It is entirely normal for dogs to shed because they need to for many reasons. However, people know that their dog will go through seasonal shedding, so you may want to know when your dog is most likely to shed and how to protect your surfaces from dog hair with products like Ruff Rugs. This isn’t a simple question to answer because it depends on what type of dog you own and several other factors.
Understanding Dog Hair and Its Cycles
There are a few different layers of dog hair that you need to understand to better help you prepare for when you have a shedding dog on your hands.
Guard Hairs
Guard hairs are also called primary hairs. This hair is long and stiff. They are a part of the dog’s outer coat and help protect the dog’s skin from anything outside.
Secondary Hairs
Secondary hairs are also called undercoat hairs. This hair is soft and fleecy, and it helps keep the dog warm during the colder months of the year. Some dogs have a double coat, which means they have both an outer coat and an undercoat. However, other dogs may only have an outer coat.
The Stages of Dog Hair Growth
There are four stages you need to be aware of when your dog is going through its hair growth cycle:
- Anagen phase: This is when new hair is growing in,
- Catagen phase: When the hair has reached a certain length, it will stop growing.
- Telogen phase: The hair is resting and is neither growing nor shedding.
- Exogen phase: When your dog’s hair begins to shed, it is at the end of its cycle.
Seasonal Shedding
Dogs with a double coat tend to go through season shedding because they have more hair they need to get rid of. If you have an Alaskan Malamute, Samoyeds, or collies, then be prepared for your dog to start shedding. Typically, they will begin to shed in the fall and spring. The exact months depend on where you live, the weather pattern, and the breed of dog you have.
However, you can expect your dog to lose their summer coat during the fall season, so it can get ready to gain thitsinter coat for the cold months. Then, during the spring, it will shed their winter coat to get ready for its summer coat. You’ll know when this happens because your shedding dog will leave hair everywhere!
Year-Round Shedding
However, some dogs typically shed all year. This is because it does not shed its hair during the fall and spring months. These dogs are continuously growing new hair. If you have a poodle, you should be prepared to clean up after your dog. Also, it will need a regular grooming routine to keep the shedding explosion to a minimum.
Wait, When Do Dogs Shed the Most?
Again, we can’t tell you the exact months that your dog will begin to shed because it’s more complicated than that. It all depends on where you live, what the weather is like, the amount of daylight you get, the dog’s breed, and the dog’s overall health condition. It also depends on whether your dog is an outside dog or an inside dog.
Outside Dogs
Outside dogs are left outside against the elements. You can expect your dog to start shedding its winter coat around March because that is typically when the weather begins to warm up. The dog will continue to shed until June. However, when September rolls around, the dog will start to shed its summer coat, and this process will continue until November.
Indoor Dogs
However, indoor dogs have it slightly differently because of the artificial lighting and heating. This can disrupt a dog’s natural shedding cycle, so it can be trickier to figure out exactly when they will begin to shed their coats. Also, indoor dogs tend to shed year-round because their shedding cycle has been disrupted.
Conclusion
To learn more about which months your dog will shed the most, you will need to know what breed it is, whether it is an indoor or outdoor dog, and the weather in your area. However, no matter how much your dog does shed, you should practice some good grooming habits to help lessen the amount of hair in your home.