Why does dog hair fall out?

Hair loss in dogs is a natural phenomenon in which the dog loses its hair to be cooler in the summer, and loses it again in the fall to renew it and be warm in the winter. Therefore, in most breeds, dogs are euthanized twice a year.

On-farm and herding dogs, precipitation has a lot to do with ambient temperature and light period. That is, with the amount of sunlight the dog sees in each season. For this reason, these dogs are not a problem when it comes to shedding larvae, while urban dogs that live in apartments are unaware of both factors and are therefore constantly shedding. Read this dog57 article and you will be able to gain basic knowledge about shedding dogs: its symptoms, season, duration.

Why does dog hair fall out?

Hair loss in dogs due to hair loss is a natural process in which our dog’s hair is renewed annually to adapt to temperatures, that is, to be cold in summer and warm in winter. On the other hand, hair loss in dogs will be closely related to two important factors: hair type and location.

It has been shown that dogs that live in cities and urbanization tend to have a fairly constant shedding throughout the year due to living in apartments where there are, for example, air conditioners and heaters, as well as due to climate change and the body of These animals discovering that it is not It is necessary to make a complete hair change, so it happens throughout the year.

On the other hand, dogs that live in the countryside usually have two noticeable annual changes.

Of course, there are other factors involved in hair loss in dogs that are not directly related to the loss, such as diet, health, and the genetic predisposition of dogs.

When do dogs fall off?

As mentioned, the shedding season for dogs is in the spring and fall. More specifically, it usually occurs around April and October. However, with climate change, hair loss may occur early, late, or may last longer than usual.

Additionally, the duration of a dog's shedding can vary depending on the breed, whether or not the dog spends many hours indoors, as well as their brushing habits, so the "hair shedding time" can be prolonged.

How long does dog's shedding last?

Surely more than once you have had doubts about how long your dog will shed. It must be said that although most dogs finish shedding in a month or two, several factors can prolong or shorten the duration of a coat change in dogs, such as:

Hair type: As we have mentioned, some dogs tend to lose hair more than others. For example, short-haired dogs generally tend to shed more hair than dogs with long hair or curly hair.

Breed: Apart related to the previous point is the breed of the dog, because some, due to genetics, tend to shed more or less hair.

Food: A good diet is essential to have healthy and strong hair, which makes your dog lose less hair.

Brushing: Combing the dog's hair is one of the best ways to shorten the duration of our dog's hair loss, in addition to preventing hair loss throughout the year.

Of course, health is another major factor in hair loss, because if our dog is losing more hair than usual, or areas of alopecia are born, we will not have a change in their natural hair, but rather a veterinary consultation problem.

Dog shedding symptoms

As we just saw, depending on the type of hair, it is not easy to tell if our dog has already started to shed. It is therefore important to take a look at the following signs that shedding season has begun:

Hair around the house or on clothes: This is one of the clearest signs of hair loss in dogs. However, some dogs tend to shed throughout the year.

Therefore, to make sure that it is due to hair loss, it is necessary to check if there is more hair than usual or if hair loss occurs frequently.

Balls or tufts of hair: A little after the previous point, when hair loss occurs due to shedding season, we can usually see entire tufts or tufts of hair on the ground or even falling from our pet.

Dog scratching: One of the symptoms of hair loss in dogs is that the dog scratches frequently.

This may happen because the loose hair that is still attached to its body would generate itching in our animal, which would need to be itchy often.

However, dog scratching is not always a symptom of shedding.

Different coats of hair: Also, during the hair loss season in dogs, we can see a change in the color or texture of our dog's coat. This is due to hair loss due to hair loss and the “new” hair that appears under it.

dog hair types

There are different types of dog hair depending on the dog's breed. Determining the type of coat helps us to take better care of it during the hair loss season, and to choose the most appropriate type of brush or shampoo, for example.

Short hair: It is very short, strong, and homogeneous all over the body. Boxer, Doberman, and Dalmatian among others are distinguished by this type of hair. It is the typical hair that sticks to clothes.

Double short coat: It consists of a dense and abundant undercoat or wool, protected by a thorn or a short, smooth and soft coat. German Shepherd, Husky, and Labrador all possess this type of coat.

It is the hair that condenses into small clouds all over the floor of the apartment. Its length varies depending on which part of the body it belongs to.

Semi-long hair: It is a coat that consists of short, dense wool and is protected by a medium-length, soft, dense, and shiny coat. Cocker is a good example.

Long hair: This type of hair has thick and soft wool, covered with long, silky, shiny hair that is not equal in length according to body area.

The Afghan gray hound, border collie, and Newfoundland all have this type of coat.

Curly hair: This hair has practically no undercoat. It's all a mixture of ever-growing shaggy tones or tones. The Bichon Frise and the Poodle are good samples for this type of hair.

Coarse hair: It is coarse-textured hair. There is hardly any coat. The fox terrier is a good example.

How do you stop shedding dogs?

Since it is a natural process, there is no way to stop or combat dog shedding, but there are several ways to reduce the amount of hair that our animals shed during the shedding season.

Next, we will discuss some tips to control hair loss in dogs.

Frequent brushing

No matter what type of hair our dog has, frequent brushing is a good way to keep him clean and comfortable. If brushing was daily, it would be the perfect way to take care of our dog and keep our floors virtually hair-free.

However, during hair loss, a dog loses a lot of its hair, so daily brushing should be done if we want to prevent our house from getting full of hair.

Each type of coat requires specific combs, brushes, and cards for their length and texture:

The best brushes for dogs with short hair and shaggy hair are brushes with short bouncy bristles (horsehair brushes are excellent).

Gloves are also suitable. Some vigorous brushing against the grain and for the benefit of the hair will remove the dead hair.

Semi-long hair should be combed with a metal brush or a medium-bristle brush with a ball-shaped finish. It should be cleaned gently.

Long hair is the most difficult and requires the most attention since it is easy to form knots in it. The metal comb, the card is the perfect tool to maintain said hair. It should not be the cause of painful hair pulling.

Twice a year it is appropriate to visit a professional hairdresser.

With curly hair, it is convenient to monitor the appearance of knots and remove them with scissors if they form. We must comb the dog with our fingers or a brush with very soft and separate bristles so that the loops or curls are not loosened.

Stiff hair is carefully combed, trying to get rid of possible knots.

bathrooms

During both molting periods, it is convenient to have a simultaneous bath. But we must bear in mind that before bathing the dog it is necessary to clean it well because during bathing dead hair can form tangles and knots that are difficult to get rid of later.

However, we must bear in mind that it is not very convenient to exceed the number of baths for our dog. Additionally, certain types of shampoo should always be used to bathe our dogs, since their skin has a much less acidic pH than human skin. Human shampoo can be very irritating to dogs.

get rid of worms

After bathing, it is necessary to prevent the appearance of parasites in the dog's fur, which is an essential hygienic measure for the dog and also for the human organs living with the pet.

Fleas, for example, live and eat dogs; But sometimes they want to get away from the dog and try new flavors.

Blood is an excellent dietary change for these pesky parasites that carry many diseases.

Especially during molting and after bathing, it is necessary to get rid of the worms with the use of pipettes.

feed

Proper nutrition is essential for our dog's coat to look beautiful. During the shedding period, it is advisable to consult with the veterinarian about the advisability of providing the dog with a food supplement that will help the appearance of new and healthier hair.

However, some foods or foods contain omega-3 and omega-6 that help make hair look brighter. Other completely natural foods favor the appearance of a new and more beautiful coat. To do that, check out our article on tricks to make my dog's coat shine.