malting/shedding

Hi guys,

in the last week, Digger (2years approx) has been shedding LOTS of hair, brushing him but seems to be endless!

There is no increase in stress in his life, no food change or shampoo etc. could it be the warmer temperature?

Any advice to stop it or good grooming tips much appreciated.

Cheers,

Matt & Digger

Daisy is the same, she started malting a few weeks ago but it eased off then like you the last couple of weeks, loads is coming out!! It does worry me when she looses fur but she seems to still have plenty of it, it's not looking like it's thinning anywhere in particular.

I think they go through phases of growing/shedding fur darcy has times were it seems like it's everywhere

its a natural thing and no need to worry unless its just one area he is shedding from and going bald.
Its not really so much to do with the warmer weather as such but more exposure to sunlight which causes a rise in melatonin, this is the trigger to start shedding more than usual. if you have been on some nice sunny walks recently it could well have been that that has started it.
My two shed very lightley most of the year but twice a year they blow pretty much there entire undercoat in around two weeks. this year marley was about a month and half later than last year due to the bad weather. claning the house is a nightmare and even just stroking them produces clouds of hair

That's what Daisy's been like! Think it's starting to ease off a bit now.

Rocky has also been shedding some hair lately, could be a change in the weather, I'm sure an expert will be along shortly to answer the question fully.

Vinnie also used the furminator the other day and couldn't believe how much came out!

It is winter here and Rocky is loosing soooo much of it. Brush him daily, but still covered in it! But what Nathan said I have heard before, I assume it would be for this reason

So glad I read this because Harry is the same and I was wondering if he was
stressed.

It's perfectly natural for this breed, provided there are no bald patches or irritations. It tends to happen during spring and autumn and particularly for a dog who gets a lot of outdoor exercise.

There are three hair growth phases - anagen, catogen and telogen. These phases outline the growth of the hair, the slowing and ending of the growth, and then the shedding. As different breeds vary, so do the lengths of each phase, so not all dogs will shed at the same time.

In the wild, a canine will shed periodically, usually in the spring. However, with domesticated animals, who do not spend their lives outside in the wild, shedding can occur at any time. Shedding was previously thought to be associated with temperature, hence the common shedding in spring and autumn. It's actually to do with the length of the day, which determines length of exposure to natural light.

It has been suggested that hair growth and shedding may be linked to melatonin, although very little successful research has been done in this topic, so it's impossible to say for sure at this time. In Spitz breeds, the melatonin theory has been found to be true, as they have retained a relatively normal shedding cycle, unlike most other breeds.

There are ways to minimise the amount of hair you find around the house. The best way is to make sure he's groomed properly. He will still shed as much, but you will find less hair scattered around your home. For grooming, I'd recommend a Furminator. Extremely good at catching and removing dead hairs, though you should be careful not to press down hard, as this can lead to brush burn.

Try to avoid products in shops which claim to 'stop shedding'. You shouldn't try to stop the shedding unless it becomes a problem, i.e. the hair is not being replaced and leaves bald patches, in which case a vet should be seen. Shedding is an important function of the canine body, to replace old hair with new.