Much like enjoying healthy dog food, chasing a ball again and again (and again and again) at the dog park, indulging in more than a few belly rubs, and lolling about on the couch, shedding is just a natural and normal part of a dog’s regular routine. As with most things, though, not all shedders are created equal. Some doggos shed pretty heavily year-round, while others barely drop a hair. So what are the dog breeds which shed most?
Looking to welcome a new furbaby to your home? Here’s the 411 on the dog breeds that tend to shed more than others.
A quick note on dog shedding
Frustrating it may be to clean up, but shedding is simply a fact of life for most dogs. When a dog sheds, they’re getting rid of old, dead hair to make way for new, healthy hair.
When it comes to dog fur, breeds typically fall into one of two categories: single-coated and double-coated. Single-coated dog breeds only have one type of coat all over their body. Double-coated dog breeds, on the other hand, have two coats. The lower layer is a thick and woolly undercoat that keeps a double-coated dog warm. The top layer is usually made up of longer hairs that are coarser and more waterproof.
Double-coated breeds often come from working stock. In the past, their coats developed to help them withstand harsh conditions and to keep them warm when they were travelling through snow, cold water, or rain.
For single-coated dogs, shedding is mostly a light, year-round thing. This means that while they’re constantly shedding their fur, the amount is fairly minimal.
Double-coated dogs shed a little year-round and completely shed their coat up to several times a year. This is known as “blowing coat”. Double-coated breeds often shed during spring so they can swap out their thick winter coat for a lighter summer one. Then, they’ll shed again during autumn so they can regrow their cosy winter coat.
On the whole, double-coated pooches are the dog breeds which shed most. They tend to lose considerably more hair than single-coated breeds. Although, as we’ll soon find out, that’s not entirely true of all single-coated breeds.
And lastly, don’t be deterred if your heart is set on a fur-flinging pooch! Cleaning up dog hair is just part and parcel of being a Dog Owner. There’s really very little we can do to entirely prevent it. Plus, it’s pretty easy to minimise dog shedding. All it takes is a bit of dedication and a good fur brush!
What are the dog breeds which shed most?
1. Labrador Retriever
Ask any Lab Owner, “Do Labradors shed?”, and they’ll probably tell you that cleaning up stray hairs is one of their main responsibilities. Labradors are double-coated, so they shed some of their fur throughout the year and have twice-yearly blowouts. Yep, that’s right. Despite their single-coated appearance, beneath a Lab’s layer of short, coarse hair lies a thick and fluffy coat!
2. Golden Retriever
The longer, wavier, softer-coated cousin of the Lab is equally as notorious when it comes to shedding. Just like Labradors, Golden Retrievers have a double coat. This means shedding all 365 days a year, as well as a couple of blowouts during spring and autumn.
Because Golden Retrievers have such long fur, you’ll need to stay on top of grooming to ensure it stays tangle-free. You can probably get away with brushing them once per week, but daily is ideal when they’re blowing coat.
3. German Shepherd
German Shepherds have a double coat, which results in multiple blowouts per year – in some cases, up to four. The good news is, these gentle giants are minimal shedders the rest of the year. And the hair they do lose is pretty easy to clean up.
At the start of their heavy shedding season, you’ll probably notice tufts of hair falling off your German Shepherd’s body. Fortunately, these only require a brush to keep them under control.
4. Malamute
Alaskan Malamutes are the ultimate snow dogs. When humans used to employ them as cold-weather working dogs, their double coats kept them warm in harsh, freezing environments.
While they may not necessarily be living in snowy climates anymore, Malamutes have retained their dense lower layer of fur. As a result, they also shed their coats a few times a year, much like other double-coated dog breeds. Malamutes have such thick coats that they usually require daily brushing throughout the year.
5. Husky
Just like Malamutes, Siberian Huskies were once utilised as working dogs in frosty locales. They have the same bulky double coat to help protect them from the cold. They also go through multiple shedding seasons every year where they totally blow their coat.
But, because many huskies no longer live in the snow, there’s less need for their winter coat. So, huskies living in temperate and warm climates may blow their coats up to four times per year to help them stay cool.
6. Corgi
Her Royal Highness’s pupper of choice could be dubbed the queen of shedding – or one of them, at least. Both Pembroke Welsh and Cardigan Welsh Corgis have a double coat, so you know what that entails: total blowouts around twice a year (along with ongoing shedding the rest of the time).
Regular brushing is ideal for Corgis, especially during their biannual shedding seasons. While they’re blowing coat, you may want to up their brushing regimen to once daily.
7. Fawn Pug
Pugs are an interesting breed in that some have double coats, while others have single coats. Luckily, you don’t have to dive down to their lower layer of fur to find out which kind of coat they’re wearing. Generally speaking, Black Pugs have single coats and Fawn Pugs have double coats.
This does mean that Fawn Pugs shed a heck of a lot. They lose hair across the year, and undergo massive sheds during moulting season. That’s not to say that Black Pugs don’t shed, though; they certainly do, just not quite as much.
8. Chow Chow
You only need to take one look at a Chow Chow to tell this doggo is a big shedder. In fact, despite the breed’s small stature, Chow Chows can shed the same amount of hair as much larger breeds. This is because underneath that bushy, luscious coat is another coat that’s even bushier and more luscious. Yep, this guy is a double-coated breed, too.
Rough-coated Chow Chows generally need more grooming than their smooth-coated counterparts. This is due to their fur being longer and more prone to getting tangled.
9. Rottweiler
Don’t be fooled by their smooth appearance; Rottweilers sit very firmly in the double-coated breed camp. Below their slick, black coat you’ll find a dense layer of fur designed to keep them warm in cold environments.
Throughout most of the year, your Rottie is unlikely to shed excessively. But come moulting season, you’ll need to brush them daily to stay on top of their hair.
10. Dalmatian
Shout out to the only single-coated breed on our list! Dalmatians may not have the thick underlayer and regular blowouts as double-coated dogs, but boy can they shed. These dogs lose their hair all year round, mainly due to the fact that their hair shafts have a short life span and need to be routinely replaced.
This means Dalmatians require regular brushing pretty much all the time – ideally three to four times a week. If this seems like a lot, well, just be glad you don’t own 101 of them…
