The key to keeping a coat clear is to keep it clean and brushed-out... even the short-haired breeds need frequent grooming to prevent 'nuclear shedding'.

For all coat types, you will need a good shampoo and conditioner. Each coat type will require a different 'tool' to work the coat, but your job will be much easier if you will invest in a good high velocity dryer such as the Metro AF Master Blaster.

Nutritional supplements such as Shed-B-Gone are often very helpful in maintaining a healthy coat that sheds less, but of course you should check with your veterinarian first, especially if your pet is under any dietary restrictions.

Labrodor Retrievers are the #1 offender in this group... followed by Beagles and Jack (Parson's) Russell Terriers. The best defense is a good offense here. Regular baths, followed by a vigorous towel or high-velocity drying are key to loosening up any dead coat. Once the pet is completely dry, scrub it all over with a Zoom Groom. The rubber 'nubs' on this currying tool grab loose hairs and polish those that are still anchored in the skin. A good 5-10 minutes of 'brushing' like this will dispense with a surprising amount of coat. The rest can be blown off using a high-velocity dryer or wiped off using a damp towel.

Double-coated Dogs include (but are not limited to) Huskies, Malamutes, Akitas, German Shepherds and Corgis. The procedure is the same as for the short-coated dogs, but you will need a Universal Slicker Brush and a comb to pull out the loose tufts of fur after drying. The Coat King is another very useful tool... it should ONLY be used on large areas of the body such as the back, shoulders and haunches because it can 'catch' folds of skin and cut them, and it should never be used against the lie of the coat as it will leave bare places. The coat king is used in sort of a raking/picking (flick of the wrist) motion to loosen these big tufts of hair which can be removed with a slicker brush or comb afterwards.

If you have a high-velocity dryer, blow the coat out from the skin for 5-10 minutes BEFORE you bathe the dog. This will help the shampoo get under the undercoat. While you have conditioner on the dog, you can 'blow' it through the coat as well. You can even use the Zoom Groom while the pet is lathered up to help loosen and remove a lot of the loose coat in the bath. You will definitely find drying this coat easier with a high-velocity dryer... and it is indispensable when it comes to keeping the coat clear between baths!

Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, and many of the spaniels have a lot of 'fluff' or 'feathering' behind their legs, under the tail, and under the chest. The rest of the dog is covered with a harsh outer coat that lacks much undercoat and is much easier to keep combed out. These dogs do shed, though, and the shedding coat is often trapped in the feathers. Regular brushing with a Universal Slicker Brush between baths is important to prevent matting. The same procedures as are used for the double coats can be applied to these animals, with the exception of the Coat King... the places where these dogs get impacted coats are NOT good places to use this particular tool, though it CAN be used to 'thin down' the coat on the back and make them look much neater.

The long double coat has features of both the flat coat and the shorter double coat and includes breeds such as Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs, Eskimo Spitz, Chow Chows, and Samoyeds.

This type of coat takes much longer to work through and constant vigilance is necessary to ensure that it stays tangle-free. Improper use of the high-velocity dryer can actually cause tangling to get worse, so care must be taken to keep the nozzle of the dryer at an angle with the skin rather than pointing directly at it... the hair should blow straight out rather than whip back around and onto itself as can happen when you blow directly into the coat. The dryer is best used in long, sweeping motions, back and forth along the dog's body. After much of the water has been blown out of the coat, the nozzle can be removed and the hose held in the hand, close to the skin, to finish drying the pet.

As tangles or loose coat are discovered while using the dryer, the slicker brush and/or the Coat King can be used to carefully remove them.

Many people don't like to deal with shedding at all and prefer to keep their pets clipped short. This does not end shedding at all... but it makes the hairs that do shed much much shorter and easier for the vacuum to deal with. Also, clipped pets and quicker to dry. This can be an important convenience factor if your pet swims a lot.

While it is true that a pet's coat, even a long, bushy one, protects it from the heat as well as the cold, it is ONLY true if the coat is clean and free from impacted hair... think of it as you wearing a heavy winter coat with a liner in it on a hot day versus covering yourself with a dry sheet or linen! The key to keeping cool is having air reach the skin... this cannot happen if the coat is clogged with dead fur. The skin under an impacted coat also doesn't dry quickly (if at all), and is prone to hot spots and moist dermatitis among other things. Flea control is also much more difficult with a long, impacted coat. So if you don't have time to maintain a coat, shaving is definitely an option.

By shaving, we don't mean 'to the skin' with a Bic Razor. "Shaving" is groomer lingo for 'clipped short'... most summer clips are done with a 10, 7f, or 5f blade, leaving the coat anywhere from 1/8" to just under 1/2" long. Longer cuts can be done... talk to your groomer about it.

Some coats can be permanently damaged by shaving, particularly if the shaving is done against the lie of the coat with a VERY short blade. It is debated, however, that the follicles are actually damaged by the matting rather than the shaving... yet another argument for keeping your pets groomed on a regular basis.

A clipped coat never looks the same as a natural coat. Often, the color of the coat that is clipped seems much lighter than the grown-out coat... particularly with breeds like German Shepherds and Huskies, the dogs look like they're wearing long underwear. It does take some getting used to... but never laugh at your pet after shaving. They aren't embarrassed at all by how they look... but they do get confused when you act funny around them.

Shaving is, of course, best performed by a professional groomer. However, you can delve into this project yourself if you keep safety in mind and understand that you probably won't do a perfect job. The key to a clean clipping is to start with a completely clean, completely dry dog. Shaving a dirty dog is frustrating and can take a very long time with unsatisfactory results. It can also ruin your clipper blades!

To do this yourself, you will need a professional clipper kit with a 10 blade (it's the safest blade, although one of the shortest).

Start clipping behind the head in long, even strokes towards the dog's tail WITH the lay of the coat. Clip over the whole body with the grain of the coat, one strip at a time, until the entire body is free of long hair. VERY CAREFULLY clip the legs, if needed, inside and out. Don't forget the chest! Be very careful around the genitals and rear end, and be aware that hair grows in opposite directions on the chest and under the tail... try to go with the grain here... if you have to go across the grain, or against it, do so very lightly so that you don't get the hair too short.

Keep your clipper blade COOL!!!! The easiest way to accomplish this is to make sure it's oiled correctly before you use it, and to check it periodically with the inside of your arm as you're working. If it's uncomfortably warm, remove it from the clipper and place it on a piece of ceramic tile for 10 minutes or so. You can also cool the blade with a spray coolant, but make sure you and your pet don't breathe in its fumes!

After you're finished, clean and oil the blade per the instructions that came with your clipper. One caution though... many people interpret the instructions to say you need to put a drop of oil on the TEETH of the blade - if you do this, the hair will clog up in the teeth and the blade will not cut... rather, avoid putting oil IN the teeth... put it on the flat surfaces that rub together instead.

The Furminator is a wonderful group of products! Used as a system with the tool, a special shampoo, conditioner, and treats, shedding issues can become a thing of the past. It works on the same principles as those methods listed above... cleaning the coat, nourishing the coat, and pulling out the dead coat. Care must be taken to use the tool properly, as it is, essentially, part of a clipper blade and can cause cuts if it is 'sawed' across the skin rather than 'raked'. This system is well worth the investment... however, it does not work on coats that are already impacted or tangled.

Other, less expensive but similar tools, are comparable to the Furminator tool, but do not come with the other products in the system.