Many people purchase a plush Labrador Retriever puppy only to discover that, around seven to nine months when the pup’s adult coat starts to come in, the Labrador sheds. And, it’s not just losing a puppy coat causes copious amounts of hair. There’s daily shedding and seasonal sheds, too.

So how to brush a Labrador Retriever? How do you get around all this hair?

Basically, you can attack it when it hits the floor, or you can go directly to the source: your Labrador. Thoroughly brushing your dog from head to toe at least two to three times a week will go far in limiting the amount of hair you’ll need to vacuum from your floors and upholstery. Your Lab will still shed in the house; it just won’t be quite as much.

Regular brushing also has added benefits. The time you spend grooming your Labrador is a pleasant experience for him. In fact, not only does the brushing feel good to your Lab, but it helps to improve his circulation and makes for a healthier, shinier coat. But even beyond that, quiet moments like this with your dog are truly bonding experiences.

The Simple Art of Brushing

Part of the reason the Labrador Retriever sheds so much is that he is a double coated breed. The Labrador has a soft, downy undercoat and a coarser, sturdy outer coat that is made of guard hairs. You will find both types of hair in your home. Usually the undercoat accumulates on slick, hard floors in warty piles, whereas the coarser guard hairs expertly lodge themselves in upholstery.

To brush your Labrador, begin with a pin brush. Brush with the direction of the coat to warm up your Lab to his brushing session. Then, begin working at the base of his tail, and in short, brisk strokes brush his entire coat backward. You’ll want to make sure that the brush pins work down to his skin. Be careful not to “dig” with the brush; you want your Lab to feel like he’s getting a back scratch, not a torture session!

The hair should be flying at this point, you’ll probably want to do this outside, by the way. Once you’ve worked the coat against the lay of the hair, go back over the entire coat in the same direction as the hair.  You can finish up your grooming session with a softer, bristle-type brush (which helps distribute the natural oils in your dog’s coat) and finally, wipe with a damp towel to pick up any loose or stray hair.

Shedding

Spring and fall are high shedding seasons. In the spring, your Labrador will lose much of his undercoat and a lot of his guard hairs, too. In the fall, everything sheds out as the denser winter undercoat comes in along with a new top coat. During these times you will wonder how your Labrador can possibly still have any hair on his body after cleaning up all the hair on your floors and furniture!

To control shedding as best as possible, groom your Labrador every day. Use a shedding blade or rake, or a specialty shedding product, such  as the FURminator. Brush with the lay of the hair to remove as much dead hair as possible. Do this outside and stand upwind of your dog! Piles of hair will come out on a daily basis. You don’t want this all over you!

Follow up with a pin brush, working backward through your dog’s coat first, and then with the lay of the hair to finish. Don’t even bother pulling out the bristle brush; it will fill up too quickly to be of much use at this point.

Bathe your dog during this time to help remove even more hair. Use a good rubber scrubber such as the Zoom Groom to help get down to the undercoat and wash out as much dead hair as humanly possible. Dry thoroughly and go through the brushing regimen again, and again, and again.