often kept outdoors for this very reason. All the vet could recommend was shed reducing shampoo, which we have tried to no avail.
He is mostly an indoor dog, although he has access to an outdoor dog area whenever he wants or needs to go out. So he spends a lot of time indoors at a constant 68 degrees, and during the winter goes out when it’s 20 degrees and in the summer goes out when it’s 80 degrees. I’m wondering if the drastic temperature changes are causing his constant shedding, but I have nothing to back up this “hair-brained” theory.
Has anyone had a problem with a heavy shedding indoor dog and figured out a way to reduce it? A different diet perhaps or a shampoo that really works? Maybe trimming his hair short all year round, including winter? I’m open to almost any idea that might help. We spend a fair amount of time vacuuming up behind him, which I have never had to do for any other dog I’ve had.
I would go outside or in a garage area daily and brush the crap out of him. I have a Yorkie with lots of hair. I try to brush her everyday. It does reduce loose hair, some what.
I posed the OP’s question to my sister who has raised several Jack Russels and Rat Terriers. Her answer was that there is a small chance some variety of skin allergy may be at work. Assuming the dog’s skin appears healthy and he is not showing signs of discomfort or excessive scratching, my sister’s advice is to get used to using a grooming brush and get used to hairy furniture.
Shark Navigator vacuum with pet brush. I understand there’s a Dyson that’s also good, but the Shark is also not all that pricey.
I’m not suggesting you vacuum the dog with it, although there are dogs that will accept this (cats too, in fact one of my cats even seems to like it) but it deals pretty well with all the hair everywhere.
If you spray anti-static spray on the furniture/carpets beforehand this thing gets even more of the hair.
With my dog I noticed that there were a couple of weeks in the spring and a couple of weeks in the fall when he did NOT shed a lot. The reverse of quite a few other dogs I have owned who blew their coats entirely during those periods.
If you give the pooch a buzz cut, at least he will shed shorter hairs. But I am not aware of any shampoo or treatment that reduces shedding.
Leet the Wonder Dog[sup]TM[/sup] also sheds enough to cover a couple of extra dogs, and I brush him every night. He enjoys it, but I could brush him for an hour and still get hair out of him at the end of it.
There are various brushes to deal with removing the excess hair, and even attachments for the vacuum cleaner, but LtWD[sup]TM[/sup] is afraid of the vacuum cleaner, so I make do with a comb and a soft-bristled brush to remove the fist-sized wads of hair, to the accompaniment of low grumbles of satisfaction on his part. He will also remind me if I missed a spot (“down and to the left, Grampa - ooh, that’s the spot” legjigglelegjiggle).