Having a dog is one of the greatest parts of life. Feeling so unconditionally loved and supported, always having a buddy around, and a friend to adventure with-- it’s a lifestyle I know I wouldn’t trade for the world. But one that requires the best vacuum for dog hair.
Let me give it to you straight. The one part of owning a dog (okay three of the top shedding breeds…) I can’t stand? The dog hair! If we skip one day of vacuuming the entire house and furniture their shedding fur starts to pile up beyond belief. Strategically placed rollers at house exits and in the cars? Another absolute must.
How to handle all the hair? You need to invest in one of the best vacuums for dog hair. So if you’re dealing with excessive shedding or even a normal amount of dog hair, let’s look at some of your top options when it comes to the best vacuums for dog hair and using robot vacuums for dog hair.
You can keep your house and your sanity under control!
Best robot vacuums for dog hair
With robotic vacuums on the market, many dog owners are turning towards these effective and time-saving machines to manage the shedding in their homes. Quite a few of our friends have and swear by their robot vacuums for dog hair. Even with the steep price, they all say it is so worth it to have one less thing to deal with daily.
With a robot vacuum, you can simply lift things off the floor before you leave in the morning and make it your routine to run it while everyone is out. A great time is when you’re out exercising your dog or if they spend time at doggy daycare. Alternatively, you can run it before you go to sleep at night.
Robot vacuums of today come with features like voice commands, scheduling functions, and mapping technologies for the best hair and dirt removal. The results? A spotless and hair-free floor and all you had to do was turn on the vacuum.
How does a robot vacuum work?
Robot vacuums are basically full of sensors that help them navigate your space without bumping into things, track how far they’ve gone, and discover new areas they haven’t yet covered. Most also have what are known as “cliff sensors” so that they don’t go tumbling down a flight of stairs.
While the sensors on robot vacuums have come a long way, and many of the newer (more expensive) models have mapping technologies, to get the most effective results it’s best to move as many obstacles out of the way as possible before running your robot vacuum.
Pros and cons of robot vacuums for dog hair?
A huge pro of a robot vacuum for dog hair is how hands-off it is for you. By working your robot vacuum’s schedule into your routine, your house will (in theory) always be clean and free of dog hair. It’s one less chore you need to do around the house which means more time to spend with your dog.
The cons of a robot vacuum? As a dog owner, you are probably still going to want to own another vacuum in addition to your robot vacuum. For things like vacuuming furniture, the car, or even a quick spot clean of dirt tracked in or a sudden shed fest. Additionally, depending on your dog’s tolerance of vacuums and how often they’re out of the house, it might be tricky to find a time to run it.
Best robot vacuums for dog hair
When choosing a robot vacuum for dog hair in your home, you want to look at things like battery life, suction power, and navigation abilities. When choosing a robot vacuum specifically for dog hair good suction is essential to effectiveness!
You should also keep in mind your home’s various floor types and how easy it will be (or won’t be) for the vacuum to maneuver around obstacles.
Because I haven’t personally had the pleasure of testing out a variety of robot vacuums, I turned to this article on Reviewed to compile these top 3 choices:
- Neato Botvac D7: This was rated as the best robot vacuum overall for dog hair because of its great suction, map capabilities, ability to navigate between different floor types, and HEPA filter to help manage allergens.
- iRobot Roomba 980: A slightly more expensive but still excellent choice that features most of the same pros as the Neato. However, this vacuum has a longer battery life than the Neato but does not navigate between different floor types as well. The review notes that the Roomba’s tangle-free brushes mean you “won’t have to clean out caught dog fair as often as other models.”
- Dyson 360 Eye: This the most expensive robot vacuum on the market, but has superior suction over any other model. Reviewed says, “it’s as close to the power and functionality of a full-sized vacuum as you’re going to get”. It’s also a pro at navigating between floor types. The main cons of this model are the high price tag and that it can’t be run in the dark.
Related Reading: Best Hypoallergenic and No-Shed Large Breed Dogs
Best cordless vacuums for dog hair
If you are looking for a lightweight and super convenient alternative to lugging out your main vacuum to deal with dog hair in your house, a cordless vacuum, aka stick vacuum, is an excellent addition. As someone who can’t stand the amount of dog hair in my home (did I mention that yet 😉 ) I was vacuuming with our large vacuum daily and sweeping in the evenings.
Investing in a cordless vacuum has been life-changing. I no longer have to sweep. Using the lightweight cordless vacuum has replaced my broom and made it so easy to keep up with the hair and dirt throughout the day. I also love how convenient they are for a quick vacuum of the furniture and dog beds.
How do cordless vacuums work?
Your cordless vacuum will have a “dock” or charging station where it will live when not in use. By keeping your cordless vacuum charged at all times it's ready to go whenever you need it. We set up our charging dock right in our panty so it’s easy to access for any main living clean up.
Most come with a few different attachments that make them great for removing dog hair from the floor, but also quickly transitioning it to a handheld vacuum to suck up the shedding on the furniture, drapes, stairs, etc.
Pros and cons of a cordless vacuum for dog hair?
The pros of a cordless vacuum are that they are lightweight, don’t have a cord, and easily switch between a floor vacuum and handheld vacuum.
The cons of a cordless vacuum? Again, I don’t think this can be your only vacuum if you own dogs. They’re really great, but just not as good as a high-quality standard vacuum for deep cleaning.
The battery life on the highest suction usually isn’t very long (~6 minutes), and on medium suction is about 20 minutes (though you can buy second batteries for many models). This can be an issue if you are attempting to deep clean the whole house with your cordless vacuum.
Best cordless vacuums for dog hair
According to Amazon reviews, the top 3 best cordless vacuums for dog hair are:
- Shark IONFlex Duo Clean Cordless Vacuum
- Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
- ONSON Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
Best regular vacuums for dog hair
While robot and cordless vacuums are super convenient, the main con to both options is that dog owners usually still need a regular vacuum for deep cleaning. So when it comes to investing in a regular vacuum, make sure you get one that will really hold up to your dog’s shedding.
When choosing your vacuum, most experts recommend picking one that’s specifically marketed for pet hair. In this case, it’s really not a gimmick, these will provide the best cleaning and suction for pesky dog hair.
Best regular vacuums for dog hair
According to Amazon reviews, the top vacuum choices for dog hair are:
- Shark Rotator NV752 TruePet Upright Vacuum
- Bissel Cleanview Swivel Pet Upright Vacuum
- Dyson Ball Animal 2 Upright Vacuum
Ready to get the dog hair under control in your home?
Now you know the pros and cons of various types of vacuums for dog hair in your home. It’s a necessary evil that comes along with the joys of owning a dog. The recommendations in this article should make navigating the vacuum market a little easier, too.
Which vacuum do you have for managing your dog’s hair? Have an additional pro or con to share? Leave a comment below!
