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Watch videos from Paw Nation Brief Grasp, Flickr Amy D. Shojai is a certified animal behavior consultant and the award-winning author of 23 pet care books, including "Complete Care for Your Aging Dog" and "Complete Care for Your Aging Cat." Shedding may be a big hairy deal, but it is normal. Floating fur increases the challenge of keeping just-washed apparel a Fido-free zone. Unless you're a passionate pet lover who considers pet hair to be a condiment, understanding how to tame the hairy mess will keep your pet's coat and skin healthy and simplify housecleaning. Why Pets Shed It's not the temperature that prompts shedding. Light exposure, either to sun or artificial light, ...

miss pupik, Flickr Is it possible that dark-colored cats cause more allergies than their paler counterparts, or is that just black-cat superstition talking? The New York Times recently took a hard look at this dark question. This is what we do know. According to the Times, the proteins that cause sneezing, drippy nose and runny eyes are found in cat dander, urine and saliva. And cat allergies, they report, plague twice as many Americans as dog allergies do. But are all cats created equal where allergies are concerned? In 2000, a small study found that cats with dark-colored fur were more likely to set off an allergic reaction. But the conclusion isn't as clear as black and white. A later ...

Although this haircut is certainly eye catching, it might not be the best thing to beat the heat. cindy47452, Flickr As the summer heat escalates to oven-like temperatures, the thought of donning a fur coat may be unbearable. So how can you help ease your dog's discomfort during sweat-inducing heat spells? Paw Nation spoke with Beth Recchia, Owner and Director of Furry Tails Grooming Salon and School of Pet Grooming and Kathleen White, Owner of The South Carolina School of Dog Grooming about how to groom your dog's fur for optimal coolness. Here is the question everyone asks: Should pet owners shave their dogs for the summer? Some dog owners think their pooch would be more comfortable ...

PawsOFF Protective Bed Cover, PawsOFF Cuddling in bed with your pets is cute. But it's a lot less adorable when you come home and find that your bed's comforter is covered in fur or, even worse, torn to shreds. Or when you discover that your guest bed has to be remade for last minute company. But what's a pet owner to do? It can be nearly impossible to keep your pet off the bed when you're not home. Even if you put a sheet or blanket over the bed, a determined dog can easily pull it off or climb beneath it. Plus, it's ugly. The folks at PawsOFF think they have a solution with their protective bed covers. The thick, fleecy material of the covers is durable enough to stand up to persistent ...

Wicked Cat, Flickr Cats are meticulous creatures but that doesn't mean your pet can't use help in keeping up its coat. Certain long haired breeds -- such as the Persian, Himalayan, Maine coon, for example -- are especially vulnerable to mats and need to be groomed daily. If you fall behind, your cat can develop knots in its fur that not only detract from the animal's natural beauty but can also be painful to the cat. The Right Grooming Tools Make a Difference According to B.J. Fox, a prominent breeder of Persians and Himalayans in Greenbriar, Ark., one should use a professional steel comb on long matted hair, not a brush. Fox, who worked for many years as a pet groomer, prefers using a ...

Flickr/Martina Rathgens Winter can be a magical time for dogs. Squirrel visibility rises when the ground is white, and cuddling by the fireplace can be undeniably cozy; but winter's whipping winds and dry indoor heating can take its toll on fur and skin. For advice on how to care for your canine companion's grooming needs when the temperature drops, Paw Nation caught up with professional groomer Cassandra Reed, a Season 2 contestant on Animal Planet's "Groomer Has It" and owner of Mutley Dooz in Akron, Ohio. 1. A little extra hair helps It's never a bad idea to ask your groomer to leave your dog's coat longer than usual during the winter. "As a groomer, when I groom dogs in the winter, I ...