Drum roll please… the winner of the 2011 FURminator National Hairball Awareness Day Contest has been announced!  Congratulations to Paris Permenter and John Bigley of www.DogTipper.com.  “Hairy Potter,” Dog Tipper’s FURtastic figure, cast a spell on the judges with his whimsy, creativity and broom!

Dog Tipper has designated the Humane Society of Williamson County as the charity of choice for the $500 prize money.

Thanks to everyone for making National Hairball Awareness Day such a HUGE success! All contest entries can be found at www.facebook.com/FURminator.

"Hairy Potter" - http://www.dogtipper.com/bloggie/2011/04/meet-hairy-potter.html

You know your pet. We know pet hair. Because different dogs and cats require different grooming tools and techniques, it's important to establish a regular grooming routine specific to your pet's needs. Here are a few great tips for maintaining a professionally groomed look:

• It's important to start grooming dogs and cats at a young age because it gets them used to being brushed and sets the foundation for lifelong skin and coat health.
• While weekly deShedding is fine for short hair pets, medium to long hair pets may need to be deShedded a few minutes each day to prevent mats, tangles and dirt.
• If your pet does have mats and tangles, it's best to brush your pet to remove them before using the deShedding tool. Using the tool on matted or tangled fur can bend or break the teeth.
• When you groom, brush or deShed your pet, check for any changes in your pet’s skin and coat. Talk to your professional groomer or see your veterinarian if you notice anything unusual.
• While shaving may seem like a good fix for your dog's shedding, it can change the texture of the coat, interrupt the natural shedding cycle and impair your dog’s ability to regulate body temperature. FURminator® deShedding Tools provide a healthier solution to shedding management.
• The condition of your pet's coat is directly affected by his diet. Feeding your pet advanced nutritional food has many benefits for improved overall health, like a shinier coat, strong muscles, and healthy teeth and bones.
• Keep your deShedding sessions fun and positive. Remember, you can always take a break and continue the session later if necessary.

Did you know...?

• When dogs and cats shed their dead undercoat hair, it is so a new coat can come in.
• Everyone knows that spring and fall are heavy shedding seasons, but did you know that dogs take their cues from the sun? They shed more in these seasons because the changing amount of daylight causes their bodies to prepare for a new season's coat.
• This also means dogs that live indoors under artificial light can't rely on Mother Nature's clock, so they tend to shed year-round.
• Similarly, the 70% of the cat population that lives exclusively indoors tends to rely on grooming to activate shedding cycles. In the summer, cats groom less, causing more shedding than in winter months when they groom more often.
• A cat spends 30% of its life grooming.
• Ewww. Hairballs are caused when cats ingest hair during grooming. FURminator® deShedding Tools remove the loose hair from the cat's fur, which reduces the hairball problems and minimizes resulting constipation issues.
• Puppies and kittens do not shed at all, but the older a dog gets, the more it tends to shed.
• Long-haired dogs don't necessarily shed more than short-haired breeds.
• Contrary to conventional wisdom, poodles do shed. Their shedding cycle is much longer than most animals making them appear not to shed.
• Shaving an animal's coat does not reduce shedding. This process merely makes the hair that is shed much shorter. Shaving a pet also puts him at risk without protection from the sun or extreme temperatures.
• Diets rich in fatty acids, like omegas 3 and 6, promote a healthy, shiny coat, which can help your pet shed less overall.
• Shedding is a natural process. You can't eliminate shedding, but you can reduce it by up to 90% with FURminator deShedding products.