The Australian Shepherd is an athletic, medium-sized dog. It is slightly longer than tall and is muscular and powerful enough to work all day. It has a double coat that is weather resistant. The most crucial factor before buying a new Aussie is its shedding level. You don’t want to find yourself in a nuisance situation where your Aussie’s fur is everywhere in the house. This article will inform you how much Australian Shepherds shed, why they shed, and how you can manage and reduce their shedding. Let’s first start by answering a simple question:
Do Australian Shepherds shed? Shedding is natural for all canines, and Australian Shepherds are not exceptional. Australian Shepherds are average shedders, but they shed more during the seasonal shedding when they blow off their heavy winter coats. But that does not mean it is unmanageable. You can manage that by following through with a grooming routine.
The Australian Shepherd is an average shedder but as a double-coat breed, it’s known to shed more during the seasonal shedding. So, if you are planning to bring this breed into your home, you must be prepared to groom your Aussie by brushing it daily. Today, we will acquaint ourselves more about the shedding of an Australian Shepherd, why they shed, how you can control the issue, and whether or not they are hypoallergenic. Therefore, make sure you read through the end to learn more.
How Much Do Australian Shepherds Shed?
When answering the question, do Australian Shepherds shed, its rational to know how much they shed. It is good to know how much grooming work you’re signing up for before welcoming this dog into your home. The Australian Shepherd is double-coated, which means two layers of fur and, generally, a lot of hair. Therefore, the Australian Shepherd sheds a lot, and the shedding heavily increases during spring as they shed their winter coat. The good news is that the shedding is manageable. For example, to reduce the amount of hair in your home, you should brush your Aussies fur daily. The shedding volume depends on their diet, overall health, climate you live, baths, and exercise.
Why Do Australian Shepherds Shed?
All canines shed, but an Australian Shepherd dog sheds throughout the year. The most apparent reason pooches shed is to grow new fur and remove the old one. It is a way of getting rid of excess hair from the body. The new hair helps to keep your dog’s skin in good condition. Many dogs shed when the season changes and the double coat Aussie will shed more during spring. They shed heavily during this time to get rid of their heavy winter coat. After getting thicker in the winter to protect against the elements, Their coats thins out during summer to keep them cool. Shedding is perfectly natural for all canines, and there is nothing you can do to stop it.
Shedding Seasons and Frequency
If you ever wonder when Australian Shepherd shed, this information may help you. You can expect a fair amount of fur in your home and on your clothing all year because of their double coats. This breed is an average shedder but tends to shed more during seasonal changes like spring and fall. This mainly happens when they are shedding off their heavy winter coat or developing a new one to help keep them cool. You will need to be consistent with grooming your Aussie in the winter and summer and invest in a quality de-shedding tool.
Unhealthy Shedding
Even though shedding is standard in every pup, you should look out for unhealthy shedding in your doggy. Your Australian Shepherd shouldn’t be shedding much even during the seasonal period. So, do Australian Shepherds shed unhealthily? Yes, it’s primarily possible when they are experiencing hormonal imbalance. This can often cause excessive shedding because shedding is tied to hormones. Other common causes of unhealthy shedding include an infestation of parasites like mites, stress, skin allergies, and dietary deficiencies. Therefore, if you notice your Aussie exhibits signs of unhealthy shedding, you should visit your vet to help with that problem.
What Type of Coat Does an Australian Shepherd Have?
The Australian Shepherd has a double coat that comprises the outer and inner layers. The double fur suited the breed to the climate of the mountains where it was initially developed.
The Aussie’s outer fur is of medium texture, neither soft nor harsh, and is considered to be water-resistant. It can range from straight to wavy, but mostly, its length should be moderate. The length usually varies over the entire body of the Australian Shepherd. The Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) explains the fur at the back of the ears, over the head, below the joint of rear legs, and front of the forelegs as smooth and short. The hair is longer on the back legs above the joint, on the back of Aussies front legs, and on the neck (forming a ruff or frill). Male Aussies have substantial frills than female ones. According to the ASCA standards, the additional fur frill gives the male Aussie a more masculine appearance.
The Aussie’s undercoat has denser hairs than those in the outer fur. The inner layer usually provides insulation. The environment in which the canine grew determines the amount of undercoat an Aussie has. For example, an Aussie who grew up in North Dakota will have more undercoats than one living in North Carolina.
How To Manage and Reduce the Australian Shepherd Shedding
Are you an experienced or a new owner of an Aussie looking for new ideas on managing your canine’s shedding? This information is for you. Regular brushing is the key to reducing your Aussie shedding. It would be best to stick to a brushing routine that needs to be done daily or even twice a day. You can also reduce your Australian Shepherd’s shedding by bathing them, just don’t do it frequently. Over bathing can disrupt your Aussie’s natural oils, which are essential for keeping their skin healthy. It will dry out your puppy’s skin and lead to skin irritation, thus causing extra fur loss.
Always use the right tools to brush your Aussie. For example, a pin brush is the best for removing excess fur from the undercoat, whereas a Furminator can remove fur in hard-to-reach areas like around the puppy’s neck. It would be best if you also fed your Aussie a well-balanced diet. Low-quality canine food increases the amount of shedding in your Aussie because their fur is not healthy. Lastly, check on your Aussies health because health problems sometimes cause excessive shedding.
Australian Shepherd Grooming
As I mentioned earlier, the Australian Shepherd sheds quite a lot, and it does need daily brushing to get the dead hairs out. Removing the dead hair help stimulate the skin. Many people say a slicker brush paired with a long tooth undercoat rake is the best combination. Be sure to get through all your puppy’s fur but remember not to irritate its skin in the process. You also need to pay attention to your canine’s ears and paws since these areas may require trimming. Do not shave your Australian Shepherd, as this will mess up with the skin’s delicate balance. The double coat usually helps by holding a layer of temperate air close to the body, thus insulating the dog from cold and heat. In addition, if you shave your Australian Shepherd, the fur may never grow back the same.
Australian Shepherd Diet
A balanced diet is important for your Australian Shepherd’s overall wellbeing. The diet also plays a role in their shedding tendencies and that is why you have to feed them a high-quality diet that will help reduce shedding. Proper levels of nutrition will care for your Aussie’s fur from inside and outside. Some of the ingredients you can give your Aussie for healthy skin include fish oil, eggs, fish, zinc, vitamin E, H, A, and B2. All these nutrients will promote clear, shiny, and healthy skin. After all, the health of your Aussies fur isn’t just about appearance, but a replication of its general wellbeing. A healthy dog will not shed excessively unless during the seasonal shedding period.
Baths and Supplements…
Bathing your pooch once in a while is necessary to help improve their appearance keep their skin healthy, beautiful, and odor-free. Your Australian Shepherd will only need a bath once every three months. Over bathing can disrupt your Aussies’ natural oils that are essential to keep their skin healthy. It can also dry out your dog’s skin and lead to skin irritation, thus causing extra fur loss. You can also consider supplements like Omega 3 fish oil to help keep your Aussie skin healthy. However, always check in with your vet before making changes to your puppy’s diet.
Are Australian Shepherds Hypoallergenic
A hypoallergenic pooch causes minimal or no allergic reaction. Someone with a dog allergy is usually allergic to the protein in the canine’s saliva, fur, dander, and urine. These proteins are generally harmless, but for allergy sufferers, their immune system interprets them as foreign invaders and tries to fight them. Some of the symptoms of dog allergies include itchy eyes, running nose, sneezing, asthma attack, congestion, and even hives.
The answer to ‘do Australian Shepherds shed’ should be connected to the fact that they can cause an allergic reaction. There is absolutely no breed that is 100% hypoallergenic. Some may cause a severe allergic reaction, while others are less likely to cause an allergy. Australian shepherds are not hypoallergenic because they produce allergen proteins that trigger allergies. They are also well known for their long hair with a lot of dander, which triggers allergies in people.
If you have allergies but still want to get an Australian shepherd, you can consider the following tips to help mitigate the allergic reaction:
- Always make sure you mop and vacuum your house regularly to get rid of fallen fur and other debris and dirt
- You might also want to switch to tiles or hardwood floors as carpets carry a lot of dander for an extended period
- Invest in a high-quality air purifier and use it to remove the puppy’s dander from the air around you before it accumulates on surfaces
- Since the Australian Shepherd has a lot of fur, it will also need a lot of grooming to help catch loose hairs before falling into the environment
- Always wash your puppy’s beddings and yours every week to help get rid of the dander
- Lastly, try allergy medication prescribed by your doctor