How can I get my dog (Golden Retriever) to stop shedding so much?

My dog is like a big hair ball. I brush her and the brush is full fo hair in just a couple of swipes. It is crazy! My whole house is full of hair. I have to vacuum every single day. I have hair on all of my clothes. I love my dog to death and she is a member or the family, but is there anything I can do? A special kind of food, or shampoo, or what? Please help me?!

How can I get my dog (Golden Retriever) to stop shedding so much?
While shedding is a natural process for most dogs, you want to become familiar with what's normal for your dog. Don't hesitate to call your vet and ask about the shedding. If you are concerned that she has a skin/coat problem, take her to your vet for a check up. While I'm not very familiar with goldens, my unspayed female dogs do shed or 'blow' most of their coat in conjuntion with normal hormonal changes following their heat cycle. You do want to remove all of the dead coat, and yes you will be covered with it! If you don't want to do it yourself, you can always take your dog to a good groomer who will do it for you. Also, if you bought the dog from a breeder, he or she should always be glad to answer questions, including recomendations on grooming products, tools %26amp; techniques as well as diet. Also, the breeder will know what is normal for his/her line of dogs.
Reply:Try supplements like 3v caps or go to your local pet store and look for their products of no shed or evn try just cod liver oil in her food twice daily it does take a couple of weeks to see results.
Reply:brush it more with a good brush
Reply:If your dog sheds excessively outside his normal seasonal shedding, or if he seems to suffer from itchy, flaky skin, his diet might be lacking in essential fatty acids and certain other nutrients.
Reply:You can also shave her down. Some shaved Goldens look quite nice (sort of like a yellow Lab... but smarter).
Reply:I would first get her checked to make sure she doesn't have a digestive problem, or a skin problem. Also check that she isn't stressed, stress in any animal leads to shedding. If all of this checks out fine, invest in a shedding blade, you can find them at most pet stores for under 20 dollars, and I tell you, they are the best things in the world. The get hair out ten times faster than any other brush I have seen, and any dog I have used them on, and my cat even, LOVES them. It really is great at grabbing the hair and holding it. Good Luck! :)
Reply:I recommend FRESH FACTORS from Springtime Inc. I have 5 VERY hairy dogs in my home, and this works better than anything. It is a tasty tablet that is very good for your dog, and makes his coat much better. It is also good for his bones, which is important for goldens. I am NOT a dealer, or member of the company, but a dog lover who is very satisfied with this product. It is also inexpensive. I just checked the website, and they are having a 2 for 1 sale right now. Thay ship super fast too, and don't charge for shipping. Go to http://www.springtimeinc.com/ , and click on dog products to find Fresh Factors.
Reply:They have shampoos that claim to controll shedding,you can find them at wal mart,dont know if they work.Do you have a shedding comb?If not these can be bought at wally world too,and used regularly along with brushing help alot.Its a breed thats going to shed alot,no matter what you do.Keep well brushed and maybe add some omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to its diet.Canned salmon is a good source,that your dog will enjoy much more than a pill.Half cup a day mixed in with it's food should do the trick.NEVER EVER give raw salmon.
Reply:Get a really big bubble and put it around your dog. That way, all her hair will fall inside the bubble. You might also want to get a feeding tube, otherwise she wont be able to eat. Oh, and get this automatic pooper-scooper, 'cause things could get messy.
Reply:Indoor dogs shed all year round, while outdoor dogs shed their winter coats for summer, and grow a coat for winter. We have a goldie too, and yes, he sheds like mad. You really do need to brush them every day since they have such long fur, and it mats so easily.





If you're concerned that it's way out of control, and might be caused by a skin irritation or something of the sort, the best advice I can give you is to see your vet.





If you can't brush her at least a little every day, then plan for once a week grooming sessions where you really go hog-wild on her - brush and keep brushing until your hand falls off! When there's too much loose fur that doesn't fall off it ends up matting, and I should know, our dog ends up getting huge mats cut out because they get so bad!





I don't know of any food or anything that helps with shedding, but you could always take your dog to a groomer - some places I've seen advertise special baths and the like that are said to cut down on shedding.





Good luck!
Reply:I give my dog fish oil capsules. You can buy them anywhere you buy vitamins (for people).