The Summer Coat Guide: De-Shedding, Heat Protection and the ISB Products Your Pet Needs Right Now
Summer is the season your pet's coat works hardest — and the season when most grooming routines fall shortest. As temperatures rise and the days lengthen, dogs and cats enter their peak shedding phase, and the skin underneath that shedding coat faces its own set of challenges: increased heat, higher humidity, elevated sweat and oil production, and greater exposure to allergens, pollen and insects.
This guide covers what's actually happening in your pet's coat this season, and which ISB products address each issue directly.
Understanding summer shedding
Shedding isn't a malfunction — it's biology. Dogs and cats naturally shed their denser winter undercoat to allow better air circulation as temperatures rise. The problem is that in domesticated pets, particularly those living indoors with central heating, this shedding cycle is often disrupted or prolonged: the coat starts releasing dead hair continuously rather than in a clean seasonal shed.
The result is a coat that's simultaneously blowing dead hair everywhere, feeling dull and flat, and — critically — trapping dead undercoat close to the skin. Trapped undercoat holds moisture and heat against the skin surface, creating exactly the warm, damp environment where bacterial and fungal skin issues thrive.
The ISB approach to de-shedding
ISB's de-shedding protocol isn't simply about washing away loose hair. It uses a structured cuticle-management system — the same Close-Open-Close philosophy that underpins all ISB professional treatments — to actively release dead undercoat from the follicle during the bathing process, rather than just removing what's already loose on the surface.
The ISB Mineral Complex/Mineral H Shampoo are the core of this protocol. Formulated with keratin and mineral actives, it nourishes the active follicle while releasing the dead coat, stimulating healthy new growth rather than simply stripping what's there. For breeds with heavy double coats — Huskies, Maine Coons, British Shorthairs, Golden Retrievers — this makes a visible difference: a bath with correct dilution and application technique removes significantly more dead coat than brushing alone, and without the stress of extended mechanical de-shedding sessions.
Summer skin: what changes and what to use
Beyond shedding, summer brings three specific skin challenges:
Increased oil production. Warmer temperatures stimulate sebaceous gland activity — the coat feels greasier faster between washes. ISB's Fruit of the Groomer line is ideal here: its fruit acid formulations gently regulate oil production while providing deep hydration, leaving the coat genuinely clean rather than stripped.
Heat and humidity-related irritation. Skin folds, ear canals and the areas under thick coats can become inflamed during summer. If your dog is shaking their head, scooting or showing redness around skin folds, this is worth addressing before it escalates. ISB's Mineral Red Derma Complex — with keratin and nettle extract — soothes active irritation and rebuilds the skin's protective barrier.
Pollen and environmental allergens. The UK's spring-summer pollen season is a significant trigger for contact allergies in dogs. Allergens settle on the coat and are then transferred to the skin during normal movement and grooming. Regular bathing with a pH-balanced ISB formula physically removes allergen load from the coat surface — one of the most effective and underused strategies for managing seasonal allergic dermatitis.
A practical summer grooming schedule
During peak summer: a professional bath every 3–4 weeks using the de-shedding protocol, with a maintenance brush-out at home between appointments.
All ISB products are available through our UK website at www.ivsanbernard.co.uk, where you'll find the full product range including dilution guides and breed-specific recommendations.