Help, pet hair everywhere: all about moulting

The changing season also means hair all over the floor: your pet is moulting! How do you get rid of that hair? Read on for moulting facts and tips.

Why is my pet moulting?
All furry animals (and humans) lose hair all year round, but there are two periods of the year when your pet loses much more. We call these periods in spring and autumn the moult and it lasts 3 to 4 weeks. Consider it a wardrobe change: like people, dogs and cats swap their summer jackets for their winter coats, and vice versa.

The coats of cats and dogs are slightly different from the hair on our heads. Your pet has a double coat: a topcoat and an undercoat. In spring, the undercoat becomes thin, with a breathable topcoat to keep your pet cool. In autumn, the undercoat becomes denser, with longer hair in the topcoat. Nice and warm!

What to do about all that hair?

You can minimise the amount of hair on the ground by regularly brushing your dog or cat.

Doing so combs out the dead hair and skin cells from the coat before they get the chance to waft around your home. Regular brushing also ensures that the dead hairs don't cause itchiness and the natural oils are combed over the coat to keep it in good condition.

But despite regular brushing, you will still find hair in the house. In the moult period, that will mean regular vacuuming to keep everything fresh. Also wash their baskets more often or shake them outside. Stubborn hair that sticks to your clothes or furniture can be easily removed with a lint roller. Or try a rubber window wiper or rubber gloves. Dampen them and then go over the sofa. You can then sweep all the hairs together.

Healthy food, healthy skin, healthy coat
The state of your pet's health is usually reflected in their coat. If their coat is dry and dull, your pet is not feeling great. A healthy dog or cat, and thus a healthy coat, needs good quality, balanced dog food and snacks or cat food and treats with good ingredients. If your pet has a healthy coat, you will also find it moults much less.

There are several ingredients which boost the health of your pet's skin and coat. Nutrition that is rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids helps keep the coat glossy and healthy. Salmon is an ingredient that is rich in these fatty acids. We have therefore added salmon oil to our dog biscuits (and even launched a salmon variant!). Salmon is also the key ingredient in some of our snacks, like the salmon strips for dogs and the deli line for cats. So, give your pet a tasty and super healthy treat, particularly in the moult period!