When it comes to dogs, everyone loves a thick, healthy coat.
However, “I want to spend my days cleaning up hills of hair,” said no one EVER.
In this edition of Animal Facts, we’re singling out canines that are “extra,” in that
they are the Dogs That Shed the Most.
10.
St. Bernard
Maybe you’ve heard size matters.
It’s a given that St. Bernards would be bountiful shedders because of their thick,
protective double coats, but their sheer size catapults them into the upper echelon of shedding
prowess.
At 26 to 30 inches at the shoulder and weighing between 140 and 180 pounds, the even-tempered
Saint is a gentle giant.
However.
you should only make one part of your family if you don’t mind the grind of continually
cleaning up drool, mud and of course hair.
Although they shed small to moderate amounts of hair daily, twice a year, they “blow”
their coats, usually in the spring and fall.
To minimize the amount of spring and holiday cleaning you’ll have to do, make sure your
big buddy eats quality food and gets brushed regularly.
Use a rubber curry brush if your Saint is short-haired, or pin brush and 2 in 1 comb
if you have a long-haired Saint.
9.
Papillon
The Papillon’s claim to fame is being a lively lap dog with butterfly ears.
This happens to be where the breed gets its name.
A lap dog may be precisely the type of pup you’re looking for, but be sure you’re
chill with your friend leaving behind a lap full of loose hairs.
Pappys are known as moderate shedders as they have a single coat and shed lightly but continuously
throughout the year.
Like double-coated breeds, they go through two periods a year of moderate to excessive
shedding, the extent of which depends on factors like a seasonal shift in the climate, if you
take your pup out for their daily walk in spring or autumn or the temperature is higher
or lower than normal, and home cooling or heating systems which mask the outdoor temperature.
Dogs that live in regions where temperature changes occur gradually may experience only
minimal shedding year-round.
If your Papillon is a heavy shedder, be sure to brush them at least once a day during this
time, as many of the loose hairs will become trapped in their coat and may lead to yeast
infections if you don’t brush them out.
With proper care, your little sidekick will float like a butterfly.
8.
Keeshond
While most breeds are either single or double-coated, the Keeshond is in a league of its own.
They have a dense double topcoat, coarse undercoat, and an outer coat of longer guard hairs that
form a quadruple-layered barrier that keeps them toasty in cold weather, dry in wet weather,
and cool when the “heat is on.”
As with all Spitz breeds, Keeshonds shed relentlessly, especially during their seasonal shedding
periods.
The upside is that their coats are virtually odorless.
So while you may have to deal with a lot of fluff, your home will be funk-free.
To keep their coat free of tangles and mats, brush your Keeshond at least once a week (daily
during shedding periods) from head to tail.
Part the hair in sections and mist with water to decrease static electricity and improve
manageability.
And, be sure to brush from the roots to the ends to prevent matting.
Fun Fact: The Keeshond is known as the “Smiling Dutchman” because they tend to form a tooth-bearing
grin that looks like it’s anything but innocent.
Chances are it is, but you never know…
7.
Siberian Husky
Deciding to include the Siberian Husky in our list was a no-brainer.
Any dog described as “Siberian” should come with a disclaimer denying responsibility
for property damage or allergic reactions caused by their luxurious fur.
It’s not their fault…blame Mother Nature.
It is said that if you have a Husky, you’ll never eat another meal that doesn’t include
dog hair.
It literally gets everywhere.
Make sure you have a good vacuum because Huskies shed a ton on a typical day, let alone during
their blowing seasons.
One way to minimize shedding is to move to a cooler climate.
Huskies that live in cold areas tend to shed less than those living in warmer regions.
Ironically, taking care of their coats doesn’t take much effort.
Like the Keeshond, the Husky is practically odorless.
When it comes to bathing, they clean themselves, like cats, and seldom need baths.
Grooming a Husky’s coat is also surprisingly easy.
Just brush them once a week—every day during their shedding seasons—and you’ll have
one handsome Husky on your hands.
6.
Old English Sheepdog
If you’re not afraid of BIG hair or HARD work (basically if you were a young adult
in the 80s), get yourself an Old English Sheepdog.
They’re large, lovely, and have locks that need LOTS of attention whether on their bodies
or in tufts strewn about the floor, the couch, your clothes, well…everywhere.
However, there are a couple of advantages to having a Sheepdog instead of other heavy
shedders.
First of all, their coats are so long and shaggy that most of their loose hairs get
trapped in their fur.
It must be brushed out.
And, unlike most double-coated breeds, Sheepdogs don’t shed seasonally.
So, you won’t have the headaches that come with a deluge of fur in the spring and fall.
An essential beauty routine for your BFF should include brushing the topcoat and raking the
undercoat at least every other day and bathing your buddy every 6 to 8 weeks.
5.
Dalmatian
Cruella DeVil went to great lengths to get her hands on the elegant black and white spotted
coats of the Dalmatian puppies in a particular Disney film.
However, if she’d done her homework, she could have saved a lot of time and energy.
You see, Dalmatians shed, always.
So, she could have created her coats by merely collecting the loose hairs they left behind.
Dals have short, coarse hairs that show no mercy.
Not only will they end up all over your house, but they’ll also needle into your clothing,
carpet, and upholstery, making them difficult to remove without a little extra time and
elbow grease.
The bright side is that they only have a single coat, so they don’t shed seasonally.
And, since their hairs are short and stiff, their molting isn’t as noticeable as other
heavy shedders.
You may be wondering why a dog with such short hair sheds so much.
Well, the short answer is that hair gets trapped in the long double-coats of most heavy-shedding
dogs.
But, since Dals have a single layer of hair, there’s nothing underneath to catch the
excess.
So, it falls off of them and onto everything…Good thing they’re pretty.
Fun Facts: Dalmatian coats are one of a kind… just like fingerprints.
4.
Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers have flowing, golden tresses that would make Rapunzel jealous, but that
beauty comes with price…piles and piles of dog hair.
To say that Goldies shed a lot would be an understatement—Goldies shed profusely.
Like other double-coated breeds, the hair in their dense outer coat is water resistant,
and their thick undercoat is very plush yet acts as insulation to keep them warm or cool.
This distinct combination of fine and furry hair is the perfect recipe for creating an
endless supply of feathery plumes that float on air and cling to everything else during
the shedding season.
If you have a Goldie, consider yourself lucky.
You’ll never have a gentler, more fun-loving, pal.
So what if you have to give them a good brushing every day, invest in a quality pet vacuum,
and keep a lint brush in your back pocket to whisk away mini messes quickly?
They’re worth it.
3.
Samoyed
Ever wonder why Samoyeds wear a perpetual smile?
The world will probably never know for sure.
But we think it’s because they know they won’t have to clean up the fur they shed.
Samoyeds are yet another working breed from Siberia, so they are among the heaviest shedding
breeds of the heavy shedders.
Also, since they have fluffy, snowy white coats, they shed more noticeably, particularly
during “the most wonderful times of the year”—spring and autumn.
Although there is no way to stop your Sammy’s shedding, there are ways to keep a snowdrift
from turning into an avalanche.
Yes, we’ve said it a few times now, but it bears repeating.
Along with a proper diet, brushing your pup a few times a week with a slicker brush or
metal comb (daily during shedding seasons) is the most effective way to manage molting.
Or, if you want to get to the “root” of the issue, use an undercoat rake or de-shedding
tool to penetrate surface fur and lift loose undercoat to the surface.
A gentle bath with a high-end shampoo before brushing can help separate molted fur from
the rest.
If you love your Sammy, you’ll do whatever it takes to make your lives more comfortable.
But if the joy of being a human Zamboni starts to get to you, imagine you’re taking a walk
through the clouds.
2.
Great Pyrenees
The Great Pyrenees breed originated in the Pyrenees Mountains, a snowy range that sits
between Spain and France.
So, their double-coats that protect them from the elements is a given.
They’re large, so it’s natural for them to lose more fur and for us to notice it more.
What differentiates Pyrs from other heavy shedders is that they’re deceptively easy
to groom.
Their dirt and tangle resistant fur doesn’t need to be brushed for as long or often as
you might think.
You may want to brush your Pyr daily to keep hair from accumulating.
However, they only need to be brushed once or twice a week outside of when they blow
their coat.
Fun Fact: The Great Pyrenees breed is so old that their fossils dating between 1800 B.C.
and 1000 B.C. have been found.
1.
Alaskan Malamute
Our top dog is the Alaskan Malamute, who coincidentally is a native of…you guessed it—Siberia,
some 12,000 years ago.
Yeah, they’ve been carpeting homes for no short time.
Although today they mostly enjoy lives of leisure, Malamutes were bred by an Inuit tribe
called the Mahlemut to pull loads over great distances in subzero temperatures.
Their thick, waterproof coats were ideal for sled work, and they would even use their “corkscrew”
tails to protect their faces from brutal winds as they slept.
Now the fur that was once the Mally’s saving grace shows no mercy as it falls to the floor,
floats in the air, and fills garbage bags to the rims.
If you’re thinking of getting a Malamute, don’t be afraid.
One advantage to having a Mally is that they are similar to Huskies in that they clean
themselves like felines.
So, you won’t have to deal with dirty paws or muddy fur between baths.
Malamutes also get “cool points” for having odorless fur that can be spun into yarn.
So, instead of putting those garbage bags on the curb, you might want to hold on to
a few in case you want to knit a Christmas sweater or two.
It is almost that time of year.
And, dog fur sweaters are actually a thing.
Well, this video has got my sinuses in a bit of a tizzy.
Here’s a few more for you to enjoy.
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And as always, catch ya next time.