Life with a fur-baby comes with a lot of… fur.
Imagine that.
I choose to think of it as love sprinkles, and, with two dogs in my household, there’s a lot of love to go around. So, how do we keep our home place, vehicles and wardrobe more welcoming for the humans in our life?
Read below for some tips that have worked for us and others.
Do you have what it takes?
Preparation is the key to success and knowing is half the battle. Do a little research to get familiar with your animal’s fur-type and grooming requirements. Be honest with yourself about the time you are willing and able to commit to the ongoing maintenance. Let’s also consider the expense. Some fur-types require more than a brush and wash at home. Unless you’re a professional groomer, you’ll want to find a pet salon both you and your pet like and trust. Otherwise, pet product manufacturers make it easy to get the right tool for the grooming job.
The brush is your friend.
Pet brushes are available to suit the specific coat type and thickness and the animal size. Having the right brush will make the job so much easier, especially if your furry friend has a quadruple thick coat like my girl Maddie. Trust me. She is a 65 pound mix of several thick coated canine breeds and a regular hair brush barely gets through the top layer. She absolutely loves to get brushed and, even with the right tool, I get a great work out in the process. For her, I use a large Furminator because it is strong enough to pull through the coarse dense fur on top while also thinning out the downy layers underneath. By the time we’re finished, a second animal worth of fur is on the ground next to us. Seriously, where does it all come from?
As for my beagle boy, Copper, his short hair does well with a natural bristle brush and is a much less strenuous grooming session than we have with his fur-sister. There is only a small fluff of fur left over from his grooming session and his wiggle butt lets me know he’s a happy customer.
Both of my canine companions do well to be brushed weekly. If your furry friend has a medium to long coat, or very fine hair, daily brushing may be required to prevent painful and unsightly tangles and knots. This applies to all domesticated animals, not just canines.
Our household has cat allergies so we aren’t able to have one in our family, but your feline friend will also require regular brushing and grooming based on their coat type. For short-haired cats, a good weekly brushing with a gentle, fine-wire brush will usually be enough to keep shedding to a minimum. For cats with medium to long hair, consider purchasing a comb with coarse and fine teeth to move through tangles easier then smooth through the overall coat.
To bathe or not to bathe?
Pet owners often want to bathe their furry companions at the same frequency as humans to keep that animal smell to a minimum. This may actually cause more harm than good for the animal and frequent trips to the pet supply store or Veterinarian’s office to treat resulting skin disorders. Just as humans do not need to wash their hair daily under general conditions, your pet’s hair follicles also need time to produce and distribute natural oils to protect their skin and keep their fur healthy and shiny. Over bathing may cause irritated, itchy and potentially painful skin conditions that will create more scratching, licking and nibbling leading to intense shedding and additional pet dander.
Hey, Fido, this bed’s for you.
It’s normal for your furry companion to want to be anywhere you are and move in for those cozy snuggles, however, the fur left behind on our furniture and bedding can be unsightly and unsanitary. So how do you prevent or keep it manageable?
We encourage our animals to hang out on their special beds which are strategically placed throughout the house. This allows them to stay close to us while keeping the majority of their fur on the removable and washable bed covers. I also like to keep their comfy spots coordinated with the room décor and update them often.
Blankets aren’t only for sleeping and play forts. If your animals have a special furniture spot they like to hang out that isn’t on the floor, blankets are a great option to protect furniture then quickly and easily remove for washing. For car rides, I like to use a flat sheet in the rear area of my SUV for fur-control. This also protects the interior from scratches and soiling. I keep a collection of designated flat sheets washed and on hand for this purpose.
Speaking of washing.. it is advisable to wash all pet bedding and blankets together with a fragrance-free detergent and separate from human bedding and clothing. This not only helps manage loose fur but also protects your pets from fragrances that could irritate their skin and respiratory tract.
Regular vacuuming and sweeping of the floors will also help keep those love sprinkles from spreading around too much.
Hold the line.
Countless plates of food have been sent back to restaurant kitchens because of a lone human hair, so it goes without mention that your dinner guest would not appreciate Fe-fe’s fur sprinkled into their meal either. And, actually, how embarrassing would that be to the host?
While you may want your dog, cat, monkey or ferret to have free reign in their home, some areas should be considered off limits. Kitchen counters and dining areas come to mind. If your living quarters are open plan and blocking off these areas just isn’t possible, there are still ways to manage floating fur.
Consider keeping cook ware, plates, cups, and utensils in cabinets and drawers. Wiping down your countertops, cabinets and other hard surfaces regularly will help. Avoid using ceiling fans and window units in these areas as well.
Simple training could also encourage animals to climb on their play structures instead of counters, cabinets and appliances and discouraged from spending their time in the human food zones. Also consider creating alternate spaces for them to have their meals, play time and relaxation.
With awareness, the willingness to adjust and put in extra effort, you should never had to ask if someone would like a side of pet hair with their plated culinary delight.
Not every day is bring your pet to work day.
We know you want to keep the pet hair under control and do your best to keep it off of your clothing, but let’s face it, your pet’s fur is going to shop up in unlikely places at inopportune times. The fellow animal lover most likely won’t even notice or if they do they won’t mind. But, Buster’s course golden hair on your business suit jacket during that big presentation with your best client might be a distraction from the golden nuggets of wisdom you’re so eloquently sharing. And, your friend having an allergic reaction to Tabby’s fur on your sweater might end your evening out much sooner than planned. For times like these, I recommend keeping a lint roller in several accessible places such as your vehicle, work bag, desk drawer or purse. In a pinch, a wad of tape, plastic wrap or dryer sheet should do the trick.
When it comes down to it, having an animal in your household means willing engaging in the Battle of the Fur on a daily basis. If you’re not willing to unabashedly sling the phrase “Pet hair, don’t care”, “Love me, love my pet hair”, or “My dog lives here, you don’t, so deal with it” around, hopefully these tips will make your love sprinkle management a little easier.
And… from one animal lover to another, if we ever meet and your pet wants to share their love sprinkles with me, I will be totally okay with that!
Blessings to you and your furry family members,
Rachel
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