Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

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nancotoito
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Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:57 am

Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by nancotoito »

Hey, my name's Nancy. We have two young Husky's at home as well as another slightly older Cardigan Welsh Corgi. I'm not sure how much hair the Husky pups will shed as they get older but our little Corgi sheds terrible so there's always hair on all the bed clothes, all over the throw-overs on our sofas and pretty much anywhere else you can imagine. I have one of those sticky rollers handy should he jump up a guest or sit on their lap and leave hairs all over them. This however only combats the hair problems slightly, its a daily battle and I don't seem to be winning. We are currently in the market for a new washing machine and had been looking at Miele's models in-particular after being recommended by a friend. Before we buy though, I was just wondering whether there's certain brands/models that are better at getting rid of the dog hair as our old washing machine seems to leave traces everywhere, especially around the door? I have to do separate washes for anything that's coated in dog hairs and try my best to remove what I can prior to washing but you can't get them all. If it doesn't really make much difference what washing I buy then are there any others ways anybody know's of to tackle the hairs in the washer? I've been looking around to see if there's anything and came across Lint catchers. Has anybody used these and can recommend them, will it put an end to my hair troubles? Thanks in advance, Nancy.
Last edited by nancotoito on Wed Jan 27, 2016 6:33 am, edited 2 times in total.
nancotoito
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:57 am

Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by nancotoito »

Forgot to mention before, I've been using Scotch fur fighter pads for a while now as well as the Scotch roller. The pads are good for upholstery, in the places where the vacuum isn't as effective or can't reach. Thy both help a little in the fight against pet hair but I think I need more in the armoury so any suggestions would be amazing!
nancotoito
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Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:57 am

Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by nancotoito »

Trying to add pictures of my pups but don't seem to be going on at the moment, will get my husband to have a look when he gets in. They're little trouble makers but absolutely gorgeous.
Shalista
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Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by Shalista »

I've given up on fighting that battle =( best of luck to you in your war!
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
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Nettle
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Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by Nettle »

I think most dog owners live with a layer of hair insulation. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.
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Erica
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Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by Erica »

Fighting it at the source seems most helpful to me. Daily brushing with a good brush (undercoat rakes are popular for huskies and should work for corgis too) will help keep the shed fur where you can dispose of it. Huskies shed a LOT so getting them used to brushing while they're young will be good.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
nancotoito
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Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by nancotoito »

Thanks for the tips, yes I do try to brush them as regular as possible but maybe I need to step it up a bit. I think a family chores rota might be needed to make sure they all get done daily. Stopping more at source would definitely help.
Erica
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Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by Erica »

It can also help, during shedding season, to wash the dogs too. The warm water and massage action helps loosen shedding fur so you can brush more of it out more easily. If you either get a force-dryer or find a DIY grooming station (or simply take them to the groomers if you find one you trust), the high pressure of the force dryer after a bath also helps loosen and remove fur more than brushing will. I wouldn't do baths daily, but if you notice there is a lot of fur, that could help reduce the amount of fur for a while.

I have a poodle - I know it can be hard to keep up with daily brushing. You have my sympathies there! I'm shaving him a bit in the spring so I get a bit of a break - though that also reminds me to say that shaving will NOT reduce the amount of shed fur. It'll just make it smaller and sharper, and you may get hair splinters which are EVIL and painful. Do not shave your pups (unless it's for a medical reason, eg hot spots or IV needed) or let anyone convince you to shave them. Corgis and huskies are not breeds that should be shaved. :)
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
MPbandmom
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Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by MPbandmom »

Hi Nancy,

I have a husky lab mix as well as a mystery mutt spitz. The husky lab mix sheds constantly like a lab and blows coat like a husky. The other dog sheds minimally except for coat blowing time. We hang out with samoyeds. Talk about shedding. :lol: The samoyed crew has introduced me to the beauty of the blower. I don' t have one of my own yet, but it is on my list of must haves. You want to get a high quality one, otherwise you will likely buy a lower power blower and then buy the high quality blower, so you might as well start out with the high quality one. My mind is blanking on the name but a popular one is the something II. There are also some with more variable speeds.

If you have puppies, you might want to start out with a cool temperature hair dryer. It won't accomplish much in the way of removing loose fur, dirt and dander; but will get the dogs used to the concept, especially if paired with yummy treats. Once they seem good with the low level blow, move up to the lower power level of a powerful blower. maybe it is called K9II. Once they are good with that, go for full power. What a blower does for you: removes the need to bathe as often as the blower removes dirt, dander, and loose fur. I once witnessed a samoyed being blown out for the first time in her life. It was like it was snowing. Not just the fur that she was blowing, but all of the dirt and dander. Blowing is best done outdoors with your mouth closed.

For furry things in the wash, I just run my hand around the tub with a paper towel afterwards to collect the fur. When the dog beds go into the dryer, the lint trap will be totally full of fur and more will blow out when the door is opened. The bedding will still not be fur free, but at least it is now clean fur. :D

You can drive yourself to exhaustion trying to fight the fur, or you can decide that fur is an okay condiment, and adds character and color to the household.
Grammy to Sky and Sirius, who came to live with me, stole my heart, and changed my life forever as I took over their care and learned how to be a dog owner.
emmabeth
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Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by emmabeth »

I think the key to getting hairs out of laundry is.. a tumble dryer. Its not very economical I know, but that is the only way we stay respectable on the hairy-clothing/bedding front!
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Fundog
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Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by Fundog »

Oh yeah, and about those dog beds: Vacuum the dog beds each time you do your regular vacuuming of the house (for me, it is done weekly), lift the dog beds, vacuum underneath them, turn them over, vacuum both sides. And when you wash the beds, vacuum them first. That will really help remove a lot of the hair/fur.
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
WufWuf
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Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by WufWuf »

You can also get big bags that zip up for washing and they really do contain the hair well :-) heres an example of one on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Petwear-Pet-Lau ... B002Q57JN8
Operant conditioning rocks but classical conditioning rules
JudyN
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Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by JudyN »

Oh, that's a brilliant idea Wufwuf, I never knew they existed. Thank you :D
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WufWuf
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Re: Dog Hairs in Washing Machine

Post by WufWuf »

No bother Judy :) It works really well and you can just shake the hairs out of the bag when it's dry.
Operant conditioning rocks but classical conditioning rules
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