Dog's hair - What do you do with it?

I know spring is in the air because our Belgian Shepherd, is looking like a mangy old wolf. She's moulting heavily and all her winter under fur is coming out in great big lumps. So yesterday I gave her a good old brush, the first of many to come, and she thoroughly enjoyed it. I was left with a fairly large bundle of fluffy hair and I was just wondering if any of you have use the stuff for anything other than composting or pest control. Could you use it for insulation, cushion stuffing or even knitting with it? I'd love to hear about it if you have because the next to moult will be the Pyreneen Mountain Dog and the Border Collie which means an awful lot of fluff!!

"... or even knitting with it?"

Yes, my wife carded some of her long-haired Anatolian Shepard hair and after spinning this has knitted a few nice hats.
The link is just one I came across that discusses using dog hair in greater detail: http://www.dailycamera.com/features/ci_17396393

Thanks for the link. Any pictures of your wife's hats?

I spun this on a drop spindle from a friend's Akita's undercoat fluff. It can be a little fiddly because there's not much crimp and the staple length is on the short side, but the resulting yarn is very soft with a nice fluffy halo.

I spread clumps around on the edges of my property so any animals are inundated with the scent. Throw some human urine around too and it's a deterrent that works to some degree.

Felting is easier than spinning, so you might think about making some felt fabric and turning it into hats, slippers, or decorative objects.

Roberta:

This is beautiful, I guess I am going to have to learn a new skill. So many things to do and so little time to do it! Thank you for showing me the picture. Maybe, I'll find someone nearby who knows how to spin. I would love to do something with all this lovely fluff.

Zac:

Thanks Zac, I do use it around my boundaries, I even stuff it in pocket gopher's holes, with various amount of success. I just wanted to do something a bit more creative or useful with it, or at the very least have multi functions.

Tyler:

I do like the idea of felt making, unfortunately I know nothing about it. Is there any link that shows how to do it?

Has anyone tried it for cushion stuffing? In any case, thank you for the replies , just to know the possibilities is great.

There are many tutorials about wet felting, but here's one that seems pretty straightforward: https://sarastexturecrafts.wordpress.com/2010/09/06/tutorial-a-guide-to-basic-wet-felt-making/

I'm not a spinner or felter, so I like the idea of putting it around the property edges because that sounds easiest to me!

For another easy idea, there are cool pictures around the web of putting dog hair in bird feeders so the birds can gather it for nesting material. Here's one from Pinterest that used a suet feeder:

I totally understand what you're going through with your Belgian Shepherd's heavy shedding during springtime. It's quite a sight, isn't it? I'm glad to hear that you've started brushing her and that she enjoyed it. Regular brushing will definitely help keep the shedding under control.

Regarding the fluffy hair you've collected, there are actually a few interesting things you can do with it besides composting or pest control. While I haven't personally used dog fur for insulation or cushion stuffing, I have heard of people who have done so. Dog fur, especially the undercoat, can provide some insulation properties when properly cleaned and prepared. It may be worth researching more about using dog fur for insulation or reaching out to local crafters who specialize in eco-friendly projects. They might have some creative ideas on how to utilize the fur.

As for knitting, yes, you can definitely use dog fur for that! Some people spin dog fur into yarn and knit with it to create unique and sentimental pieces. It's important to note that certain dog breeds' fur works better for this purpose than others. The longer, softer fur tends to be more suitable for spinning and knitting. If you're interested in exploring this option, there are books and online resources available that can guide you through the process of collecting, cleaning, spinning, and knitting with dog fur.

Just a friendly reminder: Before using your dog's fur for any purpose other than composting or pest control, it's essential to ensure that the fur is clean, free of any chemicals or parasites, and safe for use. Also, always prioritize your dog's comfort and well-being. While it can be fun to repurpose their fur, make sure not to overbrush or cause any discomfort to your furry friends during the grooming process.

Good luck with all that fluff! I hope you find some exciting and creative uses for your dogs' shedding fur. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Happy grooming and crafting!

We have had dogs throughout our life together and we collected all their fur, would probably have enough to stuff an double mattress🤣

I made a pincushion using one of our dog's fur as stuffing but cannot find it now, can start collecting from both our current dogs, a 13 year old Brittany cross and a one year old Cavalier King Charles, both shed prodigiously.

I recall putting all the fur in a laundry bag and washing it with a liquid wool wash lotion.

We put part in the worm bin and part out for the birds. Putting it in a suet feeder is a great idea I hadn't thought of!

Would that be similar for cat fur? One of our cats sheds all year round... But heavier in spring. I was hoping that once we moved to the Caribbean it would slow down, but no. The other cat and our island rescue dog do shed some too at their time for a time spring/summer.

Our iRobot sucks some up, and other times it gets rolled up by the wheel bars... and leaves little hair pieces to pick up.

I totally understand what you're going through with your Belgian Shepherd's heavy shedding during springtime. It's quite a sight, isn't it? I'm glad to hear that you've started brushing her and that she enjoyed it. Regular brushing will definitely help keep the shedding under control.

Sadly, my beloved Inca (see picture in the post above) past away last November aged 16.  I never had enough time to do anything very creative with her fur except for stuffing a fairly large cushion which seem to be one of our cat's favourite place to snooze - they used to snuggle up together on a cold winter night!

By the way Kailynn, welcome to permies and your input.

We once knew a family who raised Newfoundlands - if I remember correctly, they had eight of the big dogs when we knew them, in all three colors (black, brown, and Landseer).  The lady collected huge quantities of hair when they blew their coats in the spring, and used it to make hats, mittens, and scarves, which she sold.  Quantity was about the same as the same number of good wool sheep would produce, so she had quite a lot of fiber to work with.  

I like the suet feeder full of fiber for the birds -- next time my Great Pyrenees sheds, I may do that.  Usually I just let the wind take it; I'm sure birds still get most of it, but we could watch them collect it with the suet feeder set-up.

Olga Booker wrote:

I totally understand what you're going through with your Belgian Shepherd's heavy shedding during springtime. It's quite a sight, isn't it? I'm glad to hear that you've started brushing her and that she enjoyed it. Regular brushing will definitely help keep the shedding under control.

Sadly, my beloved Inca (see picture in the post above) past away last November aged 16.  I never had enough time to do anything very creative with her fur except for stuffing a fairly large cushion which seem to be one of our cat's favourite place to snooze - they used to snuggle up together on a cold winter night!

By the way Kailynn, welcome to permies and your input.

Olga,  I'm so very sorry for your loss. Our pets are such a huge part of the family, is very much losing a family member...

Thank you for your kind words Carla. I miss her greatly, not sure I miss all that hair though!

I either mix it into one of my bed's soil if I brush her out or I spread it in areas that I am getting some wild animal pressure to try and discourage them. It seems to work!