Let me start off by saying that I have a St. Bernard...she sheds something awful...everywhere...no matter how much she is brushed she sheds clumps of hair.

I have a shop that I bake customers cakes in but sometimes if I have to make a cake for family I do it from my house. This is my question: How the heck do you guys make cakes with a dog??? I'm constantly worried that hair will fall in it...I'm like a crazy lady running around...I've decided I can't do it anymore. I vacuum no less than 7-8 times a day, keep the dog outside when I bake, etc but it doesn't seem to take care of the problem all the way. And yes, I can bake the cakes for family at the shop, but sometimes I don't feel like driving there & sometimes its just more convenient to do it at home.

So, anyone have great advice?

not reccomending but I did see this once: for summer, when heavy coated dogs shed the most (part of how they try to keep cool) a woman had the groomer give her St. Bernard a "crew cut"....super short!!...by fall it all grew back. poor dog...the indignity of it all!

I used to vacuum the dog (held nozzel in hand about an inch off the dog) as I combed and during summer only combed when outside.

That must be the guilty party in your avatar

I have a lab mix and she doesn't leave hair everywhere. Wish I could help, but aside from vacuuming the countertop and wearing a nylon jacket so hair doesn't stick to your clothes, I have no ideas.

I have a dog and two cats. I vacuum everday if not twice a day. I also use a whip brush. It is a loop with teeth on one edge. It works soooo well to get rid of that extra hair. I am talking pounds of fur!
There will always be that cause for fear whether it be human, pet or fibers from the towel. The reality is it happens. I have never had anyone find something in a cake. I ince had someone drop a long blonde hair on top of a cake but they knew it was not mine.

I also used to shave my dogs down to the skin. It helped with the shedding and also kept them cool in the summer. My dogs were water dogs (both are now in doggie heaven sigh) so it also helped with keeping them clean and their fun unmatted.

I also bought a Dyson sweeper made for pets. It is the best sweeper and it sucks up the hair. It is expensive, but I would go through a sweeper a year so I feel the costs equaled out. I have had my dyson for 2 years and it still sucks up the dirt like I just bought it.

doug: I suggested vacuuming her...I got looked at like I was Cruela Deville...I didn't suggest it again

mbalis: hahaha, no thats not her in the avatar...if she got that close to a cupcake it would be gone before you could snap the pic


This is my puppy...she's still a baby

moydear: I have one of those whip brushes..thank goodness for it! It works wonderful & gets rids of tons of hair, but she still sheds like crazy

jessire: I just bought a new vacuum, but as i can see its not going to last long...thanks for the info..I'm going to go check them out...I've heard good things about them..sorry about your dogs.

Wow, that's a big baby

hahaha Stephanie ..yep, a 10-month old 130lb baby

if a dog doesn't mind the noise of the vacuum...then most love the feel --- all that air rushing over their skin, cooling them down.

awwwww....what a cute (can't say little) dog (not sure can even say puppy!).

love the expression!! (alsmost like --You talkin' about me!? just wait..I'll shed on you!)

I have a labradoodle, which does shed, and a standard poodle, doesn't shed. I keep them both clipped very short all summer. That helps a lot with shedding. Not to mention that they are much more comfortable.

Baby gate to the kitchen was my answer. No dogs allowed in there anytime. I figure if they have the rest of the house -thats good enough! By the way shaving is a good answer- I do that to my cat twice a summer,by winter it comes back. Just remember, they sun burn too! Until some hair comes back keep out of the sun or use sun screen

I have two of the long haired beasts! (ok Goldens) I have them shaved twice a year, spring and fall. They do not hang around outside, (very domesticated) My vet has no problem with it, but another local vet advises against it. I have to shut them out of the kitchen, clean everything twice and then bake. Alot of extra time, but they are so worth it!!

justducky- I have a 14 year old golden! Aren't they the best!

ge978,

You can't go wrong with it I was sold the first time I used it. I didn't realize how dirty my house was!

Thanks, for the condolences. They both lived a very happy spoiled life. When I die I want to come back as one of my pets - what a pampered life they lead! I now only have my cat and she runs my house! lol

OMG! What a big "baby" you have! Very cute! Before I started doing cakes We had a GSD and a Tibetian Mastiff. Nothing like having two dogs both over 100 pounds and the Tibetian being about 135. They would shed like crazy--especially the Tibetian. We actually never realized that GSD's shed as much as they do because the Tibetain would literally clone himself with all the fur that he would shed all year round! As I started cakes, we did not have the dogs anymore--they passed on. It was nice though not to have the hair all over the house. But last November we did get another GSD and man, now we know how much they really shed and it is all year round. No matter how much you comb, there is still plenty to come out. Can't really shave her--would look really stupid and skinny! She is not allowed in the kitchen and I always sweep and clean before I bake because of the stray hair tumbleweeds that make it in the kitchen due to just normal traffic of the kids and my husband and I. Really have never had any problems. But I must say, it was nice not have to worry at all when we did not have the dog.

For a non-shedding big dog that is fun loving and sweet and furry get standard poodle. If you keep them in a puppy or kennel cut, they don't look silly.

New: hahaha....I thought of a baby gate, but then I thought of my "baby" ...um, me thinks she can get past it We've only had her 3 months & she's put on about 10lbs...she's probably gonna get about 180lbs. Not sure anything but a door will stop her..

I thought about shaving her, but I honestly can't see her with her hair gone on her body & that big old head...ahahahha...I guess I'll just have to get off my lazy butt and drive the 6 miles to the shop if I want to make any more cakes.

Thanks to everyone for your compliments on my puppy & your suggestions. I take her to the groomer next week so maybe that will help a little.

Ge he is a doll!! I'd rather have hair floating around my house than no dog at all, I love mine to pieces. Sadly he is jealous of the cupcake (baby) but is good with her. We just put hardwood down and I see doggie tumbleweed around so I just have to keep sweeping. I am not too concerned about the dog hair although I do worry about it. This time of year I worry about bugs because I usually decorate at night and the back door where Buford goes out is next to the kitchen and you know how bugs fly to the light. I don't want that kind of added stuff in icing......

zamode...thank you...actually its a girl...her name is Chloe....I just ripped up the carpet in the living room so now we have hardwood & I know what ya mean about doggie tumbleweed..ahahahahah....the vacuum is my best friend right now.

hmmm...bugs...in icing...um yeah, I would say thats not a good thing

hahahah....vanilla specks...I like it.Sure, I'll give her a hug, but then I might have to post about the slobber problem she has...hahahahahaha.

By the way, I love your new avatar...its cracking me up!!!

My dog is not allowed in the kitchen and I shave him. Yes he does look funny but it helps big time especially with the "tumbleweeds" and in the Texas heat it is a blessing ( he looks like a small st. bernard but he is a mix) Mine is nowhere near as big as your baby (he's only 60 pounds).



Zamode: Love your new av but doesnt it go along with a cookie strike? I thought that was over

Alicia: sorry...hope I didn't offend you with the "looking funny" comment...she just has such a huge head that I can't even imagine her not having any fur on her body to go with it. Is yours a puppy or full grown?

No offense at all.. He looks funny, believe me he is a 3 year old mix (part pointer I think) he is a Katrina rescue...

But we shave him short especially now since it is hitting 100+ with out heat index.. UGH!

Im seriously grasping for somethign to say ge....all I can get is cujo a puppy???... my *** she is!!!!!!!!

She's a big lovey, right ge? Puppy love!

Probably not the most proper response..but I run by the theory that animal hair is a condiment. Anybody I bake cakes for know the 4 cats and 2 dogs (yes that's 6) animals, plus random fosters come first in my house. I do my best to avoid it, but some hair is just unavoidable. If you don't like it-get your cake elseware.
(No I am not a licensed kitchen-duh!)
-Sarah

We have a chow/shepherd and she is a huge shedder. The ONLY thing that works in the summer is to have her professionally brushed and bathed. No matter what type of brush we used at home her fur still comes out in big clumps all over the house but after we have her groomed at a shop she sheds very little for quite awhile. We normally take her to Petsmart and it costs about $35 b/c of her size and type of fur but it's well worth it. HTH!