Guide dogs and assistance dogs provide an invaluable service to those who need them. These remarkable animals can be needed anywhere their human has to go. The Commonwealth Disability Act 1992 prevents discrimination against someone using an assistance dog, paving the way for these dogs to accompany their humans to any public place. But the very fact that the assistant in question is a dog means certain considerations should be made. Dog grooming is an important aspect of a dog's life, whether they're a pet or a service animal, and given the fact that assistance dogs can go anywhere, it can be important to minimise any traces that the dog leaves behind. 

Shedding Hair

All dogs shed hair, and some shed more than others. It largely depends on the breed and their subsequent type of coat. In Australia, labrador retrievers and golden retrievers are the preferred breeds for assistance dogs. Labradors have a thick, short coat with a softer undercoat. They're known to be seasonal shedders, so they will shed a significant amount of hair when the weather becomes warmer. Similarly, golden retrievers have a soft undercoat, although their outer coat is long and thick. Again, they can shed a great deal of hair.

Allergens and Shed Hair

While some shedding is unavoidable, it can be minimised. An assistance dog can go anywhere, but their presence in any given location can result in hairs left behind. That hair can carry certain allergens, triggering an allergic reaction in some people. Although your assistance dog cannot be refused entry into any public place, proper dog grooming will reduce the amount of hair left behind, which reduces the likelihood of someone having an adverse reaction to your dog. What sort of grooming is beneficial to reduce hair shedding?

Managing a Dog's Coat

Although hand-stripping a dog's coat is beneficial for non-shedding dogs, shedding dogs (such as labradors and golden retrievers) can also benefit from the procedure to reduce the amount of shed hair. This is a method best left to a professional dog groomer, and it involves running a stripping knife over the dog's top coat to reduce its density. It doesn't harm the dog, and it makes it easier to remove excess hair at home with simple brushing since the hand-stripping has already removed some of the bulk from the outer coat. 

Your assistance dog is an invaluable part of your daily life, and by maintaining their coat, you can ensure that they're going to be well-dressed for anywhere you need to go.

To learn more, contact a dog grooming company.