How often should you groom us Labradors

Labrador Retrievers require constant grooming, and this can be a great way to spend some quality bonding time with us. We love to be touched, and we regard any physical contact as a significant bonding act with humans. However, along with being great for physical reasons, grooming is very important for our health as well. Keeping our coat well-groomed can help avoid some serious health problems, as well as keeping us content. There are many great reasons to keep your Labrador Retriever properly groomed.

Most Labrador Retrievers have a reputation for being heavy shedders, though actually, we are only in the “moderate” category of dog shedding. Despite our reputation, our shedding can be kept to a minimum with regular grooming. Our fur consists of two layers: a coarse, oily outer layer, that helps repel water, and a thick, soft inner layer, which helps to insulate us from temperature variants. We usually go through a process called “blowing the coat” twice per year, which is the complete replacement of our seasonal fur. Both layers of our coat are replaced at this time, which is probably why we have a reputation for shedding so heavily.

Labrador Retrievers shed because new hair growth pushes the old strand of fur out of the hair follicle. At this time, the old strand of hair falls out, to make room for the new fur strand. If we're not groomed on a regular basis, these old strands of hair can get caught in existing fur, preventing proper ventilation of our skin. Also, this can result in matting of the fur, which is when a dense mat of “dead” hair forms close to the skin. Dead skin cells can also become trapped along with the shed fur, which can potentially cause a number of serious skin conditions. This is where grooming your Labrador Retriever on a regular basis can prevent certain health conditions.

Many dog experts argue about the proper frequency with which to groom a Labrador Retriever. However, it is generally recommended to groom us twice per week, or three times per week for extra heavy shedding seasons. Use a gentle brush, and be sure to groom from the head to the feet, following the direction of the fur. Heavy shedding can also be a sign of nutritional deficiencies, so be sure to bring your Labrador Retriever to the veterinarian if they begin to shed severely.