Cleanliness

Nothing says “gross” when guests walk into your house more than a wad of dog hair next to the antipasto. If you have pets in your home, then you know how difficult it can be to keep their messes at bay. It’s nothing against our beloved pets – they aren’t trying to shed or anything like that, it’s just who they are. That said, as a responsible head of the household, you have to make sure that you’re both keeping them clean and keeping your house clean despite their natural shedding, drooling, and so forth.

So what can you do to count down on the amount of shedding that your shaggy pet has to bring to the table? There are a few things you can do to cut down on it, and we’ll get right to it.

Groom Them Often

One of the most effective things you can do to cut down on the amount of fur your long-haired pet sheds is to make sure that they are groomed often. If you are able to afford to bring them to a groomer on a regular basis then you are in luck, because this will help quite a bit. If you’re not one to keep up with this practice, then you should go ahead and purchase a nice pair of dog clippers so you can keep your pet’s shaggy ‘do in line at least once a month.

In between grooming sessions, you’ll also want to comb their fur with a brush specifically designed to pick up the extra hair and keep it collected – this is something you’ll want to do once a week minimum. If you can get in the habit of doing it every day, it’s going to work wonders for your floors, furniture, and countertops.

Get Them Outside

Pets can’t make a mess of the inside of your house if they are outside, right? In addition to keeping their fur nicely and neatly groomed, another thing you can do is make sure they spend as much time outside as possible. This won’t work with all pets, but if you have a dog, for example, it should be a great little trick. Not only will this mean that they are actually shedding outdoors, but you’ll also probably find that they run around, roll around, and generally move around a lot more.

A great way to make sure they have plenty of time to run around outside is to fence in a section of your yard where they can come and go as they please. This way you won’t have to worry about them running away while you’re busy cleaning, cooking, and going about the day’s household chores. Heck, you can even join them outside for an afternoon cocktail or mocktail if the mood strikes. If you don’t have a fence you can create an artificial barrier that keeps them inside for relatively short money, all you’ll have to do is make sure that they’re wearing the collar and that it’s not out of battery.

Dictate Where They Can and Cannot Go

Of course, your pets can’t spend the whole day outdoors, so even if you can go the route of a fence or an electric alternative, they are still going to have to come in at night. In the same spirit of keeping them outside, if you control where they do spend their time when they are inside the house you can in theory concentrate where they shed their fur. This can easily be done with a few of today’s great technological advancements for pets.

A good door-gate is an easy way to keep your pet out of a particular room or confined to a specified location. Of course, if you have a jumper you’ll need something particularly tall, and a cat might outsmart you no matter how hard you try. If you’re concerned with keeping your pet off the furniture or countertops, as many of us are, there is the option to get training mats that will buzz or gently shock your pet if they get up on the surface. You don’t keep it there all the time obviously, as it would be uncomfortable for you, but when you’re not there it will teach your pet where they can and cannot spend time in your home.