[min200]

"The stupid great lump" as she is effectionately known in our house is a Rotty cross Boxer who is 5 1/2 years old now.

Molly is a daft bu&&er most of the time but is part of the family of course but she moults constantly!  Its got so bad now we all have to get changed when we get in from work/school so we dont get covered in hairs!  We hoover the house twice a day but in all honesty shes driving us nuts!

We have for the first time ever had brand new sofas and they are always showing hair on them (even though Molly is not allowed on any furniture in the house) so does anyone have any ideas on how to minimise this hairy onslaught?

[Chrysalis]

Have you taken her to the vet?  She may have an allergy to something or an under-active thyroid?

All dogs shed a bit, all the time (unless the lovely poodle-types!!)  Make that "most dogs".

Best to get her checked out... Good luck and hope all's well... C

[Eblana]

I have a boxer cross who moults all the time as well.  We have recently gotten him a dry food that is especially for dogs with skin conditions as he had fox mange and the moulting has more or less stopped so we have kept him on it.  The dry food (Royal Canine) is fairly expensive and we had a battle of wills with the dog not eating for a couple of days but now he has given in and is wolfing it down each day.  I am now down to only having to hoover every second day which is a massive improvement.

[allot2learn]

We have the same problem with our Whippet. He looks like a mangey camel most of the time.

[Christine]

We had a vegetarian pup (!) long ago and used a feed you were supposed to mix with milk. The milk caused lots of moult but vegetarian gravy did not. So yes, it could be food related.

[min200]

We have tried changing food in the past to no avail!

Shes been like this since she was a pup and shows no ill effects from it ie. bald spots etc in fact she has a really thick short hair coat.

Drives us mad!!!   

[azubah]

Perhaps she is just too warm?

[Thrift]

I was told many years ago, by an experienced dog breeder, that he put a little olive oil in the daily feed to prevent excessive moulting.

I have never tried it but it certainly would do no harm.

[sarajane]

We have the same problem with our Whippet. He looks like a mangey camel most of the time.

       Bet he's beautiful.  I love scruffy dogs

[Goosegirl]

I apologise if this sounds rather harsh, but my father-in-law (who has just died and was a farm labourer) always said that dogs do not moult if they are kept outside in a kennel. I guess you need to research this aspect. Many farmers do this still today.

[Thrift]

I'm sure you're absolutely right Goosegirl. Dogs are equipped with a thick enough coat to withstand outdoor temperatures, thus shed the coat they do not need when cossetted indoors.

The problem is that we love them and enjoy their company; this is usually mutual. Hence we want to share our lives with them. I for one, wouldn't keep a dog if it had to be banished to a lonely outdoor life. 

[compostqueen]

I think it must be central heating that does it, so you can turn the heating down and wear jumpers.  You'd do anything for your dog right ? 

[allot2learn]

Well my outdoor working type border collie is currently ...............................curled up in a duvet next to the living room radiator! Mind you, he has strained a back leg muscle after falling down the stairs.
That'll teach him to chase the cats round the house. Mad house, that is. 

[SG6]

Sorry Min but I read this just after the first post and always wanted to say:
Have you considered the spray adhesive they use for floor tiles. 

Neighbours cat always molted every day of it's life and it also had a habit of following you round to rub itself against your legs. Great amusement was had trying to avoid the cat once you were dressed for work. The more you ran away the more the cat followed/chased you round trying to be friendly.

Someone said that it was when they were born, if born when it was normal molting time then the body just kept molting having decided that throwing hair off was the normal thing to do all the time.

No idea if any truth in it.

[min200]

We do the work and school dance in here as well 

I am going to give the olive oil a try and if all else fails its off to Wilkos to buy some carpet adhesive spray