Lab sheds Year Around

[tweedlap]

I have had my Lab for a year, now. I swear he has shed enough to fill the back of my pickup, at least once. The house, truck and even my socks have white hair everywhere.

I feed him a good name brand dog food. Will a change in diet help with this?

Any advice is appreciated.

tweed

[Dave S]

this is normal to an extent. Weather can prompt an increae in shedding as can maturity. My lab is going on 10 months and she's finally losing her "puppy" hair and the course hair is starting to come in.

If you notice a lot of scratching/itching, dry skin, or dandruf, then a change in food might be what he needs, but there also could be something more seriously wrong. Some of the more fluent owners or vets will more than likely chime in. But if he's only a year old and you don't notice any of the symptoms listed above, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

If you do change his food, make sure to blend it at least 50:50 (for a couple weeks) with what you're currently feeding him to make the transition easier on his digestive system.

[trailratedtj]

this is off topic LEP7MM kinda triggered a thought....my lab sheds a bit to but i think its the up coming weather change and a little bit of age.

anyways....my lab is 6 months old, at 9 weeks be registered 28.5lbs his eyes had also changed color from blue to the normal yellow/brown color. He also had his rough course back hair fully developed by 11-12weeks. He's now 6 months and already around 60lb. I saw a female at the softball field saterday that would literally fit under him(and no she wasnt british). So, have any of you guys encountered a lab thats growth is just outragous? Is this common. If he's already around 60lb at 6 months what do u guys think he'll hit? He's not fat and his sire and dam werent abnormally big either. sire maybe 75-85 and dam around 55.

[Jarrod32]

Is the dog an indoor or outdoor dog? Indoor dogs tend to shed constantly...

[tweedlap]

He is a semi indoor dog. He stays in the four season porch, but it is heated.

Does anyone give their dog eggs or vitamins?

tweed

[Dave S]

My current lab is only 65 lbs at 10 months. My previous lab was gaining 10 lbs per month and progressed at the 6 mo. 60 lbs to 7 mo 70 lbs, and so on. At 10 months, he was 100 lbs.

My lab is also in the house 90% of the time. Regular bathing or swimming also helps out with the shedding. Just make sure you use a pet friendly shampoo. Products designed for use by humans are NO GOOD for dogs.

I gave an egg or two every month. Haven't started that with the pup yet.

[Heartman]

You'd shed all year-round if you were covered in hair as well. Seasonal changes, temperature extremes, and age all have a role in the shedding issue - brush your dog alot, and make sure you put new bags in the vacuum cleaner often. It's the price you pay, eh?

[IRISHSOBNO4]

i have 2 labs and the pup i have is now 10 months and sheds

constantly his hair is totaly different than my other dog

I brush them at least once a week with him it seems like he should be bald by the time i'm done brushing, the other dog hardly anything comes off. I believe it's just genetics.

the pup is also 100lbs. he is long and lanky and at least 3inches taller than my other dog.

[Dahitman44]

I talked to a grooming friend and she said the 11-year old lab that passed away recently shed a lot because the was NOT intact.

My 1.5 year old pup sheds very little and is intact and he is a garage dog while the old guy was a house dog.

That is what she told me. Hope that helps.

Is your dog intact?

[311Hemi]

Quote:

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Regular bathing or swimming also helps out with the shedding.

I gave an egg or two every month.

---

One thing to note is that bathing too much can strip the oils from the coat/skin and cause it to dry out and have skin irritation, and possibly more shedding. It would be recommended to use a good shampoo (do some research) and one that is not too harsh on the coat....possibly one with oatmeal. There are a few better ones out there.

Regarding eggs.....just make sure you cook them if you feed them to your dog. Raw egg whites contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Once cooked they are fine for dogs.

[Dahitman44]

I agree -- over-bathing is a BAD idea. They need the oil in their skin.

But when they get really stinky ... They need a bath.

[tweedlap]

Thanks for all of the great respones and ideas.

tweed

[trailratedtj]

im gonna hijack the thread again...i guessed he was 60lbs......i just got back from the vet and he weighted in a 80.3lb @ 6 months. Are labs always like this big?

p.s. he's scored a 7 on the purina weight chart 5 being idea.

[SJU70]

In response to trailratedrj, i have to ask if your feeding him puppy food still? We have a Golden retriever that is smaller than most all other goldens, because we stopped giving her the high protein puppy food by 9 weeks. She is still healthy and happy at ten.

[delmuts]

hitman

what do you mean;"the was NOT intact" del.

[trailratedtj]

Quote:

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In response to trailratedrj, i have to ask if your feeding him puppy food still? We have a Golden retriever that is smaller than most all other goldens, because we stopped giving her the high protein puppy food by 9 weeks. She is still healthy and happy at ten.

---

he's on puppy food now...reason being...the dam had a problem with her milk and the pups were being sluggish and wobblely. His vet told him to feed them adult dog food since its higher in nutrients, so he started feeding them adult food at 4 weeks. This corrected the problems, but for mine, he's been growing faster than a weed. At 11 weeks my vet said to take him off the adult food and try puppy food becuase he was growing to fast and his joints were abnormally large. Yesterday, i carried him to a different vet and they said to put him on adult food and he would slow down to a average growth rate.

so i dont know. what do u guys think?

[fish4cats]

My black lab was at the 60lb mark at 6 months also and now he is just over a year old and he is at 85 lb.

My dog also shed extensively in the spring and into the summer, his hair could have filled 2 pickup beds.

[Dahitman44]

Del --

It means he was a he but we made him a "cousin It".

[Dahitman44]

Trail --

I would really watch the weight. I am not saying he is over th limit, but you should watch that. It is better for the dog if he is on th thinner side of heavy. Extra weight can do a lot of bad things for the pup down the road.

Just a thought.

Hit

[trailratedtj]

Hit-

i totally agree. i like my dogs in shape, built like a brick house, but cut. like i said its my first lab and i know how easy it is for them to get fat and just wanted to know if it expected for them to grow this fast. I have already started to diet him and a difference is already starting to appear seeing i just started the diet friday.

daniel

[Tripleplay]

My year old yellow has shed like a maniac since she was a puppy. I've discussed it with the vets as well as the breeder. He says it is so variable in labs that even siblings sometimes don't shed while the others shed like crazy. Of course, mine is a 95% inside dog with new hardwood floors that look like you could knit a rug with what is on them constantly. Wife is not a happy camper!

We are feeding a high quality food and have been supplementing with brewers yeast and garlic tablets and I think that has helped a bit but not completely. We also brush her at least a couple of times a day. Also doesn't fix it completely but it at least helps.

I'd also like any other suggestions on this before the dog gets moved outside for good.

[LABS4ME]

Does it look like this?

This is just one night of running the curry comb over my dog. She is an outside dog. She'll "blow" her coat usually twice a year. I noticed her really starting to shed last week, so I got out the comb... She has a lot of under coat, so when she does shed it is extreme! I think being outside limits the times she sheds... Usually Summer and Spring. With the stretch of heat we had, I think it is causing her to shed even more. Seems inside dogs shed more consistantly all season. I may be wrong but that has been what I've observed from my limited indoor dog exposure. Plain and simple.... Labs shed! Pro groomers have a product / procedure they can do to a lab that minimizes the shedding... an employee of mine had Sky Blue pet grooming in SO. St. Paul do his dog and he felt it really helped. If I remember, I'll ask him the name of the procedure...

Good Luck!

Ken

[Tripleplay]

Labs,

I would love to know what that procedure or program is!

Yes, it looks like that only since we brush her fairly often it isn't quite as large of a pile. If my wife saw that I don't think the door would hit my dog's rear end on her way out to the kennel for good!! I love having her inside (most of the time) and didn't buy her to be an outside only dog so anything I can do on this would be a help.

[tweedlap]

My lab is the same color as the one pictured. After, about, a week my carpet is nearly that color, too. Sounds like that is way is has to be. I got a shedder.

Thanks for all of the great posts.

tweed

[Dahitman44]

Labs --

That pic made me laugh. It reminds me of Boomer -- the one that passed away earlier this summer. That dog shed like crazy -- about that much 2-3 times a day.

The wife was not a big fan on that.

[LABS4ME]

Hit,

the one in the picture will probably not be with me much longer... she is on a real down hill slide right now...

Tripleplay,

I will try to find out the name of the procedure today, I guess they will even come to you home to do it.

Good Luck!

Ken

[311Hemi]

Give the "Furminator" a try. I just got it and it works great. I also have a curry blade and the Furminator has better results.

[Dahitman44]

Labs --

That looks like a fine lab. I hope you can be there when she goes -- it was tough, but healing to be there when Boomer passed.

Copper (1.5 year old) has been great for the family. My twin boys (7) have been great with the pup. We are lucky to have Copper.

Hang in there, and thanks for all of the advice along the way.

Hit

[SDbowhunter]

A friend of mine buys some supplement for shedding i dont know what the name of it is. My dog was shedding bad all summer and he is an indoor/outdoor dog. His hair on his belly was starting to get really thin and that concerned me. I changed from Purina to IAMs and his hair has grown back almost over night. Shedding has decreased 3 fold. I'd consider changing foods.

[Chode2235]

I have had several labs in my time. All of them shed, and shed all the time. Indoor or outdoor, Natural or Purina, eggs or vitamins. Whatever....

They all shed, and its normal for your dog to be shedding. The usually have the big clumpy shed twice a year, but all the while in between they are still shedding.

The best thing to do is brush your dog out regularly, and wash him enough. Or better yet, take him for a swim and brush him out afterwords.

Hope this helps, but don't worry.