Ever since the day Joe and I picked Winnie up to bring her home, we have treated her as an extension of our family, earning her place as our official “firstborn.” Through each phase of our relationship, Winnie has been there right by our side, wagging her tail with a smile on her face. With each life change, she has been there when we’ve needed her most. During my postpartum and bedrest stints, she never left my side. This behavior earned her the title “Nurse Winnie.” So, when the littles’ skin sensitivities started flaring up, and the doc broke the news that dog hair is a potential trigger, it broke our hearts. We knew we had to make a change in order to make life with a pet more comfortable for our kiddos.

Determined to find a compromise, I spent hours trying to de-fur every inch of our home until I was sure I got every little strand. But, as it goes, sweet Winnie continued to shed at a rate my lint roller couldn’t match; shoutout to spring.

As a last resort, Joe and I decided to temporarily move our first born to grandma’s house until we had a better grasp on August and Birdie’s allergies. Although we were sad to see her go, I was hopeful that we would get to the bottom of it, allowing Winnie to eventually return home.

During her vacation, we came up with a plan.

1. Winnie was to stay off our furniture and out of bedrooms. SAD!!
2. Reassess our cleaning rituals. Hard.
3. Get Winnie on a grooming regime that helps keep her dander under control. Also, very tedious.
4. Comfy dog beds in communal areas. Considering she loved cuddling on the couch, we placed dog beds on the main and lower levels of the house, so she could get cozy and be part of the action at the same time.

The thing most lab owners know about themselves is that we tend to become so used to the sheer amount of dog fur in our lives that it becomes invisible in your own home. Once I started being more aware, I felt like I could never escape the bleach blonde strands that covered nearly every inch of the house. Seriously. Everywhere.

Joe and I quickly realized that in order for Winnie to return home, we would need to identify a more robust cleaning method. So it was fitting that we jumped at the chance to test out CrossWave® Pet Pro All-In-One Multi-Surface Cleaner by BISSELL®. It was clear this machine was made for animal lovers, by animal lovers.

CrossWave Pet Pro is capable of vacuuming and washing surfaces at the same time, eliminating an extra step while cleaning up after your pet. Using smart touch controls, switching between cleaning hard floors and area rugs is simple. Whether it’s hair, spilled food/water, or cat litter box debris, CrossWave Pet Pro picks it up. My personal favorite feature: the Multi-Surface Pet Brush Roll is tangle-free for hair up to 8 inches long. Not sure what kind of dog has 8-inch long hair, but hey, invite ‘em over because I’m prepared!

Not only is BISSELL committed to bettering the lives of pets with owners, but also those without. In 2011, Cathy Bissell launched BISSELL Pet Foundation to help reduce the number of animals in shelters and rescues, a staggering problem in North America she felt needed to be addressed. For every CrossWave Pet Pro purchased, and then activated on bissell.com, BISSELL gives $10 back to the BISSELL Pet Foundation. The donated funds are then used to support animal welfare organizations that fight pet homelessness.

Having to change the way Winnie lives in our home was hard, but it was worth every ounce of energy. And thanks to BISSELL, we’re prepared for any (hair)ball thrown our way.

Ed. note: This post was sponsored by BISSELL. The compensation received in exchange for placement on Wit & Delight is used to purchase props, hire a photographer, write/edit the blog post and support the larger team behind Wit & Delight. While compensation was received in exchange for coverage, all thoughts and opinions are always my own. Sponsored posts like these allow for the development of additional dynamic content to be produced, unsponsored. Thank you for supporting our partners!