When autumn arrives, you might notice something besides cooler mornings and leaves accumulating in the yard:
Pet hair. Everywhere.
On the couch. On your clothes. Floating mysteriously through rooms your pet hasn't entered in hours.
For many dogs and cats, some seasonal change in shedding can be completely normal. Changes in daylight, coat type, indoor environment and individual biology can all influence how much hair a pet appears to lose throughout the year.
But fall is also a useful time to pay closer attention to your pet's coat and skin.
Why do some pets shed more seasonally?
Dogs and cats have very different coat types, so there isn't one universal shedding calendar.
Some double-coated breeds undergo more noticeable seasonal coat changes. Other pets shed relatively consistently throughout the year. Indoor living, artificial lighting, climate and breed can also make seasonal patterns less obvious.
That means your Labrador, Yorkie and neighbor's Persian cat may all have very different opinions about when shedding season begins.
Your vacuum cleaner receives no vote.
Regular brushing can help
Brushing won't stop normal shedding, but it can help remove loose hair before that hair relocates to your couch.
Regular grooming can also give you an opportunity to:
- Notice tangles or mats early
- Look for irritated or unusually dry skin
- Check for fleas, ticks or debris
- Become familiar with your pet's normal skin and coat
- Spot changes that may deserve closer attention
Choose grooming tools appropriate for your pet's coat rather than assuming one brush works for every animal.
Be gentle with tangles and mats
Small tangles can become uncomfortable mats, particularly in longer or denser coats.
Areas behind the ears, beneath collars or harnesses, under the legs and other friction-prone spots can deserve extra attention.
Avoid aggressively pulling or cutting tightly matted fur yourself. Skin can become caught within a mat and may be surprisingly easy to injure. Significant matting is better handled by an experienced groomer or veterinarian.
Don't automatically blame everything on "seasonal shedding"
This is the important part.
Normal shedding and abnormal hair loss aren't necessarily the same thing.
Contact your veterinarian if you're noticing things such as bald patches, significant itching, sores, redness, unusual odor, sudden or dramatic hair loss, persistent licking or chewing, or other changes in your pet's health or behavior.
Those signs can have many possible causes and deserve more than an internet diagnosis.
Build a tiny grooming ritual
Grooming doesn't have to become Saturday's major household event.
Try attaching a short coat check to something already in your routine.
Maybe it's five minutes after an evening walk. Maybe it's while you're watching television. Maybe your pet receives a favorite reward afterward.
Short, calm sessions can be easier for both of you than waiting until the coat requires a rescue mission.
The Tidy Paw takeaway
Fall shedding can leave your house looking suspiciously like your pet is attempting to manufacture a second pet.
But it also creates a useful reminder.
Brush regularly. Know your pet's normal coat. Pay attention when something changes.
A few minutes of routine care can make grooming easier and help you notice when your pet may need a little extra attention.
Ready to build your grooming routine? Shop The Tidy Paw's Grooming & Brushes collection for tools suited to every coat type.