not sure where to put this

[Jamila]

I was wondering if any once else goes through this:
I'm joyfull stroking my fluffy Talena and SNAP! we get shocked. I don't want to stop petting her but ouch! How do I eliminate this. My first thought was a dryer sheet, but I dont trust what chemicals could or are on those. The last thing I wanna do is hurt my kids. Obviously it's dryer than dry in my house and I have a humidifier.
What can I do???

[Pippinislove]

Oh man, that sucks! I don't really get shocked much ever where I live, so I don't have any tips. D: Sorry!

[shandoggy1]

I have a HUGE humidifier that keeps multi-rooms moist. I have base board heating so it gets real dry in my house, I hate it! I actually have to get it out this weekend cuz my cats long hair is a static mess smooshed up against there bodys

[Carrie]

Touch something metal first. Or have you tried putting some hand lotion or leave in conditioner in her fur? I don't know if that would work too well, but it might a little bit.

[D.Schäferhund]

oh yeah i know that feeling....
I am bad with that, only it just doesn't happen when I pet i "shock" them quite often when they just come up to me....
I try to keep the humidifier running. and soemtimes it try to put some lotion on, but that doesn't work all the time.
I even tried to put soem conditioner in, but oh well when it gets cold nd dry no chance. i regulary get shocked from My truck, too and even there ythe no shock spray doesn't work!!!
I would be delighted if someone knows something.

[Tiffany0204]

^^ You must have a shocking personality! lol sorry, couldn't resist!

Yeah, grounding yourself before you touch anything is always a good idea, and so is the lotion or leave in conditioner. That should help.

Originally Posted by Controlling Static Electricity

Increase humidity

Static electricity is more active when the air and materials are dry. The humidity is normally lower in the winter, and heating the house further reduces the humidity. Also, locations with a desert climate usually have very low relative humidity.

One thing you can do is to use a humidifier to raise the humidity in the house. That may help a little.
Change materials

When certain materials rub together, they build up static electricity. Items that commonly rub together to cause static electricity are:

* Clothes rubbing on your skin
* Pajamas rubbing on your skin and the sheets in the bed
* Clothes rubbing on furniture and car seats
* The soles of your shoes rubbing against the rug or floor

Moisturize skin

Some people have very dry skin that may cause the buildup of static charges, especially in the winter. One thing to try is to use moisturizers or lotions on your skin. The only problem with that, of course, is that you might have to put it all over your body.

You can experiment with different types of moisturizers and in different locations. Perhaps just putting lotion on you hands may be sufficient, since shocks and sparks usually come from touching objects with your hands.
Clothes

Some clothing materials cause more static electricity than others. Objects that cling together when you take them out of the clothes dryer have extra static electricity. This is called static cling.

When you slide out of a car or off furniture in the house, you can create static electricity if the combination of materials is right. Try putting a cover on the seat, changing the materials or your clothes, or perhaps spraying things with an anti-static spray, such as is used to prevent static cling. I'm not sure how long the anti-static spray lasts or if continued use can discolor things.
Pajamas

If your pajamas and bed sheets are the type of materials that create static electricity when rubbed together, you can be bothered with shocks all night long on a dry winter night. If you have dry skin, the problem can be amplified.

Try using pajamas and/or sheets made of different materials. Cotton does not seem to develop as much static electricity as some artificial fibers.


Soles of shoes

People get shocks from walking on the rug in the house, jumping on a trampoline, or playing basketball in the gym. Certain synthetic rubber soles on shoes create a lot of static electricity. Experiment with different shoes.

The reason you build up static electricity usually comes from walking on a rug with certain types of shoes, when the weather is very dry. Static electricity is more common in the winter, because the air is often dry.

On a day that you get a lot of sparks, you can experiment walking on the rug with different shoes to see what type of soles create the most (or least) static electricity.

Unless you can change the type of shoes you wear (or not wear shoes at all), it is difficult to stop the problems of sparks. The only other solution is to anticipate the sparks. You can touch some non-conducting material, such as a wooden door, before you touch something metal. This will allow some of the electrical charges to leave your body.


Ground yourself

Another idea is to use a metal object like a key and touch other metal things first with key. This will cause the spark to fly from the key and not your finger. That is much more comfortable. You can also use a ring or even a thimble to move the shock from your finger to the metal object.

[Jamila]

Great help guys thanks! Lotion my hands is what I will try...they need it anyways.

[calgal]

#1 All Systems has wonderful grooming products. It's what I've used for years. They have a great anti-static coat spray and it's smells soooo nice. I always used it on all my foster dogs and will use it on Azrael and Zada this winter when the air get's dry from heating.
http://www.mjmcompany.com/1allsystems-grooming.htm