My doodle sheds his hair for England!!!!

[Tracy5488]

Charlie is almost two. He was like an Andrex puppy when we got him at 8 weeks old. Having done all that research about Doodles and decided how great it would be to have a dog that doesn't shed (accepting it wasn't guaranteed), Charlie could not be further off the fur shedding scale!
Yesterday he went to the grooming parlour to be bathed an 'de-shed', when he got home I brushed him some more and filled a carrier bag with his fur.
Every time I brush him, we fill bags and bags with his hair! And still the carpets get covered. I Hoover twice a day most days. You would think he would be bald by now! Is this normal? Does anyone else have the same problem? Does anyone have any good ideas for the sake of my carpets (and my sanity!)

[1877debbie]

Hendrix is the same it's never ending!

[Bid]

It's so unpredictable isn't it! I have a non-shedder, a minimal shedder, and then there is Beamish - sheds like there is no tomorrow!

[pixie's mum]

Oh dear - that blasted no-shedding theory...
My scruffy doodle girl sheds an awful lot too but I, like you, accepted that shedding was a high probability. It's virtually impossible to guage the level of shedding at 8 weeks anyway.

My floor is generally covered in doodle tumbleweed like balls of Pixie fluff ( not to mention some bull mastiff hair too for good measure)

I have mostly tiles or wooden floors and these clean easily but still show the mess - I seem to have a dustpan and brush constantly in my hands.

I love the look of the really wooly doods that don't shed much but reading the threads they do seems to be equally time consuming doing the daily coat and matt care so I'm not really moaning

Sorry not sure there is a solution -
Pixie's mum

[The Turners]

Wurly is a minimum shedder, she sheds a bit but not a lot. I use a ferminator on Wurly and it does help keep the shedding down, she only gets done about once a week now. But it’s swings & roundabouts, either they shed and you have deal with doodle tumble weed or they don’t and it’s de-matting and clipping .

[michala]

After a pair of dalmatians that shed for England a shake from them meant a snowstorm of white hair, i found a hair today from my girl that died nearly twelve months ago on my new jumper?? I now have three non shedders - but a grooming bill of over a hundred pounds a time!

[gilly g]

Polo moults for England. But he is a smoothie.

[Webbs]

Willow sheds so much that we are considering changing our terracotta carpets to choc brown

[MrsAdmin]

For Scruffy type Doodles, who shed a lot, try a Furminator - it's brilliant. I use one on Jack and my Mother's boxer cross. Never try to use one ona curly Dood. They need proper clipping.

If you are spending a fortune on grooming, and can get down to Bournemouth, I really recommend going on a one day course with Helen Coggan. She's a groomer who teaches only two people at a time, with their own dogs, how to bathe, prepare, clip and trim what their dog needs.

Bid and I went and had a wonderful day. It's £100 a day, and that includes lunch and a pack at the end of notes and catalogues. Helen also goes through what you need in the way of kit, and you take all your own stuff and she goes through how to use it and what is worth working with and what not. All very practical.

Given I was paying out £50 for Becky to be clipped, and hadn't found a good groomer who was consistent and clipped her how I wanted, I reckon it has been money well spent.

I have now bought a shaver and guards, scissors and combs and plan to turn my utility into a doggie parlour Says she who has spent this evening lying on the floor with Beccles, very gently clipping her round her face and mouth which was all matty and skanky (too much ball carrying and slobber ). Not quite the orthodox method taught by Helen but effective

[lizziesmum]

Lizzie is a heavy shedder.
At least the hair is soft and hoovers easily and doesn,t get stuck into fabric,like terrier hair or Springer hair.

[jodieandbuddy]

But it’s swings & roundabouts, either they shed and you have deal with doodle tumble weed or they don’t and it’s de-matting and clipping .

Yes I agree with this, don't think you really get a none shedder with an easy care coat!!

Although Buddy's hair is easier to deal with now with his adult coat but only because i keep it really short, it would still be a nightmare to brush each day if it was long but I'm glad he doesnt shed

[Liz!]

It does depend on how clipped you keep them. lola is cut every 12 weeks and only needs hardly any attention for about 6 of the weeks, then a bit more, then checking for matts and cutting through them for about the last two weeks. No hair shed, and no smell. I think on the whole it's easier once the are adults to have a non-shedder as long as you don't mind a shortish coat, like Lola. BUT the are all different, her coat isn't that thick. No undercoat.

[DevonDoodleDog]

Rhu is only 15 weeks old and leaves a black cloud on my carpet everytime she lies down. But then she is a scruffy hair-coated doodle , so we expected it really. Our last dog was a yellow lab and she REALLY KNEW how to shed - BIG TIME. We used a Shredder ( looks a bit like a saw blade bent in to a handle) on her coat, and that was great at getting all her undercoat out - by the tonne!

So we're hoping that Rhubarb may not be such a heavy shedder (fingers and toes crossed)... but we're prepared for the worst...

[Rowan11]

I think on the whole it's easier once the are adults to have a non-shedder as long as you don't mind a shortish coat, like Lola. BUT the are all different, her coat isn't that thick. No undercoat.

what is an undercoat ? what does it look like if they have one ? luna's coat isnt that thick and i dont think she has an undercoat. does this mean she wont get an undercoat and does undercoat mean more matts ?

[Bolster]

My 4 year old doodle Jazzy is also a prolific year round shedder. However, for the past year or so she has been on a daily 5ml dose of Omega 3 fish oil plus a 400iu Vitamin E capsule because the combination is good for many aspects of general health including joints. All of them have it although my Giant Schnauzer has much bigger doses which keep her Lupoid Onychitis (nail condition) under control.

Not only has it improved the condition of all their coats but Jazzy's shedding has reduced significantly, which I can only put down to the improved condition. We still find Jazzy hair everywhere but they are individual hairs rather than the clumps of tumbleweed we used to have, and I now only brush her every couple of days with a slicker brush and usually only get one brushfull instead of enough to stuff a small cushion.