Even though the Dalmatian sheds pretty much year round, the spring and fall are the worst times for shedding.
1) spring shedding to get rid of his winter coat
2) late fall shedding to get rid of his summer coat and get ready for winter
Grooming Supplements
When the weather turns cool and the humidity is low, your Dalmatian’s coat may start to itch. Try adding a supplement to his food designed to help moisturize his skin and coat. It will keep his coat healthy and prevent itchy, dry skin. It will also help to reduce shedding and scratching.
Grooming Tools
Groomer Glove – It’s good for removing dead hair and massaging his skin.
The rubber curry brush is like the the groomer glove. It loosens and removes dead hair from his coat. When you use it, rub in two directions. First rub against the hair and then rub with the hair. You’ll be amazed at how much hair this comb removes. Your Dal will love it too because it’s just like getting a massage.
“Furminator“ Tool. This is another de-shedding tool and very easy to use.
Bathing
You do need to give your Dal a bath from time to time. He is pretty clean and doesn’t smell doggy, so you don’t have to bathe him too often. Thankfully he doesn’t drool and doesn’t have wet whiskers. Use a shampoo that is gentle to his skin and eyes. Bathing loosens up dead hair. If you give him a good brushing after his bath, it will speed up the shedding process. Rinse him off thoroughly and dry him with an old bath towel. Don’t let him go outside until his coat is completely dry.
Ears
His ears hang close to his head and don’t need any special grooming. Check inside his ears often. Sometimes Dalmatians get ear infections. If you see redness, a gooey discharge, or smell a strong odor, he may have an infection. You can gently clean his ears using a Q-tip dipped in baby oil. If the symptoms don’t go away soon, make an appointment for your vet to check him. If he shakes his head or digs at his ears, have your vet check him. These are also signs of an infection.
Sometimes the bottom of the ear becomes cracked, especially in the winter and spring. This is a fungus and should be treated by applying an anti-fungal cream to the cracked area.