Dogs shed hair. We can't get away from it; it's a natural process whereby your dog is getting rid of his old coat and dead hair to allow his new coat to grow properly. Most dogs have a seasonal shedding time, usually in spring to get rid of the winter coat. If your dog is an indoor dog however, it is likely that he will shed all year round.

Some breeds do shed hair more than others and some will have a large moult in the spring and then continue to shed lightly throughout the rest of the warm season. Much depends on the heat levels; the warmer it is the more your dog will shed.

There are other things that can cause shedding though. If your dog's coat still looks healthy despite shedding hair then it is likely that it is just a normal moult. However, if your dog is shedding much more than normal or bald spots start to appear then there may be an underlying problem.

Physical problems that can cause excessive shedding are ringworm, skin infections, some cancers, mange, stress, tumors, autoimmune disease and hormonal imbalances. If you suspect that your dog has a physical illness or you see bald spots start to appear you should seek veterinary attention for diagnosis.

2 other causes of shedding that we can do something about are a poor diet and not enough grooming and bathing of your dog. If a dog's diet is of a poor quality then it is likely to cause him a multitude of problems including loss of hair. Change his diet to a more natural one or a home cooked diet and add in skin and coat supplements and you should see an improvement over time.

You can buy supplements that contain living enzymes that are essential to a dog's body. Without these enzymes your dog's digestive system is unable to fully absorb all of the nutrients from his meal, resulting in poor nutrition and skin problems.

Groom your dog regularly. Depending on the breed and the time of year you may need to do it every day, or every other day. Choose a brush that suits your dog. You need to be able to brush your dog's coat thoroughly without hurting him and at the same time massage the skin to help blood circulation.

Use of a good natural shampoo will also help. Choose one that contains colloidal oatmeal, essential oils and Zinc "PCA" as these will all help your dog's coat to become tangle free, soft and will also help to heal any problems with the skin. You should not wash your dog every single day as this will remove the natural oils from his coat and cause his skin to become dry and flaky, making the problem worse.

Use a leave in conditioner with the same ingredients as you shampoo between baths. This will help to keep your dog's coat smooth and more manageable and the healing process will continue. Regular use of this and the grooming will eventually improve the condition of your dog's coat and lessen shedding. Although a small amount of natural shedding will still occur we can certainly lessen the amount of dog hair left lying all over the floor and furniture and your dog will feel better as well.

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