FURminator system PetsMart

[hedacon]

Hi I take my 210 pound EM to get the FURminator bath at petsmart it is designed to stop shedding of the dog and my dog sheds a lot, but it is around 75$ a month to get him bathed. I was just wondering if there is anything else you can do that has the same effect of the system?

 

[Dakota Kid]

Brushing works well. Do it every day or few time a week should work. I use what I call a hoop brush. It looks like a saw blade with the two ends gathered at one spot. I think they also use something like that on horses. I don't know what is special about the FURminator bath at PetsMart but nothing will actually stop shedding. Like your head hair, you won't stop shedding (unless you are bald, i guess). If you have excessive shedding, you may have some health issues.

 

[raechiemay]

$75 for a bath?!? They are out of their damn mind. Sorry to say it but you are getting way ripped off. There's tools you can buy to use at home to reduce shedding if you're willing to do any kind of brushing at home. One thing I've always thought highly of are the shedding blades. Sometimes the blades are in a circular form much like the ones used on horses & sometimes it may just be a loop. Bonus is they are way less expensive compared to a furminator. Don't get me wrong I love the furminator & have one, I just find it takes more time to do any kind of brushing with that compared to the shedding blades. The one I have you can pull the loop apart & cover a larger area. Then I put the hair in a pile & bag it up.

 

[raechiemay]

The first one is what I have & it comes apart:

This is a horse grooming tool but I would think it would work the same way:

I forgot to say that any type of bath & force drying is going to loosen the hair anyway so I don't think it really matters what type of shampoo you use. If it were me I'd use an oatmeal shampoo especially if you're bathing every 4 weeks so it doesn't dry his skin out too bad.

 

[ruthcatrin]

You can buy all the furminator stuff and give him a bath yourself for a heck of alot less.

 

[Dakota Kid]

The first brush that raechiemay posted is what I have and was trying to explain.

 

[masteneo]

The first one is what I have & it comes apart: View attachment 16542

This is a horse grooming tool but I would think it would work the same way: View attachment 16543

I forgot to say that any type of bath & force drying is going to loosen the hair anyway so I don't think it really matters what type of shampoo you use. If it were me I'd use an oatmeal shampoo especially if you're bathing every 4 weeks so it doesn't dry his skin out too bad.

the second tool is a great tool , but alas , i have only used it on horses, seriously lol

 

[raechiemay]

the second tool is a great tool , but alas , i have only used it on horses, seriously lol

Horses, EMs, miniature ponies....they're all the same thing right? Lol

 

[lilliesmomma]

The first one is what I have & it comes apart: View attachment 16542

This is a horse grooming tool but I would think it would work the same way: View attachment 16543

I forgot to say that any type of bath & force drying is going to loosen the hair anyway so I don't think it really matters what type of shampoo you use. If it were me I'd use an oatmeal shampoo especially if you're bathing every 4 weeks so it doesn't dry his skin out too bad.

I have the first one as well, it works really well.

 

[hedacon]

Horses, EMs, miniature ponies....they're all the same thing right? Lol

That is an excellent everyone does ask where is saddle is. I will have to find one of those brushes we have a normal dog brush we use everyday but he still lost a lot of hair.

 

[raechiemay]

It could also possibly be his food. What type of food are you feeding him?

 

[hedacon]

I feed him blue buffalo adult dog food and he also gets an apple a day some times a boiled egg or two? Could that make him shed more?

 

[ruthcatrin]

The egg and apple isn't likely the problem, but if the Blue's not agreeing with him for some reason that could be causing skin and coat problems.

 

[raechiemay]

If he is shedding really bad, like more than usual the kibble may be...I'm not exactly sure though. You could PM Smart Family for advice to see what she thinks.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Blue's not bad, but its usually chicken heavy and chicken is the most common protein to have a problem with. How's his digestion? Firm poo or soft? Is he itchy?

 

[hedacon]

It looks like normal stool he has never had a digestion problem but he is not a big fan of the blue buffalo we have to mix like I said apple or egg to get him to eat it I just buy it cause of the reviews and the ingrediants I would love to start him on a new diet but I would have no idea where to start. And he never straches so I dont think he has had a skin reaction but I would love any advice.

---------- Post added at 08:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 PM ----------

Ok im going to give you all a little back ground on waylon jennings it might help with the problem last may we seen a Mastiff wondering near our house about 5 miles away we thought he had to have gotten lose I live out in the country and people around me are always getting new dogs so I didnt think very much of it at the time about a month later he showed up on my porch and you could count every rib on him he had fleas and callus's on every leg that were broken and bleeding. I hurried up and took him to my vet and he had worms and was very underweight I told her I was going to try to find the owner and well I did they didnt want him anymore and just let him go and I was irate i dont see how anyone could do that to to such a sweet baby. We know go to the vet once a month for a check up and he is doing great gained weight and is a very happy big fellow that i love with all my heart. So if I can get any tips on keeping him happy and healthy I would love it!

 

[hedacon]

Ok im going to give you all a little back ground on waylon jennings it might help with the problem last may we seen a Mastiff wondering near our house about 5 miles away we thought he had to have gotten lose I live out in the country and people around me are always getting new dogs so I didnt think very much of it at the time about a month later he showed up on my porch and you could count every rib on him he had fleas and callus's on every leg that were broken and bleeding. I hurried up and took him to my vet and he had worms and was very underweight I told her I was going to try to find the owner and well I did they didnt want him anymore and just let him go and I was irate i dont see how anyone could do that to to such a sweet baby. We know go to the vet once a month for a check up and he is doing great gained weight and is a very happy big fellow that i love with all my heart. So if I can get any tips on keeping him happy and healthy I would love it!

 

[ruthcatrin]

Well, what do you have for stores? Petco/petsmart only? Or any privately owned shops?

 

[hedacon]

Just Petsmart and a really good feed store greens feed and seed

 

[ruthcatrin]

Alright. In the Blue line, see what other 'flavors' you can get locally. Just stop and read the ingredients as they have a tendancy to slip 'chicken fat' in a few ingredents down. Since he's not doing horribly on it, just shedding, lets see if that helps. It'll take several weeks though, so don't expect instant change. And like I said you can get the Furminator stuff to take care of him at home. If 8 weeks on a different flavor with no chicken doesn't fix it you might want to have the vet check his thyroid, before messing with his food further.