New Yorkers love their dogs. Last year, there were an estimated 600,000 pet dogs in New York City. Obviously if you have a dog, you want to keep it clean. It’s actually pretty easy for a dog to get dirty on city streets. Going to the groomer is one option, but who has time for that? It’s faster and cheaper to give your canine companion a quick cleanup in the shower. Which brings us to our plumbing NYC question of the day: can dog fur clog the shower drain?
Yes. Dog fur can clog a shower drain. The odds of a clog forming are more likely if you’re bathing a long-haired dog, like an Afghan Hound or Irish Setter. Some smaller dogs have really long fur, including Pekingese, Maltese, and the always popular Yorkshire Terrier. That being said, the fur that a short haired dog loses during its bath can also accumulate in a shower drain pipe. When combined with other waste materials, such as shampoo residue or even human hair, dog fur can result in a clog.
There are some DIY approaches to clearing clogged shower drains. They’re pretty gross – fishing the clog out with a bent wire hanger leaves you with a big wad of yuck to dispose of – and some recommendations, such as the famous baking soda and vinegar combo, aren’t always the best at removing stubborn clogs.
The easiest, fastest way to deal with a clogged shower drain is to call your NYC plumber. You can have your shower drain cleaned before it clogs completely – this helps you avoid having to deal with a messy, frustrating situation – or if it’s draining slowly, or if it’s completely clogged. One way to minimize the number of times you’ll need to call the plumber to deal with dog fur shower drain clogs is to brush your dog before bathing. Getting rid of the loose hair reduces the amount that goes down the drain.
