lets talk about shedding.

[syoungs]

so as I get closer to having another lab in the house, it brings back the memories of my last lab, and the piles and piles of hair he would leave behind him. I used a brush, and a undercoat tool to help keep it down, but it was a never ending uphill battle.

Thinking I may invest in a furmenator, or maybe I just need better grooming tools, or just to take them in once a month for a professional groom or something.

how do you deal with shedding?

[270Flat]

Ripped out the carpet and vacuum a lot

[syoungs]

ripping out the carpet is a no go, I wish I could, I hate carpet, the other half wont allow it. 

[SemperFidelis97]

You just need to find the right hardwood to suit her, and you can always get area rugs.  When I finished my last house we went all hardwood, it is amazing how much hair one fat beagle can produce.  I don't think I could do carpet again seeing all the crap that we sweep up everyday.

[Colin]

Furminator actually works pretty good. An old roommate bought one and I tried it after he was raving about it on my lab/rotti mix. Works much better than a regular brush. We use it on all 3 of the dogs my wife and I have now.

[need2huntmor]

What kind of hardwood? How does it hold up to toenails? We're thinking of going with hardwood for the entire downstairs.

[vandeman17]

I just brush both mine once per week and then vacuum every few days. My house isn't too big so its not bad. I also limit the dogs to only the living room which helps keep the hair down in the house overall. Weekly trips to the river for a bath and scrub down help too. No matter what, you are gonna have dog hair in the house if you let them inside. Just part of the gig

[SemperFidelis97]

What kind of hardwood? How does it hold up to toenails? We're thinking of going with hardwood for the entire downstairs.

w

We did an espresso shaded oak in this house which I wouldn't do again because it shows off to much dust, and hair.  The last house we did all natural hickory, and it held up very well it also didn't show dust at all.  Acacia is what will be in my next home is looks very similar to a natural hickory with less blond colors.  Quality bamboo is a good product as well.  I would get an idea of how much material you will need, and start watching for sales you can get some fantastic deals if you have some time to wait out the right one.  If you are handy I would install them yourself as well that will save you a pile of cash.

[Huskerwannabe]

I bought that pergo xp. It's pet rated. It has grooves in the floor depending on the floor you choose so it adds some texture to it. I have 2 dogs, 2 cats and haven't seen a singly scratch in over 6 months.

[NOCK NOCK]

What color lab did you have?   I am gonna guess and say yellow.
I have had all 3 colors and the yellows always shed more, and year round. My Chocolates always shed the least, and only during the change from winter to summer.

[jetjockey]

Make it easy on yourself.  Go buy an inexpensive grooming table and an Andis trimmer....... Our lab starts to shed pretty bad every March.  He gets shaved immediately, and then we don't have a shedding problem.  One more shave around June/July, and shedding during the summer isnt almost non existant.  During the fall/winter he doesn't shed much, but a quick brush once a week with a ferminator picks up 90% of the hair he would have shed.  Because all our dogs are inside dogs as well as outside dogs, my next house will be plumbed with hot and cold water to the garage.  I will have a dog tub right next to the grooming table so I can easily keep my dogs groomed.  With three dogs, doing it yourself pays for the equipment pretty darn quick.  Plus I can keep up with the dogs nail trimming once a week to help push the quick back and lesson scratches on the hardwoods.  There is very few things I hate more than letting a dog go outside to play all day and then having dirty dogs in the house.