Category: Indoor dog gear

When we get ourselves a new pet it’s inevitable that we’ll no doubt then get a heap of shedding fur along side.  It goes with the territory!  It can make life unpleasant not least if you or visitors also suffer from allergies but, that doesn’t mean we have to put up with it and can’t strive to get rid of the dog hair – we just need a good vacuum cleaner that’s up to the job.  Which one is that then?  Well today’s article is all about which is the best vacuum for dog hair so let’s take a look at what’s available in 2018.

How to choose the best vacuum for dog hair

There are a few things to consider when choosing a vacuum cleaner for dogs that is going to be able to tackle your pet hair problems:

• budget – how much can you spend?
• Pet specific – do you want to get a regular vacuum or one that’s specifically designed to pick up dog hair?
• Upright or Cylinder – which do you prefer?  I find cylinder cleaners easier to transport around and use tools with, but to be honest I think it’s more a personal preference.
• Corded or cordless – do you want to take it outside, perhaps to clean the car, or have you a large house that would benefit from not being restriced by cords.
• Bagged or bagless – I find most models are going the bagless route now, but we have heard great things about the bagged vacuum in our reviews.
• Floor type – some vacuums deal with hardwood floors better than carpets and vice versa

 

Pet vacuum reviews

The following are our dog vacuum reviews – either from our own experience or those of friends.  Obviously there’s different kinds so I’ve chosen my favourite for each section, but do look at the pros and cons for each kind.

 

Best cheap vacuum cleaner for pet hair

 

If cost is the biggest consideration for you then this Zanussi ZAN2011AZ would be a great option for you and it’s also my top choice for the best upright vacuum cleaner for dog hair.

It’s a bagless upright cleaner and for the price I think you can’t beat it.  With a 180 watt motor it’s powerful and there is a pet turbo nozzle for getting all those hairs from couches and carpets.  It’s also suitable for both hardwood floors and for carpets.  Definitely the best budget vacuum for dog hair.

Check out the latest price of this vacuum cleaner on Amazon here.

 

Best cylinder Pet Vacuums

A friend of mine had this vacuum cleaner and I got to give it a go while helping getting her house ready for a party.  I have to say that for a bagged cleaner this one is great.  I often think that bagless is the way forward with most vacuums not having them but this one changed my mind.  It’s a little on the pricier side, but no more so than a Dyson.

The Miele Complete C2 Cat and Dog vacuum cleaner is amazing at picking up hair and if you’re reading this that is probably what you’re looking for in a vacuum!  Whether it’s human hair (I am shedding and moulting as much as my dog lately!) or pet hair this one really will perform fantastically.  It’s good on both hard floors and carpets.

Check out this vacuum on Amazon here.

 

Best cordless vacuum cleaner for pet hair

We have this one and it’s the best thing we ever bought recently  – we have dogs that shed and it tackles their fur with ease.

Dyson love to come up with innovative products and this hoover from them is yet another of their great ideas.  I love that it’s cordless and I can effortlessly take it upstairs, to the car and places that are hard to reach.  It’s also extremely light which is good for me and I imagine for older people whose strength is fading.

If, like me, you’re someone who likes to keep on top of the hoovering and doesn’t leave it to all build up it’s an excellent choice.  The downside is that sometimes it can fill up quickly and so if you don’t regularly vacuum this might get a bit annoying.

The charge on the Dyson V6 Animal Handheld Vacuum Cleaner lasts about 15-20 mins so if you like to do lots of rooms at once then I’d suggest going for a corded vacuum cleaner.

Check out the reviews on Amazon here.

 

Best handheld pet vacuum cleaner

 

The Vax H85-GA-P18 is a really good handheld vacuum cleaner that is perfect for caravanning, cleaning the car or just to have on hand so you don’t need to take out the big vacuum all the time.  It’s cordless and can last for about 20 minutes when fully charged.

The main advantage of this one over other handheld vacuums is the power – it’s got a great motor on it which is what you need when dealing with pet hair.  If you’re looking for a small vacuum cleaner then this one might be a good option.

Check out this item on Amazon here.

I was going to write this now because it’s winter and cold, but to be honest, in Britain we can get cold weather all year round so I think this article is going to be helpful for a while yet!

If your dog is constantly going in and out the house and you want to make life easier for all of you by installing a dog door then this best dog door for cold weather guide will help you find the best one for your needs – no matter what time of year you’re looking!

Tips for choosing the best dog door for your house

If energy efficiciency and not losing heat with the addition of a dog door is important to you then you’ll want to bear in mind a few things:

• try and get something with insulation sealing around the flap
• a door that will only open when your dog wants to get through is ideal – perhaps by using a microchip or a collar
• perhaps another layer of insulating material over the flap to keep the cold away

Some general points and things to look for when buying a cold weather dog door would be getting something that is easy to fit – this is where I like to go with well reviewed products from good brands.  If something is a nightmare to fit then you’ll read about it!  You’ll also want to check out the size of the dog door as well and make sure that it will be suitable for your dog when it’s at it’s full grown size.

A good tip for checking if the size will be ok – get a piece of cardboard and cut it to the dimensions of the flap you’re interested in and then see if your dog will fit through it.

Our dog door reviews

 

PetSafe Extreme Weather Energy Efficient Pet Door

This insulated pet door from the well known brand PetSafe is a great buy if you have energy efficiency and cold weather in mind.  It has a 3 flap system with the centre flap being insulated to help keep warm air inside and the cold air out.  It’s actually designed for both extremes of weather so if you have a really warm summer it will do the opposite and keep the heat out which I think is pretty neat.  It’s 3.5 times more energy efficient than a single flap door.

The frame is paintable so can blend in with your door and it also comes with a plastic cover to stop your pet using it or to seal it up whenever needed.

It comes in three different sizes, small, medium and large and should suit a wide variety of dogs, from small to large.  Check the link which includes a measuring guide for your dog.

See more reviews and the latest price of this product here

 

SureFlap Microchip Pet Door

Microchip pet doors are great for letting in only who you want through a pet flap but they are also a good choice if you also want to make sure it isn’t blowing in the wind and letting the cold air in.

This electronic pet door from SureFlap is a good example of a quality door and there are a good amount of consistently positive reviews about it.  It scans your pets microchip to only allow in those that belong to you and another thing I particular like about it is that it has a curfew mode.  What this does is allow you to input a time that you don’t want it to work and so you can keep your pet inside or outside at certain times.

One downside is that it only comes in one size so is only really suitable for small dogs and cats but if you have one of those then it would be a good option for you!  The size of the flap is 178 x 170 mm

You can see more about this item here

 

PetSafe Staywell Aluminium Pet Door

One of the best budget pet doors I’ve seen is this version, again from PetSafe.  It’s a fairly basic pet flap with a soft and flexible door flap.  What makes this good for cold weather is the tight weather seal that it makes when it shuts so it keeps the cold out and it shuts with a magnetic seal at the bottom.   In very strong wind you might find that it lets some in though, so possibly not the best door for if you live in a typically windy spot.  It does have a plastic cover that you could use to keep drafts out and to lock up the door when you go out.

It’s a quiet magnetic dog door as the flap doesn’t have that loud plastic noise as it shuts up which also can be good for more nervous dogs.

It comes in 4 different sizes so is good for a variety of breeds of dogs – Small, medium, large and extra large.

Check out the reviews and latest price on Amazon here

 

Dog Mate Dog Door

Another good budget option is this pet door from Dog Mate which is very popular and is well reviewed.  It’s a more regular solid plastic flap and what is good about this one is that there is a draught free brush seal all around the flap so less chance of the cold air getting in.  It keeps closed with a magnetic seal too so nice and snug and there’s a locking cover that you can add on for nights and holidays.

It’s available in 3 different sizes, small, medium and large.

Check out the reviews on Amazon here