# how to tell if it's "shedded hair"? 1 year old collie/sheltie mix



## dogclass (Feb 16, 2011)

Hi,
I've had a rescue dog for about 2.5 months. He's a 1 year old collie/sheltie mix with long outer coat and an inner coat. He's very sweet 

Anyways, when I use a shedzilla desheding tool on him, I can get quite a bit out. But if I just run my finger through his fur, I don't really get anything.

I wonder if I should be proactively using the shedzilla to remove the undercoat, or wait longer? I can't tell if the shedzilla is removing already shed hair, or if it's actively ripping undercoat off the skin.

The shedzilla tool seems pretty safe, and I've not heard anything bad about it. The dog seems to be ok with it as long as he is given treats. He complains mildly about any brushing, whether it's with a shedding tool or just a gentle brush. But treats seems to make him OK with it. I'm not sure if he is feeling pain and just suppressing it because of the treats, or what.

Any thoughts? Oh, I live in Minnesota. We're starting to warm up about now (well, we're suppose to once this series of mid-west storms blows over).


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## Maggie Girl (Feb 27, 2011)

I don't know about the shedzilla, but if it's like the furminator then it removes loose undercoat that _would_ be shed soon if you don't catch it first. So yeah, fur that is still "in the skin" but loosened. I don't believe it takes out hair that is "permanent" (wouldn't otherwise be shed) unless you over use the tool. I would not recommend constant use. I have used the furminator on my dog about every 10 days in the last month (in addition to regular brushing w/a bristle brush and rake) to catch his shedding undercoat. I think I've done well keeping him combed since I've noticed very little hair at all in the house and his coat looks very nice and not unnaturally thinned out. But your dog may need more (or less) combing to stay ahead of the fur. 

I'm not sure about collie/shelties' shedding habits, but with my dog there's a spring shedding and some beagles even have a second shedding in the fall, so those are the times I'll use the undercoat tool to keep on top of the mess. I suggest looking up info specifically to your dog's breed to see when/how long shedding lasts and keep vigilant during those times. You'll notice loose/shedding hairs when you run your hands through his fur if he's already actively shedding. I try to groom before that happens. Also, when I furminate my dog I can tell the fur coming out is what is supposed to come out (undercoat only) b/c it's shorter, very soft and fine fur which is what a beagle's undercoat is. If I were to see longer, stiffer, bristly hairs then I would know that it got his regular coat instead.


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## dogclass (Feb 16, 2011)

Yeah, that's what I was wondering - when people deshed their dog, if they're removing already loose undercoat, or if they were removing undercoat that's slightly attached. I'm hoping none of the tools would remove undercoat (or outter coat) that's meant to stay on.


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## Maggie Girl (Feb 27, 2011)

I don't _think_ it removes hair that was meant to stay. The comb's teeth has a way "grabbing" the loose hairs as it pulls through, but I don't think hairs "meant to stay" would be grabbed/pull out unless you loosened them unnaturally by just repeatedly combing the same spot over and over or pressed hard. I think the "meant to stay" hairs would go on through the teeth while the loose stuff comes out in the teeth. When I do this to my dog, I go over each spot for a total of 2 "swipes". I figure if it's loose and meant to be removed/shed then it'll take no more than 2 swipes of the furminator to do it. I don't want to take out more than intended so this way has worked for me. But different dogs/coats have different needs, a bushier coated dog may need more.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

dogclass said:


> Yeah, that's what I was wondering - when people deshed their dog, if they're removing already loose undercoat, or if they were removing undercoat that's slightly attached. I'm hoping none of the tools would remove undercoat (or outter coat) that's meant to stay on.


any kind of shedding tool with a blade on it like a furminator will cut ALL hair in the coat not just the sheeding hair, it's why it's not reccomended to use these tools more than 10 minutes once a week because you never can tell for sure if what your getting out with the blade is healthy coat or dead coat. However if the tool you are using is like an undercoat rake then there is no issue with using it frequintly as it only pulls out dead coat.


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## palmtree77 (Apr 5, 2011)

It sounds like the furminator. I've heard of people "over furminating" and creating a bald spot.


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## amberly (Feb 6, 2011)

Okay it is different than the furminator. But Both are to remove hair, I say maybe lay off the shedzilla so you don't yank to much extra hair off. Maybe once or twice every week or two. Do you have a slicker brush? I say get a slicker brush and a greyhound comb as well. Once you are done with the zilla go over with the slicker and if not much loose hair is in the slicker than take the greyhound comb and if it goes through the body of hair smoothly he/shes okay for a few. You don't want to over brush because you can cause brush burn tho the zilla is curved to help avoid that. but if you can brush the entire body with the comb without it getting snagged you got the dense undercoat out. and than just keep up with it like you are you shouldn't have to much issue. but the comb always is a handy tool to have.


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