Is It OK to Vacuum Your Dog's Hair Off of Him?

Dogs with a lot of hair can create a real mess in your home when they are shedding.
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If you own a dog who sheds a lot, you are probably used to having to vacuum fur off of nearly every surface in your home. What you may not realize is that you might be able to save yourself time and hassle by using your vacuum to remove loose hair from your dog during your regular grooming sessions.

Vacuuming Your Dog

A wide assortment of pet-friendly vacuum cleaner attachments can be purchased from pet stores. These attachments are made for your vacuum and specifically designed to be used for grooming your dog. You use the attachments by gently running them across your dog's coat to remove loose hairs; many grooming attachments have brushes built into them. You can also buy a vacuum that is specifically designed for use on pets.

Preparing Your Dog

Before you can vacuum your dog, you will need to spend some time getting him used to the sound of the vacuum cleaner as well as the way the attachment will feel when you use it to suction hair out of his coat. It may take several weeks of short vacuuming sessions before your dog is completely used to the experience. Always give your dog plenty of praise and rewards for behaving appropriately while being vacuumed.