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By Elena Barnard
As a dog owner you’re probably familiar with the sight of dog hair on the sofa, on your new black top or even just lying around the house. While this can be irritating for the owner, shedding is really important to your pet and their health.
Although you can’t stop your pet from leaving bits of their coat around your house, you can take steps to keep the hair at a minimum, and make an informed decision on which breed of dog is best for you, based on the amount they shed.
Why do dogs shed?
Our dogs’ coats are really important to them. Not only do they keep dogs warm during colder months, but they also help regulate our pets’ temperature during summer, hence why some dogs ‘blow’ their winter coats.
Some people have kept their dogs outside during summer to encourage them to keep their winter coat and, as a result, keep their shedding to a minimum. This can be dangerous for your pet’s health, as some breeds are not meant to be kept outside, and this will more than likely be unsuccessful in stopping your pet shedding anyway.
Another common trick to stop shedding is to shave your pet, especially during the warmer months. This isn’t usually a good solution. Your dog’s coat acts like its own personal insulation, keeping them warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot. It also acts as a barrier against conditions such as sunburn and skin cancer.
Unless your dog has a skin condition or a medical reason, we wouldn’t suggest shaving your dog as their coat is crucial to keeping them healthy.
Here are the five breeds which shed the most hair and a little bit about why their coats are so important:
As a dog owner you’re probably familiar with the sight of dog hair on the sofa, on your new black top or even just lying around the house. While this can be irritating for the owner, shedding is really important to your pet and their health.
Although you can’t stop your pet from leaving bits of their coat around your house, you can take steps to keep the hair at a minimum, and make an informed decision on which breed of dog is best for you, based on the amount they shed.
Why do dogs shed?
Our dogs’ coats are really important to them. Not only do they keep dogs warm during colder months, but they also help regulate our pets’ temperature during summer, hence why some dogs ‘blow’ their winter coats.
Some people have kept their dogs outside during summer to encourage them to keep their winter coat and, as a result, keep their shedding to a minimum. This can be dangerous for your pet’s health, as some breeds are not meant to be kept outside, and this will more than likely be unsuccessful in stopping your pet shedding anyway.
Another common trick to stop shedding is to shave your pet, especially during the warmer months. This isn’t usually a good solution. Your dog’s coat acts like its own personal insulation, keeping them warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot. It also acts as a barrier against conditions such as sunburn and skin cancer.
Unless your dog has a skin condition or a medical reason, we wouldn’t suggest shaving your dog as their coat is crucial to keeping them healthy.
Here are the five breeds which shed the most hair and a little bit about why their coats are so important:
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Akita
Hailing from Japan, these dogs’ coats are built to keep them warm in the mountainous regions they come from. Akita’s coats may seem short, but they are deceptively thick and shed a lot. |
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Cardigan Welsh Corgi
This breed of Corgi is another one of our top shedders. Sporting a small tail, Cardigans are double coated for additional warmth, and they tend to shed their coat all year round. |
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Siberian Husky
As these dogs are originally from Siberia, it’s no big surprise that they have huge, thick coats that shed constantly. Having been bred to transport heavy goods across one of the coldest places on earth, these dogs need all the warmth they can get! |
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Chow Chow
Chow Chows are Chinese dogs with huge coats, so it might not shock you to know that this breed sheds daily. Due to the size of their coats, their fur will come away no matter how the weather is looking! |
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German Shepherds
This breed is one of the most popular dogs in the world. Although German Shepherds only ‘blow’ their coat twice a year, meaning that they shed a great deal to come into their Winter and Summer coats, you may find that they shed a lot in between. |
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Managing shedding
Although you can’t stop your pet from shedding, you can take some steps to make sure that their fur doesn’t take over your home. Grooming is really important, as it will help lift the dead hairs from your pet’s coat. If you groom your pet outside, you can help keep as much fur from inside your home as possible. Feeding your dog a healthy, balanced diet will also help to keep their coat in tip top shape. Food with omega 3 fatty acids and zinc will help reduce the amount of hair loss. Finally, try and keep your pets stress levels to a minimum, not only is it important to keep your pet happy but any stress related illnesses can cause your dog to lose their hair at a faster rate, leaving you with more hoovering! So as you can see, there are many breeds that lose their coats, with many more shedding breeds just missing out on our top five. If you have any questions on your pet’s hair loss, speak to your local vet and take a look at our dog insurance page to find out if we can help protect your family pet. |
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