All Dogs Shed

Aside from the truly hairless breeds, all dogs shed. In fact, some hairless breeds do grow hair – like the “hairless” Chinese Crested, which grows hair around its head, feet and tail. Dog hair goes through a “three-part cycle: growth, transition and death. At the end of the cycle, the dead strands fall out of the follicle” (Rafferty & Cahr, 2009, p. 41, ¶ 1). This is what we refer to as shedding. If it seems like your dog doesn’t shed, you may have a breed whose hair tends to” get tangled in the coat” (Rafferty & Cahr, 2009, p. 41). If your dog’s hair behaves this way, it is especially important for the coat to be brushed frequently in order to avoid matting (Rafferty & Cahr, 2009, p. 42). Healthy dogs will shed their coats at a consistent rate, although “Many factors, including breed, age, health and individual genetics, determine how rapidly a dog’s coat moves from growth to death and, thus, how much the dog sheds” (Rafferty & Cahr, 2009, p. 41).

Dogs which have the same coat length uniformly covering its body shed hair every three to four weeks (Rafferty & Cahr, 2009, p. 42). Dogs with a uniform coat grow to a genetically pre-determined length and then die (Rafferty & Cahr, p. 45).

Dogs with a hair-like coat grows its hair continuously, (like human hair does), until it is cut or dies (Rafferty & Cahr, p. 45).

Dogs with a multi-length coat both sheds like the hair-like variety (the shorter hairs), with hair falling to the floor, while the longer strands tend to get tangled up in the coat after they fall out of the follicle (Rafferty & Cahr, 2009, p. 42). “These dogs often appear to be wearing pants or feathers around their back ends and legs and often have longer strands on their tails, undercarriage or neck” (Rafferty & Cahr, 2009, p. 42, ¶ 4).

Determining the type of hair your dog has is the first step to proper brushing and grooming. A dog with a uniform coat (Basenji, Dalmatian, Jack Russel Terrier, etc.) never needs a professional haircut, although it still requires regular grooming due to frequent shedding. “Luckily, shedding is made more manageable with lots and lots and lots of brushings at home. Bathing helps too” (Rafferty & Cahr, 2009, p. 46, ¶ 1). Multi-length coats (Alaskan Malamute, Border Collie, Golden Retriever, etc.) occasionally need a visit a trained professional groomer to “perform a heavy-duty brush and wash to clear out the dead short fur and brush and trim the longer areas” (Rafferty & Cahr, 2009, p. 46, ¶ 2). Dogs with a hair-like coat (Cesky Terrier, Bichon Frise, Havanese, etc.) need “a full professional haircut and grooming about every four to six weeks” (Rafferty & Cahr, 2009, p. 45, ¶ 1).

Regardless of your dog’s hair type, all dogs need proper grooming to keep their coats healthy and help make them feel comfortable. “The bottom line: habitually and properly brush your pooch and take him for appropriate professional grooming” (Rafferty & Cahr, 2009, p. 44, ¶ 1).

~ OP Staff

Reference:

Rafferty, B. & Cahr, J. (2009). Happy Dog: caring for your dog’s body, mind, and spirit. London, England: Penguin Books Ltd.

Note: This article only serves as a guide and is based on research from various sources, both online and in print, including article(s) written by DVMs, dog trainers, groomers, and/or other qualified experts. Please check with your DVM for any questions regarding the information provided in this article. Thank you.