What Is Dog Deshedding and Does My Dog Need It?
Naja Yehia
Dog Love · Deshedding Guide · Adelaide
What is dog deshedding and does your dog need it?
Tap to learn about our dog washing service
Before deshedding — dense packed undercoat
After deshedding — coat opened, airflow restored
What Deshedding Actually Is
Deshedding removes loose undercoat. A bath mainly cleans the surface.
What Happens During It
What happens during a professional deshedding treatment?
We start with a thorough pre-brush to remove any loose surface coat before the wash. The coat is then washed twice with a deshedding shampoo, focusing full strength on the areas that carry the most undercoat — typically the back, hindquarters, neck and chest.
A deep conditioner is applied through the whole coat and brushed in while wet. This helps release any packed or compacted undercoat, softens the coat, and allows loose fur that is ready to go to come out before the drying stage begins.
A conditioning pre-blowout spray is applied to protect the coat during drying. The coat is then dried with a high-velocity dryer that pushes air through to release further undercoat from underneath — the step that typically removes the most fur.
We finish with the brush best suited to the coat type — slicker, paddle brush or finishing comb — to give the coat a clean shape and shine. The result is a lighter, cleaner, softer coat that is easier to manage at home.
Does Your Dog Need It?
Not every dog needs deshedding. Here is how to tell.
Breeds That Benefit Most
The dogs that usually benefit most from regular deshedding
Deshedding vs Shaving
Deshedding is not the same as shaving the coat.
Coming Soon · Dogify by Dog Love
A deshedding kit built for home use — between professional appointments.
Dogify is a groomer-built coat care kit brand launching soon. The Short Dense and Plush Thick kits are designed specifically for double-coated, heavy-shedding dogs — with coat-specific products chosen to help you stay on top of undercoat buildup at home between grooms.
Join the WaitlistKits coming for shedding dogs
Labrador · Corgi · Beagle · Kelpie
Husky · Malamute · Samoyed · Akita
Golden Retriever · Border Collie · Spaniel
Quick Summary
- Deshedding removes loose undercoat that a normal bath often leaves behind
- It is best suited to dogs with a double coat, dense undercoat or heavy seasonal shed
- Single-coated, wool, fleece and hair-type coats usually need different grooming care
- Short coats can still shed heavily if there is dense coat underneath
- Many heavy-shedding dogs benefit from deshedding every 6 to 8 weeks
- During coat blow season, more frequent appointments may help control the heavy shed faster
Common Questions
Questions we get asked in the salon
No — and for many double-coated breeds, shaving can affect the way the coat looks, feels and grows back. The double coat is there for a reason. Deshedding removes the loose undercoat while keeping the coat structure intact. Shaving is not the answer to a shedding problem.
No. Washing too frequently strips the natural oils the coat needs to stay healthy. During shed season, the better response is more home brushing between treatments and booking a professional deshed a little sooner than usual — not extra baths.
Most double-coated dogs genuinely enjoy it. The high-velocity dryer feels like a massage and they tend to relax once they understand what is happening. A nervous dog might take a session or two to settle — after that they usually lie down and let it happen.
Typically six to eight weeks depending on the breed and season. During spring and autumn coat blows, shedding tends to build back faster — that is the cue to brush more at home and book a little sooner than usual, not to panic.
You can manage well between professional treatments with a slicker brush and deshedding rake — and that genuinely helps. But the high-velocity blow out is what clears the most undercoat, and that is not realistic to replicate at home. The best approach is a professional deshed regularly with consistent brushing in between.
Possibly yes. Short-coated double coat breeds like Labradors, Beagles, Kelpies and Cattle Dogs carry far more undercoat than their outer coat suggests. If fur is constantly appearing on your furniture and floors despite regular washing, a deshedding treatment is almost certainly worth it.
Dog Love · Tranmere, Adelaide
Not sure if your dog needs deshedding?
Dog Love in Tranmere offers professional deshedding treatments for double-coated and heavy-shedding dogs. If you are not sure whether to book a deshed, wash or full groom, send us your dog's breed, coat type and a photo, and we will point you in the right direction.