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Do Australian Shepherds Shed a Lot?

Portrait of an Australian Shepherd outdoors

Yes, they do shed a lot. Australian shepherds have a coat that sheds gently all year. However, shedding becomes more intense in the spring when they lose their heavy winter coat. Keep reading to know why Australian Shepherds shed a lot and learn how you can manage their shedding.

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Why Australian Shepherds Shed?

Some of the major reasons that can make your Australian shepherds shed more are discussed below.

Seasonal Shedding

Australian Shepherd laying in autumn leaves outdoors

Because they are double-coated, they have two periods of the year when their fur sheds heavily. You’ll need to keep up with your Aussie’s grooming and invest in a decent de-shedding tool both in the winter and in the summer. During these aggressive shedding seasons, that will help keep dead and loose hair at bay. Deshedding tools aren’t normally required all year. These methods are most effective during seasonal shedding periods if you maintain regular grooming.

Routine Changes

Changes in routine add to tension and anxiety. Rather than bringing in a new dog, cat, or child, simply altering your dog’s routine may cause shedding. This may be someone starting doggie daycare or returning to work. Significant changes in habit might result in excessive fur loss.

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Diseases

Australian Shepherd at the vet on an exam table

Excess shedding can also be caused by more severe illnesses, like cancer. If your dog’s behavior has changed and they’ve withdrawn from their activities, make an appointment with your veterinarian to address the issue.

How to Manage Shedding for Australian Shepherds?

The following techniques can be effective for dealing with the shedding of your Australian Shepherd.

Brushing

Person brushing and Australian Shepherd

You should brush your dog regularly. There is no way around this time constraint. Brushing will be necessary for your dog. You should plan on performing it regularly, if not twice daily in certain circumstances.

Hormones regulate a dog’s shedding. They shed more at particular periods of the year, although this does not always imply that it is directly related to the weather. Spring and summer are typically the largest shedding seasons, although your dog may shed more during other seasons.

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Vacuuming

Close up of a person vacuuming carpet

Even with frequent brushing, these dogs will develop a substantial amount of loose hair. You should plan on vacuuming and sweeping more throughout the house to keep this extra hair under control. If you don’t have the time to devote to this extra cleaning, this is probably not the breed for you.

Vacuum the dog’s favorite hangout spots daily. This method will aid in reducing the amount of fur in the house. Most of the time, the fur is confined to a specific location. If you maintain that area clean, you can keep it from spreading throughout the house.

Managing Health Issues

Australian Shepherd laying on the floor at a vets office with stethoscope laying on the floor beside it.

Excessive shedding can be caused by various health issues. Because shedding is linked to hormones, hormonal imbalances can frequently induce excessive shedding. Excessive fur loss can, however, be caused by parasites, allergies, and other disorders.

Food allergies are perhaps the most prevalent cause of fur loss. These allergies sometimes cause itching in dogs, particularly around their feet and the base of their tail. This itching can result in excessive scratching and biting, resulting in fur loss.

Diet

Australian Shepherd puppy eating from a metal dog bowl

Omega fatty acids are essential for preserving your dog’s hair shafts, resulting in reduced damage and shedding. You may either feed your dog a meal that already contains omega fatty acids or supplement him individually. The former is usually preferred because you won’t have to bother about adding anything to your dog’s meal. Generally, high-quality dog meals with a lot of meat will have more essential oils than others.

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