Hair all over your sofa, bed and car seat… we’ve all been there! Like other dog breeds, Border Collies can leave their hair everywhere, especially at certain times. Shedding is a natural process for dogs. However, there are some things you can do to make it less of an issue for yourself and your dog.
Do Border Collies shed? Yes. They shed their undercoat throughout the year. The heavier molt occurs twice a year with shedding achieving its peak in spring and fall. However, Border Collies shed throughout the year, all be it to a lesser extent.
Border Collies are a fun-loving, energetic, adventurous breed of dog with a good temperament which makes them the ideal family pet. This article tells you more about the fur shedding tendencies and seasonality of your high energy, intelligent muddy-nosed collie!
Do Border Collies Shed?
Shedding is a natural and healthy phenomena that helps dogs maintain a healthy rich coat and keeps them warm in colder seasons. Although some dogs have been bred to moult less, Border Collies – like the majority of dogs – do shed their hair, some times more than others.
Border Collies shed throughout the year although their moult vaires seasonally, with their heaviest shedding occurring during the Fall months of September through November and again in May through June. The mild weather in late-winter/early-spring actually “gives” them more time to shed than they would otherwise have since it doesn’t impede on their natural shedding cycle as the coldest weather does.
Border Collie coats are medium-fine but relatively heavy for a rather small dog breed, so it can be very difficult to keep up with this amount of coat care throughout these peak seasons without the help of high-performance grooming tools or grooming gloves.
When do Border Collies Shed?
Borders are an intelligent, energetic breed with an athletic appearance. These Collies have two layers to their coat. This double-coated breed has medium-length hair on its outer coat and shorter hair on its soft undercoat beneath it. There are two types of coats in Collies. The rough coat Collie with Smooth Collie both have double coats and have a coarse dense outer layer, the smooth Collie has shorter hair, and a softer undercoat.
When do Border Collies shed? Up to the age of 12 months, Border Collie Puppies can have a slightly fluffy coat. After approximately a year the shedding process begins. The seasonal shedding cycle begins with heavy shedding in response to seasonal changes, such as decreased daylight hours and cooler temperatures. It ends when seasonal coat growth stops for the winter months. Border Collie owners also report hair loss in the springtime ready for the warmer summer months. Having thinner coats during the warmer summer months will allow your collie to keep a cooler body temperature.
Shedding is an ongoing process in dogs throughout the year. Just like many other Border Collie owners, I’m sure you have noticed that there is often hair left in the brush after your daily brushing session. This is a normal process that occurs during a grooming session.
Collies hypoallergenic rating is low. This dog breed is not considered as a hypoallergenic breed due to pet shedding. Border Collies lose hair which can, in certain people, cause skin allergies and potential skin irritation and even cause inhalant allergies in dog allergy sufferers.
Shedding in Border Collies Who Live Mainly Outside
Outdoor living is harsh on any dog, even Border Collies and is not recommended. However, some collies do spend the majority of their time outside. Dogs who live mainly outdoors are exposed to seasonal variations in temperature: colder weather stimulates the production of natural oils (an adaptation that allows dogs’ bodies to keep warm). When there is less daylight outdoors, a dog’s body produces seasonal hormones to stimulate seasonal coat growth. This happens during the fall months in the Northern Hemisphere and in spring months in the Southern Hemisphere.
In addition to seasonal sheds, there can also be seasonal allergies and seasonal matting. Allergies produce seasonal shedding because dogs lose hair in response to seasonal changes. For instance, seasonal shedding can occur after springtime breaks of warm weather and hard winter cold snaps.
Seasonal matting occurs when seasonal dogs stay outdoors. During seasonal shedding, long hair can get wrapped around tree branches, creating seasonal mats that need to be cut off or brushed out so as not to interfere with the sheepdogs’ activity level.
Be sure to give your dog frequent grooming and a periodic haircut during seasonal shedding times leading up to the colder months. This will help keep his skin and coat healthy. A healthy diet with plenty of vegetables and some fruit and weekly brushing will also help promote a healthy coat over a period of time.
Shedding in Border Collies Who Live Inside
Daily exercise is vital a part of the a Border Collies routine. This breed needs regular physical activity and high-quality diet which includes omega-3 fatty acid to not only maintain joint health and avoid hip dysplasia. Frequent regular brushing using a de-shedding tool will help to remove any loose dead hair from their surface coat.
It’s important to give seasonal shedding dogs a bath about every six weeks during the growing season. This will help remove excess hair and keep their skin and coats healthy. Follow up the bathing session with a good brushing to get the loose hairs out of your dog’s fur. If you use a seasonal dog shampoo, be sure to wipe the dog’s skin dry with a towel. Bathing from time to time can maintain a Border Collies natural coat oils.
The seasonal shedding cycle begins with heavy shedding for several weeks, then gradually slows down into winter coat growth.
Does Brushing Your Dog Make Them Shed More?
When brushing your Border Collie as part of its regular grooming routine you need to consider the types of grooming tools to suit your dog’s type of coat and if the amount they are shedding . The slicker brushes with a metal comb can help an owner to get to the collies dense undercoat and allow you to remove any loose hair.
Brushing does not make your Border Collie shed anymore but it does help your pet to stay more comfortable. It can reduce the amount of hair deposited around the house which may be important to help minimize allergy symptoms in anyone visiting your home during this time.
When to Worry About Excessive Shedding?
Frequent brushing, a nutritious diet together with regular exercise and mental stimulation should help your dog to stay healthy and maintain good skin and coat health especially at times of heavier shedding.
However sometimes health issues can occur. Allergic dermatitus is a medical issue can cause dogs to loose hair but this usually occurs due to atopic licking. This can cause a once healthy coat to become patchy with unhealthy skin. If this occurs the pet owner should seek professional advice especially if it is leading to clumps of hair falling out in a specific area.
One way that many people find relief from excessive shedding is by brushing their dogs more often. The benefits of regular grooming go beyond just reducing the amount of hair on furniture and in carpets; it also provides mental stimulation for your pet while helping them maintain healthy skin and nails. It’s important to remember that not all types of hair loss mean something needs medical attention either!
Summary
Do border collies shed seasonally? The answer is yes! Border collies who live outside usually experience seasonal shedding that occurs in late fall or early winter – when they’re living on cold surfaces like concrete sidewalks.
Dogs who inside typically have different patterns of shedding year-round because their environment doesn’t change much. Does brushing your dog make it shed more? Generally no! Over-grooming does not cause excessive shedding but rather causes patchy hair loss which looks bad for show dogs. When should you worry about excessive shedding? If there’s too much loose fur all over the house, it may be time to visit a veterinarian.
