If you had visited stackt at Bathurst and Front this past summer you might have noticed Dyson taking over the public dog park. They offered pet owners the opportunity to check out the latest in the line of vacuums and other attachments. When we had heard that they were launching the Dyson Pet Grooming Kit our ears were perked. Anything that can help us keep shedded fur under control is music to any dog-loving owner.
Looking for ways to minimize even the dog’s hair from even hitting the floor is a bonus. No secret that our corgi is a constant shedder but it’s not just his copious amount of loose hairs (we call it corgi glitter) on the hard wood, tiles and carpets that has us vacuuming on a daily basis. When we learned more about pet dander and microscopic skin flakes, and dust mites around the home it compelled us to find out what we can do more to keep things under control.
In a recent Dyson Global Dust Study on pet owners and their cleaning habits it surprised us to learn that Canadians are actually NOT the cleanest in this category. And it’s not just about seeing loose hairs everywhere. There’s a lot we cannot see with our eyes. The study also revealed that 53% of dog owners and 68% of cat owners in Canada allow their furry family members sleep in their bed. BUT only 38% of Canadian pet owners are aware that dust mite feces can reside on their pets.
Then comes the brushing. We have brushed Harley with a pet brush but it didn’t occur to me that the particles from the action also can take the dander and mite feces airborne. While microscopic it’s easy to overlook and can also send more allergens into our spaces.
The Dyson Pet Grooming Kit (now compatible with Dyson’s cordless vacuum range) arrived recently in Canada just in time for the holiday season and we had a chance to test it out.
What’s inside the box?
It’s a pretty straight forward kit. It comes with the de-shedding tool which has 364 bristles angled at 35 degrees and flexes as your brush your pet. It also comes with an extension hose attachment and adapter. The tool with extension hose and adapter attaches to your existing Dyson vacuum (a complete list of compatible vacuums are available on their site). The kit is available for both Cordless models as well as Upright models. We have the cordless V15 Detect and it fits on easily. You may already know this particular vacuum was a game-changer just couple years back with its laser beam light that sweeps the floor and illuminates virtually every speck of dust and even dog hair in front of it. It also counts all the dust mites and particles captures. It’s fascinating info.
What it does?
By using the de-shedding brush attachment to your vacuum it keeps much of the hairs on the head by gently brushing your pet to capture all the loose hairs. You can turn on the vacuum itself while brushing so it actively is sucking up the loose hairs and more of the dead skin, mites.
Introducing the the Grooming Kit to Your Dog:
Of course, not all dogs are fans of vacuums. Mine included. While he tolerated the V15 Detect vacuum and continues to keep a close eye on it, he’s gotten use to our daily routine. Introducing the Dyson Pet Grooming attachment took a bit of time. A couple of weeks actually.
I watched Dyson’s video tips on how to introduce my pet to this new attachment and started slowly. I picked the calmest part of the day (for him and me) and only for a minute to see how he would react. He’s curious but cautious as with anything new. I had placed the attachment pieces near Harley for a few days and letting him sniff it without the vacuum. Then I would leave the attachment on a table near him as I vacuumed regularly. On the second day I brushed him gently just with the de-shedding head without it being attached to the vacuum. Repeated again a couple days later. Once he seemed comfortable I brought the two together but didn’t turn on the vacuum at first. Eventually I did turn on the vacuum and used the brush but not for too long or too much with the de-shedding tool. And he seems okay. We’re still working onto a full de-shedding brush with vacuum on but we’re patient. FYI keep high-value treats near by. In the meantime, we can brush and then turn on the vacuum separately that still seems to do the job of keeping most of his hairs off the floor.
Thoughts?
Since we have the Dyson V15 Detect (laser technology) vacuum it’s more of a challenge for one of us person to do this job as the vacuum itself doesn’t stay on without the “on” trigger being controlled by hand. So, if we need to keep one hand on Harley it’s a bit of a circus. But for dogs that are true gems at staying perfectly still, you’ll be fine. However, other Dyson vacuum models should work more seamlessly. The newer versions were updated with on buttons staying on.
The Pet Grooming Kit itself is a great addition and makes a lot of sense. De-shedding tools/brushes work wonders on dogs that shed a lot. With gentle brushing coupled with the vacuum’s instant sucking and Dyson’s filtration and sealing technology will help keep allergens and dust mites under control and not expelled back into your space.
De-shedding tools are really effective but also not recommended to be used everyday on your pet — you won’t need to. But that’s also part of this grooming kit — knowing that it helps to minimize what lands on my floors means less brushing and less vacuuming overall. That is, if I can get myself out of that routine.
