Corgis are small herding dogs represented by two different breeds: the Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh Corgi. They can make a wonderful pet if their owner provides and attend to their needs. The Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh Corgis are smaller dogs with thick and short coats. One of the most asked questions before owning any breed of canine relates to their maintenance and grooming, and a Corgi is a high maintenance breed that will require regular grooming. Having some fur in your home shouldn’t be enough reason you don’t adopt a Corgi. This breed’s size and temperament will be a perfect fit for you and your family. The best part is you can always learn how to manage their shedding and the amount of fur in your home.
Do Corgis shed? Yes, Corgis shed quite a lot. Both the Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh Corgis have double coats, which makes them prone to shedding much. You can expect pieces of fur all over your furniture and floor if you decide to welcome Corgis into your home. However, proactive Corgi owners can successfully manage their pup’s continuous shedding with the right tools and techniques.
Everyone adores Corgis, and if you are thinking of adopting one or rather you already have a Corgi and are looking for more info on how to live with your pet, look no further because I’m here to give you all the necessary tips. They are known to leave behind a lot of furs, and you might even find some in your food if you aren’t grooming them properly. Don’t let that discourage you from owning one, though. If you read this article to the end, you will learn more about the Corgi and have some ideas for minimizing their shedding. This article will mainly help Corgi owners recover some stability in their homes and answer the question, “Do Corgis shed?”
How Much Do Corgis Shed?
The Corgi tends to shed a lot because of their double coat. This medium-sized breed sheds just the same fur as a larger canine. How much Corgis shed will be reflected by the amount of fur you will find in your house and how often you will be vacuuming your home. You can expect a fair amount of fur if you welcome a Corgi into your home. They will shed much more during the seasonal shedding to adjust to the different weather changes of the year. You don’t need to worry about this, as proper grooming and diet will help you minimize the amount of fur they shed.
Why Do Corgis Shed?
Shedding is completely normal for all canines, regardless of the breed. It is a natural process of rejuvenation and fur growth. They will lose their weak hair to grow a new and healthy one. The only pups that don’t shed are the hairless ones.
Corgis have more fur to shed and regrow. This dog breed will molt too much because of having a double coat and seasonal shedding. Other reasons your Corgi will shed include improper grooming, low-quality diet, parasites, stress, and health issue. If your Corgi is shedding for the above bad reasons, you should visit your vet for a check-up. You don’t want your Corgi to have irritated and bald skin for shedding excessively.
Shedding Seasons and Frequency
Corgis are considered as year-round shedders and shed their coats in some form daily. They shed mostly in summer and winter, which is common with all double-coated dogs. The summer and winter shedding are commonly referred to as blowing the coat. Blowing coat is a process where double-coated pups undercoat cycles from the summer to winter fur and vice versa. During these two times of the year, staying on top of your Corgis grooming is essential. They tend to lose a large amount of fur over several weeks, which helps them adapt to the seasonal changes.
Unhealthy Shedding
Besides the usual seasonal shedding, it is essential to keep an eye on your Corgis to notice any increase in the shedding frequency. Even though they are heavy shedders, you have to be keen to know how much is too much. Some of the common shedding triggers that may cause your Corgis to shed abnormally include: stress, underlying health issues, allergies, improper nutrition, hormonal imbalance, parasites, and overbathing. Some of these are easier to manage, but each should be handled carefully with the help of a veterinarian. The vet will determine the root cause and offer possible solutions. All in all, routine grooming maintenance should help with most shedding triggers your puppy may experience.
What Type of Coat Does Corgi Have?
Corgis have a double coat consisting of an inner and outer layer. The inner layer is usually soft and is the perfect insulator that keeps them warm, whereas the outer layer provides extra protection from irritating substances. Initially, the Corgis were bred to be herders, and their double coats helped them endure all kinds of climate since they spent too much time outside. Typically, the thick undercoat is the one responsible for the massive shedding. You can control this by properly grooming and caring for your Corgi. The Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh Corgis have medium-length coats, which can be moderately longer dependent on their inheritances. The Pembroke Welsh Corgis are more likely to have long hair between the two.
How to Manage and Reduce Corgis Shedding
You may never truly eliminate the shedding of your Corgi, but you can reduce and manage it. Making sure you maintain a regular brushing routine and a high-quality diet are the most vital factors to minimize your Corgis shedding. Having a de-shedder and regularly bathing your Corgi will also manage their shedding. You can also opt for an anti-shedding shampoo and other supplements to control the amount of dander that falls. If all these don’t help you minimize the shedding, a trip to the vet will be the only solution. Below, we explain how grooming, diet, baths, and supplements help reduce shedding.
Corgis Grooming
When it comes to reducing the amount of fur that falls on your floor, grooming is your best solution. You will have to find the right brush and brush your Corgi daily during heavy shedding months. Corgis are small canines, and brushing them doesn’t last long. Most Corgi owners recommend the Furminator, designed to reach the undercoat through the topcoat. Line brushing your Corgi is known to be the best method for grooming loose hair out of a double coat. Not only does brushing help to manage molting, but it also spreads natural oils all through the fur. Regular brushing will also decrease twists and rugs. You can take your Corgi to a professional groomer once in a while as they are experts who know how to handle Corgi’s thick undercoat.
Corgis Diet
Food is a prime culprit for massive shedding, and a poor diet is usually to blame. Like human beings, Corgis will require high-quality food to live healthily; otherwise, there will be real physical repercussions. A high-quality diet comprises a balance of protein and essential fatty acids. This promotes stronger hair follicles, thus keeping the fur healthy and reducing shedding. Corgis will shed more if they aren’t getting all the necessary nutrients they require. A Corgi’s dull fur and excessive shedding can result from a deficiency in Omega 6 and Omega 3.
Baths, Supplements…
Bathing your Corgi is another cost-effective way of minimizing shedding. It helps you wash away dead and loose hairs from your Corgi before they fall on the floor. However, there is a line between bathing regularly and bathing too much. If you over bathe your Corgi, you may be washing away all the natural oils in their coats. And you will only end up increasing their shedding frequency because the natural oils keep the fur healthy.
Chewable supplements are great for healthy Corgis fur. There are plenty of these chewable supplements formulated for healthy skin and fur in the marketplace. If your Corgi is a picky eater, you can always get a liquid supplement to add to their dry kibble food.
Are Corgis Hypoallergenic?
Life can be boring if you are both a dog lover and an allergy sufferer or if someone in your family has dog allergies. In such cases, it is always advisable to go for hypoallergenic dogs, which are less likely to trigger an allergic reaction. The truth is no dog breed is 100% hypoallergenic. This is because it is not the dog’s hair that makes an allergy sufferer cough and sneeze; instead, it’s the saliva, dander, and urine secreted by the canine. To understand if Corgis are hypoallergenic, we first have to ask, do Corgis shed? Many Corgi owners have confirmed that this canine breed sheds a lot. And if you aren’t careful with managing their shedding, you will have hair everywhere in your home. Corgis are not hypoallergenic because of their heavy shedding tendencies. They are among the heaviest shedders, thus making it easier to trigger allergic reactions with lots of furs everywhere. The fur that falls off carries dander, which is released into the air and ends up causing allergies.
There is no way to escape the allergens, but you can manage the amount you come in contact with. The easiest way allergy sufferers can manage their allergies is by seeing a doctor who will give them some allergy medication. Here are other remedies to help you cut down on the allergens:
- Maintain a high grooming routine and, if possible, brush your Corgi daily. This will prevent loose hair from adding up and getting scattered all around your house.
- Bathe your Corgi regularly to minimize the amount of dander on their body. Remember not to overdo it, as over-bathing will wash off healthy oils needed for healthy fur.
- A high-quality diet is also essential. A pup lacking essential food nutrients is prone to shedding heavily and can even develop skin problems, thus leading to more dander.
- Sometimes excessive shedding might be because of some underlying health problem. So, always take your dog for regular vet check-ups.
- You can also purchase a HEPA vacuum cleaner and air purifier that you can use to collect all allergens in your house.
- Keep your puppy off the furniture and out of your bedroom to minimize allergens in areas you spend a lot of time.
- Wash the dog’s beddings once a week to reduce allergens in your home