Does your dog have a lot of shedding? Why Does It Happen and How Can It Be Stopped? Despite how much we all love our dogs, dog shedding may be annoying. Dog owners may go insane from a cloud of dog hair. All dogs, with the exception of those that are fully hairless, shed to some extent. While some breeds shed relatively little, others shed a lot.
Why Do Some Dogs Shed a lot of Hair?
To begin with, why do some dogs shed a lot of hair? Every dog sheds, but some breeds do it more frequently than others, including German shepherds, Corgis, and huskies. Additionally, some coat types shed hair more frequently than others, with double-coats ranking as the worst offenders.
There are additional factors besides breed and coat that contribute to dogs losing so much fur. Their excessive shedding may occasionally be brought on by allergies, a poor diet deficient in minerals, drug interactions, fleas (or other pests), or even nervousness.
If you're worried about your pet's shedding, you should take them to the doctor to be examined. If your pup is losing so much fur, there may be a deeper issue that needs to be treated right away.
Seasonal Shedding and Year-Round Shedding
Every animal that has hair will occasionally shed. This is a normal aspect of the hair shafts' internal life cycle. Every hair shaft has development and shedding periods. The phases, which are influenced by the dog's breed, age, hormones, environment, and general health, determine how quickly hair grows. Though heredity is primarily responsible for hair length and texture, these factors also play a role.
Poodles and Yorkshire terriers are two breeds of dogs with constantly developing hair that have longer hair shafts and minimal shedding. On the other hand, dogs with undercoats that are more plentiful and shorter hair shaft lifespans, such as labrador and huskies, shed more.
Season of Shedding
Generally speaking, dogs shed more in the spring and autumn. The majority of dogs have an undercoat and a topcoat. What you can see or feel on the exterior is the top coat. The undercoat is made up of secondary hairs, which are often shorter and finer and grow around the major hairs. Temperature changes cause seasonal shedding to happen. Sometimes, this procedure is referred to as "blowing coat." Dogs lose their old wintertime undercoats when the temperature rises to make room for a lighter summertime coat. Then, when the weather starts to turn chilly once more, dogs lose their thinner undercoats and develop deeper, thicker coats for the winter.
Temperature fluctuations have different effects on different coat types. Since there is less undercoat, Bichons and Shih Tzus, for instance, shed less as the seasons change. The dogs still need to have their old coats removed through grooming. However, dogs with strong, thick undercoats, like Newfoundlands and Malamutes, make shedding considerably more noticeable. For both coat types, fundamental brushing is crucial.
Other Motives for Losing
It's vital to pay attention to unusually high amounts of shedding because the condition of your dog can have an impact on the pace of shedding. Hair loss and altered hair growth rates can be brought on by skin conditions, endocrine abnormalities, nutritional or vitamin deficits, and other metabolic illnesses. If your dog's shedding rate looks unusual, it's critical to call your veterinarian. With regular vet visits and the right nourishment, you can keep your dog healthy. If you see any symptoms of sickness, call your veterinarian right away.
How to stop dog shedding?
It is impossible to cease shedding entirely. For dogs, it's an absolutely necessary and healthy process. It's not an excellent choice to shave your dog since it can disrupt their natural self-warming and self-cooling processes. It won't prevent shedding altogether in the long run. Rarely, the hair in regions where you've shaved will grow back normally, or perhaps not at all. Maintaining it is the key to preventing excessive shedding.
Grooming on a regular basis is crucial for all dogs. Before they can land on the floor, bedding, or furniture, dead hairs can be removed from your dog by brushing or combing him. Additionally, it will stop the dead hairs from growing into mats on the dog's coat, which could later cause skin damage. Additionally, brushing spreads the skin's healthy, natural oils into the hair coat. The appropriate grooming equipment can make a significant difference. A specialized shedding tool such as a FURminator may perform wonders for heavy shedders, but when using it, be careful not to press down too hard. Although the dead hair doesn't shed as frequently in certain coat types, it nonetheless makes the dog's coat look ragged and can eventually mat.
For periodic coat maintenance, some owners choose to take their pets to an expert groomer. Hand-stripping is a method that is frequently chosen above dog hair trimming for certain coat types.
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