Dog Shedding: How Long Does It Last?
Having a dog in our life is full of advantages, although in the time of hair loss some inconvenience may be added, such as spending the whole day with the broom in hand. The shedding of dogs can be the most unsettling, especially for people who are very concerned with cleanliness.
Today we are going to talk about this common and normal process among all dogs: molting. We will explain to you how long it lasts and we will give some advice to accelerate it – as far as possible .
The shedding of the dogs
First of all, it is necessary to make it clear that the shedding of dogs is a completely natural and necessary process. Hair, in a way, is like dog clothes. In the same way that we don’t wear the same clothes all year long, neither do dogs. In this sense, we could say that the change of hair is your particular wardrobe change.
With the changes of season – especially with the arrival of cold in the autumn season – and the arrival of heat in the spring months, it is when dogs carry out their coat change. In this way, they manage to adapt to the new temperatures that are to come, just like we take out the scarf or the swimsuit depending on the time of year.
Fundamentals and time of the molt
As we anticipate, the important change of hair occurs mainly in the spring and autumn months. However, considering that most dogs live on floors and are not exposed to inclement weather, this process is variable.
It is necessary to understand that the change of coat responds to different stimuli and that temperature and daily light are the most important. Dogs with indoor lifestyles are generally only exposed to outdoor temperatures for a small part of the day. This situation makes your particular biological clock go haywire a bit.
So that we understand each other, when autumn arrives, the dog’s biological thermometer detects a drop in temperatures, so it begins to make the change from fine summer hair to dense winter fur.
Even so, the drop in temperatures is detected by the dog from time to time on walks, since while the animal is at home, there is no notable drop in climate. This makes the molt less efficient.
Length of molt
With the previous premise we are not saying that you let the dogs sleep in the street during the spring and autumn to speed up the shedding process. Although with home life the change of hair is delayed a little more, we are talking about a duration of between two and five weeks, in general.
Also, this time interval will always be variable and will depend on many factors. Among the most common, we find the following:
- Breed type: there are breeds that are more prone to hair loss, while others make almost negligible molts.
- Climate: the molting process will not last as long in a temperate climate near the sea as in an indoor environment with much more extreme temperatures.
- Food: adequate nutrition will always favor a correct change of coat.
Tips to speed up or improve the shedding process
We have already said that this process is natural, there is no way to stop it and it has to be carried out yes or yes. However, the following tips help speed it up:
- Brushing the animal frequently helps speed up this process and prevent it from shedding hair throughout the house.
- Take baths more frequently, since the water is ideal for pulling out dead hairs.
- Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acid supplements are very useful and help to keep the skin and hair healthy and lustrous, as well as speed up the shedding process.
As you have been able to read, the change of hair and the shedding process is as natural in dogs as eating, so it should not be treated as a problem. The only possible solution on the part of the tutor is to arm himself with patience, brooms and brushes.
